“Snow told me on the way to camp,” Squirrelflight told him. “ShadowClan had been on their land. They were only trying to find out why. They didn’t go looking for a fight.”
“Do you think that’s how Tigerstar will see it?” Bramblestar’s gaze darkened. “How will he react when he finds out we’re protecting them?”
Squirrelflight could hardly believe her ears. “Since when do you care what Tigerstar thinks?”
“Since StarClan told us there must be unity among the Clans!”
“So you’d let a cat die because Tigerstar might be upset?”
“I thought you wanted to keep the peace. Do you think this will help?”
Squirrelflight lifted her chin. “The Clans will understand when they find out what happened. We all follow the same code, and that code says nothing about letting cats die.”
“It does say something about protecting your Clan,” Bramblestar spat back. “How can you think that bringing a bunch of rogues into our camp is protecting ThunderClan?”
“They’re not rogues!”
“They’re not loners or warriors.” Bramblestar curled his claws into the sandy floor of the cave. “What were you thinking when you decided to bring them into our camp?”
Frustration surged in Squirrelflight’s chest. “I was trying to save a cat’s life. And they’re
Bramblestar lashed his tail. “You spend two days in another camp and suddenly you’re questioning our beliefs?”
“I’m not questioning our beliefs. I’m just pointing out that there are other ways to live.”
“And how does that solve the problem that we are sheltering ShadowClan’s attackers? How does that bring unity to the Clans?”
“Not everything is about the Clans!” Anger burned beneath Squirrelflight’s pelt. There seemed so much more at stake here than whether the Clans were united. “What about the warrior code? What about honor and integrity? What about doing the right thing?”
“So you’re the only cat who knows what’s right?”
Squirrelflight felt Sparkpelt press against her.
“Please don’t—” Her daughter’s mew turned into a gasp. With a jerk, Sparkpelt dropped into a crouch.
Heart lurching, Squirrelflight twisted toward her. “Sparkpelt? What’s wrong?”
“Cramp.” Sparkpelt’s eyes were glittering with pain. “My belly! The kits.” Fear edged her mew.
Squirrelflight forced her fur to smooth. “Take a breath,” she mewed. She lapped at Sparkpelt’s shoulder, trying to calm her as she’d done when Sparkpelt was a kit. Her thoughts whirled. Were the kits coming? It was too early. She caught Bramblestar’s eye.
He was leaning toward Sparkpelt, anxiety sparking in his gaze. “Fetch Leafpool.”
“Wait.” Sparkpelt blinked at her father. “It will pass. It’s happened before. When I get upset.”
Guilt seared Squirrelflight’s pelt. Had she and Bramblestar caused this? “It’s okay, Sparkpelt.” She pressed closer. “We won’t argue anymore. The kits will be fine.”
“Will they?” Sparkpelt looked at her with round, anxious eyes.
“Of course.” She remembered her own pregnancy. “I used to get cramps too. Usually when I’d eaten too much fresh-kill. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong.”
Bramblestar was staring at her. “Should I fetch Leafpool?”
“Is the cramp easing?” Squirrelflight blinked at Sparkpelt.
“Yes.” Pain still showed in her daughter’s gaze, but her body was relaxing.
“Leave Leafpool with Sunrise for now,” Squirrelflight mewed softly. She touched her nose to Sparkpelt’s ear. “Cramps are normal. You just need to make sure you rest and don’t get upset. In the days before Alderheart and you were born, I used to run to Jayfeather every night, certain the kits were coming too soon. He’d check me over, tell me there was nothing wrong, and send me back to the nursery. When the kits finally came, Daisy had to drag him out of his nest. He kept waving her away, telling her that I was just imagining the pain.” She purred, the memory washing away her fear. “Can you imagine his surprise when he arrived to find you already born and Alderheart on the way? He stomped around the camp for a quarter moon, grumbling about queens who couldn’t tell the difference between birth pains and indigestion.”
A pang of longing tugged at her belly. If only she could have kits again. As the memory of her first litter filled her heart, she glanced at Bramblestar. He was listening, his gaze soft for the first time in days. He caught her eye and she saw love there. For a moment, it was as if they’d never quarreled. They’d been so happy together for so long that it seemed dumb to be arguing.
She blinked at him hopefully. If he was softening, was he ready to change his mind about the Sisters? “Please will you let Leafpool treat Sunrise?”
His gaze hardened in an instant. “Why don’t you understand?” he snapped. “I can’t help an enemy of the Clans without StarClan’s blessing.”
As he looked away, pain tightened its grip on Squirrelflight’s heart once more. He wasn’t ready to see sense.
He nodded curtly. “I’d better check to see that the Clan’s okay.” Stalking past them, he padded from the den.
