The Apprentice's Quest

Alderpaw took a moment to think about that. “Why does it need to be a secret?” he asked. “Isn’t it sort of dishonest to lie about the quest?”

“You just need to have faith in me,” Bramblestar mewed gently. “Telling the truth now would do more harm than good. I know I’m trusting you with a huge responsibility,” he added. “But I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t think you were up to the task.”

Rising to his paws, he nuzzled the top of Alderpaw’s head briefly, then padded back toward the camp. Alderpaw watched him go, a flood of emotions surging through him. The secrecy worried him, while at the same time he felt an intense curiosity to know what was going on, and whether SkyClan really needed ThunderClan’s help. His anxiety that he might not be good enough to be entrusted with the task warred with the pride he felt that Bramblestar believed in him.

Maybe Sparkpaw is right, he thought.

She’s always telling me that I overthink things. I’m just going to focus on my father’s faith in me, he decided at last, and hope that all the rest will fall into place.

Chapter 9

“I don’t care what you say!” Sandstorm hissed. “I’m going on this quest, and that’s final!”

“It’s out of the question!” Bramblestar snapped back at her. “I asked you here to tell

Alderpaw all you know about SkyClan. I never intended for you to go with him.”

Alderpaw shifted nervously from paw to paw on the sandy floor of Bramblestar’s den. It was the day after his father had told him that he must go on the quest, but so far no decisions had been made about which cats would accompany him.

And it doesn’t look like I’ll be leaving anytime soon, not if Bramblestar and Sandstorm keep on arguing. He had always believed that the two cats got along well together. Now they looked furious enough to claw each other’s pelts off.

“Then you may be Clan leader, but you’re acting like a mouse-brained apprentice.”

Sandstorm’s neck fur was bristling with anger.

“I’m the only—”

“Enough!” Bramblestar lashed his tail.

“Sandstorm, you’re an elder. You’ve made your contribution to our Clan, and it’s been a magnificent contribution. Now you deserve to have the rest of us take care of you. I want you safe in camp, not traipsing about in unknown territory.”

“That’s exactly the point.” Sandstorm’s voice grew quieter, the words forced out through clenched teeth. Alderpaw was glad she wasn’t glaring at him like she was glaring at Bramblestar. “I’m the only living cat who has any idea how to find SkyClan’s camp. And I’m the only one who has met the cats of SkyClan before. They’re more likely to accept me than cats they’ve never laid eyes on.”

As she spoke, the anger in Bramblestar’s face was fading, replaced with a thoughtful expression.

“I understand,” he began uncertainly, “but elders just don’t—”

He broke off at the sound of a patter of paw steps approaching up the tumbled rocks.

Alderpaw turned to see Squirrelflight at the entrance to the den. Bramblestar and Sandstorm exchanged a swift glance, and Alderpaw realized that Squirrelflight didn’t know about SkyClan either.

“All the hunting patrols have gone out,” she reported. “I wanted to ask which warriors you’ve chosen to go with Alderpaw. He’ll need a strong group of cats. I don’t know where his paws will lead him, but I do know there’ll be danger.”

“I will be going with him,” Sandstorm announced, before Bramblestar could reply.

Her green eyes flashed with triumph when Bramblestar reluctantly dipped his head in agreement, but Squirrelflight’s expression was horrified.

“Sandstorm, you can’t!” she exclaimed. “It’s bad enough having to let Alderpaw go. Do you think I want my kit and my mother off on a dangerous quest together? I couldn’t bear it!”

Dangerous? Alderpaw thought, feeling more nervous still.

“Squirrelflight, it will be fine,” Sandstorm meowed. “I may be old, but I’m still strong. And Alderpaw will be in a lot less danger if I go with him.”

“I hate to admit it, but she’s right,” Bramblestar agreed.

Squirrelflight glanced sharply from her mother to Bramblestar and back again, her green eyes glittering. “Is there something you’re not telling me?” she demanded.

“You have to trust me,” Bramblestar responded.

A few tense heartbeats passed while

Squirrelflight held Bramblestar’s amber gaze.

Then she sighed, her tail drooping. “I suppose I do.”

Without further argument, Bramblestar led the way out of the den and onto the Highledge.

Squirrelflight stayed by his side, while

Sandstorm and Alderpaw picked their way down the tumbled rocks to the floor of the camp.

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting,” Bramblestar yowled.