Squirrelflight's Hope полностью

Squirrelflight saw Crowfeather’s eyes narrow. She stiffened. Was the WindClan deputy planning to make trouble by spreading word of this agreement?

Bramblestar must have been wondering the same. “Peace in the Clans depends on this remaining between us.” His gaze burned into Crowfeather. Squirrelflight felt a rush of hope. This agreement with WindClan might give the Sisters the time they needed, as long as Tigerstar didn’t find out.

CHAPTER 13

Squirrelflight shivered as gray drizzle washed the clearing. It had been two days since she had visited the WindClan camp with Bramblestar. The weather had grown chilly, and she could taste leaf-fall in the air. Around her, the Clan had settled down to share a midday meal. Larksong was eating hungrily beside the fresh-kill pile. Bramblestar shared a squirrel with Birchfall and Hollytuft. Bristlepaw dragged a vole into the apprentices’ den, where Thriftpaw and Flippaw were sheltering from the rain.

Squirrelflight pushed the remains of the shrew she’d been sharing with Millie toward the deaf old she-cat. “You finish it,” she mewed loudly.

“Are you sure?” Millie blinked at her.

“Sure.”

Graystripe nosed his way out of the elders’ den and glanced up at the overcast sky. He fluffed out his fur. “I’m hungry.” He looked toward the fresh-kill pile, where a few mice lay in the mud, and wrinkled his muzzle. “I think I’ll wait to see what this afternoon’s patrol brings in.”

Millie hooked the half-eaten shrew toward him. “Do you want this?”

As Graystripe examined it, paw steps thrummed beyond the thorn tunnel. He lifted his muzzle and glanced toward the entrance.

“Bramblestar!” Finleap charged, breathless, into camp.

Squirrelflight’s pelt bristled in alarm. The young tom looked scared. He stood panting in the clearing, rain dripping around his face. She hurried to meet him as Bramblestar scrambled to his paws. “What’s happened?” she asked.

“Tigerstar!” Finleap struggled to catch his breath. “He’s on the border with Scorchfur and Berryheart. Mistystar’s with them—”

Squirrelflight blinked at him. “Tigerstar and Mistystar?” Her belly tightened. Had they found out about the agreement with WindClan?

Finleap went on. “Mistystar brought Owlnose and Havenpelt with her.”

Bramblestar stopped beside her. Anxiety darkened his gaze. “Two warriors each. It must be serious,” he growled.

“Twigbranch and Thornclaw are escorting them here,” Finleap puffed. “I ran ahead to warn you.”

“Thanks, Finleap.” Bramblestar waved him away with a nod of his muzzle and glanced around the camp. Bristlepaw blinked from the apprentices’ den. Larksong left the mouse he’d been eating and padded closer, his hackles lifting. Birchfall and Hollytuft narrowed their eyes as Bramblestar addressed the Clan. “We’re about to have visitors,” he told them. “Be polite, but be on guard.”

As his Clanmates exchanged anxious glances. Bramblestar looked gravely at Squirrelflight. “I hope they haven’t found out about the border.”

Squirrelflight wished she could reassure him, but she felt sure that their short moment of peace was at an end. “Why else would they come?”

“They brought two warriors each,” Bramblestar mused, hardly listening. “Enough for a show of strength.”

“Not enough to start trouble,” Squirrelflight pointed out.

Bramblestar looked at her. “Not yet.”

As he spoke, the thorn tunnel shivered, and Twigbranch and Thornclaw led Tigerstar, Mistystar, and their warriors into the camp.

Squirrelflight hung back as Bramblestar met them in the middle of the clearing; then she padded to his side. Tigerstar fluffed his damp pelt out against the rain. Mistystar stood beside him, her gaze stony.

“What brings you here?” Bramblestar asked evenly.

Tigerstar twitched his tail. “You know what brings us here.” Behind him, Scorchfur and Berryheart exchanged glances. Owlnose and Havenpelt moved closer to Mistystar.

“Don’t pretend you can’t guess,” the RiverClan leader growled.

Tigerstar flexed his claws. “You’ve reestablished your old border with WindClan.”

“The new border still remains,” Bramblestar told him calmly. “We mark it every day.”

“But you let WindClan hunt on your stretch of moorland,” Tigerstar accused.

Mistystar lifted her chin. “Which is the same as having no border at all.”

Squirrelflight moved closer to Bramblestar. “Our agreement with WindClan is ThunderClan business.”

“We’ve discussed this.” Tigerstar glared at her. “It becomes my business when Mistystar demands that we return RiverClan’s marshland.”

“We don’t control what RiverClan does,” Bramblestar replied stiffly. “WindClan and ThunderClan came to a peaceful agreement. There’s no reason why you and RiverClan can’t sort this out yourselves.”

“Is that all you have to say?” Tigerstar’s ears twitched angrily. “ThunderClan cats usually can’t stop themselves telling other Clans what to do.”

Bramblestar held his gaze. “Do you want me to tell RiverClan you won’t give their land back?”

“No!” Tigerstar lashed his tail. “ShadowClan can fight its own battles.”