A Dangerous Path

Chapter 2

The sky was growing pale with the first light of dawn when Skyfall and her warriors returned to the ThunderClan camp. Although Skyfall knew what she would find, it was still a shock to reach the top of the ravine and gaze down at the devastation. All the covering of gorse and fern had been stripped away by the fire. The earth floor of the camp had been left exposed, surrounded by the blackened remains of the wall of thornbushes that was shored up with branches where the Clan cats had begun to repair it.

"Will it ever be the same?" Sandstorm meowed softly as she moved to stand beside her.

A wave of exhaustion flooded over Skyfall as she thought of how much time and work it would take before the camp was fully rebuilt. "One day," she promised. "We've been through bad times before. We'll survive." She pressed her muzzle comfortingly against Sandstorm's flank before she led the way down the ravine.

The bush where the warriors slept was still there, but the thick canopy of twigs had been burned away. Only a few charred branches remained, the gaps between them interwoven with sticks. Brackenfur was crouched outside, while Longtail sat on watch near the entrance to the nursery, and Dustpelt paced back and forth in front of the elders' den.

Brackenfur sprang to his paws as Skyfall and the others appeared, only to relax a moment later. "It's you," he meowed, relief in his voice. "We've been expecting Tigerclaw all night."

"Well, you can stop worrying," Skyfall meowed. "He's too busy to worry about us. Tigerstar is the new leader of ShadowClan."

Brackenfur stared in astonishment. "Great StarClan!" he said with a gasp. "I don't believe it!"

"What did you say?" Skyfall turned to see Longtail loping across the clearing. "Did I hear you right?"

"You did." Skyfall could see the shock in the tabby warrior's face. She took a moment to press her nose to his cheek before continuing. "Tigerstar has taken over ShadowClan."

"And they let him?" meowed Longtail. "Are they mad?"

"Not mad at all," Whitestorm replied, coming up to stand beside Skyfall. The older warrior scraped the bare earth with his paws and settled down on his haunches with a tired sigh. His thick white fur was stained with soot after the journey back through the forest. "The sickness almost destroyed the ShadowClan cats. They were desperate for a strong leader. Tigerstar must have seemed like a gift from StarClan."

"It sounds like that's just what he was," Skyfall agreed heavily. "Apparently StarClan sent an omen to Runningnose to tell ShadowClan that a great leader would arise."

"But Tigerstar is a traitor!" Brackenfur protested.

"ShadowClan doesn't know that," Skyfall pointed out.

By this time other cats were appearing. Brightpaw and Swiftpaw ran over from the apprentices' den; Dustpelt padded up to stand beside Sandstorm, pressing against her; Speckletail peered curiously out from the nursery. As they pressed around Skyfall with their questions, she had to raise her voice to make herself heard.

"Listen, all of you," she meowed. "There's something you need to hear." And I have to tell Bluestar, she added silently, bracing herself for the encounter. "Whitestorm will tell you what happened at the Gathering," she went on, "and then I want a dawn patrol." She hesitated, looking around at the assembled cats. All the warriors were tired; those who hadn't been to the Gathering had stayed awake to guard the camp.

Before Skyfall could decide who to send, Dustpelt spoke. "Ashpaw and I will go."

Skyfall dipped her head gratefully. The brown warrior was usually testy, a perfect match for Sandstorm, but he was a loyal cat to ThunderClan.