The Silent Thaw

“I’m not a kit anymore.” Shadowsight lifted his muzzle. His father had to trust him. “I’m a medicine cat, and the Clans need my help.”

Tigerstar hesitated. Then he dipped his head. “You’re right,” he mewed. “We can’t stop you.”

Shadowsight blinked gratefully at his father. “Don’t worry—I’ll be careful. And I won’t be alone.”

Dovewing pressed her muzzle to Shadowsight’s cheek. “Come back as soon as you can.”

He rubbed his nose along her jaw. “I’ll be home by dawn.”

He turned before she could say any more and caught his father’s eye. Tigerstar was watching him, fear shadowing his gaze.

It was nearly moonhigh. There was no time to waste. Quickly, Shadowsight padded from the camp. Outside, the forest was swathed in shadow, and he strained to see ahead. He felt relieved as Rootpaw fell in beside him. The SkyClan apprentice’s face was grim. Behind them, Tree and Puddleshine followed in silence.

Rootpaw glanced at him. “What do you think the medicine cats will do once they know?”

“I hope they’ll tell their leaders.” Shadowsight hopped over a trailing vine.

“If the Clans unite, it will be easy to drive out the impostor,” Tree mewed.

Puddleshine quickened his pace. “But how will the ghost get back into his body then?”

Shadowsight glanced at the medicine cat. “Let’s deal with one problem at a time.”

They pushed on in silence, following the track to where it rose toward the ThunderClan border.

“Let’s travel through the greenleaf Twolegplace,” Puddleshine suggested as they skirted a large bramble. “So we avoid crossing ThunderClan territory.”

“It’ll take longer to get there.” Shadowsight glanced at his Clanmate.

“It’s better to be cautious,” Puddleshine insisted. “ThunderClan can’t be trusted.”

Tree frowned. “Do you think Bramblestar might try to stop us?”

“He would if he knew what we were planning,” Puddleshine mewed.

Shadowsight stifled a shiver. The forest seemed suddenly darker. A shadow flitted high in the branches ahead.

Rootpaw’s gaze flashed toward it. “It’s just an owl.” The SkyClan apprentice sounded relieved. Was he spooked too?

The forest floor was cold beneath Shadowsight’s paws. He could hear prey scurrying through the undergrowth. A warbler was chattering in the distance. He padded closer to Rootpaw, reassured by the warmth pulsing from the tom’s pelt.

The warbler fell silent, and Shadowsight pricked his ears. Had something startled it? He glanced nervously ahead. Don’t be mouse-brained. He’d made this trip plenty of times without feeling scared. As he shook out his pelt, his heart lurched. A screech of pain sliced through the air.

Shadowsight stopped. Tree spun around, scanning the forest, while Rootpaw tasted the air.

“Do you smell anything?” Tree blinked at his son.

Rootpaw frowned. “I can only smell mint.”

Puddleshine looked puzzled. “Mint doesn’t grow in this part of the forest.”

Shadowsight was straining to see through the darkness. “Some cat’s in trouble,” he mewed.

“It sounded like the yowl came from over there.” Tree began to head along a rise.

The screech sounded again. Shadowsight’s pelt bushed. “We have to help them!”

“This way!” Tree broke into a run.

Puddleshine hurried after him. “I can smell blood.” Alarm sharpened the medicine cat’s mew.

Shadowsight paused as the others charged away. How could they help an injured cat? They had no herbs with them. He glanced around. Cobwebs! If the cat was bleeding, cobwebs would staunch the flow until they could get them to safety.

“Shadowsight!” Puddleshine called from the darkness. “Are you coming?”

“I’m looking for cobwebs!” He hurried toward a gnarled oak. There would be cobwebs in the knotted bark. He ran his paw along a crevice, relieved as thick spider’s web clung to his paw. He hauled it out. “Have you found him?” His mew rang through the trees. No cat answered. He hurried between the trees, limping on three legs as he tried to keep the cobwebs off the ground. Peering through the shadows, he strained to see the others. “I’m coming!” he called. The forest answered with silence.

He frowned. Was he heading the right way? As he opened his mouth to taste for scents, something hard slammed into his flank. It knocked him over, and as he rolled onto his side, the stench of mint hit the back of his throat. A shadow reared beside him, and his heart seemed to burst as the silhouette of a tom rose against the starlit sky. It fell on him like a hawk. Claws raked his cheek. A paw lashed at his muzzle.

Struggling to escape, Shadowsight rolled onto his belly. Blood roared in his ears, as he felt the sharp sting of strong claws hooking into his pelt. They hauled him backward as he scrabbled against the earth. Desperately, he tried to remember a battle move. Pouncestep had taught him some. He bunched the muscles in his hind legs and tried to push up and unbalance his attacker, but a leg swept beneath his belly, knocking his paws from under him.