Yellowfang glanced up—not at the moon, but at the glittering stars that surrounded it, scattered thickly across the sky.
When Heatherstar had finished her interrupted speech, the four leaders sprang down from the Great Rock. The cats below relaxed and started to share news with friends in other Clans. But Cedarstar gathered the ShadowClan cats around him with a flick of his tail. “We’re leaving,” he growled.
“What?” Blizzardwing protested. “Already?”
Yellowfang saw Nightpelt padding up with Brokenpaw beside him; the black warrior was clearly furious, but Brokenpaw only looked sullen and defiant.
“One of our apprentices doesn’t deserve to stay and meet others.” Cedarstar glared at Brokenpaw, then turned and led the way out of the hollow.
Yellowfang was walking just behind Cedarstar, with Runningpaw at her side. Before they reached the top of the hollow she was shoved roughly aside, almost losing her balance. Runningpaw steadied her. When Yellowfang turned to glare at the cat who had pushed her, she saw it was Raggedpelt.
The tabby tom had fallen in beside Cedarstar. “You didn’t have to single out Brokenpaw in front of all the Clans like that!” he challenged his leader angrily. “Or scold him like that. There were two other apprentices involved! Brokenpaw was only defending ShadowClan honor!”
“Your son broke the rules of the truce.” Cedarstar’s anger was colder and more controlled. “I cannot let that happen.”
Raggedpelt snorted. “Loyalty and courage mean more than rules,” he growled.
“I’ll put these away,” Yellowfang meowed as they dropped the bunches of herbs in their den. “You go check on Littlebird. Take her some wet moss.”
“Sure, Yellowfang.” Runningpaw hurried away.
Yellowfang sighed. Lizardfang joined StarClan two moons ago, and now Littlebird was growing very frail. Yellowfang was worried that soon she would have to say farewell to her old friend.
She had begun to sort the herbs when she heard a paw step outside the den and Tanglepaw hopped in on three legs.
“What happened to you?” Yellowfang asked.
“I got scratched.” Tanglepaw turned to show Yellowfang a nasty claw mark scored across one of her haunches.
“How did you get this?” Yellowfang gasped, wondering if there was a fox in the territory.
“I was practicing a battle move with Brokenpaw,” Tanglepaw explained, not sounding particularly bothered.
Yellowfang gazed at the young she-cat in horror. “You’re supposed to fight with claws sheathed! You know that!”
“Yes, but Brokenpaw said we’d get even better if there was a real threat of getting hurt!” Tanglepaw’s eyes were shining with admiration for her denmate.
“And are you a better fighter?” Yellowfang asked dryly.
“I will be next time!” Tanglepaw promised.
Yellowfang got her to lick the wound clean while she took some marigold out of the store. Rubbing the leaves on her wound, she told Tanglepaw, “Keep it dry and rested for at least one day. And don’t fight with claws out again. I don’t care what Brokenpaw says. I don’t collect herbs just to treat mouse-brained apprentices!”
She could tell her warning had gone straight over Tanglepaw’s head. “I’m going back to the training area,” she announced as she hopped away. “I want to watch Brokenpaw beat Deerpaw!”
When she had finished tidying the herbs, Yellowfang padded into the clearing and spotted Nightpelt by the fresh-kill pile. “Do you know the apprentices were fighting with claws out?” she asked as she joined him.
Nightpelt nodded, looking exhausted as usual.
“You should stop them,” Yellowfang warned. “Tanglepaw will be okay, but one day there could be a real accident.”
“Oh, you should know better than to think that Brokenpaw would listen to me.” Nightpelt’s tone was full of unexpected bitterness. Then he flicked his ears as if he were chasing away a fly. “I’m sorry for being so tired and crabby,” he added, ending with a cough.
“I’ll send Runningpaw out to find more honey for your throat. It must hurt from all the coughing,” Yellowfang mewed sympathetically.
“Only two more moons and I won’t have to worry about being a mentor anymore,” Nightpelt murmured. “I can’t wait.”
