Yellowfang’s Secret полностью

A heart-wrenching cry from her den drove these thoughts from Yellowfang’s mind. She spun around and raced inside to find Sagewhisker sprawled on her side next to the herb stores, gasping in pain. In the same heartbeat Yellowfang felt a searing agony in her chest. For a moment her heart seemed to stop, and she couldn’t breathe.

No! Sagewhisker!

Using all the control she had taught herself, Yellowfang fought through the pain and staggered to Sagewhisker’s side. “Hold on!” she begged. “Please hold on! I’ll help you…”

“I can’t… it’s too much,” Sagewhisker hissed through clenched teeth. “StarClan needs me now…”

“What’s happening?” Brightflower appeared at the entrance to the den and rushed across to Sagewhisker.

At the same moment Sagewhisker’s whole body convulsed and then was still. Her clear blue eyes clouded over, gazing at nothing.

“Sagewhisker…” Yellowfang whispered.

“She hunts with StarClan now,” Brightflower murmured, laying her tail across Yellowfang’s shoulder and drawing her away. “She served her Clan well,” she meowed. “No ShadowClan cat will ever forget her.”

Yellowfang nodded, but she was too stunned to say anything. She was aware of Brightflower leaving the den, and a short while later Cedarstar appeared. Yellowfang watched in a blur as he stood beside Sagewhisker’s body and dipped his head in a gesture of respect.

“Farewell, Clanmate,” he meowed. “You were a good medicine cat and a good friend. May you continue to guide ShadowClan as you walk in the stars.”

The elders followed the Clan leader into the den and carried Sagewhisker’s body into the clearing for the vigil. Yellowfang stumbled after them, numb with grief. The rest of the Clan padded up, touching their noses to Sagewhisker’s cold fur, quietly sharing memories of her as they gathered around.

Yellowfang crouched beside her mentor all the rest of that day and all night, while the stars whirled overhead. “I’m sorry, Sagewhisker,” she murmured. “I’m so sorry for letting you down. I promise to uphold the code of the medicine cats until my very last breath.” Her voice cracked. “I owe you so much…”

The sky was milky pale when the elders arrived to take Sagewhisker’s body away for burial. Yellowfang rose to her paws, feeling stiff and dazed after the long vigil.

“May StarClan light your path, Sagewhisker,” she mewed, her voice ringing out over the camp as she spoke the ancient farewell for all lost Clanmates. “May you find good hunting, swift running, and shelter when you sleep.” Then she stood back to let Littlebird, Stonetooth, and Lizardfang pick up the body.

Littlebird paused beside her. “You’ll be a good medicine cat,” she murmured kindly. “Just as Sagewhisker was. ShadowClan is lucky to have you.”

Yellowfang watched as the three elders bore Sagewhisker’s body out of the camp.

Oh, Littlebird, I wish I could believe you!

“Nightpelt, you are an intelligent and dedicated warrior,” Cedarstar meowed. “I know that you will do your best to pass on these qualities to Brokenpaw.”

Nightpelt dipped his head to the Clan leader. “I’ll do my best, Cedarstar,” he promised, his eyes shining with pride. He had hardly coughed at all through the apprentice ceremony.

“Brokenpaw! Brokenpaw!”

Yellowfang’s heart swelled with pride as the Clan greeted her son by his new name. She felt a rush of relief, too, that Cedarstar had chosen Nightpelt as his mentor. Nightpelt was sensible and wise, and would teach Brokenpaw that there was more to the warrior code than fighting.

But she was disconcerted to see the shock in Brokenpaw’s face when Cedarstar named his mentor. He hesitated for a moment before padding over to Nightpelt to touch noses with him. She was even more worried when she heard him mutter to Deerpaw, “How come I got the sick cat? That’s so not fair!” Yellowfang was sure that Nightpelt must have heard him too, although he gave no sign of it.

Deerpaw had been apprenticed to Cloudpelt, and Tanglepaw to Wolfstep. Both of them looked ready to burst with pride and excitement, and even Lizardstripe looked pleased. In contrast Brokenpaw just stood glowering at his paws.

It will be all right, Yellowfang tried to tell herself. Once Brokenpaw starts training, he’ll realize how much Nightpelt has to teach him.

She tried to put Brokenpaw out of her mind as Cedarstar raised his tail for silence once again. I’ve got something important to do, too, she thought, with a tingle of excitement in her paws. Runningkit looked excited as well, his eyes shining as he gazed at his Clan leader.

“Come forward,” Cedarstar called to Yellowfang, beckoning her with his tail. As she stepped toward him, he went on, “The last two moons have been hard without Sagewhisker, and I know that within ShadowClan our former medicine cat will be mourned forever.”