Chapter Eighteen

No!" A sleek tortishell she-cat bolted into the camp, Jayleaf and Honeywish on her heels. "Oakstar, what're you doing?"

Oakstar sighed again. "I've just told them all."

Dawnsky looked surprised, but then frowned. "So what? Nothing's changed about you, you're still a loyal ThunderClan cat!"

Echoshine stepped forward. "That's what I said!"

"Wait," Oakstar flicked his tail for silence. "I have a suggestion."

The grumblings of the surrounding warriors died down, and all eyes turned to Oakstar.

"Whether you think that I am loyal, or not, I am willing to do anything for my warriors," Oakstar began. "And we seek advice from StarClan. We must find out what we should do about the rogues. StarClan's wisdom has never failed to guide us, and if it helps you believe in my loyalty, I shall travel to our old Clan territory to make a journey to the Moontree, where StarClan's wisdom is strongest."

All of the warriors gasped. The Moontree was a great silver tree with star-shaped leaves. Under the full moon, it glowed, and a cat could see stars glittering on the bark. When a leader visited it for nine lives, instead of having dreams of the StarClan cats, StarClan would pour out of the tree's leaves and appear next to the new leader. The Clans were forced to move away from the Moontree because of a terrible sickness that had killed off all of the prey.

Dawnsky looked around to the surrounding warriors. "Is that not enough for you?" She growled.

Shortwhisker shook his head in frustration. "He's a rogue!"

But the other warriors were nodding.

Dawnsky looked to Oakstar. "Then it's settled."

Echoshine sighed in frustration as she stumbled out of her nest. It had been a long day as a warrior with no warrior duties. She hadn't even been able to keep a silent vigil with her siblings the night before. Willowleaf had ordered her to get some sleep. She had stayed up the entire night anyway, keeping an ear pricked for any signs of invasion, because she felt that if she was a warrior, then she had to act like one.

Willowleaf was not pleased.

"Echoshine, if you want to be able to go on patrols any time soon, then you mustn't get sleep deprived." She lectured.

"But-"

"No buts." Willowleaf interrupted. "You will sleep tonight. Understood?"

"Yes, Willowleaf." Echoshine grumbled.

"Good. Now you may go eat."

Echoshine padded out into the open camp. The only other warrior in the camp was Flashclaw. Most of the ThunderClan warriors were out on patrol, and Oakstar had not yet returned from his mission.

A quarter-moon had passed since she had become a warrior, and her belly injury had healed almost miraculously. Maybe StarClan had healed it fast because ThunderClan was going to need all of the warriors it could get. It wasn't a happy thought.

The sun was setting to the west, and brilliant, vibrant waves of orange and scarlet streaked the sky. Violet swirled itself into the stunning colors. To the eastern sky, the tip of the moon was peeking up and tiny silver stars blinked sleepily into existence, as if they were just waking up from a long rest.

Echoshine sat down next to Flashclaw.

"How was ShadowClan's border?" She asked him. The brown tom had been sent on a border patrol earlier to see if ShadowClan and the rogues hinted an ambush.

"Believe it or not, it was all clear. We scented a fox, but the smell was stale." Flashclaw responded.

"That's strange." Echoshine remarked. "You'd think that the rogues would be eager to attack again, while the Clans were still healing."

The tom opened his mouth to speak.

A twig snapped nearby.

"Did you hear that?" Echoshine jumped to her feet, and Flashclaw did likewise.

"Who's there?" He called.

They waited.

A figure stepped out of the shadows a fox-length away.

Flashclaw hissed sprang onto the intruder, tumbling it to its back. "Who's this?" He snarled. "You smell like one of those rancid rogues."

Echoshine moved downwind, so that the scent of the intruder was blowing her way. From the smell, the blue-grey rogue was a tom, and had kits nearby.

"Wait!" She padded warily up to the tom, claws unsheathed. "He has kitscent." She told Flashclaw.

He abruptly stepped back, but he kept his claws out, hackles raised. "Who are you? Answer me." He hissed.

"Dusk. My name is Dusk." The tom stood up defiantly, his ears drawn back.

"And…?" Echoshine prompted. "You have kits with you, I can smell them."

The tom hissed. "I'm not about to give some kits up to a vicious bunch of cats just because they tell me to." His hackles were raised menacingly, but Echoshine could see his flank rising and falling fast. One ear had a deep nick and dry blood crusted the wound. A long scar parted the fur on his shoulders and ran all the way down his side.

"We're vicious?" Flashclaw growled, "you think we're vicious?" He scraped the ground with his claws, tearing into the thin sheet of moss that carpeted the rich soil. An owl screeched far off in the distance. "You realize that the band of flea-bitten rogues that you live with has been viciously attacking the Clans for no reason, right?"

Echoshine flattened her ears as Dusk gave no answer, instead crouching down, preparing to spring at Flashclaw. Then the rogue tom seemed to deflate.

He sighed, sounding resigned, and flicked his tail. "Come," he called.

There was a rustling sound, and a small black nose poked out from under a bramble bush, followed by a head, and finally a brown-furred kit emerged. Then a light grey kit with black spots padded hesitantly out into the clearing after its sibling.

"These are Bird," Dusk pointed his muzzle guardedly to the brown tom kit, "and Dapple." He nodded toward the she-kit.

"Why are you here?" Flashclaw hissed.

"Because," Dusk paused, as if contemplating whether or not he should tell them. "I want to join your Clan."

"What?" Echoshine was surprised.

"Yes." The tom seemed defiant again. "I saw how you fought during the battle, and cared for each other, and worked together…" his voice trailed off. "I want Bird and Dapple to grow up like that."

Echoshine traded a look with Flashclaw.

"We can't let you join." Flashclaw began, his tail lashing, "but in a few days, our leader will be back from a mission, and he's the one who makes the decisions." He was still wary of the grey tom.

Echoshine eyed the tom. "You look like you've had a rough go of it lately. Come see our medicine cat."

"Our only medicine cat, thanks to you rogues." Flashclaw hissed.

Dusk glared.

Echoshine eyed Flashclaw. "Stop harassing him." She whispered under her breath to him. Something about Dusk made her feel that the rogue was trustworthy.

"Come." Flashclaw growled. He ignored Echoshine, flanking the tom and pushing him roughly toward the medicine cat den.

Dusk stumbled, ears flat, then regained his balance and stalked after Echoshine, who was in the lead.

The three cats ducked into the small medicine cat den.

"Who's this?" Willowleaf's surprised mew echoed in the den.

"My name is Dusk," the cat hissed, "and these two want me to see you."

"Why's there a rogue in here?" Wrenpaw asked in a small voice.

Willowleaf sniffed the air a second time, then she growled. "You're one of the rogues in the group that killed Stormtail!"

Dusk lowered his head. "I'm very sorry for your loss."

Willowleaf seemed to soften.

"Willowleaf," Echoshine began tentatively, "Dusk has a few injuries. Would you please try to help him?"

Willowleaf hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Yes. That's what I exist for." She turned to Wrenpaw. "Wrenpaw, what do you think we should use on his scratches?"

"Goldenrod to help his wounds heal faster, dock to soothe his injuries, and horsetail in case anything's infected."

"Very good!" Willowleaf smiled. "Now fetch them for me."

Wrenpaw glowed under her mentor's praising gaze, then scampered away through a narrow tunnel in the back of the den.

Dusk's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Horsetail? Like a horse's tail?" He shifted uncomfortably.

"No, it's just the name of an herb," Echoshine assured the rogue.