“I sense they tried to help him when he was alive,” Tree went on. “I think they might be good cats. . . .”

Violetshine didn’t know whether to be relieved by that, or horrified. She wanted to think that Yarrowleaf and Sleekwhisker were good cats, but if that was true, then Leafstar had just driven them out undeservedly, while their kin watched. They would struggle to survive with no Clan, no cat to help them.

I can’t imagine this ending well. . . . Oh, StarClan, is there any way you can look after two Clanless cats?

Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Alderheart toiled up the moorland slopes toward the Moonpool. The half-moon appeared fitfully through gaps in the cloud, and there was a tang of frost in the air. Leaf-fall was clearly upon them, and the hungry days of leaf-bare were not far off.

Leafpool and Jayfeather were walking ahead of him, while Puddleshine and Frecklewish, with her apprentice, Fidgetpaw, brought up the rear. So far there was no sign of Kestrelflight from WindClan, or the RiverClan medicine cats, Mothwing and Willowshine.

I don’t think the RiverClan cats will come, Alderheart thought. Not when Mistystar is still keeping the borders closed.

“So how is Twigpaw adjusting?” Leafpool asked Alderheart, dropping back to pad alongside him. “I saw you talking to her earlier, and I thought she looked sad.”

“I know.” Alderheart felt a pang of pain when he thought about the young cat who had been his friend ever since he’d found her as a kit in the tunnel under the Thunderpath. “I think she’s just having trouble fitting back into ThunderClan.”

Leafpool’s ears twitched in surprise. “I hope she’s not thinking of leaving again.”

“I don’t think so.” Alderheart shook his head. “She knows she belongs with us, but she’s missing her kin, and she’s frustrated at having to be an apprentice again. But I haven’t spent as much time with her as I would have liked,” he added. “I’ve been worrying about the prophecy, and what it means now that we’ve lost ShadowClan and RiverClan has shut itself off.”

Jayfeather, just ahead, let out a snort. “Aren’t we all!”

“Well, perhaps we’ll get some guidance when we meet with StarClan at the Moonpool,” Leafpool meowed.

“We’d better,” Jayfeather snapped.

The night grew colder as the cats approached the Moonpool, and by the time they clambered up the final rocky slope beside the stream, a brisk wind had arisen, flattening their fur to their sides. Turning to look back the way they had come, Alderheart spotted the small figure of a cat bounding across the moor.

“There’s Kestrelflight!” he exclaimed.

“Thank StarClan,” Leafpool mewed. “I was beginning to think there must be trouble in WindClan, too. I can’t bear the thought that we might be down to two Clans.”