Chapter 23

Shadepaw grimaced at the taste of the marigold the loner had brought. It wasn't ruined, but she guessed that it must have come from someplace near a Thunderpath from the way it reeked. As she smeared the poultice onto Nightpaw's leg, she hoped that the smell of the plant didn't matter when it came to healing her brother's wound.

"Thank you," Feathertail purred from behind Shadepaw.

"Aw, it ain't nothin'," the loner rasped.

Shadepaw's ears twitched at his funny way of talking. Did all loners talk like that? Ravenpaw didn't.

"What should we call you?" Stormfur asked. "You never introduced yourself."

The loner paused, thinking. Then, he rumbled, "Well… I was known by lots'a names back in the day… the one I liked most though was Purdy. It ain't nothin' like your weird names, but it does me just fine."

"Purdy, then," Mistyfoot mewed. "Thank you."

Shadepaw's frowned, forcing herself to concentrate on her work. She hadn't meant to overhear Mistyfoot and Stormfur talking in the loft, but once she heard Mistyfoot begin to talk about how Shrewpaw's death had affected her, something had made Shadepaw stay and listen. I had no idea it still affected her so much! She thought.

But that wasn't what bothered her most – Mistyfoot felt like Tinystar hated her. That's not true! Shadepaw thought. Annoyance at Brackenfur and Tinystar rose in her, a surprising feeling once dormant on the journey. She chewed more marigold to perhaps excuse herself if she were to growl at the thought. They wouldn't listen to me! The mist sign wasn't a bad omen – and now Mistyfoot is suffering for it.

As she applied another layer of poultice to Nightpaw's leg, Shadepaw wondered if she should tell Mistyfoot about the sign. Nightpaw, too – the misinterpretation of the vision had affected both cats. It drew on their insecurities, on their shared desire to prove themselves to Tinystar. Would knowing the truth help, or would it hurt? Things like that just weren't as cut and dry as laying marigold on a wound.

"Boy, that loner sure can talk," Nightpaw breathed.

Shadepaw blinked back to the present. Purdy was droning on and on, talking about one of his old Twoleg owners. "Yeah," she agreed. She busied herself with folding fresh cobweb – gathered by Crowpaw – over Nightpaw's leg.

"You… don't seem to be listening," Nightpaw pointed out. "Something's on your mind, I can feel it."

"I'm just focusing," Shadepaw insisted. She touched her nose to her brother's forehead. "You're hurt, and I can't bear it."

Nightpaw sighed and laid his head down in the straw. "I suppose," he breathed.

"Get some rest," Shadepaw told him. "That's all you can do for now."

Nightpaw nodded, closing his eyes. Shadepaw turned and stretched before lying down, tucking her paws beneath her. The others were gathered around, listening to Purdy chatter away like a jackdaw. There was something soothing about the rusty mew of the loner cat – it drove away the worries buzzing about in Shadepaw's head.

"I go from house 'ta house," Purdy mewed, "but this place 'as always been a home 'ta me. I used ta live near 'ere with an old Upwalker, but he passed on a while back. Now its just me."

"So… you're not a kittypet?" Feathertail surmised.

Purdy shook his head.

"But you go to Twolegs for food," Crowpaw grunted. He scratched behind one of his ears. "And you shelter with them. Might as well be a kittypet."

Purdy's tail flicked. "You'd be a cotton-brained fool 'ta not take what ya can get 'round these parts," the loner defended. "Ain't nothin' wrong with being a housecat! I'm happy with how I live my life."

Crowpaw bristled, but said nothing more. Shadepaw was grateful for that. Purdy was a hospitable cat, there was no reason to harass him.

"So…" Purdy cast his eyes around, looking at the journeying cats with curiosity in his amber gaze. "Who're y'all?"

"We're Clan cats," Feathertail answered. "We come from a forest that's far away."

Purdy frowned. "Don't know nothing 'bout no Clans," he admitted. "What're ya doing so far from home?"

Stoneheart frowned. Shadepaw guessed he was wondering if they should reveal what they were doing to this outsider. Mistyfoot seemed to sense this, too – she nodded to her brother and mewed, "It can't hurt – plus, he knows this area way better than we do. Maybe he can help?"

"We're on a mission from StarClan," Stoneheart explained.

"StarClan?" Purdy repeated, looking confused.

"Our warrior ancestors," Stormfur elaborated. "When Clan cats die, our spirits go up into the stars to be with them."

"They send us signs and omens," Shadepaw put in, "to help guide us."

Purdy tipped his head. "Huh," was all he said.

Shadepaw shifted her paws uncomfortably. She hadn't thought about how odd the Clan's life and beliefs would sound to an outsider before – she never had to. Even Barley recognized the existence of StarClan, and respected Clan beliefs. Does he think we're mouse-brained?

"StarClan sent us a message," Mistyfoot mewed on. "We're to find a lake, somewhere beyond our territory. Supposedly there's something there that can help us."

Purdy blinked. "Well, there's a lake not far from 'ere," he stated. " 'Bout two days beyond that there town."

"Town?" Feathertail repeated. "You mean the Twolegplace?"

Purdy nodded. "Aye."

"Is there a way to go around the Twolegplace?" Stormfur asked. Hope shimmered in his eyes.

Purdy grimaced. "If yer lookin' fer speed… no," he admitted. "It's always quicker ta go through 'an go 'round. It'd take ya'll four days just to get 'round it."

The hope died in Stormfur's eyes. "Oh," he sighed.

Shadepaw glanced back at Nightpaw, who was resting. His leg was fine for now, but infection could easily set it in he had to walk on it for too long. Shadepaw frowned.

"Whatever we do… we need to take Nightpaw into account. He's hurt," Shadepaw told the others. "He'll only be able to recover with rest, and he can't do that if we're always walking. And if infection sets in…"

"So what should we do?" Stoneheart wondered. "Is it better to cut through the Twolegplace or go around?"

No one had an answer for the ShadowClan tom. Purdy looked around at them all and flicked his tail. "Well, no matter what it sounds like ya'll need a place ta rest. Yer welcome to my humble home, fer as long as ya'll need."

"Is there any place to hunt around here?" asked Crowpaw. "I'm starving."

"Oh, don' worry 'bout it none," Purdy insisted with a twitch of his whiskers. "I'll take care'a ya'll."

Shadepaw felt affection in her heart for the old loner, and a twinge of sadness. Purdy looked so happy to have cats to care for. From his rumpled fur and how he seemed to talk way too much, Shadepaw guessed it had been a long time since he'd had company.

"We insist on helping," Stoneheart meowed. He flicked his tail to Feathertail, who got to her paws. "In a Clan, every cat contributes."

Purdy frowned. "Well, ya'll don't know left from right 'round here – so let me show ya, at least! Don' need ya runnin' into them foxes again…"

The old loner led the way out of the barn, Stoneheart and Feathertail following. Shadepaw wished them luck on their hunt. Would Purdy chatter their ears off the whole way? It would be interesting if they came back with any prey, the way that loner prattled on.

"So… what do we do?" Mistyfoot wondered, when the others were gone. She'd turned to the cats remaining, her blue eyes conflicted. "Do we go through the Twolegplace, or around?"

"We shouldn't go through," Crowpaw said firmly. "It's noisy, dangerous, and Twolegs will be everywhere."

Shadepaw glanced back at Nightpaw, who was still sleeping. She admitted, "Nightpaw will slow us down no matter which way we go. This mission is too important to waste more time than necessary. Maybe Purdy can help us?"

"That old kittypet?" Crowpaw scoffed. "We have then sun and stars for direction – we don't need some talkative elder to worry about."

"With just that to guide us, a single cloud or rainy day could put us in circles," Shadepaw pointed out. "We could use all the help we can get."

"Shadepaw is right," Mistyfoot agreed. "I don't like the idea of going through the Twolegplace, but if Purdy can help us, we should take it. The Twolegplace shortcut would get us to the lake much faster, even with Nightpaw's injury. Stormfur?"

Stormfur frowned. The gray tom hadn't said a thing the whole time, but he looked deep in thought. Shadepaw found her heart beating as she wondered what he'd decide.

"We can't make a decision until the others have said their peace," Stormfur pointed out. "Let's wait until they return. There'll be fresh-kill, and we'll have all night to think about it."

"Sounds fair enough," Crowpaw grunted. "But don't think I'll change my mind."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Stormfur purred.

Whatever we decide, Shadepaw thought, it needs to be sooner, rather than later – for Nightpaw's sake, and the sake of the Clans.

Moonhigh had come when each cat had eaten their fill, and all of the journeying cats and Purdy were stretched out in the hay, each in their own makeshift nests. Nightpaw was still sleeping, and Shadepaw and the others were content to keep it that way – they were discussing their options and opinions on the far side of the barn, in hushed tones. Crowpaw dozed nearby, having already dug his heels into his own thoughts on the matter.

"The shortcut is a risk we might have to take," Stoneheart whispered. "I definitely don't want to run into any more foxes out here."

After a moment, Feathertail nodded. "But is it the right decision?" she wondered. "There are just as many dangers in a Twolegplace – Thunderpaths, Twolegs, rogues…"

"I wish we had a sign," Shadepaw sighed.

"Me, too," Stormfur admitted.

Crowpaw's head shot up from his nest, his blue eyes wide. "Guys," he breathed.

Shadepaw blinked at the WindClan apprentice. Something about his entire body seemed different than Crowpaw's usual demeanor.

"What'sit now, youngster?" Purdy mewed. "Quiet fer Nightpaw, y'hear?"

Crowpaw ignored him, turning his piercing blue gaze to the Clan cats. "I just dreamed of the lake," he meowed. "It was full of stars… and I heard the prophecy."

"Dreams, prophecy?" Purdy repeated, looking baffled. "Huh?"

Shadepaw's heart soared. "A sign!" she breathed, looking at the others. StarClan had answered their dilemma!

"Did the prophecy change at all?" Mistyfoot questioned.

Crowpaw shook his head. "No, but it sounded more urgent."

"Then we need to go through Twolegplace," Stormfur decided. "StarClan wouldn't sound so urgent if we weren't running out of time."

Purdy stared at them all as if they were suddenly ducks. "Ya'll are decidin' this… based on a dream?"

"We told you, StarClan sends us signs," Feathertail told him. "They just spoke to Crowpaw!"

Purdy did not look any more understanding. Shadepaw felt for him – didn't loners or rogues have any sort of ancestors looking out for them? What happened to their spirits when they died? What guided them through difficult times?

"Can you help us through Twolegplace, Purdy?" Stormfur wondered. "We've imposed on you already, but your help would be greatly appreciated."

"Ah…" Purdy hesitated. Then he sighed, his whiskers twitching. "A'course, youngsters. I'll help."

Thank StarClan, Shadepaw thought, relief flooding her. She couldn't imagine how lost they'd get if they had to wander that Twolegplace without a guide. The others looked just as pleased, even Crowpaw, who had before wanted nothing to do with the idea of the shortcut.

"We'll go sunset tomorrow," Purdy decided. "Nightpaw can git his strength up, an' Upwalkers are a lot less active 'round that time."

Stoneheart frowned, not looking pleased with the delay – Crowpaw wasn't happy, either. Even Mistyfoot looked annoyed. But no cat could complain, not when Purdy was being so kind as to help.

"It's decided, then," Stormfur mewed. "We'll get as much rest and food as possible between now and then. We're almost there!"

The others purred at the thought, but Shadepaw saw the worry flickering in all their eyes. Yes, they were closer to the lake, and they were on the right path… but what would they find when they got there?

What was StarClan's message?