Chapter Nineteen

Here you go!" Wrenpaw bounded back to the waiting cats, a bundle of herbs hanging from her jaws. She dropped the plants in front of her mentor.

"Thank you, Wrenpaw." Willowleaf pawed at the bundle, checking that the apprentice had grabbed all of the right herbs before nodding approvingly. "Very good."

Dusk flinched away as the medicine cat walked up to him. His ears were flat and he looked ready to fight at any moment.

"That's a nasty scratch you've got on your ear," Willowleaf remarked. "I'm afraid the horsetail will have to come into play."

Dusk flicked his tail. The fur on his shoulders relaxed as Willowleaf and Wrenpaw began to tend to his scratches.

"Now, while we're all cramped into this den, why don't you tell us why you're here?" Willowleaf suggested.

Dusk bristled. "And why should I tell you?"

"Because we are the cats that are helping you right now." The medicine cat retorted dryly. "And if you've come to bargain with us or something, then you'd best go about it nicely."

Echoshine sat down and waited for Dusk to tell his story.

Flashclaw growled deep in his throat as the rogue hesitated.

"Fine," Dusk glared at Flashclaw, then began. "I was born into The Thorn Tribe. At the time, it was led by a cat named Redbud. Redbud was a great leader. She was fair and just, and was admired by almost every cat. But then, Talon, a young warrior at the time, decided that she wanted to be leader. She killed Redbud and exiled any cat that dared to challenge her. So I did the only thing I could think of – I pretended to follow her." He sighed, curling his tail around his paws. "Then, after the two battles with your Clan and the water Clan-"

"RiverClan," Flashclaw interrupted.

"Whatever. After the battles, I decided to leave. It wasn't safe in The Thorn Tribe anymore. All of my family had been driven out of the Tribe, save for my father, who adored Talon, so there was nothing there left for me. I left at midnight about a quarter-moon ago.

"Then I found Dapple and Bird. There was a badger that had them cornered against a giant oak tree. I fought off the badger and decided to take care of the kits. They were only a half-moon old and there was no mother around." He looked around. "Where are they anyway?" He sprang to his feet and pounded out of the den.

Flashclaw grumbled something under his breath and sprang out of the den after Dusk. "Better go make sure he's not sneaking around."

Echoshine looked at Willowleaf, then at Wrenpaw, and back at Willowleaf. "What Dusk is saying is that he wants to join ThunderClan," she concluded.

Wrenpaw and her mentor stared at Echoshine. Their eyes widened.

"Join ThunderClan?" Willowleaf spoke slowly.

"Join ThunderClan." Echoshine reiterated. She wasn't sure how she felt about it. On one paw Echoshine knew that Dusk might just be a spy, but on the other paw, she felt that he could be trustworthy, and even admired his defiance and bravery. She felt like the contemplation between the two would split her in half.

Suddenly a hiss split the air. Echoshine jumped to her feet and ran out of the medicine cat den. All she saw at first was a rolling tousle, then she made out Flashclaw, Violetbud, and Dusk rolling to a halt on the grass. Violetbud and Flashclaw towered over Dusk, who was pinned to the ground, snarling. Echoshine's heart sank to her toes.

"What happened?" She rushed over to where they were standing.

Violetbud opened her mouth to speak.

"Wait," Echoshine flicked her tail. "First, get off of him."

"He just attacked me!" Violetbud sounded outraged.

"Yeah, who died and made you leader?" Flashclaw asked.

Echoshine glared at them. "Do you think that he'd make a move now, with three experienced warriors watching him?"

"Two experienced warriors," Flashclaw pointed out, "you've only been a warrior for a quarter-moon."

Echoshine hissed. "Just get off of him."

The two cats resentfully stepped away from Dusk.

The rogue was bleeding heavily from one shoulder and held his foot awkwardly above the ground. His eyes were wide and alert, and he looked ready – despite his injuries – so leap onto Violetbud again.

"Now, what happened?" Echoshine asked Violetbud.

"I had just come back from dirtplace with Marshkit, when I saw these two little kits just sitting in the middle of camp." Violetbud looked to where Dapple and Bird were quivering underneath a small tangle of branches in the clearing. "I went take them to my den to look after the tiny things, when this cat sprang out and attacked me."

"My name," Dusk gritted out through clenched teeth, "is Dusk. Not this cat."

"I don't care." Violetbud meowed smoothly, drawing a paw over a scratched ear.

Dusk flicked his ears and limped over to his adopted kits. "Are you alright?" Echoshine heard him whisper. "She didn't hurt you?"

Dapple shook her head. "No, but she wasn't near as gently as you." She licked his shoulder. "Are you okay? That mean she-cat was the one that hurt you, wasn't she?"

Echoshine saw Flashclaw stalking angrily up to Dusk. She hurried up to him, abandoning her rule not to speak to the tom. "I'll watch them."

Dusk swung his head around and glared at her. "Why are creeping up on me?"

Echoshine looked placidly at him. She dropped her voice to a whisper. "Some warrior has to, and I think that I'd be your best bet if you're wanting niceties."

He sighed, dropping his gaze. "Okay." He curled his tail around his kits. "But if you do anything to my kits-"

"I won't harm your kits."

The stars were fully into the sky, shining their light brightly onto the territories. Dusk looked up at Silverpelt. His cobalt-blue eyes shone green and reflected the bright stars.

Is Stormtail watching over us? She thought, not meaning to say the words aloud.

But she did.

"Is who watching from where?" Dusk asked.

Oops, Echoshine thought. "Stormtail was our medicine cat." She mewed softly.

"Medicine cat?" Dusk frowned. "What's a- oh yeah." He looked at Echoshine. "I never wanted to hurt any cat, you know. Where would he be watching from?" The tom asked. "He's dead."

"When Clan cats die, they go to StarClan." She looked up at the sky. "StarClan cats can see the future and they send prophecies down to Clan medicine cats. They help guide all cats who follow the warrior code. Without StarClan, there would be no Clans."

"Oh." Dusk looked amazed. Then he looked at her. "What's your name?"

"I'm Echoshine."

"I'm Dusk, but you already know that."

"Yes," Echoshine looked back at Violetbud and Flashclaw. "Give me one second," she told Dusk.

She got to her feet and padded back to the others. "You can go," she mewed, "I can handle him."

Flashclaw look dubiously at her. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Echoshine retorted, "I think that I'm capable of handling an injured rogue."

Flashclaw looked as if he was going to snap back at her, but then shook his head and walked away.

"I have to go check on my kits, anyway." Violetbud padded into the nursery.

Echoshine watched her leave, then walked up to Dusk.

"There," she meowed, "now they're gone."

He looked at her. "Do you think that your leader will let me join your Clan?"

Echoshine nodded. "He's a fair leader."

Dusk relaxed a bit. "Good. What's your Clan called? I know there's ShadowClan and RiverClan, but this Clan's not near a stream, and you aren't as dark as the ShadowClan cats, so…" He took a quick look at his surroundings. "OakClan?"

"Nope." Echoshine grinned, "ThunderClan."

"Huh." Dusk looked thoughtful. "So, ThunderClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan. Any others?"

"Two more. SkyClan and WindClan."

"Wow. How do you guys remember all of them?"

"We just do."

"Do what?" Ashpool leapt out of the ferns at the western edge of camp. Rainysky followed. They skidded to a halt when they saw Dusk.

"What's a rogue doing here?" Rainysky demanded.

Echoshine's littermates unsheathed their claws.

Bouncelight and Sunshade trotted into the clearing. The whole patrol was returning. The warriors hissed and prowled forward with claws out.

Dusk sighed. "Here we go again."

Echoshine padded up to her sister and brother. "Dusk's going to join ThunderClan." She eyed the other warriors. "Please, can we not fight? He's not going to do any harm. Look at him." She turned to Dusk, who was indeed not very threatening. "If you're going to do anything, take him to Willowleaf's den."

"I'll do it!" Rainysky smiled at Dusk. "If you have Echoshine's support, then you have mine."

Dusk looked bewildered by Rainysky's hyper confidence, but he let her guide him to the medicine den.

"My name's Rainysky. I'm Echoshine's sister. Our brother, Ashpool, is the fluffy grey mouse-brain back there. What's your name again? Oh yeah, Dusk. Cool name..."

Rainysky's constant talking faded away as she brushed past the long ferns that stood marking the entrance to Willowleaf's den.