Puddleshine ducked out, his eyes lighting as he saw Jayfeather and Alderheart. “It’s good to see you.” He stretched his nose forward, greeting them warmly, and led them inside.
“Can I speak with Cloverfoot now?” Squirrelflight asked Snowbird.
Snowbird swished her tail. “Wait here.” As she headed across the clearing, Ratscar sat up and stared at Squirrelflight. Hostility sharpened his gaze. Sparrowtail and Whorlpelt uncurled their claws. Yarrowleaf pushed a vole to one side and padded closer, her hackles lifting.
Squirrelflight forced her pelt to stay smooth. ShadowClan clearly wasn’t pleased to see her. They must resent the agreement ThunderClan had made with WindClan as much as their leader did. She felt their stares burning though her pelt as she waited for Snowbird to return with Cloverfoot.
Snowbird disappeared into a den at the far end of the camp. She emerged a few moments later, Cloverfoot at her heels. The ShadowClan deputy stared curiously at Squirrelflight, pausing for a moment before crossing the clearing.
Squirrelflight padded to meet her, stopping short as Cloverfoot fluffed out her gray tabby pelt, her gaze hardening into anger.
“What are you doing here?” Cloverfoot asked icily as she reached Squirrelflight.
“I came to warn you that one of our warriors is very sick.” Squirrelflight dipped her head politely.
Cloverfoot frowned. “Why should we care?”
“We don’t know what caused his sickness.” Squirrelflight watched Cloverfoot carefully. Would the ShadowClan deputy give anything away? “He might have eaten tainted prey or picked up an illness in the forest. I thought ShadowClan should know, because we share borders and your warriors might be exposed to whatever made Larksong sick.”
Cloverfoot narrowed her eyes. “Thank you for letting us know.”
“Have any of your cats become ill?” Squirrelflight glanced around the camp, quickly reading the expressions of the other ShadowClan cats. She couldn’t see guilt there, only curiosity.
“No.” Cloverfoot whisked her tail. “Did you say Larksong might have eaten tainted prey?”
“He might have,” Squirrelflight told her. “We’re not sure yet.” Cloverfoot wasn’t showing any sign that ShadowClan might be responsible. “He’s the only cat who’s sick. So we’re hoping it’s an isolated incident.”
“I hope so too.” Concern flashed for a moment in Cloverfoot’s eyes. She blinked it away. “I think you should leave now and take your medicine cats with you.”
“But they want to consult with Puddleshine about Larksong’s symptoms.” Had they had enough time to probe for clues about ShadowClan’s involvement in their Clanmate’s sickness?
“They’ve had long enough.” Cloverfoot grew brisk. “There are injured cats trying to rest in the medicine den.”
“Injured cats?” Squirrelflight pricked her ears. Was ShadowClan in trouble? Another fight with the Sisters? Her chest tightened.
“A dispute with RiverClan border patrol,” Cloverfoot told her. “Since they found out about your agreement with WindClan, they’ve been pushing their border farther and farther, trying to reclaim their marshland.” Anger ruffled her pelt.
Squirrelflight shifted her paws self-consciously. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“You caused it,” Cloverfoot snapped.
The camp wall shivered. Squirrelflight stiffened as Tigerstar padded into camp. Dovewing, Strikestone, and Scorchfur followed at his heels. He glared at her. “What are you doing here?”
Cloverfoot answered for her. “Squirrelflight’s come to report a sick cat in ThunderClan.”
“There are
“I’m sorry RiverClan is causing trouble,” Squirrelflight said, forcing her fur to remain flat. “But we can’t be held responsible for borders that don’t belong to us.”
Tigerstar glared at her. “Even when you caused the dispute?”
“We don’t control RiverClan.” Relief washed Squirrelflight’s pelt as Jayfeather and Alderheart padded from Puddleshine’s den. They should leave. Tigerstar seemed ready for a fight.
Tigerstar kept his gaze fixed on her. “How can you be so arrogant?” Anger hardened his mew. “You stop us finding new land for SkyClan—”
Squirrelflight interrupted him. “SkyClan hasn’t agreed to move yet.”
Tigerstar snorted. “Everyone knows that Leafstar thinks the mountain territory would make a perfect home for SkyClan.”
“But moving there is SkyClan’s choice, not yours,” Squirrelflight insisted. “Besides, the Sisters still live there. In a moon, the Sisters will be gone and Leafstar will have made a decision.”
“A moon!” Tigerstar lashed his tail. “How many warriors will have been injured in a moon?”
“None, if you and RiverClan agree to wait.”
“Like you and WindClan agreed to wait?” Tigerstar spat. “How can we expect anything but hostility from RiverClan now that you’ve given WindClan their moorland back?”
“Perhaps you should think about giving RiverClan their marshland back—”
