Crookedstar’s Promise

A purr rumbled in her throat. “I love you, Crookedjaw.” She touched her muzzle to his ear. Her warm breath made him weak.

Suddenly a cold breeze lifted his fur. For a moment, Mapleshade’s scent drifted in the air and her voice echoed around him. Don’t forget your promise!

Crookedjaw closed his eyes and let the soft scent of Willowbreeze bathe him. Mapleshade was wrong. Having a mate wouldn’t stop him from being a great leader. Hailstar had Echomist, and their kits Petaldust, Beetlenose, and Voleclaw. It didn’t distract him from his loyalty to the Clan or his readiness for battle.

“What’s that?” Willowbreeze jerked away, ears pricking.

A dog was yapping upstream. Hisses and yowls exploded nearby. It sounded like it had encountered a patrol.

“I’ll go and help!” Crookedjaw raced down the slope.

“Be careful!” Willowbreeze called after him.

Diving through the hawthorns, Crookedjaw spotted Whitefang and Petaldust at full pelt, chasing a small white dog. He charged after them. “Steer it past the camp!” he yowled.

Whitefang veered away, outflanking the dog and driving it onward, away from the camp entrance. They chased it up the slope and around the top of the camp. Crookedjaw’s heart thudded with excitement as he whipped around bushes and ducked under branches, keeping the dog in sight. Ahead, Whitefang and Petaldust matched each other step for step, steering it toward the marsh. As they broke from the trees the dog glanced over its shoulder. Its eyes gleamed white around the edges. It was terrified. Pounding the earth with desperate paws, it fled past the beech copse and hurtled into the long grass.

“Keep going!” Crookedjaw called.

Whitefang leaped over a clump of sedge as Petaldust swerved around it. The ground flashed beneath Crookedjaw’s paws as he hared after them. They crossed the marsh and drove the dog down onto the shore. Petaldust splashed into the shallows, keeping pace with the dog as it hurtled forward, sending stones cracking from under her paws. Whitefang pelted along the bank, hissing every time the dog tried to swerve up onto the grass.

Crookedjaw stayed at the rear, blocking the dog with a snarl if it tried to turn. “Twoleg!” he warned, spotting a figure on the bridge. He pulled up, pebbles clattering beneath his feet.

Whitefang and Petaldust slewed to a halt as the dog flung itself on to the bridge and bounded around the Twoleg, yapping with relief.

Crookedjaw circled his Clanmates as they flopped down on the shore. “Nice chase,” he puffed.

“Thanks.” Petaldust clambered to her paws once she had caught her breath.

Whitefang lifted his head. “We’d better carry on with our patrol.” He stood up and shook out his pelt.

“Where’s Oakheart?” Crookedjaw suddenly realized his brother was missing.

“Didn’t you see him?” Petaldust blinked at him in surprise. “He was heading your way. He thought he saw ThunderClan warriors on the shore below Sunningrocks. He went to investigate.”

Crookedjaw frowned. “Alone?”

“That’s what he wanted.” Whitefang shrugged. “He told us to check the Twoleg field and that he’d catch up.”

“I’ll check on him.” Crookedjaw flattened his ears. It was risky to check for intruders single-pawed. What was his brother thinking?

He found Oakheart near the alders, emerging from long grass. “What are you doing here?”

Oakheart looked startled. His pelt was wet.

“Are you okay?” Crookedjaw meowed. “Whitefang said you saw cats from ThunderClan.”

“Just one warrior.” Oakheart’s voice was casual as he padded past, heading for the camp. “I chased her off.”

Crookedjaw picked up a trace of familiar scent on his brother’s pelt. “Was it Bluefur?”

Oakheart whipped around. “How did you know?”

“I recognized her scent.” Crookedjaw searched Oakheart’s gaze. Was he hiding something? Was Bluefur causing trouble? “Did you fight? Did she beat you?” He remembered with a shudder what a fierce opponent Bluefur could be.

Oakheart turned toward camp. “I drove her back into the forest.” He shrugged. “It wasn’t much of a fight. Nothing worth mentioning. Why start a battle over something so small?”

Crookedjaw watched his brother pad away. “What about your patrol? They chased a dog as far as the bridge. They’re waiting for you.”

Oakheart paused. “The patrol!” He swerved to head upriver.

Crookedjaw tipped his head on one side. It wasn’t like Oakheart to be so reserved, especially about an encounter with another Clan. Perhaps the fight had been tougher than he wanted to admit. But he didn’t seem to have any injuries.

Crookedjaw shrugged. Oakheart was a great warrior. He’d be fine. He tasted the air, wondering if Willowbreeze was still near or if she’d given up waiting for him and returned to camp. He wanted to spend as much time with her as he could.

Chapter 27

“Mapleshade!”

Dreaming, Crookedjaw raced through the forest. Dark earth sprayed behind him as he barged through the tangled undergrowth.

“Mapleshade?”