At last they reached the tall gorse wall of the WindClan camp. Larkwing led them around it, then ducked through a tunnel hardly visible among the prickly branches. Bramblestar followed, and Squirrelflight hurried after, her pelt prickling anxiously as they emerged onto a wide stretch of uneven grass. Hummocks poked up here and there, and, around the clearing, gorse dens had been woven into the camp walls. Featherpelt, her sides heavily rounded, and Gorsetail were sharing a piece of prey near the edge of camp. The she-cats lifted their gaze as Squirrelflight and Bramblestar entered and stared at the ThunderClan cats through narrowed eyes. Kestrelflight padded from his den. He caught Bramblestar’s eye and greeted him with a respectful nod. Nightcloud got to her paws at the edge of the clearing as Slightfoot turned to Bramblestar.
“Wait here,” he meowed. The WindClan warrior hurried toward a tightly woven den at the end of the clearing. Harestar was already sliding out, his nose twitching as the wind lifted his fur. He saw Bramblestar and Squirrelflight at once.
“Bring them here,” he called.
As Slightfoot hurried to Harestar’s side, Oatclaw nudged Squirrelflight forward.
She shrugged him away. “I can find my own way across a clearing,” she snapped.
Bramblestar gave her a warning look. “This is WindClan’s camp,” he told her. “We follow their orders.”
She shook out her pelt and fell in beside him as he crossed the clearing, ignoring Larkwing and Oatclaw padding on either side.
As they reached the WindClan leader, Crowfeather nosed his way from the leader’s den, his eyes glittering with interest.
Harestar met Bramblestar’s gaze. “You wished to speak with me?”
“Breezepelt brought a patrol onto our territory today,” Bramblestar meowed evenly.
Squirrelflight glared at the WindClan leader. “You sent him, didn’t you?”
Harestar didn’t answer.
Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. “Are you trying to reclaim our stretch of moorland?”
“ThunderClan has no use for it,” Harestar answered. “Your scent floods the hillside like dog stench without the forest to disguise it. On open moor, prey can
“It’s
“You could have your SkyClan land back if you wanted.” Harestar shifted his paws. “You’re the one who’s delaying their move. You can be the one to suffer the consequences.”
Squirrelflight glanced at Bramblestar. Was this demand for land WindClan’s way of persuading ThunderClan to agree with ShadowClan’s war on the Sisters?
Bramblestar’s tail swished ominously. “While greenleaf lasts, there are no consequences to suffer,” he told Harestar. “There is enough prey in the forest to feed ThunderClan. The Sisters will be gone by the time leaf-bare comes, and we can rethink our borders then.”
“If you have enough prey, why should WindClan wait to reclaim our territory?” Harestar’s gaze didn’t waver. Crowfeather shifted closer to his leader, his hackles rising.
Bramblestar gazed silently at the WindClan leader for a moment. Squirrelflight wondered what he was thinking. It would be hard to argue with Harestar’s logic. Bramblestar dipped his head. “Very well,” he growled. “You may hunt on our stretch of moorland until SkyClan makes a decision. Our border will remain where it is, and we will mark it regularly. But we will share the land for the next couple of moons.”
Crowfeather frowned. “Why should we let ThunderClan mark a border on our land?”
“It won’t be for long.” Harestar’s mew was ominous. He met Crowfeather’s gaze. The two cats seemed to exchange a single thought; then Harestar turned back to Bramblestar. “Very well.”
Oatclaw’s tail quivered. “What will Tigerstar say?”
Squirrelflight looked at the young warrior in surprise. “Who cares? This has nothing to do with Tigerstar.”
Bramblestar’s gaze darkened. “Oatclaw has a point,” he murmured. “When RiverClan hears that we’ve given WindClan hunting rights on their old land, they might insist on the same for the land they gave to ShadowClan.”
Squirrelflight shifted her paws nervously. She nudged Bramblestar aside, lowering her voice. “If RiverClan takes its land back from ShadowClan, it might start a Clan war.”
He frowned. “But Tigerstar knows StarClan wants peace.”
“Then he’ll try to take the Sisters’ land and give it to SkyClan so he can have his old territory back.” Squirrelflight blinked at him. Bramblestar might not be ready to defend the Sisters, but she knew he was ready to defend SkyClan. “I thought you didn’t want Tigerstar telling SkyClan where they should live.”
Bramblestar’s gaze clouded with thought. He turned back to Harestar. “We have to keep this agreement secret from the other Clans.”
“If that’s what you wish.” Harestar dipped his head.
