“Then why are you here, disturbing our peace?” Bramblestar’s ears twitched.
Squirrelflight looked at him. If he was going to refuse to get involved, she’d follow his lead. “What can
“Defend your border with WindClan so we can defend ours.” Tigerstar growled. “We need the marshland.”
Mistystar snorted. “ShadowClan was never going to do more with that land than catch a few frogs and butterflies.
“They might be better for you!” Tigerstar met her gaze, his hackles lifting. “RiverClan didn’t give half its land to SkyClan.”
“ThunderClan gave land to SkyClan too,” she shot back. “They don’t seem to mind.”
Tigerstar swung his muzzle toward Bramblestar. “ThunderClan enjoys stirring up trouble in other Clans. I’m asking you to put an end to it now.”
“The situation is difficult,” Bramblestar conceded. “But StarClan wants unity. I’m not going to fight over borders. Not with you, or with WindClan. They can keep the hunting rights to our stretch of moorland.”
Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. “Then perhaps we should take our land back from SkyClan.”
Squirrelflight’s chest tightened. “You can’t! They need territory, too.”
Tigerstar swished his tail slowly. “Or you could help us drive the Sisters off their land so that SkyClan can move and we’ll all have enough land. ShadowClan has to eat.”
Alarm sparked through Squirrelflight’s pelt. She glanced helplessly at Bramblestar. He mustn’t let Tigerstar push him into war against the Sisters.
Bramblestar hesitated, his pelt ruffling along his spine. His gaze flitted from Tigerstar to Mistystar. “The border between RiverClan and ShadowClan has nothing to do with us. I suggest you settle your dispute yourselves.” His gaze fixed on Tigerstar. “I’d think twice about threatening SkyClan. Leafstar is still deciding whether she wants to move. Intimidation may make her dig her claws in. And ThunderClan will stand with her. SkyClan has been chased away too many times before. This time we won’t sit by and watch. ShadowClan may find itself in a war it cannot win.”
Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. “Is that a threat?”
Mistystar peered curiously at Bramblestar. “Have you been making secret alliances with SkyClan as well as WindClan?”
“ThunderClan hasn’t made alliances with any Clan,” Bramblestar growled.
Tigerstar’s ears twitched. “And yet WindClan hunts on
She ducked, snarling. “Let’s go,” she told Owlnose and Havenpelt. “Bramblestar clearly doesn’t care about any cat’s borders except his own.”
Squirrelflight stifled a shiver as the RiverClan cats barged past Tigerstar and marched out of camp. Growling, Tigerstar, Scorchfur, and Berryheart followed them. She turned to Bramblestar. “Do you think they’ll fight?”
Bramblestar stared after them darkly. “If they do, it’s not our problem.”
“But we have to do something.”
“Like what?”
Squirrelflight blinked at him nervously. “If they don’t turn on each other, they might turn on SkyClan.”
“I know,” he answered bluntly. “But until Leafstar makes a decision, we can only tread carefully.”
Squirrelflight’s thoughts whirled. “What if there’s a Clan war?”
“I wish I had an answer for you.” Bramblestar looked at her hopelessly, then turned away. He padded back to where he’d left his squirrel and settled heavily beside it. Bending his head, he began to chew on the bedraggled carcass as rain streamed from his whiskers.
Squirrelflight’s heart sank. Was there no solution that didn’t involve war?
“Squirrelflight.” Daisy called from the nursery entrance.
She stiffened. Sparkpelt had moved to the nursery, sharing a nest there with Larksong until the kits were born. She hurried across the clearing. “Is Sparkpelt okay?”
“Sparkpelt’s fine,” Daisy mewed brightly. “She felt the kits move and she wanted to tell you.”
Squirrelflight purred, relieved to hear good news.
“I’m going to get some food,” Daisy told her, and headed toward the fresh-kill pile. Squirrelflight padded to the nursery and squeezed through the brambles into the warm den. She shook out her pelt before heading for Sparkpelt’s nest.
Sparkpelt lay among the ferns, her belly round with kits. She purred as she saw Squirrelflight. “Feel this.” She glanced at her flank.
Squirrelflight touched her nose to Sparkpelt’s belly. Happiness flashed beneath her fur as she felt the kits stir beneath her daughter’s pelt. But longing surged in her chest. She wanted to feel her own kits moving inside her.
Sparkpelt blinked at her, alarm flashing in her eyes. “Is something wrong? You can feel them moving, can’t you?”
“Yes.” Squirrelflight reassured her quickly. Should she explain to Sparkpelt about her grief? “You’re going to be a wonderful mother,” she murmured. “I still remember how happy I was when you and Alderheart were born. I was so proud, even prouder of you than I was of my Clan. I miss feeling that way. I wish—”
