Something in his words woke a spark of defiance inside Twigpaw. “How many cats have grown up the way I did?” she challenged Bramblestar. “Has any other cat lost her parents and her entire Clan, been separated from her sister, and then found a father she thought was dead? I admit I was confused, but I know where I belong now. Haven’t I proved my loyalty to ThunderClan by coming back? I’m ready to become a ThunderClan warrior.”

Bramblestar’s voice was quiet as he responded. “I don’t doubt that loyalty to ThunderClan is in your heart today,” he mewed. “But it’s not always that simple. The warrior code requires us to be loyal to one Clan. If you’re moving back and forth between Clans, where does your heart really lie?”

Pausing, he settled himself in his nest and motioned with one paw for Twigpaw to sit opposite him.

“I remember when I was an apprentice, back in the old forest,” he began. “Something similar happened: Graystripe left ThunderClan for RiverClan because he had kits with a RiverClan cat named Silverstream. She died, and when RiverClan claimed the kits, Graystripe thought it was his duty to go with them and raise them.”

“Graystripe . . . ,” Twigpaw breathed out, hardly able to imagine that the sturdy, loyal elder would ever have mated with a cat from another Clan.

Bramblestar nodded. “Then, when RiverClan invaded and tried to take Sunningrocks from ThunderClan, Graystripe couldn’t fight for them against us. RiverClan drove him into exile. Bluestar, who was leader then, took him back, but it was a tense and confusing time, and no cat knew who could be trusted.”

“But it worked out in the end, right?” Twigpaw pointed out. “Every cat trusts Graystripe now. Besides,” she added, her neck fur beginning to bristle in spite of her efforts to stay calm, “SkyClan isn’t going to attack us! That’s mouse-brained!”

The words were hardly out before Twigpaw realized that a mere apprentice shouldn’t call her Clan leader mouse-brained. I’ve probably ruined my chances of getting back in!

But Bramblestar’s only response was to twitch his ears. “I know they won’t—but when you get so indignant at the very idea, it shows that you still hold some loyalty to your kin’s Clan. SkyClan is in your blood.”

“But I’ve already tried SkyClan!” Twigpaw protested. “Now I know I don’t belong there.”

Bramblestar hesitated, letting out a thoughtful sigh. “I can see you really mean it,” he mewed at last. “And I would be happy to welcome you back into ThunderClan, but . . .” His voice trailed off.

Twigpaw’s sudden flash of optimism at the Clan leader’s first words faded into uncertainty. “But?”