Squirrelflight's Hope полностью

Around the island, the lake had turned to flame, lit by the setting sun. Squirrelflight and Bramblestar had come as soon as Squirrelflight had returned from the Sisters, sending Berrynose to fetch Harestar, while Leafstar had sent word to Tigerstar and Mistystar. Now the leaders from every Clan moved restlessly on the shore of the island, anger sparking between them as Leafstar and Squirrelflight reported Moonlight’s reply.

“They won’t move?” Outrage sparked in Tigerstar’s eyes.

Mistystar’s pelt prickled indignantly. “This is an insult. Don’t they know who they’re dealing with?”

“We could destroy them in a single battle!” Harestar flexed his claws.

Squirrelflight swallowed back desperation. She could still save the Sisters. She didn’t care whether Bramblestar wanted her to keep quiet. The Clans mustn’t attack them. “But why should they move? Moonlight is expecting kits!”

“Why should they move?” Tigerstar repeated Squirrelflight’s question as though he couldn’t believe his ears.

Squirrelflight stared at him. “If we just leave them alone, they’ll be gone in a moon.”

Harestar flicked his tail. “I don’t think they’ll ever move,” he snarled. “They know we want that land, and they’re determined to keep it for themselves.”

Mistystar nodded. “This is a matter of honor. How dare these rogues defy us!”

Bramblestar shifted his paws. “I’m not sure honor has much to do with it,” he meowed evenly. “But it does seem that we are going to have to chase these cats away sooner or later.”

“And it might as well be sooner,” Harestar snapped.

“We should have done it already,” Tigerstar grunted.

“They’re clearly determined to hang on to this land for as long as they can.” Bramblestar glanced at Squirrelflight.

She blinked at him. “Moonlight only wants to wait until she’s had her kits. Is that so unreasonable?”

“It is when the peace of the Clans is at stake,” Bramblestar answered.

Anger burned beneath Squirrelflight’s pelt. “There’s no need for the Clans to fight one another!”

Tigerstar growled. “Not every Clan is willing to give their land away as easily as ThunderClan.” His gaze moved pointedly from Bramblestar to Harestar. “We want to keep our borders until SkyClan has moved.”

“We want our marshland back!” Mistystar snapped.

Bramblestar met Squirrelflight’s gaze. “Do you see? There can be no peace until the border disputes are settled once and for all. We have to make the Sisters leave.”

“And they’re clearly not going to leave until we drive them away,” Harestar growled.

“Even if it harms unborn kits?” Squirrelflight dug her claws into the earth. How could she be the only cat here who didn’t see how unfair the Clans were being?

“A cat can have kits anywhere,” Mistystar pointed out. “Especially a rogue.”

“The Sisters aren’t rogues!” Squirrelflight looked helplessly at Leafstar. Why hadn’t she spoken up?

Leafstar eyes glittered in the dying sunlight. Was that an apology in her gaze? “I think Moonlight is being unreasonable. She could move if she wanted to. She must know that she’s putting her kits in danger, and yet she insists on staying.”

Squirrelflight stared at her. Leafstar had been her only ally, and now she was siding with the others. Her heart lurched. “Do you think we should drive them out too?”

“Not drive them out, exactly,” Leafstar murmured. “But if the Clans sent a patrol big enough to show Moonlight what the Sisters are up against, she might change her mind.”

“That’s right!” Tigerstar’s eyes lit up. “If we show up in force, Moonlight will see that it’s pointless trying to stand against us.”

“We wouldn’t have to unsheathe a claw,” Harestar agreed.

Bramblestar looked at Squirrelflight. “You must agree that’s reasonable,” he meowed. “No one would be harmed, and SkyClan would get their land now.”

Squirrelflight’s paws pricked with anger. “You don’t know Moonlight,” she shot back. “If you show up in her camp, she won’t just back down. She’s more likely to fight.”

“Even if she’s outnumbered?” Mistystar blinked at her.

“Especially if she’s outnumbered,” Squirrelflight insisted.

Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. “If she wants to fight, then we’d fight. But it would be Moonlight’s choice.”

Squirrelflight looked helplessly at Bramblestar. “You can’t let this happen,” she breathed. “Sending a patrol to scare the Sisters away is the same thing as attacking them.”

Bramblestar stared back at her, his gaze determined. “Trying to guess how Moonlight will react is not my problem. I have to do what’s best for the Clans.”

“Then it’s settled?” Harestar looked at him hopefully.

“I’ll bring a patrol,” Bramblestar told him.

“We should leave at dawn,” Tigerstar meowed. “Each Clan should bring its strongest warriors.”

“Where do we meet?” Mistystar asked.

“You can meet on our territory,” Leafstar offered. “Where our border meets ThunderClan’s. You can cross into the mountain territory easily there.” She glanced nervously at Tigerstar. “But SkyClan won’t be sending a patrol.”