Violetshine parted her jaws to taste the air, and picked up an acrid tang flowing over her scent glands. Following Strikestone’s gaze, she spotted the dull red glow, and thought she could see wisps of smoke rising for a heartbeat before the wind whipped them away.

“Lightning must have struck and started a fire,” Hawkwing meowed. “Could it be in one of the other Clans?”

Panic stabbed through Violetshine at her father’s words. She remembered the vision her sister had told her about, of fire raging through a camp. Could ThunderClan be in danger? she asked herself. Oh no—Twigpaw!

“This isn’t the time to find out,” Leafstar replied to her deputy. “The storm is too dangerous! We must take cover and ride it out, and then when it’s over we can start to fix the apprentices’ den, and send out patrols to check on the other Clans.”

Several of the SkyClan cats had already retreated to their dens, and the rest hurried to obey their leader’s command. But the former ShadowClan warriors stayed where they were, shifting their paws uneasily. Sleekwhisker isn’t with them, Violetshine noticed.

“Get inside!” Leafstar yowled. “Have you got bees in your brain?”

Tawnypelt stepped up to her with a respectful dip of her head. “Maybe it’s different for SkyClan,” she began, “since you’re not used to having other Clans around. But we can’t let another Clan suffer, if they might need our help.”

Violetshine thought that there was a leader-like glint in the tortoiseshell’s green eyes. We’re right, she thought. Tawnypelt would make a strong leader for ShadowClan.

Leafstar glared at her. “Are you implying that SkyClan cares less for other Clans than ShadowClan does?” she spat furiously. “Because that isn’t true. We care about all the Clans, but my first responsibility is to SkyClan—and in case you forgot, you’re a SkyClan cat now, Tawnypelt. And I just ordered you to go inside!”

For an uncomfortable moment that Violetshine thought was stretching out for seasons, Tawnypelt stayed still. The storm had begun to fade. Wind still ruffled their fur, yet the rain was easing off. The last icy drops lashed their faces, though the sky remained an ominous gray.

The storm could start again at any moment, Violetshine thought.

“I’m sorry, Leafstar, but I can’t,” Tawnypelt mewed in response to her Clan leader. “I’m going to find out where the fire is, and see if another Clan needs help.”

“I’ll go too,” Juniperclaw added, stepping up beside Tawnypelt.

Rowanclaw joined them. “And me.”

Violetshine felt dreadfully torn. She wanted to obey her Clan leader, but she couldn’t help thinking that Tawnypelt was right. And she couldn’t stifle her terrible anxiety about her sister.

She glanced at Hawkwing, who was standing beside her. “Twigpaw,” she whispered.