The Silent Thaw

Graystripe stared at Bramblestar. “She’s Firestar’s daughter,” he mewed in disbelief. “You can’t exile her.”

Thornclaw padded forwarded. Shock showed in his pale blue eyes. “What has she done?”

“She’s a liar.” Bramblestar rounded on the two warriors, his eyes blazing. “She pretended to atone, but she wasn’t trying to make her peace with StarClan. She was breaking the code again!”

Thornclaw blinked questioningly at Squirrelflight.

Bramblestar padded closer to his deputy, hissing. “Where did you go when you left ThunderClan?”

“I told you!” Squirrelflight lifted her chin. “I went to the horseplace.”

“You’re lying!” Bramblestar thrust his muzzle closer to hers. “I know because I sent a Clanmate to follow you.”

Bristlefrost felt the gazes of her Clanmates flit toward her. She stiffened, feeling sick. It wasn’t me.

Bramblestar nodded toward Bumblestripe. “I sent a loyal warrior to see where you went,” the ThunderClan leader growled.

Fear spread beneath Bristlefrost’s pelt, as cold as ice, as Bumblestripe padded forward, puffing out his chest.

“Squirrelflight didn’t go to the horseplace,” he mewed. “She went to SkyClan.”

“SkyClan?” Thornclaw looked confused. “Why did she go there?”

Bumblestripe curled his lip. “She went to persuade SkyClan to rise up against ThunderClan.”

Sparkpelt and Stormcloud stared at Squirrelflight in disbelief.

Berrynose curled his lip. “Traitor!”

The word rang around the camp. Lilyheart and Hollytuft echoed it. Bristlefrost stared at them. They didn’t believe Squirrelflight would want to harm them, surely? Didn’t they realize she wouldn’t turn to another Clan unless there was a good reason?

Squirrelflight eyed Bramblestar, her tail flicking dangerously over the ground.

Blood roared in Bristlefrost’s ears. What else did Bumblestripe know? Was he about to turn on her? Did he know about the secret meetings? That she was a traitor too? She wanted to look at Stemleaf and Spotfur for reassurance, but she didn’t dare. What if looking at them gave her away?

Sparkpelt padded forward and stared at her mother. Her green eyes were wide with disbelief. “Is it true?”

Squirrelflight’s tail fell still. She stared back at her daughter, but she didn’t speak. Her eyes grew dull as though a fire had been extinguished. Slowly, she straightened and looked around at her Clanmates. “I’ll leave,” she mewed softly. “But there’s something you must know. My mate would never behave like this. You must know in your hearts that this cat”—she stared scornfully at Bramblestar—“has none of the courage, honor, and honesty of the real Bramblestar. This

Bramblestar is an impostor.”

Bristlefrost searched the gazes of her Clanmates. Did they believe her? She watched them stare at Squirrelflight. Was that pity in their eyes? They don’t understand! Her Clanmates seemed to hear Squirrelflight’s words as no more than spite from a cat whose mate had rejected her. The truth was clearly too far-fetched to believe.

This time she couldn’t stop herself from looking at Stemleaf, pleading with her eyes. We have to do something! As though reading her thoughts, he shook his head, too subtly for their Clanmates to notice.

“Bristlefrost!” Bramblestar’s growl made her jump.

She stared at him, guilt searing her pelt. Was he about to accuse her?

His gaze was hard. “I want you, Twigbranch, and Lionblaze to escort Squirrelflight off our land.”

Bristlefrost straightened. Was he sending her a message? Was escorting Squirrelflight off ThunderClan territory meant to warn her that she could be next?

Bramblestar nodded to Stormcloud and Birchfall. “Go with them.”

Bristlefrost eyed the toms warily. Were they spies too? She tried not to tremble as she padded toward Squirrelflight. The ThunderClan deputy was already heading toward the entrance.

Bramblestar didn’t even look at his mate. Instead he looked calmly around at the Clan. “ThunderClan needs a new deputy.”

Bristlefrost paused at the edge of the clearing. Was he going to choose one now? After everything that just happened?

Bumblestripe quickly stepped forward. “I want to defend the warrior code as much as you do. I’d be honored if you’d consider me for deputy.”

Berrynose brushed past him. “You know I’d do my best to be a loyal and brave deputy to ThunderClan,” he told Bramblestar. “You were my mentor.” He cast a sly glance at Bumblestripe. “So you know you can trust me.”

Bristlefrost shuddered. She hurried to catch up to Squirrelflight, relieved to be heading out of camp. She didn’t want to see her Clanmates behaving like fox-hearts. She followed Birchfall and Stormcloud through the entrance tunnel. As the two toms fanned out around Squirrelflight, Bristlefrost trailed behind with Lionblaze and Twigbranch. She glanced at them nervously.

Twigbranch looked shaken. “He can’t banish her,” the gray she-cat whispered as soon as they were clear of the camp. “Why’s he doing this?”