“Greetings,” the RiverClan leader meowed, with a slight dip of her head. “Why are you here, Alderheart? You know our borders are closed.”

“Greetings, Mistystar,” Alderheart responded politely. He described the sickness in his own camp and WindClan’s, and how he and the WindClan cats had come to collect watermint from the border stream. “I promise you, we stayed on the far side of the border,” he finished. “We never intended to set paw on your territory, or collect herbs from there.”

Mistystar’s blue gaze rested on him thoughtfully. “But you came very close to crossing our borders,” she mewed at last.

Alderheart felt a stab of fear like a claw tearing at his belly. Is she going to consider this an act of aggression? he wondered. We weren’t even planning to trespass! Well, she can think what she likes—I’m not going home without watermint . . . I just hope that doesn’t mean we’ll have to fight for it.

“But I understand your needs,” Mistystar continued, “and I wish no ill on any cat. Take your watermint, and then go.”

“Thank you! We—”

“But next time you think of approaching our border,” Mistystar interrupted, “think again. The border is closed—do not forget that.”

Yes, I think I’ve gotten the message by now. Alderheart noticed that Willowshine, one of the RiverClan medicine cats, was among those gathered around Mistystar. She was shifting her paws uncomfortably, and there was an unhappy expression in her bright green eyes. There’s a cat who doesn’t agree with her Clan leader.

Alderheart didn’t speak his thoughts aloud. Instead he bowed his head to Mistystar in a show of deepest respect. “You are very generous, Mistystar,” he meowed. “ThunderClan thanks you for your graciousness. May StarClan light your path.”

Mistystar made no response, and after a moment Alderheart turned to go. But his paws were dragging, and there was a huge weight on his heart. Unsure what was compelling him, he turned back.

“Mistystar, won’t you change your mind?” he begged. “Don’t you know that ShadowClan has collapsed, and is now part of SkyClan? Suppose it’s catching, like a sickness, the way Clans fall apart? Surely it’s in every Clan’s interest that we’re all strong?”

The RiverClan leader drew herself up, her blue-gray fur rippling in the breeze and her blue eyes intent. Alderheart could see that his news had affected her. He held his breath, waiting, hoping, for her to take some action.

Then Mistystar relaxed, her spine settling. “Our borders are closed,” she repeated, “while RiverClan rebuilds. I am sorry to hear what happened to ShadowClan, but it is not RiverClan’s responsibility.” She hesitated, then added, “That is the way things are now.”

With a wave of her plumy tail, she dismissed Alderheart.