Night Whispers полностью

“Yes.” Hastily, Ivypaw pushed the mouse toward him. “I don’t want to use up your food. Prey is scarce.”

Blackstar dipped his head. “I expect you want to go home.”

Ivypaw felt her eyes glisten. “Yes.”

“You’ll be back in your camp soon enough.” He gazed past her. “First, there’s a bargain to be struck. ThunderClan has something we need.” He turned and padded away.

Ivypaw watched him go, unease pricking her belly. “A bargain?” she echoed.

Starlingpaw shrugged. “Perhaps we’re going to swap you for food.”

Tawnypelt padded around the jutting brambles. “Are you all right?” The sympathy in the tortoiseshell’s mew made Ivypaw more homesick than ever.

“I’m fine.” She swallowed against the lump rising in her throat. “What do you want to swap me for?”

“Herbs,” Tawnypelt answered. “Littlecloud’s sick. We need catmint and tansy. Tigerheart told us that Jayfeather has been growing some.”

“Tigerheart?” Ivypaw was confused. But Tigerstar told me that ShadowClan knew about the herbs ages ago. That’s why they’d wanted to invade ThunderClan territory. Had Tigerstar lied?

“He overheard some ThunderClan warriors talking about it yesterday,” Tawnypelt told her.

No he didn’t! Anger throbbed in her ears. Dovepaw told him! How could her sister betray her Clan like that? Ivypaw stared around her prison. How could she betray me?

Tawnypelt padded closer. “Don’t worry, dear.” Her eyes were round. “I’m sure Jayfeather will happily give up a few herbs on your behalf. You’ll be home in no time.”

Ivypaw backed away, bristling.

“Would you like to use the dirtplace?” Tawnypelt offered. “You could stretch your legs. You must be stiff, holed up here.” She waved Starlingpaw away with her tail. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”

Tawnypelt took her across the camp. The clearing was long and wide. All the dens were neatly tucked away inside the camp wall. Ivypaw was impressed. It was perfect for practicing battle moves. Dawnpelt, lying near the edge, looked up from the frog she was chewing and scowled. Sparrowkit was huddling beside Kinkfur. Dewkit and Mistkit were nowhere to be seen. Cedarheart and Tallpoppy had made nests in the snow outside their den and watched her pass.

Ivypaw felt hot under her pelt. She was relieved to duck through the tunnel to the dirtplace while Tawnypelt waited in the clearing. The dirtplace was outside the camp wall, and Ivypaw wondered if she could slip away and make it to the border.

“Are you finished?” Tawnypelt called.

Ivypaw pushed the idea away. The forest was full of patrols that all knew the territory better than she did. She kicked snow over her dirt and headed back through the tunnel. “I want to apologize to the kits,” she told Tawnypelt as she emerged.

“What for?”

“I frightened them.”

Tawnypelt purred. “I thought Sparrowkit was looking a little quieter than usual.” She led Ivypaw across the clearing toward Kinkfur. As they neared, Mistkit squirmed out of the den and hid behind the tabby queen. Dewkit followed and ducked under Kinkfur’s tail.

Sparrowkit, trembling, lifted his chin. “You don’t scare me!” he growled.

“Good—”

A shriek ripped across the camp, and Flametail came racing through a gap in the brambles, wild-eyed and with his fur bushed up.

Tawnypelt bristled. “What is it?” She raced over to the terrified medicine cat.

“Darkness!” Flametail gasped. “Cold, sucking darkness.” The ginger tom’s eyes were black with terror.

Blackstar rushed out of his den. “What’s the matter?” He barged past Smokefoot and stared at the medicine cat.

Flametail’s gaze fixed on his leader. “There is a great darkness coming,” he hissed. “I’ve felt it, all around me. It will engulf ShadowClan like an endless wave and suck us down to our doom.”

Blackstar thrust his face closer. “What can we do?”

“We must prepare to fight. StarClan was right. We are alone, and we must fight for our lives!”

Smokefoot leaned forward. “Who? Who must we fight?”

Flametail shook his head. “I couldn’t see.”

“It must be the other Clans,” Blackstar snarled. “If StarClan says we fight alone, it must be them that we fight!”

Kinkfur trembled beside Ivypaw and swept her kits closer with her tail. The brambles shivered. Ivypaw turned to see Tigerheart pad into camp. Rowanclaw, Shrewfoot, and Crowfrost followed.

Flametail straightened up, calmness flooding his mew. “The greatest battle in the history of the Clans is coming, and we must prepare to meet it.”

Tigerheart’s broad shoulders stiffened. He glanced backward, catching Ivypaw’s eye. We are being prepared already, he seemed to say.

Ivypaw didn’t feel comforted. Flametail’s prophecy of doom had scared her; she wanted her Clanmates around her, and Firestar to decide which battles should be fought and which could be left for another day.

If the greatest battle ever was coming, Ivypaw wanted to be home before it arrived.