Leafstar acknowledged Mistystar’s words with a nod. Her voice sounded a little warmer as she added, “It’s good to see you again.”

The SkyClan leader remained standing in the center of the camp while the RiverClan cats filed out through the fern tunnel, accompanied by their escort. When they were gone, Leafstar flicked her ears to summon Tawnypelt to her side. Violetshine could feel the tension between the two cats, as if another, even worse storm were about to break.

“Leafstar, I’m sorry,” Tawnypelt began. “I meant no disrespect when—”

“Enough!” Leafstar interrupted in a cool, crisp voice. “Tawnypelt, you and the other former ShadowClan cats must decide which you want to be: ShadowClan or SkyClan. If you want to be ShadowClan, you must get off SkyClan territory. If you want to be SkyClan, you must never question my judgment again.”

Tawnypelt’s tail drooped. “Of course, Leafstar,” she responded with a dip of her head.

A murmur rose among the listening crowd of cats. None of them sounded happy, and the former ShadowClan warriors were exchanging disturbed glances.

Violetshine’s gaze sought out Puddleshine. The medicine cat looked deeply troubled—just as troubled as she felt.

I don’t think this is the end of it, Violetshine thought. What is going to happen to ShadowClan?

Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

Thin clouds dotted the sky, too few to cover the full moon that shone out above the lake. The night air was cool and fresh as Twigpaw padded along the lakeshore with her Clan. Almost a half-moon had passed since the fire that had devastated the RiverClan camp, and the injury to her hind paw was completely healed.

Bramblestar was leading his Clan, with Squirrelflight by his side. Leafpool and Alderheart were with them too, though Jayfeather was still lying sick in the medicine cats’ den. But he was the only cat still suffering from the bellyache, and Twigpaw hoped that better times were ahead.

Her paws tingled with anticipation as she and her Clanmates crossed the border stream and headed along the water’s edge through WindClan territory.

Maybe RiverClan will be there! If they are, it will be the first time for moons that they’ve been to a Gathering.

It gave her a good feeling to think that RiverClan had opened its borders again, though Twigpaw still wondered what StarClan thought of what was happening around the lake. ShadowClan’s fate wasn’t resolved yet; Twigpaw had managed a quick chat with Violetshine when they were patrolling their shared border, and her sister had told her that there were still tensions between the SkyClan warriors and those who had belonged to ShadowClan.

We survived the storm, Twigpaw thought. But what’s next?