Flurry narrowed her eyes. “Did the Clans tell you to send Moonlight away?”
“No!” Surprise sparked in Squirrelflight’s pelt. “I did it to protect her and the kits.”
“Bramblestar.” Tigerstar’s gaze slid toward the ThunderClan leader. “How does it feel to be wrong for a change?” He sounded pleased.
A chill ran along Squirrelflight’s spine. What was the ShadowClan leader talking about? She turned her head slowly toward Bramblestar.
He was staring, puzzled, at Tigerstar. “What do you mean?”
“You chose the wrong cat to be your deputy.” Tigerstar’s voice was as smooth as honey. “It seems that Squirrelflight prefers rogues to her own Clanmates.”
“That’s not true!” Squirrelflight’s heart lurched. She stared desperately at Bramblestar, but his gaze was fixed on Tigerstar.
“What Squirrelflight does is up to her,” he meowed coldly.
Surprised murmurs rippled from the ring of warriors.
Breezepelt’s hackles lifted. “She’s disloyal!”
“That’s not true!” Squirrelflight glared at him.
“And it’s not the first time,” Breezepelt went on. “You raised your sister’s half-Clan kits and told your Clanmates and Bramblestar they were your own! You’re a liar.”
“Liar!” Ripples of agreement spread among the warriors.
Squirrelflight flattened her ears. Did the Clans still care about that? It had been so long ago! And Leafpool’s kits had gone on to help save all the Clans.
Bramblestar eyed Breezepelt angrily. “We came here to talk to the Sisters, not rake up old bones.”
Breezepelt flashed him an accusing look. “We didn’t expect to find your deputy here, mixing with the enemy! Squirrelflight’s disloyal. She’s been disloyal before. She can’t be trusted!”
Squirrelflight hissed at Breezepelt. “You don’t get to lecture me on loyalty! Who did you fight for in the battle with the Dark Forest?” Anger pulsed in her belly.
Crowfeather padded forward, swishing his tail as he brushed past his son. “We can listen to Squirrelflight’s explanation later,” he growled. Squirrelflight forced her pelt to stay flat as foreboding wormed in her belly. He nodded to her. “Move out of the way. We’ve come to move the Sisters.”
“You came here to
“We’ve heard your
“Please don’t fight.” Squirrelflight’s mew trembled. She caught Bramblestar’s eye. He had to stop this.
He stared back at her, his gaze unreadable.
Creek bushed out his tail. “This camp is ours,” he growled. “If you want to take it, you’ll have to take it by force.” The young cat stared at Tigerstar.
Furze lifted her broad head. She was almost twice as big as some of the warriors, and, for a moment, Squirrelflight wondered if the Sisters could win this battle. How many cats would be hurt?
“Please!” She stared desperately around her fellow warriors. “Just go, and let the Sisters leave in their own time.”
“A warrior never backs down.” Harestar flattened his ears and dropped into a battle stance.
Sunrise narrowed her eyes to slits. “Neither does a Sister.” With a snarl, she leaped for the WindClan leader.
The clearing exploded into battle. Shock pulsing through her pelt, Squirrelflight backed away. Sunrise, Furze, Flurry, and Creek disappeared beneath a throng of writhing pelts. The stone tang of blood filled the air.
At the edge of the clearing, Twigbranch stared at the fighting cats as though frozen to the ground. Squirrelflight was surprised to see her. She hadn’t approved of this patrol. Had Bramblestar made her come, or had she volunteered so that she could help keep the peace? The gray she-cat’s eyes rounded with disbelief. “We weren’t supposed to fight.”
Bramblestar didn’t seem to hear her. He shouldered his way to the middle.
“No!” Squirrelflight tried to catch his eye. He mustn’t fight. He’d never forgive himself if he knew he was threatening newborn kits, hiding only a few tail-lengths away.
