Transcription
DEDICATIONSpecial thanks to Cherith Baldry
n tabby tomwith amber eyesDEPUTYSQ UIRRELFLIGHT—darkginger she-catwith green eyes and one white pawMEDICINE LEAFPO O L—light brown tabby she-catCATSwith amber eyes, white paws and chestJAYFEATHER—gray tabby tom with blindblue eyesALDERHEART—dark ginger tom withamber eyesWARRIORS (toms and she-cats without kits)BRACKENFUR—golden-brown tabby tomCLO UDTAIL—long-haired white tom withblue eyes
BRIGHTHEART—whiteshe-catwithginger patchesTHO RNCLAW—golden-browntabby tomWHITEWING—white she-cat with greeneyesBIRCHFALL—light brown tabby tomBERRYNO SE—cream-colored tom with astump for a tailMO USEWHISKER—gray-and-white tomPO PPYFRO ST—paletortoiseshell-andwhite she-catLIO NBLAZE—golden tabby tom withamber eyesRO SEPETAL—dark cream she-catBRIARLIGHT—darkbrown she-cat,paralyzed in her hindquartersLILYHEART—small, dark tabby she-catwith white patches and blue eyesBUMBLESTRIPE—veryblack stripespale gray tom with
CHERRYFALL—gingershe-catMO LEWHISKER—brown-and-cream tomAMBERMO O N—pale ginger she-catDEWNO SE—gray-and-white tomSTO RMCLO UD—gray tabby tomHO LLYTUFT—black she-catFERNSO NG—yellow tabby tomSO RRELSTRIPE—dark brown she-catLEAFSHADE—tortoiseshell she-catLARKSO NG—black tomHO NEYFUR—white she-cat with yellowsplotchesSPARKPELT—orange tabby she-catQUEENS(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)DAISY—cream long-furred cat from thehorseplaceCINDERHEART—graytabby she-cat(mother to Snapkit, a golden tabby tomkit; Spotkit, a spotted tabby she-kit; andFlykit, a striped tabby she-kit)
BLO SSO MFALL—tortoiseshell-and-whiteshe-cat with petal-shaped white patches(mother to Stemkit, a white and orangetom-kit; Eaglekit, a ginger she-kit;Plumkit, a black-and-ginger she-kit; andShellkit, a tortoiseshell tom-kit)IVYPO O L—silver-and-white tabby shecat with dark blue eyesELDERS(former warriors and queens, nowretired)GRAYSTRIPE—long-haired gray tomMILLIE—striped silver tabby she-cat withblue eyesSKYCLANLEADERLEAFSTAR—brown-and-creamtabby she-cat with amber eyesDEPUTYHAWKWING—darkeyesgray tom with yellow
MEDICINE FRECKLEWISH—mottled light brownCATStabby she-cat with spotted legsAPPRENTICE, FIDGETPAW(black-andwhite tom)PUDDLESHINE—brown tom with whitesplotchesWARRIORS SPARRO WPELT—dark brown tabby tomAPPRENTICE, NECTARPAW (brown shecat)MACGYVER—black-and-white tomAPPRENTICE, DEWPAW (sturdy gray tom)PLUMWILLO W—dark gray she-catSAGENO SE—pale gray tomAPPRENTICE, GRAVELPAW (tan tom)HARRYBRO O K—gray tomAPPRENTICE, FRINGEPAW (white she-catwith brown splotches)BLO SSO MHEART—ginger-and-whitecatAPPRENTICE, FINPAW(brown tom)she-
SANDYNO SE—stockylight brown tomwith ginger legs(gray she-catwith green eyes)RABBITLEAP—brown tomAPPRENTICE, PALEPAW (black-and-whiteshe-cat)BELLALEAF—pale orange she-cat withgreen eyesAPPRENTICE, TWIGPAWAPPRENTICE, REEDPAWRO WANCLAW—gingertomTAWNYPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat withgreen eyesAPPRENTICE, SNAKEPAW (honey-coloredtabby she-cat)JUNIPERCLAW—black tomAPPRENTICE, WHO RLPAW(gray-andwhite tom)STRIKESTO NE—browntabby tomSTO NEWING—white tom
GRASSHEART—palebrown tabby she-catSCO RCHFUR—darkgray tom withslashed earsAPPRENTICE, FLO WERPAW (silver shecat)VIO LETSHINE—black-and-white she-catwith yellow eyesMINTFUR—gray tabby she-cat with blueeyesNETTLESPLASH—pale brown tomQUEENSTINYCLO UD—smallwhiteshe-cat(mother to Quailkit, a tom with crowblack ears; Pigeonkit, a gray-and-whiteshe-kit; and Sunnykit, a ginger she-kit)SNO WBIRD—pure white she-cat withgreen eyes (mother to Gullkit, a whiteshe-kit; Conekit, a white-and-gray tom;and Frondkit, a gray tabby she-kit)ELDERSFALLO WFERN—palebrown she-cat whohas lost her hearingO AKFUR—small brown tom
RATSCAR—scarred,skinny dark PUTYCRO WFEATHER—darktomgray tomMEDICINE KESTRELFLIGHT—mottled gray tom withCATwhite splotches like kestrel feathersWARRIORS NIGHTCLO UD—black she-catAPPRENTICE,BRINDLEPAW(mottledbrown she-cat)GO RSETAIL—very pale gray-and-whiteshe-cat with blue eyesLEAFTAIL—dark tabby tom with ambereyesEMBERFO O T—graytom with two darkpaws(gray she-cat)BREEZEPELT—black tom with amber eyesAPPRENTICE, SMO KEPAW
LARKWING—palebrown tabby she-catSEDGEWHISKER—light brown tabby shecatSLIGHTFO O T—black tom with whiteflash on his chestO ATCLAW—pale brown tabby tomFEATHERPELT—gray tabby she-catHO O TWHISKER—dark gray tomHEATHERTAIL—light brown tabby she-catwith blue eyesFERNSTRIPE—gray tabby she-catELDERSWHITETAIL—small whiteshe-catRIVERCLANLEADERMISTYSTAR—grayshe-cat with blue eyesDEPUTYREEDWHISKER—blacktomMEDICINECATSMO THWING—dappledgolden she-catWILLO WSHINE—graytabby she-cat
WARRIORS MINTFUR—light gray tabby tomAPPRENTICE, SO FTPAW (gray she-cat)DUSKFUR—brown tabby she-catAPPRENTICE, DAPPLEPAW(gray-andwhite tom)MINNO WTAIL—dark gray-and-white shecatAPPRENTICE, BREEZEPAW (brown-andwhite she-cat)MALLO WNO SE—light brown tabby tomBEETLEWHISKER—brown-and-whitetabby tom(white tom)CURLFEATHER—pale brown she-catPO DLIGHT—gray-and-white tomHERO NWING—dark gray-and-black tomSHIMMERPELT—silver she-catAPPRENTICE, NIGHTPAW (dark gray shecat with blue eyes)LIZARDTAIL—light brown tomAPPRENTICE, HAREPAW
HAVENPELT—black-and-whiteshe-catSNEEZECLO UD—gray-and-white tomBRACKENPELT—tortoiseshell she-catAPPRENTICE, GO RSEPAW (white tom withgray ears)JAYCLAW—gray tomO WLNO SE—brown tabby tomLAKEHEART—gray tabby she-catICEWING—white she-cat with blue eyesELDERSMO SSPELT—tortoiseshell-and-whitecatshe-
MAPS
CONTENTSCoverTitle PageDedicationAllegiancesMapsPrologueChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14
Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21About the AuthorBooks by Erin HunterBack AdsCopyrightAbout the Publisher
PROLOGUEA warm breeze wafted over the grass, carrying with itthe scents of prey and the fresh green growth ofnewleaf. The sun shone from a blue sky crossed byscudding white clouds. A small stream gurgled its waydown a gentle slope, then widened out into a poolfringed with rushes.A group of cats sat beside the pool, while othersstalked up and down along the bank. Frost shimmeredin their fur, and starlight glittered at their paws and intheir eyes.“I can’t believe this has happened!” a creamfurred she-cat lamented. “I gave up my life trying toget back to ShadowClan.” Her voice shook as shewent on. “I never thought there would be a time whenShadowClan didn’t exist!”A plump white she-cat nuzzled her shoulder briefly,her black ears quivering. “I know, Dawnpelt,” shemurmured with a sorrowful glance around at herClanmates. “Maybe it’s our fault. Maybe we didn’tfight hard enough for ShadowClan while we were
alive.”A disdainful hiss came from a slim, silver-peltedcat, who had been pacing restlessly near the water’sedge. She halted and rounded on the others, her frontclaws tearing angrily at the grass. “You’re wrong,Beenose,” she snarled. “We couldn’t have saved aClan that didn’t want to be saved. We have to placethe blame where it belongs: on Rowanstar.Rowanclaw, as he’s calling himself now.”“That’s easily said, Needletail.” The rasping voicecame from an old gray she-cat with rumpled fur andglaring amber eyes, who sat on top of a boulder acouple of tail-lengths away. “But Rowanstar wasn’tthe only cat who misunderstood Darktail’s trueintentions. Did some of you not call yourselvesDarktail’s Kin?”“Of course, Yellowfang, you always knoweverything,” Needletail retorted, her tone edged withsarcasm.“I’ve seen more in my time than you young cats.”Yellowfang’s voice rumbled from deep within herchest. “I thought once that nothing worse thanBrokenstar’s leadership could happen to my Clan. But
I was wrong.”“I trusted Rowanstar,” a white tom added fromwhere he sat at the base of Yellowfang’s rock. Heswiped his tongue over one black forepaw and used itto wash his ears. “I thought he would make a fineleader after me. But what was he to do when half hisClan betrayed him and followed Darktail?”Dawnpelt nodded sadly. “You’re right, Blackstar. Iknow we also made mistakes.”“And now the ShadowClan cats who are left havejoined SkyClan,” Beenose murmured. “But willLeafstar and the rest of SkyClan ever really trustthem? We should all have tried harder when we hadthe chance.”“That’s a load of mouse droppings!” Needletailmeowed, her green eyes narrowing. “A strong leadercould have held the Clan together, Darktail or noDarktail. We were only tempted by Darktail becauseof Rowanclaw’s weakness. And now that Darktail isdead, a strong leader would already be rebuilding theClan. Rowanclaw accepted nine lives from StarClan,and now he’s all, ‘Thank you very much, I don’t wantthem anymore.’ What cat does that?”
Blackstar puffed out a sigh and shook his head.“No cat . . or at least, no cat should,” he admitted.“And now the whole Clan is suffering,” Needletailhissed. “That mange-pelt—”“Enough!” A new voice rang out.They all turned to see a cat standing at the top ofthe slope, outlined against the sky. As they watched,she headed toward them, brushing her way through thegrass with neat, purposeful paw steps. Stars streamedthrough her thick black fur like water.“Who’s that?” Needletail muttered, glaring at thenewcomer.“No idea,” Blackstar replied, looking puzzled.“She’s no ShadowClan cat I’ve ever seen.”The strange cat halted in front of the group of cats,seemingly undaunted by their bristling neck fur andtwitching tail-tips.“You may not have seen me,” she mewed calmlyto Blackstar, “but I have seen you, many times. I amShadowstar, the first leader of your Clan.”Every cat instinctively took a step back. Dawnpeltlet out a gasp, while murmurs of astonishment rosefrom the other cats. Yellowfang dipped her head
respectfully, and even Needletail looked awed.“You should not pass blame along so casually,”Shadowstar went on, fixing Needletail with a sterngaze. “The end of ShadowClan is about much morethan Rowanclaw’s failure or the loss of your territory.Since the beginning, ShadowClan was destined to beone of the five Clans.”The ShadowClan cats glanced uncertainly at oneanother.“Why have you come to tell us this?” Yellowfangasked at last.“The other first leaders and I led groups of cats,each group finding the place—moor, forest, river, ormarsh—best suited to those cats’ characters andabilities. These groups, which would become the fiveClans, then united in purpose for all our survival,”Shadowstar explained. “Only by working together, fiveseparate but connected groups, like the petals of theblazing star, could we survive. Now you—not justShadowClan, but the ancestors of all the Clans—mustsend a message to the living cats.” Her eyes glowed,the color of sunlight on fresh leaves, as she added,“There must be five Clans! ShadowClan must be
saved!”“But it’s too late,” Dawnpelt mewed wretchedly.“We’ve already given the Clans a prophecy,”Blackstar pointed out. “But they’re ignoring it.”Shadowstar lashed her tail. “If the fifth Clan is notsaved, worse things will come than a storm,” shemeowed. “Eventually it will mean the end of all theremaining Clans. And if we have no living cats toguide, it will mean the end of StarClan itself.”A shocked silence fell over the group of starrywarriors. None of them had ever imagined a timewhen there would be no StarClan.It was Needletail who broke the silence. “In thatcase,” she responded, raising a paw to smooth herwhiskers, “we’d better get working on the rightmessage to send. . . .”
CHAPTER 1“Look at this tree!” Finpaw exclaimed. “It’s huge!Do you think there are squirrels up there?”Twigpaw halted, suppressing a sigh of exasperationas she watched Finpaw scamper over to a massiveoak tree and balance precariously on a thick, gnarledroot. Her paws were tingling with anxiety andanticipation. She didn’t want to stop again; shewanted to be at ThunderClan’s camp.What if they don’t want us?“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Twigpaw responded,firmly pushing her nervousness away. “But we’re nothunting now. Remember, we have to reach theThunderClan camp before it gets dark.”Already the sun was starting to go down, floodingthe forest floor with scarlet light, barred with the long,dark shadows of trees. Twigpaw and Finpaw hadspent most of the afternoon traveling from the SkyClancamp, slowed down by Finpaw’s irrepressible urge toexplore.“I can’t wait!” Finpaw leaped off the root and
raced across the grass to rejoin Twigpaw. She had tostep back abruptly to save herself from being knockedover. Finpaw’s tail flipped into her face.“Hey, watch it!” she exclaimed with a glare.“Sorry.” Finpaw veered in front of Twigpaw, andshe almost fell over her own paws trying to avoid him.“Do you think they’ll be pleased to see us?”A flutter of anticipation woke inside Twigpaw’sbelly at the thought of meeting her old Clanmatesagain. I tried so hard to be a SkyClan warrior, shethought. But my heart is in ThunderClan. I’m soglad I made the decision to come back . . . andeven happier that Finpaw decided to come with me.Surely they’ll welcome us. ThunderClan is myhome.“I’m sure they will,” she replied to Finpaw.“Is it true what they say about ThunderClan?”Finpaw asked as the two young cats walked on side byside. He stretched his jaws into an enormous yawn.“Are they really so bossy, always telling other catswhat to do?”Twigpaw wasn’t sure how to reply. She knew thatwas exactly the way the other Clans sometimes
viewed Bramblestar’s cats, but she had lived withThunderClan for many moons, and she knew therewas no simple answer.Besides, she had more important things on hermind. Even though she had told Finpaw she was sureThunderClan would be pleased to see them, shecouldn’t help wondering how they would really reactwhen she and her friend walked into their camp. Theywill be happy, right? Surely they’ve missed me sinceI chose to go with my father?Twigpaw’s father, Hawkwing, was the deputy ofSkyClan, and every cat had expected she would stay inthe newly settled Clan with him and her sister,Violetshine.But I wasn’t raised there, she told herself. It tookme a while to realize how big a part ThunderClanhas played in my life, right from when I was a kit.As they rounded a bramble thicket, a familiar scentdrifted over Twigpaw; she opened her jaws to taste theair more carefully.“What is it?” Finpaw asked. “Is it prey? I’mstarving!”“No,” Twigpaw replied. “It’s the ThunderClan
border scent markers. We’re almost home! Come on!”She bounded forward, with Finpaw pelting alongenthusiastically at her side. The ThunderClan scentgrew stronger as they approached the border, and asthey reached the line of scent markers, Twigpawbegan to distinguish another familiar scent, this one ofa single cat.“That’s Sparkpelt!” she exclaimed. “You musthave met her when SkyClan was living in theThunderClan camp. She’s Alderheart’s sister. Shemust be somewhere around here. Sparkpelt!” sheyowled, leaping up onto a small boulder that lay on theborder line. “Hey, Sparkpelt!”A clump of ferns rustled, and the fronds parted asSparkpelt charged into the open. To Twigpaw’samazement, her orange tabby pelt was bristling, andwhen she halted at the border, she arched her backand slid out her claws as if she was facing an enemy.“Twigpaw! What’s going on here?” she demanded.“Why are you so far away from your camp, withoutyour mentors? Has SkyClan been attacked? Is it morerogues?”“No, no, everything’s fine,” Twigpaw meowed
reassuringly, feeling almost amused at Sparkpelt’surgent questions. “There’s no trouble in SkyClan.”Sparkpelt relaxed slightly, her fluffed-out fur lyingflat once more. But her eyes narrowed in suspicion asshe glanced from Twigpaw to Finpaw and back again.“So what are you doing here?” she asked.Once again Twigpaw felt the enormity of what shewas doing, like a huge cloud gathering over her head,ready to release a storm. There’s no going back, shethought. Leafstar would never take me in again,after this. What will happen if ThunderClan sendsme away?“I’ve come home,” she replied, leaping down fromher boulder. It was hard to form the words, as if hermouth were full of prey that she couldn’t spit out. “Iwant to be part of ThunderClan again.”“And I’ve come with her,” Finpaw addedcheerfully.Sparkpelt’s ears twitched. “Just like that?” shemeowed scornfully. “Cats can’t just defect towhichever Clan they feel like, whenever they want.That isn’t how it works. You made your decision,Twigpaw, and now you have to stick to it. And this
SkyClan cat—he has no relationship to ThunderClan,so what does he think he’s doing here?”Pain slashed deep inside Twigpaw like a massiveclaw. Whatever she had expected, it wasn’t thisoutright rejection. I thought Sparkpelt was my friend!Her head drooped, and she struggled to keep her voicesteady as she responded.“I know I must have hurt and upset some of youwhen I chose to go with my kin to SkyClan,” shebegan, praying that she would find the right words. “Itwas a huge mistake, and I shouldn’t have left the wayI did. But surely you can understand that I was mixedup at the time?”Sparkpelt made no reply, but the tip of her tailtwitched once, then back again.“Living with SkyClan showed me that I really am aThunderClan cat,” Twigpaw went on desperately.“This is where I belong.”“I’m not sure Bramblestar will see it that way,”Sparkpelt growled.“I need to talk to him,” Twigpaw assured her. “Ijust want the chance to tell him how I feel. IfBramblestar doesn’t allow me back, then I’ll accept his
decision.”But what in StarClan will I do if that happens?she asked herself.“There’s no way Bramblestar will turn away a catlike Twigpaw!” Finpaw mewed, bright and full of spiritas he always was. “Twigpaw is great!”Sparkpelt fixed the small brown tom with a glare.“And who are you again, and what exactly are youdoing here?”“I’m Finpaw.” Sparkpelt’s aggressive stance didn’tseem to bother him at all; he faced the ThunderClanwarrior with his head raised and his short tail stuck inthe air. “We met when SkyClan first came to the lake—remember?”“Now I do.” Sparkpelt’s eyes narrowed again.“That still doesn’t tell me why you’re here.”“I’m here to be part of ThunderClan withTwigpaw,” Finpaw asserted confidently. “All the catsin ThunderClan are heroes—every cat around the lakeknows that. You’re the best! I want to join you andhave adventures!”Sparkpelt seemed unmoved by Finpaw’s praise.“Well, all right,” she meowed, flicking her ears irritably.
“I’ll take you to our camp. Walk a tail-length ahead ofme, so I can keep an eye on you. And don’t think ofputting a single whisker out of line.”“We’re not enemies!” Twigpaw’s pelt bristledindignantly. “What do you think we’re going to do?”“Keep your fur on!” Sparkpelt retorted. “I’m justtaking the proper precautions.”And hedgehogs fly! Twigpaw thought resentfully.With Finpaw at her side, she crossed the borderand headed in the familiar direction of the stone hollow,feeling awkward under Sparkpelt’s suspicious gaze.She was trying hard to ignore the growing heaviness inher belly, but Sparkpelt’s hostility had come as a nastyshock.It’ll be fine once we get to the camp, shereassured herself. Bramblestar will understand. Hehas to!The sun had gone down by the time the catsreached the thorn barrier that stretched across theentrance to the hollow, and twilight brought the chill ofearly leaf-fall. Sparkpelt pushed past the apprentices tolead the way down the tunnel.“Follow me,” she mewed curtly.
When Twigpaw emerged into the stone hollow, thewhole of ThunderClan seemed to be there. Her heartwarmed as she saw so many familiar faces: Cherryfalland Molewhisker sharing a piece of prey beside thefresh-kill pile; Blossomfall sitting with Cinderheart atthe entrance to the nursery while their kits frisked andplay wrestled around their paws; Graystripe and Milliestretched out drowsily side by side in front of the hazelbush where they slept; Leafpool and Jayfeatherearnestly discussing something beside the bramblescreen that shielded their den.With a swish of her tail Sparkpelt beckoned thetwo apprentices a few paces farther into the camp,then signaled for them to halt. “Wait here,” sheordered.Twigpaw watched her as she bounded across thehollow and scrambled up the tumbled rocks to theHighledge, where she disappeared into Bramblestar’sden.“I hope everything’s going to be okay,” Twigpawmurmured.“Of course it will.” Finpaw nuzzled her shoulderbriefly. “Bramblestar would have to have bees in his
brain not to want you in his Clan.”Before Twigpaw could reply, Sorrelstripe slid outof the warriors’ den and headed toward the thorntunnel, only to come to an abrupt stop as she spottedTwigpaw and Finpaw.“Hey!” she exclaimed. “Twigpaw’s here!”Her surprised yowl alerted every cat in the camp.Cats in the open sprang to their paws, while morepushed their way out of the warriors’ den. All of themcrowded around Twigpaw and Finpaw, until Twigpawfelt that she could hardly breathe in the midst of somany bright, questioning eyes and twitching whiskers.“I thought I caught a familiar scent.” Brackenfurgave Twigpaw a friendly nod. “It’s good to see you,Twigpaw.”“Why are you here?” Fernsong asked.“Is there trouble in SkyClan?” Lionblaze slid outhis claws. “Do you need our help?”Twigpaw swallowed hard, her pelt prickling withnervousness. Every cat was looking at her expectantly.“No, SkyClan is fine,” Twigpaw replied. “But I’ve leftthem. I’ve come home to live in ThunderClan.”Utter silence greeted her announcement for a
couple of heartbeats, followed by an outbreak ofastonished yowling.“Coming home? Your home is in SkyClan now.”“What about your kin?”“Who is this SkyClan cat with you?”Berrynose, at the front of the crowd, looked downat Twigpaw with a disdainful twitch of his whiskers.“You chose to leave, and now you want back in?” hedemanded. “Can we ever trust you again?”Murmurs of agreement came from several othercats.Twigpaw wished that the ground would open upand swallow her, until she spotted movement from themedicine cats’ den. With a gasp of relief sherecognized Alderheart pushing his way through thecluster of cats to stand at her side.Thank StarClan! Alderheart practically raisedme. He’ll understand.“Of course we can trust her,” Alderheart meowed,his dark ginger pelt beginning to bristle as he facedBerrynose. “Of course we want her back! She wasraised in ThunderClan, so she’s one of us.” His ambereyes were warm and supportive as he gazed at her.
Twigpaw felt as if the sun had just come out frombehind a cloud when she heard Alderheart call her“one of us.” Aware that some of her formerClanmates were still hostile, she tried to hide hersudden happiness by bowing her head and studying herpaws. But Alderheart’s praise made her feel warmfrom her ears to her tail-tip.I’ve missed Alderheart so much since I leftThunderClan!“Twigpaw!”A commanding yowl rang out across the camp.Twigpaw looked up to see Bramblestar standing on theHighledge with Sparkpelt by his side. He beckonedTwigpaw with his tail. “Come up here,” he ordered.“You and I must talk.”Twigpaw exchanged an uncertain glance withFinpaw. Will he be okay if I leave him here byhimself?Then Alderheart gave her a gentle push. “Go on,”he meowed. “I’ll look after Finpaw. Let’s find yousome prey,” he added to the young tom. “You must behungry.”“Starving!” Finpaw agreed fervently.
Reassured, Twigpaw hurried across the camp andbegan to climb the tumbled rocks. Sparkpelt passed herheading downward; she said nothing, but gaveTwigpaw an unfriendly stare.“Come into my den,” Bramblestar invited Twigpawwhen she reached the Highledge.Following him inside, Twigpaw felt uncomfortable,almost unworthy, to be having a private conversationwith the ThunderClan leader. To her relief,Bramblestar didn’t seem angry, but there was concernin his eyes as he stood looking down at her.“Sparkpelt reported to me that you say you want torejoin ThunderClan,” he said. “You must realize,Twigpaw, that it’s not usual for a cat to be so confusedabout where they belong.”Something in his words woke a spark of defianceinside Twigpaw. “How many cats have grown up theway I did?” she challenged Bramblestar. “Has anyother cat lost her parents and her entire Clan, beenseparated from her sister, and then found a father shethought was dead? I admit I was confused, but I knowwhere I belong now. Haven’t I proved my loyalty toThunderClan by coming back? I’m ready to become a
ThunderClan warrior.”Bramblestar’s voice was quiet as he responded. “Idon’t doubt that loyalty to ThunderClan is in your hearttoday,” he mewed. “But it’s not always that simple.The warrior code requires us to be loyal to one Clan.If you’re moving back and forth between Clans, wheredoes your heart really lie?”Pausing, he settled himself in his nest and motionedwith one paw for Twigpaw to sit opposite him.“I remember when I was an apprentice, back inthe old forest,” he began. “Something similarhappened: Graystripe left ThunderClan for RiverClanbecause he had kits with a RiverClan cat namedSilverstream. She died, and when RiverClan claimedthe kits, Graystripe thought it was his duty to go withthem and raise them.”“Graystripe . . . ,” Twigpaw breathed out, hardlyable to imagine that the sturdy, loyal elder would everhave mated with a cat from another Clan.Bramblestar nodded. “Then, when RiverClaninvaded and tried to take Sunningrocks fromThunderClan, Graystripe couldn’t fight for themagainst us. RiverClan drove him into exile. Bluestar,
who was leader then, took him back, but it was a tenseand confusing time, and no cat knew who could betrusted.”“But it worked out in the end, right?” Twigpawpointed out. “Every cat trusts Graystripe now.Besides,” she added, her neck fur beginning to bristlein spite of her efforts to stay calm, “SkyClan isn’tgoing to attack us! That’s mouse-brained!”The words were hardly out before Twigpawrealized that a mere apprentice shouldn’t call her Clanleader mouse-brained. I’ve probably ruined mychances of getting back in!But Bramblestar’s only response was to twitch hisears. “I know they won’t—but when you get soindignant at the very idea, it shows that you still holdsome loyalty to your kin’s Clan. SkyClan is in yourblood.”“But I’ve already tried SkyClan!” Twigpawprotested. “Now I know I don’t belong there.”Bramblestar hesitated, letting out a thoughtful sigh.“I can see you really mean it,” he mewed at last. “AndI would be happy to welcome you back intoThunderClan, but . . .” His voice trailed off.
Twigpaw’s sudden flash of optimism at the Clanleader’s first words faded into uncertainty. “But?”“This is where your story is different fromGraystripe’s,” Bramblestar told her. “He was a grownwarrior when he switched Clans, not an apprentice.You chose to leave ThunderClan right before yourwarrior ceremony rather than become a ThunderClanwarrior. Twigpaw, I want to believe that you will beloyal to ThunderClan, but I think it will be the rightthing for you to complete a short apprenticeshiphere . . . a kind of probation, to make sure you reallywant to be a ThunderClan warrior.”At first Twigpaw felt hot anger gathering in herbelly. She had already completed a ThunderClanapprenticeship, and then another after she left to joinSkyClan. She had assumed that Bramblestar wouldmake her a warrior right away.More apprentice work? she thought. I bet thatno cat who ever lived has ever shifted as manyticks off the elders’ pelts!But Twigpaw knew she had to control her anger.She was too grateful for the chance that the Clanleader was offering her, and she knew that she had no
choice. Leafstar would never welcome her back.Besides, she reflected, what’s a few more moonsof apprenticeship, compared to the whole of therest of my life in ThunderClan?“Okay, Bramblestar,” she agreed. “It’ll be good towork with Ivypool again.” Relief was spreadingthrough her—even if she had to be an apprenticeagain, at least Bramblestar wasn’t going to send heraway.“Oh, no, Ivypool can’t be your mentor,”Bramblestar meowed. “She’s in the nursery now, aboutto have the kits she’s expecting with Fernsong. No, I’llhave to find a different cat for you. . . .”Twigpaw waited, her paws itching with impatience.Cherryfall might be a good mentor. Or maybeWhitewing . . .“Yes . . .” Bramblestar let out a purr ofsatisfaction. “I think you’ll do very well withSparkpelt.”Oh, StarClan, no! Twigpaw barely stoppedherself from speaking the words aloud. I knowSparkpelt doesn’t want me here. Then she realizedthat Bramblestar might already be testing her. “Fine,”
she mewed, trying to sound enthusiastic. “I promise I’lltry my hardest.”“Good.” Bramblestar rose to his paws andbeckoned with his tail for Twigpaw to follow him outonto the Highledge and down the tumbled rocks intothe camp. Most of the Clan was still waiting, and amurmur of anticipation rose from them as their leaderappeared with Twigpaw behind him. They gatheredaround in a wide circle with Bramblestar and Twigpawat the center; then Bramblestar called for Finpaw tojoin them.“Cats of ThunderClan,” their leader began. “Asyou can see, Twigpaw has returned to us. I havedecided that she should continue her apprenticeshiphere in ThunderClan.”Glancing around, Twigpaw was relieved to see thatmost of her Clanmates looked happy to welcome herback, though she could see uncertainty in the eyes ofsome of them.“She’ll still be an apprentice?” Dewnose muttered.Meanwhile, Bramblestar turned to Finpaw. “Whatare we to do with you, Finpaw?” he asked, half tohimself.
Twigpaw realized guiltily that she hadn’t evenasked Bramblestar about Finpaw. But surelyBramblestar won’t send him away?Finpaw stood boldly in front of the Clan leader andmet his gaze. “I want to be a ThunderClan warrior,” hedeclared. “I’ve heard so many tales about Firestar, andhow brave and honorable you all are. This is the bestClan in the forest, and I can’t wait to be part of it.” Hegave an excited little jump. “Please let me join!”Twigpaw could hear murmurs
ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired) . Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14. Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21
