For a few heartbeats, silence fell. Violetshine felt herself holding her breath as she waited for Leafstar’s decision. I don’t know whether I want them to go or stay.

Leafstar’s steady gaze rested on the two cats as if she was trying to read their thoughts. Then she lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she mewed. “But this is a difficult time for the Clans, and I can’t welcome into my Clan any cat I don’t completely trust. Knowing you followed Darktail—knowing what you did while you were with him—I can never trust you completely. You can never be part of SkyClan.”

Yowls of protest came from many of the assembled cats. Snowbird and Scorchfur drew closer to Yarrowleaf as if to protect her, while Juniperclaw’s fur bushed up and he looked ready to attack any cat who came near his sister.

“I’m sorry,” Leafstar meowed decisively. “But I want the two of you off SkyClan territory right away. If you’re so keen on joining a Clan, perhaps you should talk to ThunderClan or WindClan . . . but I cannot have you here.”

Even before she had finished speaking, Yarrowleaf let out an anguished yowl. “But this is my home! These are my kin!” More quietly she added, “I could never be a ThunderClan or WindClan cat.”

“You will never be a SkyClan cat, either,” Leafstar responded calmly. “Sandynose, Macgyver, escort them to the border.”

The two warriors she had named stepped to the side of the two ShadowClan cats. Sandynose jerked his head toward the fern tunnel, while Macgyver gave Sleekwhisker a shove. She responded with a furious hiss but didn’t try to resist.

For a moment Violetshine was afraid that the former ShadowClan cats would attack. Scorchfur in particular was growling with rage, his tail lashing. But he did nothing as his daughter and Sleekwhisker were led away.

“What about my kits?” Yarrowleaf was wailing as she vanished into the tunnel with Sandynose hard on her paws. “I have nowhere to go. . . .”

Violetshine could feel tension in the air as the sounds died away, like the ominous sensation before a thunderstorm.

“How could you?” Snowbird turned on Leafstar, her eyes full of grief. “That was my daughter—the daughter I thought was dead! And you’ve driven her out to have her kits in the forest.”

Juniperclaw faced Leafstar at Snowbird’s side. “There are cats in SkyClan right now who followed Darktail,” he pointed out, his whiskers quivering with fury. “I’m one of them. Will you drive us out too, one day? Don’t you believe that a cat can change?”

“Obviously she doesn’t,” Scorchfur sneered. “I wanted to believe that this combination of Clans would work, but this has just made it clear that Leafstar has no business making decisions for ShadowClan cats. She didn’t grow up with us. She doesn’t understand our bonds!”