Her father nodded. “Leafstar, I mean no disrespect,” he began, “but I have a daughter in another Clan. I really need to find the fire and check out if Twigpaw is okay.”

“I’d like to go too,” Violetshine meowed.

Leafstar gazed at them, understanding and irritation warring in her eyes. Violetshine could see concern there, too. “You’re making the choice to take a huge risk,” she pointed out.

“I know,” Hawkwing replied. “But we will be careful.”

Leafstar hesitated for a heartbeat more, then let out a long sigh as she nodded reluctantly. “Very well. Hawkwing, you’re in charge,” she declared, with a stern look at Tawnypelt.

Violetshine padded just behind her father and Tawnypelt as the patrol headed out into the forest. By now night had fallen; only a few fitful gleams of moonlight struggled through the trees to guide their paws.

Tawnypelt was casting awkward glances at the SkyClan deputy.

“I didn’t mean to undermine Leafstar,” she mewed at last. “I just needed to check on the other Clans.”

Hawkwing was looking straight ahead, not meeting Tawnypelt’s gaze. “You must decide who is leader,” he told her. “Leafstar or you. Because right now, it doesn’t feel like we’re one Clan. It feels like we’re two Clans sharing the same camp. And that isn’t fair to SkyClan.”

Tawnypelt looked taken aback at Hawkwing’s brusque tone. Slackening her pace, she dropped back to walk beside Rowanclaw; Violetshine shot her a sympathetic glance as she passed her to take the lead beside her father.

I know Tawnypelt is trying to do the right thing, she thought. She said that if StarClan approved, she would take over as leader of ShadowClan.

But Violetshine also knew that Puddleshine was still waiting for a sign from StarClan. And no sign had come at the last half-moon meeting.

Tawnypelt is in a really awkward position.

Violetshine wasn’t sure whether ShadowClan should rise again. The storm was telling every cat that StarClan wasn’t happy with the way things were, but even if the wind and rain continued for seasons, the cats would be no closer to understanding what StarClan wanted from ShadowClan or its former warriors.

Why can’t StarClan just say what they want, in a straightforward way—like Tree?

Hawkwing broke into Violetshine’s thoughts. “How are you coping with life as a warrior?” he asked her. “I know you must be missing Twigpaw.”

Violetshine nodded. “Being a warrior is great,” she replied. “But I wish Twigpaw had stayed with us. I was so happy when I thought we would be warriors together, in the same Clan.”

“I miss her too,” Hawkwing agreed. “But I think it was the right decision for her. She’ll be happy in ThunderClan.”

“I hope so,” Violetshine murmured. “I hope she’ll be okay.”