Dovewing and Bumblestripe
Jul 31, 2022 14:35:14 GMT -5
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Hollyfall and scarletflames like this
Post by 𝓣𝓲𝓷𝓾𝓿𝓲𝓮𝓵 on Jul 31, 2022 14:35:14 GMT -5
I was originally going to post this on the other thread, but decided to make it into its own post instead. So, reading through all the scene they have together (and then some), what are your thoughts on their relationship? And as always, I spent a lot of time on this, so I encourage everyone to read through these carefully before posting.
THE FOURTH APPRENTICE
SIGN OF THE MOON
THE FORGOTTEN WARRIOR
THE LAST HOPE
DOVEWING'S SILENCE
BRAMBLESTAR'S STORM
THUNDER AND SHADOW
SHATTERED SKY (bonus scene)
RIVER OF FIRE
RAGING STORM
Something probably worth noting is that Bumblestripe actually seems to get more strict afterwards, especially towards the code. Maybe this had to do with Dovewing, maybe not, I just found it interesting.
THE FOURTH APPRENTICE
Bumblepaw’s meow came from just behind Dovepaw, edged with annoyance. “Do you realize you just kicked moss all over me?”
“Sorry!” Dovepaw gasped. She had been sleeping in the apprentices’ den for almost a moon, but she still wasn’t used to how crowded it was in there.
“Sorry!” Dovepaw gasped. She had been sleeping in the apprentices’ den for almost a moon, but she still wasn’t used to how crowded it was in there.
Briarpaw followed her in. “Look!” she mewed proudly, pointing with her tail toward Dovepaw’s nest. “We made it especially comfortable for you.”
Dovepaw saw that her nest was lined with soft gray feathers. “Thank you,” she purred, warmed by the friendship of the older apprentices. “That looks great. It must have taken you ages.”
“You deserve it!” Bumblepaw added, poking his head through the entrance.
“Yes, you’re a hero!” Blossompaw chirped, popping up beside him. “The Clans won’t ever forget what you did.”
Dovepaw saw that her nest was lined with soft gray feathers. “Thank you,” she purred, warmed by the friendship of the older apprentices. “That looks great. It must have taken you ages.”
“You deserve it!” Bumblepaw added, poking his head through the entrance.
“Yes, you’re a hero!” Blossompaw chirped, popping up beside him. “The Clans won’t ever forget what you did.”
SIGN OF THE MOON
Hazeltail came bounding up to listen, followed by Cinderheart and Millie. Brightheart and Bumblestripe pushed their way out of the warriors’ den and Molekit and Cherrykit bounced out of the nursery with Poppyfrost chasing after them. Mousewhisker, Berrynose, and Whitewing crowded at the back.
“I heard Icecloud fell into an underground river!” Bumblestripe meowed, interrupting Dovepaw’s story. “And you fell in after her.”
“No,” Whitewing argued. “Birchfall told me it was just a hole.”
“Dovepaw didn’t fall in.” Lionblaze was determined to defend his apprentice. “She climbed in to help Icecloud.”
“Wow, that was brave!” Bumblestripe gave Dovepaw an admiring glance.
“Maybe Icecloud’s back is broken, like Briarlight’s!” Berrynose gasped, his eyes wide with horror.
Brightheart flicked his ear with her tail. “Mouse-brain! She was walking into Jayfeather’s den.”
Dovepaw twitched her whiskers. “Do you want to know what really happened, or not?”
“It’s tough that you didn’t get to finish your assessment,” Bumblestripe mewed when Dovepaw had finished.
“I heard Icecloud fell into an underground river!” Bumblestripe meowed, interrupting Dovepaw’s story. “And you fell in after her.”
“No,” Whitewing argued. “Birchfall told me it was just a hole.”
“Dovepaw didn’t fall in.” Lionblaze was determined to defend his apprentice. “She climbed in to help Icecloud.”
“Wow, that was brave!” Bumblestripe gave Dovepaw an admiring glance.
“Maybe Icecloud’s back is broken, like Briarlight’s!” Berrynose gasped, his eyes wide with horror.
Brightheart flicked his ear with her tail. “Mouse-brain! She was walking into Jayfeather’s den.”
Dovepaw twitched her whiskers. “Do you want to know what really happened, or not?”
“It’s tough that you didn’t get to finish your assessment,” Bumblestripe mewed when Dovepaw had finished.
But Dovewing couldn’t forget the time she and Tigerheart had spent together, playing in the old Twoleg nest at the edge of ShadowClan’s territory. Their moonlight meetings had been more important to her than anything else.
“Dovewing?” She turned at the soft touch of a tail-tip on her shoulder, and turned to see Bumblestripe. “Don’t let those ShadowClan cats upset you,” the young tom went on.
“They’re all foxhearts!” Dovewing murmured agreement.
When Bumblestripe angled his ears toward their own Clanmates, she let him lead her into their midst, though she couldn’t resist a last glance back at Tigerheart. He was deep in conversation with a RiverClan cat she hadn’t seen before.
“Dovewing?” She turned at the soft touch of a tail-tip on her shoulder, and turned to see Bumblestripe. “Don’t let those ShadowClan cats upset you,” the young tom went on.
“They’re all foxhearts!” Dovewing murmured agreement.
When Bumblestripe angled his ears toward their own Clanmates, she let him lead her into their midst, though she couldn’t resist a last glance back at Tigerheart. He was deep in conversation with a RiverClan cat she hadn’t seen before.
Dovewing sat beside Bumblestripe, shivering in the chill, damp air, as Onestar called the Gathering to order.
[...]
“Huh—brief attack of whitecough!” Dovewing muttered. “Littlecloud was dying, and all ThunderClan knows it. Would it have hurt too much for Blackstar to thank us?”
Bumblestripe blinked at her. “That’s ShadowClan for you.”
[...]
Dovewing jumped when Bumblestripe nudged her. “Look at the medicine cats!” he whispered. “They look really uncomfortable. Do you think they’ve had an argument?”
Dovewing realized that he was right. While the other cats were beginning to mingle, the medicine cats were keeping strictly to their own Clans.
[...]
“Hey, Bumblestripe!” Grasspelt, a young RiverClan tom, bounced up. “What’s happened to Briarlight? I haven’t seen her at a Gathering for moons!”
Bumblestripe looked startled. Firestar had never announced Briarlight’s injuries at a Gathering; Dovewing guessed he thought it would make her, and ThunderClan, seem vulnerable. And this wasn’t the right time to pass on the news to other Clans.
“Oh, you know,” she jumped in, saving Bumblestripe from having to reply. “She’s fine, but she’s busy, like the rest of us.” Grasspelt blinked.
“Okay,” he meowed, sounding disappointed, and headed off toward his own Clan. Bumblestripe let out a long sigh as he watched the young tom pad away. “Thanks,” he murmured to Dovewing.
Dovewing shrugged. “I was only telling the truth.” Bumblestripe’s eyes widened.
“You know you weren’t.”
Dovewing could hear the pain in his voice. She reached out with her tail and touched him gently on the shoulder. “It must be hard for you, to see your sister injured like that.”
“You don’t know what it’s like.” Bumblestripe bowed his head.
Oh, yes, I do.” Dovewing was thinking of Ivypool. I worry about my sister, too.
“I try not to feel sorry for Briarlight,” Bumblestripe went on. “I know that’s the last thing she’d want. But I do feel sorry for her. Even though I’m really proud of her for fighting on when she knows there’s no hope that she’ll ever walk again.”
“I’m sure Briarlight would understand,” Dovewing responded awkwardly, wishing there was something more she could say to ease her Clanmate’s grief. “She’s lucky to have such a great littermate.”
Bumblestripe blinked, his eyes shining. “Thanks, Dovewing.”
Mintfur and Robinwing from RiverClan padded up, dipping their heads as they approached. “How’s the prey running in ThunderClan?” Mintfur inquired.
Dovewing stepped back a pace as Bumblestripe replied, and glanced around the clearing at the groups of cats. I’m not looking for Tigerheart. Not at all!
[...]
“Huh—brief attack of whitecough!” Dovewing muttered. “Littlecloud was dying, and all ThunderClan knows it. Would it have hurt too much for Blackstar to thank us?”
Bumblestripe blinked at her. “That’s ShadowClan for you.”
[...]
Dovewing jumped when Bumblestripe nudged her. “Look at the medicine cats!” he whispered. “They look really uncomfortable. Do you think they’ve had an argument?”
Dovewing realized that he was right. While the other cats were beginning to mingle, the medicine cats were keeping strictly to their own Clans.
[...]
“Hey, Bumblestripe!” Grasspelt, a young RiverClan tom, bounced up. “What’s happened to Briarlight? I haven’t seen her at a Gathering for moons!”
Bumblestripe looked startled. Firestar had never announced Briarlight’s injuries at a Gathering; Dovewing guessed he thought it would make her, and ThunderClan, seem vulnerable. And this wasn’t the right time to pass on the news to other Clans.
“Oh, you know,” she jumped in, saving Bumblestripe from having to reply. “She’s fine, but she’s busy, like the rest of us.” Grasspelt blinked.
“Okay,” he meowed, sounding disappointed, and headed off toward his own Clan. Bumblestripe let out a long sigh as he watched the young tom pad away. “Thanks,” he murmured to Dovewing.
Dovewing shrugged. “I was only telling the truth.” Bumblestripe’s eyes widened.
“You know you weren’t.”
Dovewing could hear the pain in his voice. She reached out with her tail and touched him gently on the shoulder. “It must be hard for you, to see your sister injured like that.”
“You don’t know what it’s like.” Bumblestripe bowed his head.
Oh, yes, I do.” Dovewing was thinking of Ivypool. I worry about my sister, too.
“I try not to feel sorry for Briarlight,” Bumblestripe went on. “I know that’s the last thing she’d want. But I do feel sorry for her. Even though I’m really proud of her for fighting on when she knows there’s no hope that she’ll ever walk again.”
“I’m sure Briarlight would understand,” Dovewing responded awkwardly, wishing there was something more she could say to ease her Clanmate’s grief. “She’s lucky to have such a great littermate.”
Bumblestripe blinked, his eyes shining. “Thanks, Dovewing.”
Mintfur and Robinwing from RiverClan padded up, dipping their heads as they approached. “How’s the prey running in ThunderClan?” Mintfur inquired.
Dovewing stepped back a pace as Bumblestripe replied, and glanced around the clearing at the groups of cats. I’m not looking for Tigerheart. Not at all!
On the way back from the Gathering Dovewing noticed that Bumblestripe was padding alongside her, a bit closer than usual. But Tigerheart’s scent still wreathed around her; she still seemed to see his amber eyes gazing into hers, and hear the warmth of his meow.
She jumped when she realized that Bumblestripe was saying something. “What?” she snapped.
Bumblestripe blinked. “I—I only said I hope Ivypool can be with us next time.”
“Sorry.” Dovewing tried to push Tigerheart to the back of her mind. “I didn’t mean to sound sharp. I guess I’m just tired.”
Bumblestripe nodded. “Me too.”
He quickened his pace until he caught up to Berrynose and Mousewhisker. Dovewing padded along in silence for a few moments, until she realized that Blossomfall had taken her brother’s place at her side.
“You know, you’ve stolen my brother’s heart,” the young tortoiseshell warrior murmured. Her tone was teasing, but the gaze she turned on Dovewing was serious. It sounded as if there was a warning in her words.
“Bumblestripe? You’re not serious!” When Blossomfall didn’t reply, Dovewing added, “Honestly, I’m sure he doesn’t think of me like that.”
She jumped when she realized that Bumblestripe was saying something. “What?” she snapped.
Bumblestripe blinked. “I—I only said I hope Ivypool can be with us next time.”
“Sorry.” Dovewing tried to push Tigerheart to the back of her mind. “I didn’t mean to sound sharp. I guess I’m just tired.”
Bumblestripe nodded. “Me too.”
He quickened his pace until he caught up to Berrynose and Mousewhisker. Dovewing padded along in silence for a few moments, until she realized that Blossomfall had taken her brother’s place at her side.
“You know, you’ve stolen my brother’s heart,” the young tortoiseshell warrior murmured. Her tone was teasing, but the gaze she turned on Dovewing was serious. It sounded as if there was a warning in her words.
“Bumblestripe? You’re not serious!” When Blossomfall didn’t reply, Dovewing added, “Honestly, I’m sure he doesn’t think of me like that.”
THE FORGOTTEN WARRIOR
For a few heartbeats Dovewing and Whitewing worked side by side, clawing more moss off the oak roots. Laying a particularly thick clump on the pile, Whitewing paused. “I was talking to Bumblestripe earlier,” she remarked. “He’s a nice young warrior—so polite! He likes you a lot, you know.”
Dovewing began to feel hot and uncomfortable in her pelt. “I know,” she muttered, squirming with embarrassment.
“You’ll need to find a mate one day, to keep the Clan going,” Whitewing pointed out.
“There’s plenty of time,” Dovewing meowed. Will the prophecy allow me to have a mate? How can I have kits if I might be called on to save the Clan at any moment? An image of Tigerheart flashed into her mind, his eyes sparkling as if he were going to spring at her and roll her over in a play fight. Tigerheart would understand. . . . Dovewing thrust the thought away. “This is plenty of moss,” she announced. “Let’s get it back to camp.”
Dovewing began to feel hot and uncomfortable in her pelt. “I know,” she muttered, squirming with embarrassment.
“You’ll need to find a mate one day, to keep the Clan going,” Whitewing pointed out.
“There’s plenty of time,” Dovewing meowed. Will the prophecy allow me to have a mate? How can I have kits if I might be called on to save the Clan at any moment? An image of Tigerheart flashed into her mind, his eyes sparkling as if he were going to spring at her and roll her over in a play fight. Tigerheart would understand. . . . Dovewing thrust the thought away. “This is plenty of moss,” she announced. “Let’s get it back to camp.”
While Dovewing was thinking that over, she noticed Bumblestripe getting up from his place beside Blossomfall. The thick-furred warrior, his pelt just like his father’s, stretched before padding over to her.
“Hi, Dovewing,” he meowed. “I feel like going for a walk in the forest. Do you want to come with me?”
“Not right now,” Dovewing replied. “I’ll probably go to my den soon.”
Bumblestripe blinked, a hurt expression in his eyes. “Oh, okay.” He turned away and vanished down the thorn tunnel.
“That wasn’t very kind,” Cinderheart murmured. “Don’t go trampling on Bumblestripe’s heart. He really likes you.”
Dovewing wriggled, feeling her pelt grow hot with embarrassment. “No, he doesn’t. . . .” she began.
“Of course he does.” Cinderheart sounded convinced. “You know,” she added more seriously, “if there are no obstacles to getting to know a cat better, then you should take the opportunity.”
“Does that mean that you and Lionblaze—”
Dovewing broke off as Cinderheart shook her head, her blue eyes clouding with sadness.
“No,” she mewed. “There is an obstacle to that, but you’d never understand.”
Dovewing stared at her. Does Cinderheart know about Lionblaze’s special power? Is that the obstacle?
She opened her jaws to question Cinderheart, but the gray she-cat never gave her the chance. “Off you go after Bumblestripe,” she urged. “It’s not too late. He’ll be so happy to see you.”
Though she still had misgivings, Dovewing didn’t argue. Ducking through the barrier, she emerged into the cool, dusky wood. Moonlight shone through the leaves, turning the forest floor into a pattern of silver and shadow. A faint breeze stirred the grass and rustled the leaves above Dovewing’s head.
“Bumblestripe!” she called.
There was no reply. Dovewing tried to send out her senses, straining to listen. After a moment she picked up the sound of paw steps, and the image of a cat sitting by the lake. Excitement tingled through Dovewing from ears to tail-tip. Maybe my special powers are starting to come back!
She raced through the forest in the direction of the cat she had seen. It was harder to stay focused, and the image was fainter than before, but when she burst out of the undergrowth onto the lakeshore she was delighted to see Bumblestripe sitting at the water’s edge, his face turned upward to the stars. The stripes on his pale pelt stood out sharply in the silver moonlight.
“Bumblestripe!” she called, her voice high-pitched with joy that she hadn’t lost her power for good.
Bumblestripe sprang to his paws and whirled around. “Dovewing!” he exclaimed, running to meet her. “You came,” he added, purring so hard he could hardly get the words out. “Come and sit beside me. It’s beautiful here.”
Dovewing suddenly felt awkward. “Is it okay if we go for a walk instead?” she asked.
“Sure.”
Together the two cats turned to pad along the shore, Bumblestripe walking close enough that their pelts brushed. Dovewing fished for something to talk about.
“Do you remember Sol from when he was here before?” she asked as the silence began to drag out.
“Sort of,” Bumblestripe replied. “I recognized him when he turned up today. But I was only a kit then.”
“What do you think of him?”
Bumblestripe shrugged. “He thinks a lot of himself, doesn’t he?”
A sudden spurt of amusement bubbled up inside Dovewing. “Yes! All those stories! Jumping down onto a dog’s back . . . please! I know we leaped out of trees when we were fighting ShadowClan, but you’d have to be totally mouse-brained to try it with a dog.”
“Oh, I’ve had enough of Sol,” Bumblestripe meowed. “Let’s not talk about him here as well. Toadstep told me how you won that race the other day. Do you want to race with me?”
“Great!” Dovewing responded. “Where to?”
“That tree stump over there?” Bumblestripe asked, angling his ears toward a stump at the edge of the forest farther along the shore.
Dovewing nodded and bounded off, her paws flicking up little stones behind her. For a few moments Bumblestripe kept pace with her, but soon she began to draw ahead. Wow, I really can run fast! But then Dovewing became aware of sounds from the other Clans across the lake: A RiverClan cat was fishing in the stream beside their camp, while in ShadowClan a gray-muzzled warrior was teaching his apprentice about night hunting.
She felt as though her senses were surging in and out, like a wave on the lake. Sometimes she picked up everything clearly, sometimes the images were blurred, but excitement and relief pulsed through her as she realized that she was recovering.
It just needed time, she thought. Lionblaze was right! My senses were overwhelmed by the journey to the mountains, that’s all.
Dovewing was so pleased to have her senses back, and was concentrating so hard, that she didn’t notice where she was putting her racing paws. Something coiled around one forepaw; Dovewing was flung down onto the pebbles, letting out a startled yowl that ended in a gasp as the breath was driven out of her body.
Bumblestripe flashed past her. Dovewing tried to scramble up and realized that an ivy tendril, snaking out from the edge of the trees, had tripped her.
As she wrenched her paw free, Bumblestripe was by her side again. “Are you okay?” he panted.
“Fine,” Dovewing replied, struggling to get her breath. Even though she felt battered from her fall, happiness was surging through her like a stream in flood. I haven’t lost my senses. Everything’s okay! “I’m absolutely fine,” she repeated.
Bumblestripe let her lean on his shoulder as she staggered to her paws, and stroked her pelt gently with his tail to get rid of the sand and grit. His eyes shone. “You would have won the race if you hadn’t tripped,” he mewed.
“Maybe.” Dovewing had almost forgotten the race; getting her senses back was so much more important. “You’re pretty fast, too.”
She began to pad back along the lakeshore, and Bumblestripe stayed close to her side. “Dovewing . . .” he began, sounding a little shy, “can I show you something?”
“Okay,” Dovewing agreed, only half-listening as she focused on a WindClan she-cat scolding her kits for putting a beetle in her nest.
“It’s this way.” Bumblestripe veered into the trees, and Dovewing followed, ferns brushing against her pelt on both sides. Without following any path that Dovewing could see, they came to a tiny clearing where wild jasmine scrambled over a gnarled oak tree, forming an archway with a tiny space underneath it. A few white flowers had already appeared on the branches. Bumblestripe squeezed into the space, and beckoned Dovewing with his tail. She crept in after him, feeling his warmth against her side, and enjoying the sweet scent of the jasmine flowers.
“I’ve always loved this place,” Bumblestripe confided in her. “It’s even better in greenleaf, when all the flowers are out.” He blinked at her anxiously, and Dovewing realized he was afraid that she might make fun of him.
“It’s lovely,” she assured him.
Bumblestripe relaxed and lifted his muzzle to gaze upward; Dovewing spotted a gap between the branches through which they could see the stars.
“I like to look up at our ancestors,” he meowed. “Sometimes I wonder which ones are mine.” He hesitated, then added, “I think your ancestors would shine really brightly, Dovewing.”
“I don’t know about that,” Dovewing replied. “I think my ancestors would be hiding behind a cloud, because they were always getting into trouble!”
Bumblestripe let out a little mrrow of laughter. “I think that’s an ancestor of mine up there,” he murmured, pointing with his tail. “The one that looks as if it’s stuck in the branches!”
“I wonder if they’re watching us,” Dovewing mused. “Can they see everything we’re doing from up there?”
“I think they can,” Bumblestripe meowed seriously. “They glare down at us and see all the things we’re doing wrong. I bet that one over there knows all about the time I put fire ants in Blossomfall’s nest!”
“You didn’t!” Dovewing exclaimed, half-amused and half-shocked.
“I did.” Bumblestripe ducked his head, embarrassed. “When we were apprentices. She got back at me, though; she pushed me into the stream when I wasn’t looking.”
Dovewing snorted. “There must be a star glaring down at her, then. Maybe it’s that one.” She pointed at it with one paw. “And the one beside it is annoyed with me because I forgot to change the elders’ bedding one time.”
“Oh, no!” Bumblestripe leaned over and touched her ear with his nose. “I bet Mousefur told you off.”
Dovewing winced. “I think they must have heard her in RiverClan!”
Bumblestripe lapsed into silence.
This is good, Dovewing thought, reveling in the cool grass and the scent that wreathed around her. Just sitting here, talking to a Clanmate, looking at the stars. . . .
It wasn’t exactly the same as the nights she had spent with Tigerheart—she couldn’t feel her heart thumping hard enough to burst out of her chest, and her paws weren’t tingling as she ran through forbidden territory—but right at that moment, she was very happy to be sitting beneath the jasmine with Bumblestripe, and nowhere else.
“Hi, Dovewing,” he meowed. “I feel like going for a walk in the forest. Do you want to come with me?”
“Not right now,” Dovewing replied. “I’ll probably go to my den soon.”
Bumblestripe blinked, a hurt expression in his eyes. “Oh, okay.” He turned away and vanished down the thorn tunnel.
“That wasn’t very kind,” Cinderheart murmured. “Don’t go trampling on Bumblestripe’s heart. He really likes you.”
Dovewing wriggled, feeling her pelt grow hot with embarrassment. “No, he doesn’t. . . .” she began.
“Of course he does.” Cinderheart sounded convinced. “You know,” she added more seriously, “if there are no obstacles to getting to know a cat better, then you should take the opportunity.”
“Does that mean that you and Lionblaze—”
Dovewing broke off as Cinderheart shook her head, her blue eyes clouding with sadness.
“No,” she mewed. “There is an obstacle to that, but you’d never understand.”
Dovewing stared at her. Does Cinderheart know about Lionblaze’s special power? Is that the obstacle?
She opened her jaws to question Cinderheart, but the gray she-cat never gave her the chance. “Off you go after Bumblestripe,” she urged. “It’s not too late. He’ll be so happy to see you.”
Though she still had misgivings, Dovewing didn’t argue. Ducking through the barrier, she emerged into the cool, dusky wood. Moonlight shone through the leaves, turning the forest floor into a pattern of silver and shadow. A faint breeze stirred the grass and rustled the leaves above Dovewing’s head.
“Bumblestripe!” she called.
There was no reply. Dovewing tried to send out her senses, straining to listen. After a moment she picked up the sound of paw steps, and the image of a cat sitting by the lake. Excitement tingled through Dovewing from ears to tail-tip. Maybe my special powers are starting to come back!
She raced through the forest in the direction of the cat she had seen. It was harder to stay focused, and the image was fainter than before, but when she burst out of the undergrowth onto the lakeshore she was delighted to see Bumblestripe sitting at the water’s edge, his face turned upward to the stars. The stripes on his pale pelt stood out sharply in the silver moonlight.
“Bumblestripe!” she called, her voice high-pitched with joy that she hadn’t lost her power for good.
Bumblestripe sprang to his paws and whirled around. “Dovewing!” he exclaimed, running to meet her. “You came,” he added, purring so hard he could hardly get the words out. “Come and sit beside me. It’s beautiful here.”
Dovewing suddenly felt awkward. “Is it okay if we go for a walk instead?” she asked.
“Sure.”
Together the two cats turned to pad along the shore, Bumblestripe walking close enough that their pelts brushed. Dovewing fished for something to talk about.
“Do you remember Sol from when he was here before?” she asked as the silence began to drag out.
“Sort of,” Bumblestripe replied. “I recognized him when he turned up today. But I was only a kit then.”
“What do you think of him?”
Bumblestripe shrugged. “He thinks a lot of himself, doesn’t he?”
A sudden spurt of amusement bubbled up inside Dovewing. “Yes! All those stories! Jumping down onto a dog’s back . . . please! I know we leaped out of trees when we were fighting ShadowClan, but you’d have to be totally mouse-brained to try it with a dog.”
“Oh, I’ve had enough of Sol,” Bumblestripe meowed. “Let’s not talk about him here as well. Toadstep told me how you won that race the other day. Do you want to race with me?”
“Great!” Dovewing responded. “Where to?”
“That tree stump over there?” Bumblestripe asked, angling his ears toward a stump at the edge of the forest farther along the shore.
Dovewing nodded and bounded off, her paws flicking up little stones behind her. For a few moments Bumblestripe kept pace with her, but soon she began to draw ahead. Wow, I really can run fast! But then Dovewing became aware of sounds from the other Clans across the lake: A RiverClan cat was fishing in the stream beside their camp, while in ShadowClan a gray-muzzled warrior was teaching his apprentice about night hunting.
She felt as though her senses were surging in and out, like a wave on the lake. Sometimes she picked up everything clearly, sometimes the images were blurred, but excitement and relief pulsed through her as she realized that she was recovering.
It just needed time, she thought. Lionblaze was right! My senses were overwhelmed by the journey to the mountains, that’s all.
Dovewing was so pleased to have her senses back, and was concentrating so hard, that she didn’t notice where she was putting her racing paws. Something coiled around one forepaw; Dovewing was flung down onto the pebbles, letting out a startled yowl that ended in a gasp as the breath was driven out of her body.
Bumblestripe flashed past her. Dovewing tried to scramble up and realized that an ivy tendril, snaking out from the edge of the trees, had tripped her.
As she wrenched her paw free, Bumblestripe was by her side again. “Are you okay?” he panted.
“Fine,” Dovewing replied, struggling to get her breath. Even though she felt battered from her fall, happiness was surging through her like a stream in flood. I haven’t lost my senses. Everything’s okay! “I’m absolutely fine,” she repeated.
Bumblestripe let her lean on his shoulder as she staggered to her paws, and stroked her pelt gently with his tail to get rid of the sand and grit. His eyes shone. “You would have won the race if you hadn’t tripped,” he mewed.
“Maybe.” Dovewing had almost forgotten the race; getting her senses back was so much more important. “You’re pretty fast, too.”
She began to pad back along the lakeshore, and Bumblestripe stayed close to her side. “Dovewing . . .” he began, sounding a little shy, “can I show you something?”
“Okay,” Dovewing agreed, only half-listening as she focused on a WindClan she-cat scolding her kits for putting a beetle in her nest.
“It’s this way.” Bumblestripe veered into the trees, and Dovewing followed, ferns brushing against her pelt on both sides. Without following any path that Dovewing could see, they came to a tiny clearing where wild jasmine scrambled over a gnarled oak tree, forming an archway with a tiny space underneath it. A few white flowers had already appeared on the branches. Bumblestripe squeezed into the space, and beckoned Dovewing with his tail. She crept in after him, feeling his warmth against her side, and enjoying the sweet scent of the jasmine flowers.
“I’ve always loved this place,” Bumblestripe confided in her. “It’s even better in greenleaf, when all the flowers are out.” He blinked at her anxiously, and Dovewing realized he was afraid that she might make fun of him.
“It’s lovely,” she assured him.
Bumblestripe relaxed and lifted his muzzle to gaze upward; Dovewing spotted a gap between the branches through which they could see the stars.
“I like to look up at our ancestors,” he meowed. “Sometimes I wonder which ones are mine.” He hesitated, then added, “I think your ancestors would shine really brightly, Dovewing.”
“I don’t know about that,” Dovewing replied. “I think my ancestors would be hiding behind a cloud, because they were always getting into trouble!”
Bumblestripe let out a little mrrow of laughter. “I think that’s an ancestor of mine up there,” he murmured, pointing with his tail. “The one that looks as if it’s stuck in the branches!”
“I wonder if they’re watching us,” Dovewing mused. “Can they see everything we’re doing from up there?”
“I think they can,” Bumblestripe meowed seriously. “They glare down at us and see all the things we’re doing wrong. I bet that one over there knows all about the time I put fire ants in Blossomfall’s nest!”
“You didn’t!” Dovewing exclaimed, half-amused and half-shocked.
“I did.” Bumblestripe ducked his head, embarrassed. “When we were apprentices. She got back at me, though; she pushed me into the stream when I wasn’t looking.”
Dovewing snorted. “There must be a star glaring down at her, then. Maybe it’s that one.” She pointed at it with one paw. “And the one beside it is annoyed with me because I forgot to change the elders’ bedding one time.”
“Oh, no!” Bumblestripe leaned over and touched her ear with his nose. “I bet Mousefur told you off.”
Dovewing winced. “I think they must have heard her in RiverClan!”
Bumblestripe lapsed into silence.
This is good, Dovewing thought, reveling in the cool grass and the scent that wreathed around her. Just sitting here, talking to a Clanmate, looking at the stars. . . .
It wasn’t exactly the same as the nights she had spent with Tigerheart—she couldn’t feel her heart thumping hard enough to burst out of her chest, and her paws weren’t tingling as she ran through forbidden territory—but right at that moment, she was very happy to be sitting beneath the jasmine with Bumblestripe, and nowhere else.
As she crouched down, trying to make sure her paws and tail were in the right place, Dovewing thought that once she might have resented going back to this kind of basic training with her former mentor. But today she felt too happy to resent anything. She had slept well the night before, after her walk with Bumblestripe, and this morning her senses were even clearer.
[...]
“You’re in a good mood today,” Lionblaze commented.
“Mmm,” Cinderheart agreed with a twitch of her whiskers. “That must have been a really good walk last night!”
“What walk?” Lionblaze asked.
Cinderheart glanced at him, her blue eyes glimmering. “I couldn’t possibly tell you.”
[...]
“What did Cinderheart mean about a walk last night?” Ivypool whispered. “You were really late coming back to the den.”
Dovewing didn’t want to talk about her evening with Bumblestripe, but she knew that her sister would be upset if she refused. “Nothing,” she replied. “I went down to the lake with Bumblestripe, that’s all.”
Ivypool’s eyes widened with surprise. “Oh, that’s terrific!” she exclaimed. “He’s really nice. Are you two going to be mates?”
“That’s the last thing on my mind!” Dovewing twitched her tail irritably. “It was just a walk. It was fun, but no big deal.”
Her sister gave her a poke in the side. “The two of you would have the cutest kits together!”
Dovewing rolled her eyes. To distract herself from Ivypool’s teasing, she extended her senses into the forest again.
[...]
Dovewing bounced on her paws. “I feel like I could run right around the lake!” she purred. Then she spotted Cinderheart blinking with pleasure. Oh, no, she thinks it’s because of Bumblestripe!
[...]
“You’re in a good mood today,” Lionblaze commented.
“Mmm,” Cinderheart agreed with a twitch of her whiskers. “That must have been a really good walk last night!”
“What walk?” Lionblaze asked.
Cinderheart glanced at him, her blue eyes glimmering. “I couldn’t possibly tell you.”
[...]
“What did Cinderheart mean about a walk last night?” Ivypool whispered. “You were really late coming back to the den.”
Dovewing didn’t want to talk about her evening with Bumblestripe, but she knew that her sister would be upset if she refused. “Nothing,” she replied. “I went down to the lake with Bumblestripe, that’s all.”
Ivypool’s eyes widened with surprise. “Oh, that’s terrific!” she exclaimed. “He’s really nice. Are you two going to be mates?”
“That’s the last thing on my mind!” Dovewing twitched her tail irritably. “It was just a walk. It was fun, but no big deal.”
Her sister gave her a poke in the side. “The two of you would have the cutest kits together!”
Dovewing rolled her eyes. To distract herself from Ivypool’s teasing, she extended her senses into the forest again.
[...]
Dovewing bounced on her paws. “I feel like I could run right around the lake!” she purred. Then she spotted Cinderheart blinking with pleasure. Oh, no, she thinks it’s because of Bumblestripe!
Lionblaze noticed that Dovewing remained within earshot, but a few tail-lengths off, with Ivypool and Bumblestripe. None of them looked enthusiastic about Sol’s return, and they made no move to join him and the others.
[...]
Dovewing pressed her muzzle sympathetically against her sister’s side and Bumblestripe let his tail-tip rest for a heartbeat on her shoulder. The young warrior exchanged a glance with Dovewing over Ivypool’s head, and she gave a tiny nod in reply.
Dovewing and Bumblestripe seem to be getting very close, Lionblaze thought, and added to himself grimly, I wonder what will happen when Bumblestripe finds out about the prophecy?
[...]
Dovewing pressed her muzzle sympathetically against her sister’s side and Bumblestripe let his tail-tip rest for a heartbeat on her shoulder. The young warrior exchanged a glance with Dovewing over Ivypool’s head, and she gave a tiny nod in reply.
Dovewing and Bumblestripe seem to be getting very close, Lionblaze thought, and added to himself grimly, I wonder what will happen when Bumblestripe finds out about the prophecy?
“You’re a hero!” Bumblestripe spoke behind Dovewing, making her jump. “You saved Sorreltail’s life, and the kits!” he added as she whipped around to face him.
“Any cat would have done the same,” Dovewing replied, embarrassed.
“I wouldn’t.” Bumblestripe’s eyes glimmered with amusement. “I’d sleep through falling off a cliff!” The amusement faded from his eyes, to be replaced by a glow of admiration. “I’m really proud of you,” he murmured. “I’m glad you’re my Clanmate.”
Feeling warm beneath her pelt, Dovewing took a step forward and touched her nose to his. “I’m glad you’re my Clanmate, too.”
“Any cat would have done the same,” Dovewing replied, embarrassed.
“I wouldn’t.” Bumblestripe’s eyes glimmered with amusement. “I’d sleep through falling off a cliff!” The amusement faded from his eyes, to be replaced by a glow of admiration. “I’m really proud of you,” he murmured. “I’m glad you’re my Clanmate.”
Feeling warm beneath her pelt, Dovewing took a step forward and touched her nose to his. “I’m glad you’re my Clanmate, too.”
When Firestar dismissed her, Dovewing ran lightly down the tumbled rocks to find Bumblestripe waiting for her.
“Brambleclaw went ahead with the others,” the young warrior explained. “He asked me to wait for you and show you where we’re going to train.”
“Okay, thanks,” Dovewing mewed. It felt comfortable to head across the clearing beside Bumblestripe.
“What did Firestar want?” the gray tom asked. “Are you in trouble?”
“No, it was just . . . stuff.” However much she liked Bumblestripe, she couldn’t tell him what Firestar had asked her to do. That would take a whole moon to explain!
“Firestar has never invited me into his den,” Bumblestripe continued, sounding slightly envious.
Dovewing shrugged. “It was no big deal.”
Leading the way through the thorn tunnel, she realized that she wanted to push her special powers to the back of her mind when she was with Bumblestripe. She just wanted to be an ordinary cat. It’s a nice change from when I was with Tigerheart! Then I always had to be listening to make sure no other cats found us.
[...]
When Dovewing and Bumblestripe arrived, Brambleclaw was sitting at one side of the hollow, watching Toadstep and Blossomfall as they stalked around each other.
[...]
Brambleclaw looked up as Dovewing and Bumblestripe padded down the slope to join the others. “Good, you made it. Now I’m going to show you a new move.”
“Great!” Blossomfall exclaimed, bounding over to Bumblestripe. “Come on,” she urged him, “let’s work on it together.”
Bumblestripe looked briefly embarrassed. “Er . . . sorry, but I’m going to partner with Dovewing.”
Blossomfall’s ears shot straight up in surprise. “Excuse me, but who’s your littermate?” she muttered. “You could show a little loyalty, you know.”
Dovewing was slightly shocked at Blossomfall’s hostility. Why is it such a big deal? “I don’t mind if you partner with Blossomfall,” she told Bumblestripe.
“No, Blossomfall’s being ridiculous,” Bumblestripe retorted. “Of course I’m not being disloyal if I partner with you.”
[...]
First Brambleclaw made them practice the backflip until they could do it and land squarely on their paws. When he was satisfied and let them work with their partners, Dovewing was surprised at how strong and agile Bumblestripe was.
It’s been a long time since I trained with him, one on one like this. He’s so bulky, I’d expect him to be slow. . . .
As Bumblestripe flipped neatly away from her attack, Dovewing’s paws skidded out from under her. She flopped onto her side; while she was struggling to get up Bumblestripe sprang toward her and reached out with one forepaw to touch her gently.
“I win, I think,” he mewed, his eyes narrowed with amusement. “Paws belong on the ground, not in the air.”
Huh! Dovewing thought, stung. When Bumblestripe attacked her, she backflipped on the opposite side, catching him unawares. The gray tom missed his footing and landed hard among the ferns, his paws flailing.
“What was that about paws going on the ground?” Dovewing teased as she pounced on him.
[...]
When it was her turn to demonstrate with Bumblestripe, Dovewing felt that they had both done pretty well. She was surprised to see Blossomfall looking at her with a disdainful expression.
“Bumblestripe was fine, but Dovewing, you need to do a lot more work,” she meowed. “Your paws were all over the place. And you seem to have forgotten that you even have a tail. It’s there for balance, you know.”
Dovewing muttered something noncommittal, embarrassment flooding over her until every hair on her pelt burned. “Blossomfall wouldn’t have said that if you hadn’t chosen me as your partner,” she whispered to Bumblestripe. Trying to set her own hurt aside, she added, “I’m sorry if I’ve made things difficult between you.”
Bumblestripe rested his tail comfortingly on Dovewing’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, it’s not you causing the problem,” he mewed, glaring across the clearing at his sister.
[...]
“You should walk with Blossomfall now,” Dovewing murmured as the group moved off. “Littermates are more important than friendship.”
Bumblestripe paused and gave her a long look. “I was kind of hoping that what we have is more than friendship,” he mewed at last.
Dovewing stared at him, not knowing what to say. To her relief, Bumblestripe didn’t press her. He just ducked his head and trotted off, catching up with Blossomfall and touching his nose to her ear.
Dovewing padded on; a moment later Toadstep bounded up to join her.
“What’s going on between you and Bumblestripe?” he asked with a little mrrow of amusement.
Dovewing felt her neck fur beginning to fluff up, and forced it to lie flat. “Bumblestripe is a great cat,” she replied calmly.
As she spoke, an image of Tigerheart popped into her head: the gleam of green eyes as he thrust his dark tabby head out of a clump of ferns. Resolutely she pushed it away. That was different. I can’t think about him anymore, she decided. Tigerheart can’t be part of my life . . . but Bumblestripe could be.
“Brambleclaw went ahead with the others,” the young warrior explained. “He asked me to wait for you and show you where we’re going to train.”
“Okay, thanks,” Dovewing mewed. It felt comfortable to head across the clearing beside Bumblestripe.
“What did Firestar want?” the gray tom asked. “Are you in trouble?”
“No, it was just . . . stuff.” However much she liked Bumblestripe, she couldn’t tell him what Firestar had asked her to do. That would take a whole moon to explain!
“Firestar has never invited me into his den,” Bumblestripe continued, sounding slightly envious.
Dovewing shrugged. “It was no big deal.”
Leading the way through the thorn tunnel, she realized that she wanted to push her special powers to the back of her mind when she was with Bumblestripe. She just wanted to be an ordinary cat. It’s a nice change from when I was with Tigerheart! Then I always had to be listening to make sure no other cats found us.
[...]
When Dovewing and Bumblestripe arrived, Brambleclaw was sitting at one side of the hollow, watching Toadstep and Blossomfall as they stalked around each other.
[...]
Brambleclaw looked up as Dovewing and Bumblestripe padded down the slope to join the others. “Good, you made it. Now I’m going to show you a new move.”
“Great!” Blossomfall exclaimed, bounding over to Bumblestripe. “Come on,” she urged him, “let’s work on it together.”
Bumblestripe looked briefly embarrassed. “Er . . . sorry, but I’m going to partner with Dovewing.”
Blossomfall’s ears shot straight up in surprise. “Excuse me, but who’s your littermate?” she muttered. “You could show a little loyalty, you know.”
Dovewing was slightly shocked at Blossomfall’s hostility. Why is it such a big deal? “I don’t mind if you partner with Blossomfall,” she told Bumblestripe.
“No, Blossomfall’s being ridiculous,” Bumblestripe retorted. “Of course I’m not being disloyal if I partner with you.”
[...]
First Brambleclaw made them practice the backflip until they could do it and land squarely on their paws. When he was satisfied and let them work with their partners, Dovewing was surprised at how strong and agile Bumblestripe was.
It’s been a long time since I trained with him, one on one like this. He’s so bulky, I’d expect him to be slow. . . .
As Bumblestripe flipped neatly away from her attack, Dovewing’s paws skidded out from under her. She flopped onto her side; while she was struggling to get up Bumblestripe sprang toward her and reached out with one forepaw to touch her gently.
“I win, I think,” he mewed, his eyes narrowed with amusement. “Paws belong on the ground, not in the air.”
Huh! Dovewing thought, stung. When Bumblestripe attacked her, she backflipped on the opposite side, catching him unawares. The gray tom missed his footing and landed hard among the ferns, his paws flailing.
“What was that about paws going on the ground?” Dovewing teased as she pounced on him.
[...]
When it was her turn to demonstrate with Bumblestripe, Dovewing felt that they had both done pretty well. She was surprised to see Blossomfall looking at her with a disdainful expression.
“Bumblestripe was fine, but Dovewing, you need to do a lot more work,” she meowed. “Your paws were all over the place. And you seem to have forgotten that you even have a tail. It’s there for balance, you know.”
Dovewing muttered something noncommittal, embarrassment flooding over her until every hair on her pelt burned. “Blossomfall wouldn’t have said that if you hadn’t chosen me as your partner,” she whispered to Bumblestripe. Trying to set her own hurt aside, she added, “I’m sorry if I’ve made things difficult between you.”
Bumblestripe rested his tail comfortingly on Dovewing’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, it’s not you causing the problem,” he mewed, glaring across the clearing at his sister.
[...]
“You should walk with Blossomfall now,” Dovewing murmured as the group moved off. “Littermates are more important than friendship.”
Bumblestripe paused and gave her a long look. “I was kind of hoping that what we have is more than friendship,” he mewed at last.
Dovewing stared at him, not knowing what to say. To her relief, Bumblestripe didn’t press her. He just ducked his head and trotted off, catching up with Blossomfall and touching his nose to her ear.
Dovewing padded on; a moment later Toadstep bounded up to join her.
“What’s going on between you and Bumblestripe?” he asked with a little mrrow of amusement.
Dovewing felt her neck fur beginning to fluff up, and forced it to lie flat. “Bumblestripe is a great cat,” she replied calmly.
As she spoke, an image of Tigerheart popped into her head: the gleam of green eyes as he thrust his dark tabby head out of a clump of ferns. Resolutely she pushed it away. That was different. I can’t think about him anymore, she decided. Tigerheart can’t be part of my life . . . but Bumblestripe could be.
Ivypool raced across the clearing with Dovewing at her shoulder. She noticed the welcoming purr that Bumblestripe gave her sister, and how he made room for her to sit next to him and eat.
[...]
“This is a great squirrel,” Ivypool meowed, taking another huge bite. “Who caught it?”
“Actually, it was me,” Bumblestripe confessed, giving his shoulder an embarrassed lick. “I was lucky to get it.”
“No, it was a brilliant catch,” Foxleap insisted. “Especially since you were on your own. Cinderheart was supposed to be in our hunting patrol,” he explained, “but she said she wanted to stay here in the hollow and help Jayfeather.”
Dovewing’s whiskers twitched in surprise. “What did Brambleclaw say?”
Bumblestripe shrugged. “Not much. What could he say? He would never challenge a medicine cat, would he?”
[...]
“This is a great squirrel,” Ivypool meowed, taking another huge bite. “Who caught it?”
“Actually, it was me,” Bumblestripe confessed, giving his shoulder an embarrassed lick. “I was lucky to get it.”
“No, it was a brilliant catch,” Foxleap insisted. “Especially since you were on your own. Cinderheart was supposed to be in our hunting patrol,” he explained, “but she said she wanted to stay here in the hollow and help Jayfeather.”
Dovewing’s whiskers twitched in surprise. “What did Brambleclaw say?”
Bumblestripe shrugged. “Not much. What could he say? He would never challenge a medicine cat, would he?”
“Did you really not see any other cats?” Dovewing persisted.
“And what did you do all day?” Bumblestripe added; he was still sitting close beside Dovewing and the remains of the squirrel.
“And what did you do all day?” Bumblestripe added; he was still sitting close beside Dovewing and the remains of the squirrel.
And it looks as if Dovewing’s sights are set on Bumblestripe now, she told herself with satisfaction. That’s much better than mangy Tigerheart!
THE LAST HOPE
“No, not like that!” Bumblestripe yowled.
Dovewing spun around to face him, gripping hard on the branch to stop herself from falling out of the tree. “You told me to climb, I’m climbing!” she snapped. Can’t I do anything right?
“Not the trunk.” Bumblestripe padded along the thick oak branch toward her. “In a battle, if every cat climbed the trunk, it’d be chaos.” He tipped his nose up and focused on the branch two tail-lengths above his head. Crouching, he sprang and gripped it with his forepaws, then hauled himself up. “Your turn.” He peered at her through the browning leaves.
Dovewing scowled. Hunkering down, she bunched her muscles, then leaped and dug her claws into the branch above. Flicking her tail, she landed nimbly beside Bumblestripe.
“Is that better?” she sniffed.
Bumblestripe glanced at the leaves she’d sent fluttering to the ground. “You really need to aim for a bare bit of branch,” he suggested. “The enemy’s going to know you’re here if you shower him with leaves every time you move.”
Dovewing clamped her jaws together to stop herself from snarling at the arrogant furball. I can’t believe I ever thought we might be more than just friends! Seeing Tigerheart again made her realize what a dumb choice that would have been. I only ever liked you because you’re a ThunderClan cat. Tigerheart wouldn’t bother about whether she climbed the trunk or rustled too many leaves. He was a warrior, not a worrier!
They’d been practicing tree-battle all morning and Dovewing was hot and tired. “Why are we doing this?” she grumbled at Brambleclaw. “What cat is going to climb a tree to fight? There is no SquirrelClan!”
Bumblestripe flashed her a warning look. “Shut up!” he hissed.
But Brambleclaw was already bounding along the narrow rowan branch. It bounced under his weight, making Toadstep cling on with his fur spiked up. Brambleclaw jumped and cleared the space between the trees easily. The sturdy oak hardly trembled as he landed. “I know some cats don’t like tree training,” he meowed as he padded along the branch toward them. “But it gives us a strong advantage over the other Clans. If we can move through our territory and attack from above them, it’s a great surprise.”
Dovewing rolled her eyes. “I know. But Bumblestripe’s acting like I’ve never been up a tree before. Every time I do something wrong he points it out like I hadn’t already noticed.”
Bumblestripe stared at his paws. “I was just trying to help.”
Brambleclaw flicked his tail. “It’s good of Bumblestripe to be so patient with you, Dovewing.”
“Patient?” Dovewing retorted. He’d criticized every move. “Can’t we just move on to drop attacks and go hunting?”
“Is she ready for drop attacks?” Brambleclaw asked Bumblestripe.
“I guess.” Bumblestripe’s ear twitched. “Having seen her tree skills, I think she’d better practice falling out of them.”
Dovewing glared at him. “Okay!” she snapped. “I’ll practice climbing some more!” Bristling, she bounded onto a higher branch and kept jumping till Brambleclaw and Bumblestripe were nothing more than patches of fur far away through the leaves. Relieved to be away from Bumblestripe’s fussing, she stared out across the forest. She hadn’t been this high since her night with Tigerheart. She
could see the wooded hillside they’d chased along. It looked a long way off. She could hardly believe they’d traveled so far in a single night.
[...]
“ShadowClan!” Dovewing hissed down to her Clanmates.
Brambleclaw’s gaze flashed up through the leaves. “Where?”
“Heading for our camp!” She scrambled down, slithering from branch to branch until she landed beside Brambleclaw and Bumblestripe.
Bumblestripe swiveled his ears. “I can’t hear them.”
“Too many leaves,” Dovewing mewed quickly. “It sounds clearer up there.”
[...]
Bumblestripe crossed the clearing as the ShadowClan patrol disappeared. “Do you still want to go hunting?”
Dovewing blinked at him. “What?”
“You said you wanted to go hunting after tree training.”
“Did I?” Dovewing stared at the entrance. The thorns still trembling where Tigerheart had slid through.
Bumblestripe’s pelt lifted along his spine. “And while we’re out, we can make sure those ShadowClan cats have left our territory.”
Dovewing dragged her gaze from the brambles. “Let’s take Foxleap.” She didn’t want to hunt alone with Bumblestripe. He’d only fuss over her stalking technique. “Hey, Foxleap!”
The russet warrior was pacing by the entrance to the hollow, his tail twitching. “What?”
“We’re going hunting,” Dovewing called. “Do you want to come?”
Foxleap narrowed his eyes. “I want to make sure Blackstar’s crossed the border.”
Bumblestripe stretched his claws. “We can do that as well.”
Blossomfall crossed the clearing. “I’m coming too,” she growled. “While I still have the taste of ShadowClan on my tongue.”
As Bumblestripe headed for the entrance, Blossomfall raced past him and slipped out of the camp first. Foxleap chased after them. Dovewing paused. The clearing still smelled of Tigerheart.
“Come on!” Foxleap beckoned her with his tail.
She hurried to catch up. By the time she ducked out of the thorns, Bumblestripe, Foxleap, and Blossomfall were racing up the slope.
“We’re heading for the ShadowClan border,” Bumblestripe called over his shoulder. “Are you coming?”
“I’ll check the beeches, in case they’ve strayed deeper into the forest.” Dovewing was glad of the chance to be alone.
[...]
“Can you smell ShadowClan?” The ferns beside her quivered and Bumblestripe padded out.
Dovewing tried not to look too startled. “Er, yes, I can.” She shifted her paws. “They must have come this way.”
Bumblestripe frowned. “I thought I’d tracked them to the border.”
“Maybe they made a detour on the way and you didn’t notice.” Dovewing twitched her ears, trying to sound unconcerned. “They’re gone now.” She tasted the air, relishing the fading scent of Tigerheart. “The scent’s stale already.”
Bumblestripe wrinkled his nose. “Typical ShadowClan,” he growled. “They never do anything straight. They only came to the camp to gloat about beating Lionblaze.”
“ShadowClan cats have always been fox-hearted.” Dovewing stared at her paws. And handsome. She looked up, surprised to see Bumblestripe’s eyes dark with worry.
“I’m sorry,” he blurted out. His tail brushed the ground.
“What for?”
“About being so fussy about the tree training.”
Dovewing had forgotten all about it. “Oh.” She flicked his shoulder with her tail-tip. “That’s okay. I was being a pain.”
Bumblestripe brightened. “That’s true.”
“Hey!” Dovewing swiped him playfully with a paw.
Bumblestripe ducked, purring. “Should we get on with that hunt?”
“Okay.” Tigerheart must have made it to the border by now. But just to be sure, Dovewing led Bumblestripe deeper into the forest, in the opposite direction. “Let’s see what we can find near the beech copse.”
Dovewing spun around to face him, gripping hard on the branch to stop herself from falling out of the tree. “You told me to climb, I’m climbing!” she snapped. Can’t I do anything right?
“Not the trunk.” Bumblestripe padded along the thick oak branch toward her. “In a battle, if every cat climbed the trunk, it’d be chaos.” He tipped his nose up and focused on the branch two tail-lengths above his head. Crouching, he sprang and gripped it with his forepaws, then hauled himself up. “Your turn.” He peered at her through the browning leaves.
Dovewing scowled. Hunkering down, she bunched her muscles, then leaped and dug her claws into the branch above. Flicking her tail, she landed nimbly beside Bumblestripe.
“Is that better?” she sniffed.
Bumblestripe glanced at the leaves she’d sent fluttering to the ground. “You really need to aim for a bare bit of branch,” he suggested. “The enemy’s going to know you’re here if you shower him with leaves every time you move.”
Dovewing clamped her jaws together to stop herself from snarling at the arrogant furball. I can’t believe I ever thought we might be more than just friends! Seeing Tigerheart again made her realize what a dumb choice that would have been. I only ever liked you because you’re a ThunderClan cat. Tigerheart wouldn’t bother about whether she climbed the trunk or rustled too many leaves. He was a warrior, not a worrier!
They’d been practicing tree-battle all morning and Dovewing was hot and tired. “Why are we doing this?” she grumbled at Brambleclaw. “What cat is going to climb a tree to fight? There is no SquirrelClan!”
Bumblestripe flashed her a warning look. “Shut up!” he hissed.
But Brambleclaw was already bounding along the narrow rowan branch. It bounced under his weight, making Toadstep cling on with his fur spiked up. Brambleclaw jumped and cleared the space between the trees easily. The sturdy oak hardly trembled as he landed. “I know some cats don’t like tree training,” he meowed as he padded along the branch toward them. “But it gives us a strong advantage over the other Clans. If we can move through our territory and attack from above them, it’s a great surprise.”
Dovewing rolled her eyes. “I know. But Bumblestripe’s acting like I’ve never been up a tree before. Every time I do something wrong he points it out like I hadn’t already noticed.”
Bumblestripe stared at his paws. “I was just trying to help.”
Brambleclaw flicked his tail. “It’s good of Bumblestripe to be so patient with you, Dovewing.”
“Patient?” Dovewing retorted. He’d criticized every move. “Can’t we just move on to drop attacks and go hunting?”
“Is she ready for drop attacks?” Brambleclaw asked Bumblestripe.
“I guess.” Bumblestripe’s ear twitched. “Having seen her tree skills, I think she’d better practice falling out of them.”
Dovewing glared at him. “Okay!” she snapped. “I’ll practice climbing some more!” Bristling, she bounded onto a higher branch and kept jumping till Brambleclaw and Bumblestripe were nothing more than patches of fur far away through the leaves. Relieved to be away from Bumblestripe’s fussing, she stared out across the forest. She hadn’t been this high since her night with Tigerheart. She
could see the wooded hillside they’d chased along. It looked a long way off. She could hardly believe they’d traveled so far in a single night.
[...]
“ShadowClan!” Dovewing hissed down to her Clanmates.
Brambleclaw’s gaze flashed up through the leaves. “Where?”
“Heading for our camp!” She scrambled down, slithering from branch to branch until she landed beside Brambleclaw and Bumblestripe.
Bumblestripe swiveled his ears. “I can’t hear them.”
“Too many leaves,” Dovewing mewed quickly. “It sounds clearer up there.”
[...]
Bumblestripe crossed the clearing as the ShadowClan patrol disappeared. “Do you still want to go hunting?”
Dovewing blinked at him. “What?”
“You said you wanted to go hunting after tree training.”
“Did I?” Dovewing stared at the entrance. The thorns still trembling where Tigerheart had slid through.
Bumblestripe’s pelt lifted along his spine. “And while we’re out, we can make sure those ShadowClan cats have left our territory.”
Dovewing dragged her gaze from the brambles. “Let’s take Foxleap.” She didn’t want to hunt alone with Bumblestripe. He’d only fuss over her stalking technique. “Hey, Foxleap!”
The russet warrior was pacing by the entrance to the hollow, his tail twitching. “What?”
“We’re going hunting,” Dovewing called. “Do you want to come?”
Foxleap narrowed his eyes. “I want to make sure Blackstar’s crossed the border.”
Bumblestripe stretched his claws. “We can do that as well.”
Blossomfall crossed the clearing. “I’m coming too,” she growled. “While I still have the taste of ShadowClan on my tongue.”
As Bumblestripe headed for the entrance, Blossomfall raced past him and slipped out of the camp first. Foxleap chased after them. Dovewing paused. The clearing still smelled of Tigerheart.
“Come on!” Foxleap beckoned her with his tail.
She hurried to catch up. By the time she ducked out of the thorns, Bumblestripe, Foxleap, and Blossomfall were racing up the slope.
“We’re heading for the ShadowClan border,” Bumblestripe called over his shoulder. “Are you coming?”
“I’ll check the beeches, in case they’ve strayed deeper into the forest.” Dovewing was glad of the chance to be alone.
[...]
“Can you smell ShadowClan?” The ferns beside her quivered and Bumblestripe padded out.
Dovewing tried not to look too startled. “Er, yes, I can.” She shifted her paws. “They must have come this way.”
Bumblestripe frowned. “I thought I’d tracked them to the border.”
“Maybe they made a detour on the way and you didn’t notice.” Dovewing twitched her ears, trying to sound unconcerned. “They’re gone now.” She tasted the air, relishing the fading scent of Tigerheart. “The scent’s stale already.”
Bumblestripe wrinkled his nose. “Typical ShadowClan,” he growled. “They never do anything straight. They only came to the camp to gloat about beating Lionblaze.”
“ShadowClan cats have always been fox-hearted.” Dovewing stared at her paws. And handsome. She looked up, surprised to see Bumblestripe’s eyes dark with worry.
“I’m sorry,” he blurted out. His tail brushed the ground.
“What for?”
“About being so fussy about the tree training.”
Dovewing had forgotten all about it. “Oh.” She flicked his shoulder with her tail-tip. “That’s okay. I was being a pain.”
Bumblestripe brightened. “That’s true.”
“Hey!” Dovewing swiped him playfully with a paw.
Bumblestripe ducked, purring. “Should we get on with that hunt?”
“Okay.” Tigerheart must have made it to the border by now. But just to be sure, Dovewing led Bumblestripe deeper into the forest, in the opposite direction. “Let’s see what we can find near the beech copse.”
Bumblestripe padded from the fresh-kill pile, a mouse in his jaws. “Hi, Dovewing.” He dropped it at her paws. “I thought you might be hungry.”
She pushed the mouse away. “No, thanks.”
Bumblestripe tipped his head. “Are you sure? It’s a long way to the island. I’m starving already.”
“Then go and eat something,” Dovewing meowed.
[...]
The patrol pounded up the slope as Firestar followed the trail to the forest’s edge. Pelts flashed between brambles. Dovewing’s paws slithered on wet leaves. As Blossomfall steadied her with a flick of her tail, a gray pelt caught the edge of her vision. Dovewing turned to see Bumblestripe fall in beside her, his feet skimming the ground as he matched her paw step for paw step. She pushed harder to pull ahead. The gray warrior seemed to be there every time she looked over her shoulder. She veered around a bramble, sliding across his path so he had to pull up and let her take the lead.
She reached the top of the slope before him and, breaking from the trees, stared down at the lake.
Please, StarClan, let Tigerheart be there. The prayer pierced her heart, more an ache than a wish.
“Tired already?” Rosepetal pulled up beside her.
“I’m not!” Blossomfall mewed as she pelted past them, skidding down the slope after her Clanmates.
Bumblestripe scrambled to a halt beside Dovewing and Rosepetal. “You nearly ran me into a tree!”
“You should watch where you’re going,” Dovewing growled. “I nearly tripped over you.” Muttering under her breath, she ran down the slope. “Clumsy mouse-brain.”
“Why do you have to be so mean to him?” Rosepetal’s whisper took Dovewing by surprise. “It’s not a crime, you know!”
“What isn’t?”
Rosepetal’s gaze darkened meaningfully as Bumblestripe raced past them.
“What?” Dovewing repeated. Why did Rosepetal look so angry?
“It’s obvious he likes you!” Rosepetal snapped. “You don’t have to keep biting his head off. He’s your Clanmate, not prey!”
Dovewing flattened her ears. Why should she feel bad? “Why do I have to tiptoe around him just because he likes me? It’s not my fault.”
Rosepetal looked sideways at her. “Do you enjoy hurting his feelings?”
“Of course not!” Guilt flashed under Dovewing’s pelt.
“Then apologize.”
Dovewing winced. Rosepetal was right. If Bumblestripe had feelings for her, it wasn’t fair to punish him for his attention. “Okay!” She pulled ahead, following Bumblestripe’s tracks through the grass. She bounded down the short slope onto the shore, landing on the pebbles a moment after Bumblestripe. He glanced over his shoulder and kept running.
“Wait!” Dovewing panted, pebbles spraying out behind. Bumblestripe eased his pace enough for her to catch up. “What?” he growled.
“Look.” Dovewing tried to catch her breath but Bumblestripe was still running hard. “I’m sorry I snapped.”
Bumblestripe turned his head to look at her, his gaze hard as ice. “I’m tired of being used as your scratching post,” he hissed. “From now on sharpen your claws on someone else.”
Dovewing’s pelt pricked. “It’s not my fault!”
“I get it, okay?” He didn’t even look at her. He just kept running. “You don’t like me the same way I like you. I’ll get over it. I’m just disappointed you’re not the cat I thought you were.”
Dovewing bristled. How dare he say that to her? She gave everything to the Clan, and he wanted more! It wasn’t fair. She slowed, letting Bumblestripe pull ahead.
“So?” Rosepetal caught up to her.
“Thanks a lot,” Dovewing growled. “Next time I’ll let you apologize.”
“Is he angry?”
“Yes.” Dovewing lashed her tail. “And he’s not the only one.”
She pushed the mouse away. “No, thanks.”
Bumblestripe tipped his head. “Are you sure? It’s a long way to the island. I’m starving already.”
“Then go and eat something,” Dovewing meowed.
[...]
The patrol pounded up the slope as Firestar followed the trail to the forest’s edge. Pelts flashed between brambles. Dovewing’s paws slithered on wet leaves. As Blossomfall steadied her with a flick of her tail, a gray pelt caught the edge of her vision. Dovewing turned to see Bumblestripe fall in beside her, his feet skimming the ground as he matched her paw step for paw step. She pushed harder to pull ahead. The gray warrior seemed to be there every time she looked over her shoulder. She veered around a bramble, sliding across his path so he had to pull up and let her take the lead.
She reached the top of the slope before him and, breaking from the trees, stared down at the lake.
Please, StarClan, let Tigerheart be there. The prayer pierced her heart, more an ache than a wish.
“Tired already?” Rosepetal pulled up beside her.
“I’m not!” Blossomfall mewed as she pelted past them, skidding down the slope after her Clanmates.
Bumblestripe scrambled to a halt beside Dovewing and Rosepetal. “You nearly ran me into a tree!”
“You should watch where you’re going,” Dovewing growled. “I nearly tripped over you.” Muttering under her breath, she ran down the slope. “Clumsy mouse-brain.”
“Why do you have to be so mean to him?” Rosepetal’s whisper took Dovewing by surprise. “It’s not a crime, you know!”
“What isn’t?”
Rosepetal’s gaze darkened meaningfully as Bumblestripe raced past them.
“What?” Dovewing repeated. Why did Rosepetal look so angry?
“It’s obvious he likes you!” Rosepetal snapped. “You don’t have to keep biting his head off. He’s your Clanmate, not prey!”
Dovewing flattened her ears. Why should she feel bad? “Why do I have to tiptoe around him just because he likes me? It’s not my fault.”
Rosepetal looked sideways at her. “Do you enjoy hurting his feelings?”
“Of course not!” Guilt flashed under Dovewing’s pelt.
“Then apologize.”
Dovewing winced. Rosepetal was right. If Bumblestripe had feelings for her, it wasn’t fair to punish him for his attention. “Okay!” She pulled ahead, following Bumblestripe’s tracks through the grass. She bounded down the short slope onto the shore, landing on the pebbles a moment after Bumblestripe. He glanced over his shoulder and kept running.
“Wait!” Dovewing panted, pebbles spraying out behind. Bumblestripe eased his pace enough for her to catch up. “What?” he growled.
“Look.” Dovewing tried to catch her breath but Bumblestripe was still running hard. “I’m sorry I snapped.”
Bumblestripe turned his head to look at her, his gaze hard as ice. “I’m tired of being used as your scratching post,” he hissed. “From now on sharpen your claws on someone else.”
Dovewing’s pelt pricked. “It’s not my fault!”
“I get it, okay?” He didn’t even look at her. He just kept running. “You don’t like me the same way I like you. I’ll get over it. I’m just disappointed you’re not the cat I thought you were.”
Dovewing bristled. How dare he say that to her? She gave everything to the Clan, and he wanted more! It wasn’t fair. She slowed, letting Bumblestripe pull ahead.
“So?” Rosepetal caught up to her.
“Thanks a lot,” Dovewing growled. “Next time I’ll let you apologize.”
“Is he angry?”
“Yes.” Dovewing lashed her tail. “And he’s not the only one.”
As Dovewing nodded, she felt the fur bristle on the back of her neck. She looked past Tigerheart and saw Bumblestripe staring at her. Her heart missed a beat. “We were just discussing the intruders,” she told her Clanmate quickly. “Tigerheart was asking if I’d noticed anything.”
Bumblestripe’s eyes widened.
“I thought it would be a good idea to talk to other patrols, to see if the scents have been picked up on the same nights.” Dovewing realized she was chattering like a blackbird.
Bumblestripe shrugged. “You can talk to whoever you like,” he meowed. “It’s a Gathering.” He began to follow the other cats toward the tree-bridge and disappeared into the long grass.
Bumblestripe’s eyes widened.
“I thought it would be a good idea to talk to other patrols, to see if the scents have been picked up on the same nights.” Dovewing realized she was chattering like a blackbird.
Bumblestripe shrugged. “You can talk to whoever you like,” he meowed. “It’s a Gathering.” He began to follow the other cats toward the tree-bridge and disappeared into the long grass.
Dovewing reeled away, dizzy.
“Hey!”
She had stumbled into Bumblestripe.
“Are you okay?” The young tom lifted her muzzle with his and stared into her eyes.
“Mousefur’s dead.”
Bumblestripe’s ears twitched, then he straightened up. “Come and fight with me.” He turned her toward the battle. “We’ve trained together enough times.”
Blindly, Dovewing followed him into the tangle of tails and claws.
A Dark Forest tom blocked their way. “I thought we’d picked off the weakest,” he snarled. He darted for Dovewing’s throat, but Bumblestripe caught him by his scruff and dragged him onto his back. Instinctively, Dovewing slashed at the tom’s exposed belly till Bumblestripe let go, then together they drove him backward, matching blows, swipe for swipe.
As Bumblestripe knocked the tom sideways, she scooped the Dark Forest warrior’s paws from under him. The tom crashed onto his side.
“Nice move,” Bumblestripe puffed.
Together, they sprang onto the Dark Forest cat. Screeching with panic, he squirmed from under them and raced for the thorn barrier. He fled past two small figures who were bounding into the camp.
Molepaw! Cherrypaw! Dovewing nudged Bumblestripe. “They’re safe.”
[...]
“Come on,” Bumblestripe hissed in Dovewing’s ear. “Let’s make sure those Dark Forest cowards never come back.”
Excited, Dovewing ran after Bumblestripe out of camp. She heard paw steps at her heels and turned to see Sandstorm.
“Firestar sent me too,” Sandstorm panted. “In case it’s a trap.”
Bumblestripe pulled ahead, racing to catch up with the StarClan warriors as they pelted away through the trees.
“Hey!”
She had stumbled into Bumblestripe.
“Are you okay?” The young tom lifted her muzzle with his and stared into her eyes.
“Mousefur’s dead.”
Bumblestripe’s ears twitched, then he straightened up. “Come and fight with me.” He turned her toward the battle. “We’ve trained together enough times.”
Blindly, Dovewing followed him into the tangle of tails and claws.
A Dark Forest tom blocked their way. “I thought we’d picked off the weakest,” he snarled. He darted for Dovewing’s throat, but Bumblestripe caught him by his scruff and dragged him onto his back. Instinctively, Dovewing slashed at the tom’s exposed belly till Bumblestripe let go, then together they drove him backward, matching blows, swipe for swipe.
As Bumblestripe knocked the tom sideways, she scooped the Dark Forest warrior’s paws from under him. The tom crashed onto his side.
“Nice move,” Bumblestripe puffed.
Together, they sprang onto the Dark Forest cat. Screeching with panic, he squirmed from under them and raced for the thorn barrier. He fled past two small figures who were bounding into the camp.
Molepaw! Cherrypaw! Dovewing nudged Bumblestripe. “They’re safe.”
[...]
“Come on,” Bumblestripe hissed in Dovewing’s ear. “Let’s make sure those Dark Forest cowards never come back.”
Excited, Dovewing ran after Bumblestripe out of camp. She heard paw steps at her heels and turned to see Sandstorm.
“Firestar sent me too,” Sandstorm panted. “In case it’s a trap.”
Bumblestripe pulled ahead, racing to catch up with the StarClan warriors as they pelted away through the trees.
Tigerheart’s ear twitched. “It was his last life?”
“Yes.” Dovewing nodded toward Boulderfur and Troutstream, who lingered uncertainly near the entrance with their patrols. “It’s time for you to go home. The battle is won and I need to be with my Clanmates.” And yet it feels as if everything has been lost. She drew in a breath, then slid quietly in beside Bumblestripe. Rain dripped into her eyes and she blinked it away. Bumblestripe shifted so that his pelt rested warmly against her. Dovewing felt his breath against her ear.
“You’re safe now,” he murmured. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
“I know.” She didn’t look around as she heard Tigerheart pad away.
“Yes.” Dovewing nodded toward Boulderfur and Troutstream, who lingered uncertainly near the entrance with their patrols. “It’s time for you to go home. The battle is won and I need to be with my Clanmates.” And yet it feels as if everything has been lost. She drew in a breath, then slid quietly in beside Bumblestripe. Rain dripped into her eyes and she blinked it away. Bumblestripe shifted so that his pelt rested warmly against her. Dovewing felt his breath against her ear.
“You’re safe now,” he murmured. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
“I know.” She didn’t look around as she heard Tigerheart pad away.
DOVEWING'S SILENCE
“Ouch! Mind my eyes!”
“Sorry!” Dovewing dropped her end of the bramble and backed off to let Bumblestripe scramble clear. They were working on the collapsed wall of the warriors’ den. Dustpelt was supposed to be supervising but he had vanished; Dovewing guessed he was visiting Ferncloud’s burial place. It had only been two sunrises since they buried the cats who fell in the battle, and neither Dustpelt nor Brackenfur seemed willing to leave their mates alone in their cold earthen nests. None of their Clanmates had challenged them on it; there was nothing but compassion for their unspeakable grief.
The cats who had fought briefly on the side of the Dark Forest, however, were still being treated as if they had greencough. They had taken to sleeping separately in a space behind the elders’ den. Last night Ivypool had joined them, and Dovewing wondered if her sister felt guilty because she seemed to be treated more favorably by the cats who had seen her take on Hawkfrost. Dovewing’s pelt pricked at the injustice of the situation, and she waited for Bramblestar to say something but he was busy with Squirrelflight, organizing patrols to hunt for food and repair the dens.
Bumblestripe nudged Dovewing. “It’s all right, I think I escaped with my sight,” he joked. “Come on, help me untangle this ivy.” They started to unravel the knot of dark green leaves. All the cats were trying to salvage as much of the dens as they could to save having to find fresh leafy branches so late in the season.
[...]
Blackstar struggled to his paws and lashed his tail. “We are still bound by our alliance during the Great Battle!” he hissed. “This is a problem faced by all the Clans, and therefore we should deal with it together. There cannot be any inequity between us.”
“Whoa!” Bumblestripe breathed in Dovewing’s ear. “He does know the battle is over, right? We’re not allied with ShadowClan now!”
[...]
Dovewing’s fur had risen along her spine, and Bumblestripe smoothed it down with his muzzle.“Calm down,” he mewed. “You’re not in trouble!”
“But Ivypool could be!” Dovewing snapped. “And my father! These cats can’t be punished for believing the lies that the Dark Forest warriors told them!”
Bumblestripe started to unravel the ivy knot once more. “We can’t forget what happened, Dovewing. Perhaps they need some sort of punishment just to make sure they understand that what
they did was wrong.”
“Blossomfall is your sister,” Dovewing mewed softly. “Do you really think she’d do anything to betray her Clan?”
The gray tom didn’t look up from the strand of ivy. “Training in the Dark Forest was never part of the warrior code,” he muttered.
“Nor was dead cats coming back to life to attack us!” Dovewing reached out with one front paw and rested it on Bumblestripe’s shoulder. “Our Clanmates made a terrible decision, but when it mattered, they were loyal to us, and us alone.”
Bumblestripe finally looked at her, his eyes troubled. “You really believe that.”
Dovewing nodded. “Ivypool is my littermate, just as Blossomfall is yours. I would trust my sister
with my life. Don’t you feel the same way?”
There was a pause, then Bumblestripe nodded. “Thanks, Dovewing,” he whispered.
“Sorry!” Dovewing dropped her end of the bramble and backed off to let Bumblestripe scramble clear. They were working on the collapsed wall of the warriors’ den. Dustpelt was supposed to be supervising but he had vanished; Dovewing guessed he was visiting Ferncloud’s burial place. It had only been two sunrises since they buried the cats who fell in the battle, and neither Dustpelt nor Brackenfur seemed willing to leave their mates alone in their cold earthen nests. None of their Clanmates had challenged them on it; there was nothing but compassion for their unspeakable grief.
The cats who had fought briefly on the side of the Dark Forest, however, were still being treated as if they had greencough. They had taken to sleeping separately in a space behind the elders’ den. Last night Ivypool had joined them, and Dovewing wondered if her sister felt guilty because she seemed to be treated more favorably by the cats who had seen her take on Hawkfrost. Dovewing’s pelt pricked at the injustice of the situation, and she waited for Bramblestar to say something but he was busy with Squirrelflight, organizing patrols to hunt for food and repair the dens.
Bumblestripe nudged Dovewing. “It’s all right, I think I escaped with my sight,” he joked. “Come on, help me untangle this ivy.” They started to unravel the knot of dark green leaves. All the cats were trying to salvage as much of the dens as they could to save having to find fresh leafy branches so late in the season.
[...]
Blackstar struggled to his paws and lashed his tail. “We are still bound by our alliance during the Great Battle!” he hissed. “This is a problem faced by all the Clans, and therefore we should deal with it together. There cannot be any inequity between us.”
“Whoa!” Bumblestripe breathed in Dovewing’s ear. “He does know the battle is over, right? We’re not allied with ShadowClan now!”
[...]
Dovewing’s fur had risen along her spine, and Bumblestripe smoothed it down with his muzzle.“Calm down,” he mewed. “You’re not in trouble!”
“But Ivypool could be!” Dovewing snapped. “And my father! These cats can’t be punished for believing the lies that the Dark Forest warriors told them!”
Bumblestripe started to unravel the ivy knot once more. “We can’t forget what happened, Dovewing. Perhaps they need some sort of punishment just to make sure they understand that what
they did was wrong.”
“Blossomfall is your sister,” Dovewing mewed softly. “Do you really think she’d do anything to betray her Clan?”
The gray tom didn’t look up from the strand of ivy. “Training in the Dark Forest was never part of the warrior code,” he muttered.
“Nor was dead cats coming back to life to attack us!” Dovewing reached out with one front paw and rested it on Bumblestripe’s shoulder. “Our Clanmates made a terrible decision, but when it mattered, they were loyal to us, and us alone.”
Bumblestripe finally looked at her, his eyes troubled. “You really believe that.”
Dovewing nodded. “Ivypool is my littermate, just as Blossomfall is yours. I would trust my sister
with my life. Don’t you feel the same way?”
There was a pause, then Bumblestripe nodded. “Thanks, Dovewing,” he whispered.
“I hope this works,” Bumblestripe muttered. Dovewing rested her tail-tip on his shoulder. I hope so too.
Bumblestripe stirred beside Dovewing. “I feel sorry for her, but none of us are getting any sleep,” he murmured, his breath warm on her neck. “Maybe she should see Jayfeather.”
“I’m sure she’s thought of that,” Dovewing muttered back. Her eyes were gritty from lack of sleep and she wished Sandstorm would be quiet too, but she felt nothing but sympathy for the poor she-cat, who had kept them awake for three nights in a row now.
“I’m sure she’s thought of that,” Dovewing muttered back. Her eyes were gritty from lack of sleep and she wished Sandstorm would be quiet too, but she felt nothing but sympathy for the poor she-cat, who had kept them awake for three nights in a row now.
As the cats headed down through the trees toward the shore, Dovewing trotted to catch up with Bumblestripe. They’d basked together in an unexpected burst of sunshine earlier that day, and she was feeling warm and affectionate toward him. “Wait for me!” she puffed.
The big gray-and-black tom paused and looked back at her. “Come on, little legs!” he teased.
They reached the shore with the others and turned along the stony beach. The pebbles gleamed in the moonlight, and tiny waves lapped beside them. Dovewing cast her hearing out the way she used to on these nights, listening for the preparations for departure in each of the other Clans. Were they feeling apprehensive about this Gathering, too? But her ears were full of the sound of paws crunching over stones and water washing on the shore.
Dovewing frowned and concentrated harder. I must be able to hear something! My senses have had time to recover from the battle! I have to make Lionblaze and Jayfeather talk to me about their powers. What if we’re all losing them? Suddenly her paw was caught underneath a branch and she lurched forward. She would have fallen flat on her face if Bumblestripe hadn’t shoved his shoulder underneath her to boost her back onto her feet.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Fine,” Dovewing snapped. “I didn’t see that branch in the shadows, that’s all.” She noticed his ears flatten with hurt and felt a stab of guilt. Even if she couldn’t tell him what was going on, he didn’t deserve to be treated unkindly. “Thanks for catching me!” she purred. “I’d have looked dumber than a sheep if I’d landed on my muzzle!”
“I’ll always be here to catch you,” Bumblestripe murmured. He nuzzled the back of her head before stepping away and they walked on in silence, close enough for their fur to brush together.
The big gray-and-black tom paused and looked back at her. “Come on, little legs!” he teased.
They reached the shore with the others and turned along the stony beach. The pebbles gleamed in the moonlight, and tiny waves lapped beside them. Dovewing cast her hearing out the way she used to on these nights, listening for the preparations for departure in each of the other Clans. Were they feeling apprehensive about this Gathering, too? But her ears were full of the sound of paws crunching over stones and water washing on the shore.
Dovewing frowned and concentrated harder. I must be able to hear something! My senses have had time to recover from the battle! I have to make Lionblaze and Jayfeather talk to me about their powers. What if we’re all losing them? Suddenly her paw was caught underneath a branch and she lurched forward. She would have fallen flat on her face if Bumblestripe hadn’t shoved his shoulder underneath her to boost her back onto her feet.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Fine,” Dovewing snapped. “I didn’t see that branch in the shadows, that’s all.” She noticed his ears flatten with hurt and felt a stab of guilt. Even if she couldn’t tell him what was going on, he didn’t deserve to be treated unkindly. “Thanks for catching me!” she purred. “I’d have looked dumber than a sheep if I’d landed on my muzzle!”
“I’ll always be here to catch you,” Bumblestripe murmured. He nuzzled the back of her head before stepping away and they walked on in silence, close enough for their fur to brush together.
After spotting Breezepelt and Ratscar, Dovewing found herself searching for a familiar dark tabby pelt among the ShadowClan cats. As she watched, the warriors shifted to make room for Blackstar, who was heading for the leaders’ tree, revealing Tigerheart deep in conversation with
Shrewfoot. The pretty gray cat was gazing up at him as if he was telling her the greatest secret. Dovewing pushed down the pang of jealousy that twisted her belly. It was good that Tigerheart had been forgiven by his Clanmates. Any connection they had once shared was over forever. She had
Bumblestripe now.
Shrewfoot. The pretty gray cat was gazing up at him as if he was telling her the greatest secret. Dovewing pushed down the pang of jealousy that twisted her belly. It was good that Tigerheart had been forgiven by his Clanmates. Any connection they had once shared was over forever. She had
Bumblestripe now.
“Why don’t I join you, Purdy, then Briarlight can have my nest?” Dovewing offered.
Bumblestripe came up to her looking startled. “But I’d miss sleeping next to you!”
“It won’t be for long,” Dovewing told him. “Squirrelflight is planning to build a second den for the warriors, remember?”
Bumblestripe came up to her looking startled. “But I’d miss sleeping next to you!”
“It won’t be for long,” Dovewing told him. “Squirrelflight is planning to build a second den for the warriors, remember?”
Leafpool stood over the fresh-kill pile, making sure each cat was eating properly. When Dovewing selected a rather scrawny mouse, Leafpool reached out with one paw and stopped her. “I’ll have that,” she meowed. “You and Bumblestripe can share this squirrel.”
Dovewing looked at the plump, fluffy creature. “It’s huge!” she pointed out. “We could eat that for
a whole moon!”
“Share it with Purdy, then,” Leafpool urged.
Dovewing dragged the squirrel over to the tree stump, trying not to sneeze as the wispy tail tickled her nose. Purdy licked his lips. “What a feast!” he commented.
“Bumblestripe, join us!” Dovewing called. The big gray tom trotted over with Sandstorm at his heels.
Dovewing looked at the plump, fluffy creature. “It’s huge!” she pointed out. “We could eat that for
a whole moon!”
“Share it with Purdy, then,” Leafpool urged.
Dovewing dragged the squirrel over to the tree stump, trying not to sneeze as the wispy tail tickled her nose. Purdy licked his lips. “What a feast!” he commented.
“Bumblestripe, join us!” Dovewing called. The big gray tom trotted over with Sandstorm at his heels.
There was a ripple of shock as cats emerged from the dens or put down the fresh-kill they’d been eating. Bumblestripe raced over to Dovewing. “What’s happened? Are you all right?”
She breathed in his warm scent and let it comfort her. “I’ll be okay,” she mewed.
[...]
“I still don’t know exactly what’s gone on, but whatever you’ve done, thank you,” Bumblestripe murmured. “This means so much to me.” He gazed warmly at his sister, who was surrounded by warriors asking if she was okay after the fight with the fox.
“I know it does,” Dovewing whispered.[...]
She breathed in his warm scent and let it comfort her. “I’ll be okay,” she mewed.
[...]
“I still don’t know exactly what’s gone on, but whatever you’ve done, thank you,” Bumblestripe murmured. “This means so much to me.” He gazed warmly at his sister, who was surrounded by warriors asking if she was okay after the fight with the fox.
“I know it does,” Dovewing whispered.[...]
BRAMBLESTAR'S STORM
More cats jumped in with urgent questions. Only Dovewing looked quiet and subdued. Bramblestar felt a stab of pity. Once she would have been able to look into ShadowClan without leaving the hollow, and listen to their conversations to find out why they were crossing the border, but those days were gone. She feels blind and deaf without her powers, he guessed.
Bumblestripe padded up to Dovewing and pressed his muzzle against her shoulder. “Are you okay?” he whispered.
Dovewing leaned into him. “I’m fine,” she sighed.
Bumblestripe padded up to Dovewing and pressed his muzzle against her shoulder. “Are you okay?” he whispered.
Dovewing leaned into him. “I’m fine,” she sighed.
“So who will lead a patrol?” Bramblestar asked.
“I will,” Squirrelflight offered immediately.
“And me,” Dustpelt and Ivypool added in chorus.
“I will, too,” Bumblestripe meowed. “Except . . . Dovewing, will you be okay if I leave you?”
“I’ll be fine,” Dovewing replied, though she was working her claws agitatedly into the ground.
Bramblestar could see that she was in too much of a state to be sent out on patrol. She was still trying to use her far-senses, even though she had lost them right after the battle. She feels like she’s deaf and blind, and she can’t bear it!
“I will,” Squirrelflight offered immediately.
“And me,” Dustpelt and Ivypool added in chorus.
“I will, too,” Bumblestripe meowed. “Except . . . Dovewing, will you be okay if I leave you?”
“I’ll be fine,” Dovewing replied, though she was working her claws agitatedly into the ground.
Bramblestar could see that she was in too much of a state to be sent out on patrol. She was still trying to use her far-senses, even though she had lost them right after the battle. She feels like she’s deaf and blind, and she can’t bear it!
“Keep still,” Lilypaw mewed, padding up to her sister and stripping off the moss with careful scrapes of her claws. “Honestly, Seedpaw, sometimes you’re such a stupid furball.”
Seedpaw blinked in embarrassment and her tail drooped.
“But you’re right, that was a great pounce,” Dovewing put in. “And Bumblestripe tells me you’re an awesome hunter. Maybe you’d like to show me some of your skills?”
Seedpaw brightened up a little. “I know you’re only trying to make me feel better,” she mewed. “And hoping I won’t think about hunting over the ridge anymore. But sure, I’ll show you if you want.”
“Thanks, that would be great,” Dovewing responded, with a hint of amusement.
As the patrol moved off again, Bumblestripe padded alongside Dovewing. “That was kind,” he murmured, brushing his muzzle against the she-cat’s shoulder. “Thanks, Dovewing.”
“I like working with the apprentices,” Dovewing purred.
“I can’t wait for us to have our own kits,” Bumblestripe went on. “I know you’ll be a great mother.”
To Bramblestar’s surprise, Dovewing stepped away from her mate. “There’s plenty of time for that,” she mewed. “We need to deal with the flood first.”
Bumblestripe flattened his ears. “Right, okay,” he murmured, but Bramblestar wondered if Dovewing had seen the hurt look in his eyes. Were things all right between them?
Seedpaw blinked in embarrassment and her tail drooped.
“But you’re right, that was a great pounce,” Dovewing put in. “And Bumblestripe tells me you’re an awesome hunter. Maybe you’d like to show me some of your skills?”
Seedpaw brightened up a little. “I know you’re only trying to make me feel better,” she mewed. “And hoping I won’t think about hunting over the ridge anymore. But sure, I’ll show you if you want.”
“Thanks, that would be great,” Dovewing responded, with a hint of amusement.
As the patrol moved off again, Bumblestripe padded alongside Dovewing. “That was kind,” he murmured, brushing his muzzle against the she-cat’s shoulder. “Thanks, Dovewing.”
“I like working with the apprentices,” Dovewing purred.
“I can’t wait for us to have our own kits,” Bumblestripe went on. “I know you’ll be a great mother.”
To Bramblestar’s surprise, Dovewing stepped away from her mate. “There’s plenty of time for that,” she mewed. “We need to deal with the flood first.”
Bumblestripe flattened his ears. “Right, okay,” he murmured, but Bramblestar wondered if Dovewing had seen the hurt look in his eyes. Were things all right between them?
When the patrol arrived back at the tunnel, Frankie and Minty hurried forward to admire Jessy’s rook. Bramblestar looked around for Squirrelflight, to report to her about the badger traces, but before he spotted her Bumblestripe sprang up from where he was sitting beside the mudpile and raced over to him.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” the young warrior meowed. “I need to talk to you about Dovewing.”
Anxiety sprang up inside Bramblestar. “Is something wrong?”
Bumblestripe shifted his paws uncomfortably. “Follow me,” he mewed.
At Bramblestar’s nod, he led the way along the tunnel and past the nests, into the shadows beyond.
“You haven’t been going down here, have you?” Bramblestar asked, astonishment and fear making his heart thud. “You know the tunnels are dangerous!”
“I know,” Bumblestripe assured him. “But Dovewing’s safe. You just need to see this.”
Unpleasant memories of the drain and Benny’s body filled Bramblestar’s mind as he followed Bumblestripe into the narrow, dripping darkness. For all his efforts to concentrate, he kept bumping into the walls. His pads grew numb from the cold, damp floor and every hair on his pelt longed to turn and head back to the light.
Then Bramblestar heard a faint meowing coming from somewhere ahead. “What’s that?” he asked sharply, halting.
“Shh!” Bumblestripe whispered. “Listen!”
“Hello! Hello!” The sound came echoing up the tunnel.
Now Bramblestar recognized the voice. “It’s Dovewing! Is she lost?” he gasped.
“No,” Bumblestripe replied. “Come on.”
Bramblestar followed him, creeping forward until they came to a place where three tunnels met. A thin shaft of light pierced the darkness from a crack in the roof. Peering over Bumblestripe’s shoulder, Bramblestar could see Dovewing standing with her back toward them. Clearly she had no idea they were there.
“Hello! Hello!” she called again. Then she waited in silence, her ears pricked, as her voice echoed away down the tunnels.
“What’s she doing?” Bramblestar whispered.
Bumblestripe glanced back at him, his eyes filled with pain. “She’s testing how long she can hear the echoes,” he told Bramblestar. “She—she wants to be able to hear again.”
“I’ve been waiting for you,” the young warrior meowed. “I need to talk to you about Dovewing.”
Anxiety sprang up inside Bramblestar. “Is something wrong?”
Bumblestripe shifted his paws uncomfortably. “Follow me,” he mewed.
At Bramblestar’s nod, he led the way along the tunnel and past the nests, into the shadows beyond.
“You haven’t been going down here, have you?” Bramblestar asked, astonishment and fear making his heart thud. “You know the tunnels are dangerous!”
“I know,” Bumblestripe assured him. “But Dovewing’s safe. You just need to see this.”
Unpleasant memories of the drain and Benny’s body filled Bramblestar’s mind as he followed Bumblestripe into the narrow, dripping darkness. For all his efforts to concentrate, he kept bumping into the walls. His pads grew numb from the cold, damp floor and every hair on his pelt longed to turn and head back to the light.
Then Bramblestar heard a faint meowing coming from somewhere ahead. “What’s that?” he asked sharply, halting.
“Shh!” Bumblestripe whispered. “Listen!”
“Hello! Hello!” The sound came echoing up the tunnel.
Now Bramblestar recognized the voice. “It’s Dovewing! Is she lost?” he gasped.
“No,” Bumblestripe replied. “Come on.”
Bramblestar followed him, creeping forward until they came to a place where three tunnels met. A thin shaft of light pierced the darkness from a crack in the roof. Peering over Bumblestripe’s shoulder, Bramblestar could see Dovewing standing with her back toward them. Clearly she had no idea they were there.
“Hello! Hello!” she called again. Then she waited in silence, her ears pricked, as her voice echoed away down the tunnels.
“What’s she doing?” Bramblestar whispered.
Bumblestripe glanced back at him, his eyes filled with pain. “She’s testing how long she can hear the echoes,” he told Bramblestar. “She—she wants to be able to hear again.”
“Hello!” Dovewing called again. “Hello!”
“But she’s not deaf,” Bramblestar murmured in dismay. I thought she had accepted that her powers had gone.
“She thinks she is,” Bumblestripe responded. “Compared with how she was . . . before.”
Bramblestar thought of Lionblaze, furious that he had to wait for his wounds to heal. Was it worth these cats having their special powers, he wondered, when they suffer such agony losing them? Only Jayfeather seemed untroubled, but he was still able to be a medicine cat, just like before. And I’ve never known what goes through Jayfeather’s mind.
Bramblestar padded forward. Dovewing jumped at the sound of his paw steps, and spun around to face him. After one glance into his eyes she hung her head and shuffled her front paws on the stone. “Bumblestripe told me what you’re trying to do,” Bramblestar began.
“It’s none of his business!” Dovewing’s tone was indignant.
“Of course it is,” Bramblestar meowed. “He’s your mate, and he cares for you.”
[...]
Bumblestripe stepped forward out of the shadows. “Dovewing, you’re not angry with me, are you, that I told Bramblestar?”
“No.” But Dovewing brushed past him quickly and headed toward the camp without looking back.
“But she’s not deaf,” Bramblestar murmured in dismay. I thought she had accepted that her powers had gone.
“She thinks she is,” Bumblestripe responded. “Compared with how she was . . . before.”
Bramblestar thought of Lionblaze, furious that he had to wait for his wounds to heal. Was it worth these cats having their special powers, he wondered, when they suffer such agony losing them? Only Jayfeather seemed untroubled, but he was still able to be a medicine cat, just like before. And I’ve never known what goes through Jayfeather’s mind.
Bramblestar padded forward. Dovewing jumped at the sound of his paw steps, and spun around to face him. After one glance into his eyes she hung her head and shuffled her front paws on the stone. “Bumblestripe told me what you’re trying to do,” Bramblestar began.
“It’s none of his business!” Dovewing’s tone was indignant.
“Of course it is,” Bramblestar meowed. “He’s your mate, and he cares for you.”
[...]
Bumblestripe stepped forward out of the shadows. “Dovewing, you’re not angry with me, are you, that I told Bramblestar?”
“No.” But Dovewing brushed past him quickly and headed toward the camp without looking back.
“Thanks,” Bramblestar panted with a nod to Bumblestripe. “Where’s Dovewing?”
Bumblestripe angled his ears across the clearing. “There,” he mewed grimly.
Looking where he pointed, Bramblestar saw Dovewing attacking a young badger side by side with Tigerheart. First one, then the other would dart forward, slash at the badger’s muzzle, and leap back, confusing the badger because it didn’t know which cat to attack first.
Leap and slash . . . leap and slash . . . At first Bramblestar was impressed by the unspoken closeness between the two young cats, the natural rhythm they shared as they drove the badger back into a bramble thicket. But after a moment the sight began to trouble him. Where did they learn to fight together like that? Any cat would think those two had known each other for moons, and trained together.
Bumblestripe angled his ears across the clearing. “There,” he mewed grimly.
Looking where he pointed, Bramblestar saw Dovewing attacking a young badger side by side with Tigerheart. First one, then the other would dart forward, slash at the badger’s muzzle, and leap back, confusing the badger because it didn’t know which cat to attack first.
Leap and slash . . . leap and slash . . . At first Bramblestar was impressed by the unspoken closeness between the two young cats, the natural rhythm they shared as they drove the badger back into a bramble thicket. But after a moment the sight began to trouble him. Where did they learn to fight together like that? Any cat would think those two had known each other for moons, and trained together.
“What’s this I hear, that Bumblestripe and Dovewing aren’t mates anymore?” Rosepetal asked.
Surprised, Bramblestar flicked a glance around the clearing and saw that the two warriors were eating on opposite sides of the group, about as far away from each other as they could get. Both of them looked downcast, and kept their gaze firmly fixed on their prey.
“That’s right,” Blossomfall replied to Rosepetal. “But I never did think Dovewing was right for my brother. She’s always been a bit . . . different, hasn’t she?”
Rosepetal murmured agreement. “I’m sure Bumblestripe will find another mate soon,” she mewed. “He’s so nice.”
Blossomfall gave her a friendly prod. “I’ll put in a good word for you, if you like!”
Surprised, Bramblestar flicked a glance around the clearing and saw that the two warriors were eating on opposite sides of the group, about as far away from each other as they could get. Both of them looked downcast, and kept their gaze firmly fixed on their prey.
“That’s right,” Blossomfall replied to Rosepetal. “But I never did think Dovewing was right for my brother. She’s always been a bit . . . different, hasn’t she?”
Rosepetal murmured agreement. “I’m sure Bumblestripe will find another mate soon,” she mewed. “He’s so nice.”
Blossomfall gave her a friendly prod. “I’ll put in a good word for you, if you like!”
THUNDER AND SHADOW
He glanced at Tigerheart. The broad-shouldered tom’s gaze was fixed on Dovewing again. He always seemed to have one eye on the blue-eyed she-cat. Dovewing seemed unaware of it now, deep in conversation with Bumblestripe. But Tigerheart kept watching, his eyes narrowing as Bumblestripe moved closer to his Clanmate. A shiver ran through Alderpaw’s fur. Do Dovewing and Tigerheart share some kind of history? The sooner these ShadowClan cats are gone, the better.
SHATTERED SKY (bonus scene)
“Yesterday . . . what was that all about?” Dovewing demanded.
Ivypool didn't reply at once. Instead she rubbed a paw over her eyes, then thrust out her forelegs, raising her hindquarters to give her whole body a good long stretch.
Dovewing knew when her sister was stalling.
Finally, Ivypool sat up and cocked her head to one side. “What do you mean?” she asked.
“Don't play dumb,” Dovewing retorted, unable to stop her claws from digging into the moss that covered the floor of the den. “You know what I mean. What got into you when you argued against a quest to find Twigpaw's kin?”
“Nothing 'got into' me,” Ivypool replied, an edge to her voice.
“Do you really think ThunderClan can afford to send any warriors away
when we're in the middle of all this trouble with Darktail? Besides,” she
went on, before Dovewing could respond, “I don't think Twigpaw needs
the distraction right now. It would be wrong to get her hopes up—she'd only be more hurt if the search turned up nothing. Why do that to an apprentice? My apprentice, in case you've forgotten.”
“I haven't forgotten.” Dovewing spoke through gritted teeth. “But Twigpaw is already upset. As her mentor, you should care about that.”
The tip of Ivypool's tail twitched slowly to and fro. “Might I suggest that you mind your own business?” she hissed. “It's about time you concentrated on things that matter to ThunderClan, and not one of
our guests.”
Dovewing wasn't sure what her sister meant by that. Is she hinting
something about . . . Tigerheart? Did she insist that the quest was a bad idea because he was so quick to volunteer to join it? Would she have had a such a problem if a ThunderClan warrior had spoken up?
As Dovewing thought over her sister's words, she noticed that Ivypool's gaze was fixed on something behind her, Dovewing turned to see that Bumblestripe was padding slowly toward them, his gaze half-eager and half-cautious.
Ivypool angled her ears toward him. You should be able to find everything you want in ThunderClan,” she muttered, then rose to her paws and slipped out into the camp, her silver tabby pelt brushing the branches at the entrance to the den.
Dovewing stormed off in the other direction, across the den. She was still frustrated that she couldn't do anything to help Twigpaw—and Ivypool's parting words had just made her more angry.
Ivypool knows Bumblestripe and I aren't mates anymore. Why does she have to keep meowing on about him?
Rolling her eyes as she heard Bumblestripe's soft paw steps following behind her, Dovewing whipped around to confront him. “What do you think you're doing?” she snapped. “I'm not prey you can stalk!”
Bumblestripe backed away from her, a hurt look in his eyes. “I'm sorry,” he mewed. “I was just going to ask you if you want to go on a hunt with me, that's all.”
Dovewing's head dropped as she regretted her harsh words. “I'm sorry, too,” she told him. “I didn't sleep well last night.”
“It's okay,” Bumblestripe responded with a wave of his tail. “Would you like to go, then?”
Dovewing wondered if this was a good idea. She knew that Bumblestripe wanted them to get back together, and she was always careful not to be too encouraging. But now she was desperate to take her mind off Twigpaw's sadness, and her own quarrel with Ivypool. “Okay,” she agreed.
Bumblestripe's tail shot straight up in the air as he led the way out of the den and headed across the camp to the thorn tunnel. As Dovewing
followed, she glimpsed Ivypool standing beside the fresh-kill pile with Thornclaw and Poppyfrost. Dovewing could feel her sister's gaze trained on her, but she willed herself not to look back.
[...]
“It's a perfect day!” Bumblestripe exclaimed, his whiskers quivering with enthusiasm. “Let's hunt near the old Twoleg nest. I don't think any patrols have gone that way for a day or two.”
He set off, bounding along the abandoned Thunderpath, beckoning Dovewing to follow him with a whisk of his tail. Dovewing raced after him, enjoying the cool sensation of wind flowing through her fur, and pushing Twigpaw's troubles and Ivypool's snarky remarks to the back of her mind for the time being. Before long, the crumbling walls of the old Twoleg den came into sight. Thick green, clumps of herbs covered the ground in front of it, their healthy growth showing how carefully Leafpool and Jayfeather had tended them. Dovewing breathed in deeply, letting their sharp scent flow
between her jaws.
Her ears pricked alertly as she picked up another scent.
“Squirrel,” she whispered to Bumblestripe.
She tasted the air again, managing to pinpoint the direction of the scent. The squirrel was scrabbling around among the debris at the foot of an oak tree, long grass hiding all but the tip of its bushy tail.
Dovewing angled her ears toward it. “Over there.”
“Wow!” Bumblestripe breathed out. “Dovewing, you're good at this!”
Dovewing couldn't help feeling warmed by his compliment. After Ivypool's criticisms, it felt good to be around a positive cat.
Things are always so easy with Bumblestripe, she thought. Of course they are . . . that's a big part of why we became mates in the first place.
“I'll work my way around the other side of the tree,” Bumblestripe murmured. “Then you can drive the squirrel straight into my claws.”
“Okay,” Dovewing responded. “But be ready in case it tries to escape up the tree.”
Bumblestripe had already set off, creeping along in a wide circle with his belly pressed close to the ground. His pale gray pelt with its black stripes was nearly invisible in the long grass.
Dovewing raised her head to check the direction of the breeze, and was relieved to find it was blowing straight toward her. She dropped into the hunter's crouch and eased herself forward, paw step by paw step, keeping her eyes fixed on the squirrel.
But before she could reach pouncing distance, a black bird exploded out of a nearby thicket, letting out a strident alarm call. Dovewing wasn't sure whether she or Bumblestripe had disturbed it.
“Mouse dung!” she hissed.
The squirrel sat up, alerted, then sprang up the trunk of the oak tree. With a yowl of frustration, Dovewing hurled herself at it, and managed to snag her claws into its tail. A heartbeat later, Bumblestripe was beside her, pulling down the struggling squirrel and killing it with a swift bite to its neck.
“Great catch!” he exclaimed.
“It was yours, really,” Dovewing meowed.
“We did it together.” Bumblestripe's eyes glowed as he looked at her. “Don't we make the best team, Dovewing?”
Her pelt hot with embarrassment, Dovewing ducked her head and turned aside, not wanting to meet that intense gaze. “Let's see what else we can find,” she mumbled.
Bumblestripe padded alongside her, his pelt brushing hers, as the two cats headed farther into the forest. Dovewing wished she could feel
what he wanted her to feel.
He's such a great cat, she thought. He's not just a brave warrior; he's kind and gentle as well. Am I being a real mouse-brain? Should I be his mate again?
Her thoughts churned around inside her until, rounding a bramble thicket, she spotted a starling fluttering to the ground from the branch of a holly bush. She touched Bumblestripe on the shoulder with her tail-tip, then pointed toward the bird.
“Great!” Bumblestripe whispered. “You stay here. I've got this.”
Dovewing opened her jaws to protest, then realized that any sound she made would alert the prey. Bumblestripe had already flattened himself against the ground and was sliding cautiously through the undergrowth toward the starling.
All I can do is sit here like a frozen rabbit while he catches my
starling!
Dovewing's claws flexed, digging into the earth, and her tail-tip twitched as she watched Bumblestripe launch himself into a long, smooth pounce and kill the starling before it even knew he was there.
He turned back, padding toward Dovewing with the prey in his jaws and the light of triumph in his eyes. Dovewing knew that she should praise him for such a skillful catch, but she was too irritated.
“I spotted that!” she snapped at him. “I'm not a kit, you know. I can catch my own prey! If you wanted to do all the hunting yourself, you shouldn't have asked me to come.”
Bumblestripe's eyes widened with dismay as she spoke, and he bowed his head as he let the starling fall at Dovewing's paws. “Sorry,” he
muttered.
Dovewing immediately felt bad. She knew that Bumblestripe had only been trying to impress her.
He just wants to make me happy, and I don't mean to hurt his feelings . . . but that doesn't make it right for him to treat me like a kit just out of the nest. I can look after myself just fine, and he needs to realize that.
“I'm sorry, too,” she mewed. “I don't like snapping at you, but you need to let me take part. I'm a warrior, just the same as you.”
“I know, Dovewing,” Bumblestripe responded. His eyes as he gazed at her were full of longing. “It's just that I really—”
“We should be getting back to camp,” Dovewing interrupted,bafraid that he was going to tell her he loved her, and ask her to be his mate again. I'm not ready to make that decision yet. “We've caught enough prey for one hunt.”
Bumblestripe didn't protest, though his tail drooped in disappointment as Dovewing led him back toward the stone hollow, stopping on the way to collect the squirrel. They padded along the
abandoned Thunderpath in silence; Dovewing couldn't help remembering how exhilarated she had felt on the way out.
Ivypool didn't reply at once. Instead she rubbed a paw over her eyes, then thrust out her forelegs, raising her hindquarters to give her whole body a good long stretch.
Dovewing knew when her sister was stalling.
Finally, Ivypool sat up and cocked her head to one side. “What do you mean?” she asked.
“Don't play dumb,” Dovewing retorted, unable to stop her claws from digging into the moss that covered the floor of the den. “You know what I mean. What got into you when you argued against a quest to find Twigpaw's kin?”
“Nothing 'got into' me,” Ivypool replied, an edge to her voice.
“Do you really think ThunderClan can afford to send any warriors away
when we're in the middle of all this trouble with Darktail? Besides,” she
went on, before Dovewing could respond, “I don't think Twigpaw needs
the distraction right now. It would be wrong to get her hopes up—she'd only be more hurt if the search turned up nothing. Why do that to an apprentice? My apprentice, in case you've forgotten.”
“I haven't forgotten.” Dovewing spoke through gritted teeth. “But Twigpaw is already upset. As her mentor, you should care about that.”
The tip of Ivypool's tail twitched slowly to and fro. “Might I suggest that you mind your own business?” she hissed. “It's about time you concentrated on things that matter to ThunderClan, and not one of
our guests.”
Dovewing wasn't sure what her sister meant by that. Is she hinting
something about . . . Tigerheart? Did she insist that the quest was a bad idea because he was so quick to volunteer to join it? Would she have had a such a problem if a ThunderClan warrior had spoken up?
As Dovewing thought over her sister's words, she noticed that Ivypool's gaze was fixed on something behind her, Dovewing turned to see that Bumblestripe was padding slowly toward them, his gaze half-eager and half-cautious.
Ivypool angled her ears toward him. You should be able to find everything you want in ThunderClan,” she muttered, then rose to her paws and slipped out into the camp, her silver tabby pelt brushing the branches at the entrance to the den.
Dovewing stormed off in the other direction, across the den. She was still frustrated that she couldn't do anything to help Twigpaw—and Ivypool's parting words had just made her more angry.
Ivypool knows Bumblestripe and I aren't mates anymore. Why does she have to keep meowing on about him?
Rolling her eyes as she heard Bumblestripe's soft paw steps following behind her, Dovewing whipped around to confront him. “What do you think you're doing?” she snapped. “I'm not prey you can stalk!”
Bumblestripe backed away from her, a hurt look in his eyes. “I'm sorry,” he mewed. “I was just going to ask you if you want to go on a hunt with me, that's all.”
Dovewing's head dropped as she regretted her harsh words. “I'm sorry, too,” she told him. “I didn't sleep well last night.”
“It's okay,” Bumblestripe responded with a wave of his tail. “Would you like to go, then?”
Dovewing wondered if this was a good idea. She knew that Bumblestripe wanted them to get back together, and she was always careful not to be too encouraging. But now she was desperate to take her mind off Twigpaw's sadness, and her own quarrel with Ivypool. “Okay,” she agreed.
Bumblestripe's tail shot straight up in the air as he led the way out of the den and headed across the camp to the thorn tunnel. As Dovewing
followed, she glimpsed Ivypool standing beside the fresh-kill pile with Thornclaw and Poppyfrost. Dovewing could feel her sister's gaze trained on her, but she willed herself not to look back.
[...]
“It's a perfect day!” Bumblestripe exclaimed, his whiskers quivering with enthusiasm. “Let's hunt near the old Twoleg nest. I don't think any patrols have gone that way for a day or two.”
He set off, bounding along the abandoned Thunderpath, beckoning Dovewing to follow him with a whisk of his tail. Dovewing raced after him, enjoying the cool sensation of wind flowing through her fur, and pushing Twigpaw's troubles and Ivypool's snarky remarks to the back of her mind for the time being. Before long, the crumbling walls of the old Twoleg den came into sight. Thick green, clumps of herbs covered the ground in front of it, their healthy growth showing how carefully Leafpool and Jayfeather had tended them. Dovewing breathed in deeply, letting their sharp scent flow
between her jaws.
Her ears pricked alertly as she picked up another scent.
“Squirrel,” she whispered to Bumblestripe.
She tasted the air again, managing to pinpoint the direction of the scent. The squirrel was scrabbling around among the debris at the foot of an oak tree, long grass hiding all but the tip of its bushy tail.
Dovewing angled her ears toward it. “Over there.”
“Wow!” Bumblestripe breathed out. “Dovewing, you're good at this!”
Dovewing couldn't help feeling warmed by his compliment. After Ivypool's criticisms, it felt good to be around a positive cat.
Things are always so easy with Bumblestripe, she thought. Of course they are . . . that's a big part of why we became mates in the first place.
“I'll work my way around the other side of the tree,” Bumblestripe murmured. “Then you can drive the squirrel straight into my claws.”
“Okay,” Dovewing responded. “But be ready in case it tries to escape up the tree.”
Bumblestripe had already set off, creeping along in a wide circle with his belly pressed close to the ground. His pale gray pelt with its black stripes was nearly invisible in the long grass.
Dovewing raised her head to check the direction of the breeze, and was relieved to find it was blowing straight toward her. She dropped into the hunter's crouch and eased herself forward, paw step by paw step, keeping her eyes fixed on the squirrel.
But before she could reach pouncing distance, a black bird exploded out of a nearby thicket, letting out a strident alarm call. Dovewing wasn't sure whether she or Bumblestripe had disturbed it.
“Mouse dung!” she hissed.
The squirrel sat up, alerted, then sprang up the trunk of the oak tree. With a yowl of frustration, Dovewing hurled herself at it, and managed to snag her claws into its tail. A heartbeat later, Bumblestripe was beside her, pulling down the struggling squirrel and killing it with a swift bite to its neck.
“Great catch!” he exclaimed.
“It was yours, really,” Dovewing meowed.
“We did it together.” Bumblestripe's eyes glowed as he looked at her. “Don't we make the best team, Dovewing?”
Her pelt hot with embarrassment, Dovewing ducked her head and turned aside, not wanting to meet that intense gaze. “Let's see what else we can find,” she mumbled.
Bumblestripe padded alongside her, his pelt brushing hers, as the two cats headed farther into the forest. Dovewing wished she could feel
what he wanted her to feel.
He's such a great cat, she thought. He's not just a brave warrior; he's kind and gentle as well. Am I being a real mouse-brain? Should I be his mate again?
Her thoughts churned around inside her until, rounding a bramble thicket, she spotted a starling fluttering to the ground from the branch of a holly bush. She touched Bumblestripe on the shoulder with her tail-tip, then pointed toward the bird.
“Great!” Bumblestripe whispered. “You stay here. I've got this.”
Dovewing opened her jaws to protest, then realized that any sound she made would alert the prey. Bumblestripe had already flattened himself against the ground and was sliding cautiously through the undergrowth toward the starling.
All I can do is sit here like a frozen rabbit while he catches my
starling!
Dovewing's claws flexed, digging into the earth, and her tail-tip twitched as she watched Bumblestripe launch himself into a long, smooth pounce and kill the starling before it even knew he was there.
He turned back, padding toward Dovewing with the prey in his jaws and the light of triumph in his eyes. Dovewing knew that she should praise him for such a skillful catch, but she was too irritated.
“I spotted that!” she snapped at him. “I'm not a kit, you know. I can catch my own prey! If you wanted to do all the hunting yourself, you shouldn't have asked me to come.”
Bumblestripe's eyes widened with dismay as she spoke, and he bowed his head as he let the starling fall at Dovewing's paws. “Sorry,” he
muttered.
Dovewing immediately felt bad. She knew that Bumblestripe had only been trying to impress her.
He just wants to make me happy, and I don't mean to hurt his feelings . . . but that doesn't make it right for him to treat me like a kit just out of the nest. I can look after myself just fine, and he needs to realize that.
“I'm sorry, too,” she mewed. “I don't like snapping at you, but you need to let me take part. I'm a warrior, just the same as you.”
“I know, Dovewing,” Bumblestripe responded. His eyes as he gazed at her were full of longing. “It's just that I really—”
“We should be getting back to camp,” Dovewing interrupted,bafraid that he was going to tell her he loved her, and ask her to be his mate again. I'm not ready to make that decision yet. “We've caught enough prey for one hunt.”
Bumblestripe didn't protest, though his tail drooped in disappointment as Dovewing led him back toward the stone hollow, stopping on the way to collect the squirrel. They padded along the
abandoned Thunderpath in silence; Dovewing couldn't help remembering how exhilarated she had felt on the way out.
I can't join the others yet, Dovewing thought, quietly stepping away. It's all so dreadful. . . . I need time to get it into my head that Purdy is gone.
But as she headed toward the warriors' den, Dovewing realized that Bumblestripe was at her tail. Annoyance surged through her, pushing aside her sadness, and she had to swallow it so that she didn't snap at Bumblestripe again.
Can't I go anywhere without him wanting to go too? Can't I even grieve by myself?
She paused just outside the warriors' den and waited for Bumblestripe to catch up. He stood close beside her and bent his head toward hers, speaking in a low voice so that no other cat could hear.
“Dovewing, do you remember after the Great Storm, how you boosted Seedpaw's confidence on that hunting patrol?”
Dovewing stared at him, puzzled, and fought down another pang of grief as she thought of the young apprentice, who had drowned in the floodwater before she had the chance to become a warrior.
“Yes . . . why?” she asked cautiously.
“I told you then what a great mother you would be,” Bumblestripe replied. “I couldn't wait for us to have kits of our own—and then everything went wrong between us, and I still don't understand why. Dovewing, couldn't we try again? Losing Purdy like this . . . it's made me realize that life is short. What are we waiting for? You're the only cat I want, and . . . and a Clan is always given new life when it welcomes new kits. Wouldn't you agree?”
Bumblestripe fell silent, his gaze fixed on Dovewing with a desperate hope as he waited for her reply.
Why does he have to bring this up now? Dovewing wondered, struggling to stop her shoulder fur from bristling with anger. We're all grieving for Purdy, and even before that I wasn't sure. . . . Oh, StarClan, I'm so confused!
“Have you forgotten that Darktail is still out there?” she asked Bumblestripe, a growl in her throat even though she tried to speak calmly. “He's still looming over the Clans like we're all a bunch of mice he and his Kin can pick off when they feel like it. Every Clan needs its warriors to be strong and healthy, able to fight—and I won't be able to do much fighting if I have a bellyful of kits, will I?”
“But Dovewing—” Bumblestripe began to protest.
“You don't know what you're meowing about!” Dovewing ignored the interruption. “Bringing new kits into a Clan right now is not giving it new life! All it will do is bring us more death and heartbreak. I will not go through a kitting just so Darktail and his Kin can have more fresh, helpless victims!”
By the time she had finished speaking, Dovewing had given up trying to stay calm. Her voice was a low hiss of fury, and her pelt brushed up like she was facing an enemy.
Bumblestripe took a pace back, his eyes filled with hurt. For a few heartbeats he did not respond, as if he was giving Dovewing the chance
to settle down again.
“ThunderClan will be stronger with new kits,” he meowed at last. “It will give us more cats who can fight in the future, as well as giving our warriors something to fight for today.” As Dovewing realized that he hadn't understood a word she had said, he added, “I really, really want you to think about this.” Then with a dip of his head, he turned away to join the cats who were gathering around Purdy's body, waiting for the vigil to begin.
But as she headed toward the warriors' den, Dovewing realized that Bumblestripe was at her tail. Annoyance surged through her, pushing aside her sadness, and she had to swallow it so that she didn't snap at Bumblestripe again.
Can't I go anywhere without him wanting to go too? Can't I even grieve by myself?
She paused just outside the warriors' den and waited for Bumblestripe to catch up. He stood close beside her and bent his head toward hers, speaking in a low voice so that no other cat could hear.
“Dovewing, do you remember after the Great Storm, how you boosted Seedpaw's confidence on that hunting patrol?”
Dovewing stared at him, puzzled, and fought down another pang of grief as she thought of the young apprentice, who had drowned in the floodwater before she had the chance to become a warrior.
“Yes . . . why?” she asked cautiously.
“I told you then what a great mother you would be,” Bumblestripe replied. “I couldn't wait for us to have kits of our own—and then everything went wrong between us, and I still don't understand why. Dovewing, couldn't we try again? Losing Purdy like this . . . it's made me realize that life is short. What are we waiting for? You're the only cat I want, and . . . and a Clan is always given new life when it welcomes new kits. Wouldn't you agree?”
Bumblestripe fell silent, his gaze fixed on Dovewing with a desperate hope as he waited for her reply.
Why does he have to bring this up now? Dovewing wondered, struggling to stop her shoulder fur from bristling with anger. We're all grieving for Purdy, and even before that I wasn't sure. . . . Oh, StarClan, I'm so confused!
“Have you forgotten that Darktail is still out there?” she asked Bumblestripe, a growl in her throat even though she tried to speak calmly. “He's still looming over the Clans like we're all a bunch of mice he and his Kin can pick off when they feel like it. Every Clan needs its warriors to be strong and healthy, able to fight—and I won't be able to do much fighting if I have a bellyful of kits, will I?”
“But Dovewing—” Bumblestripe began to protest.
“You don't know what you're meowing about!” Dovewing ignored the interruption. “Bringing new kits into a Clan right now is not giving it new life! All it will do is bring us more death and heartbreak. I will not go through a kitting just so Darktail and his Kin can have more fresh, helpless victims!”
By the time she had finished speaking, Dovewing had given up trying to stay calm. Her voice was a low hiss of fury, and her pelt brushed up like she was facing an enemy.
Bumblestripe took a pace back, his eyes filled with hurt. For a few heartbeats he did not respond, as if he was giving Dovewing the chance
to settle down again.
“ThunderClan will be stronger with new kits,” he meowed at last. “It will give us more cats who can fight in the future, as well as giving our warriors something to fight for today.” As Dovewing realized that he hadn't understood a word she had said, he added, “I really, really want you to think about this.” Then with a dip of his head, he turned away to join the cats who were gathering around Purdy's body, waiting for the vigil to begin.
Tigerheart padded up to her and sat beside her, blinking sympathetically. “I can see why you'd be upset,” he mewed. “I know how important Purdy was to your Clan. But there's something else, isn't
there?”
Dovewing didn't want to answer. How can I tell Tigerheart about
what Bumblestripe said to me?
Then Tigerheart touched her shoulder with the tip of his tail. “If you want to talk, I won't repeat it to any cat,” he promised.
After another heartbeat's hesitation, Dovewing let out a sigh. “I feel bad about an argument I had with Bumblestripe,” she confessed. “He wants us to have kits together. I told him I wouldn't. This is not the time
to talk about having kits, is it?”
For a long moment Tigerheart was silent. Dovewing tried to read
his expression; his eyes were deep and dark, giving away nothing about
what he was thinking.
“You're right, Dovewing,” he responded at last. “This is not the time—not at all. I don't think any cats should have kits when their hearts are so heavy with grief. Surely they'd pass that bad feeling on to their kits.”
As he spoke, Dovewing felt a twinge of something in her chest: a mixture of relief and sadness, which combined into a feeling of utter frustration. Tigerheart understands, she thought. Why does he have to be
a ShadowClan cat?
Tigerheart tilted his head to one side. “I guess we're all coming up to that age,” he meowed. “The age when we start having kits.”
Dovewing turned her head away, unsure how she felt about that remark. Do I want him to agree with me? To tell me not to have kits with Bumblestripe?
Once again, Tigerheart was silent for a few moments that seemed to stretch out for moons. Dovewing couldn't begin to guess what he was thinking. When he finally spoke, it was only to say, “I think we should go back. Otherwise some cats might . . . might ask questions.”
Nodding agreement, Dovewing headed back through the thorn tunnel. Her feelings were in chaos, as if a whole nestful of sparrows were chasing once another around her chest and belly. All she was sure of was that she didn't want to catch Bumblestripe's eye when she returned to the hollow.
[...]
The rest of the Clan fell into a somber silence as they watched over Purdy's body. Dovewing felt that Bumblestripe was staring at her, though she resolutely avoided his gaze. Sharp claws of guilt dug into her again.
I should be thinking about him, not Tigerheart—but I wish I knew
why Tigerheart behaved so strangely when I told him what Bumblestripe
had said about us having kits together.
[...]
“Don't blame yourself,” Bramblestar reassured her. “We all agreed that this was not the right time to search for SkyClan. No one cat is responsible. All we can do now is send some cats out to look for Twigpaw and bring her home safe.”
“I'll go,” Tigerheart offered immediately, his eyes gleaming at the prospect of adventure.
Dovewing's gaze flew instantly to Bumblestripe, to see his head turned away from Bramblestar. Obviously, he had no intention of volunteering for this quest.
“And so will I,” she meowed, weaving her way through the assembled cats until she reached Tigerheart's side.
Are you going because you want to find Twigpaw? a voice in her head asked her. Or are you taking any chance to get away from the Clan, and all that Bumblestripe is expecting from you?
Shut up! she told herself, trying to silence the annoying voice. I'm going, and that's that!
[...]
But as Dovewing turned to leave, she caught Bumblestripe's gaze as he stared at her from across the camp. Her heart clenched in pity at his
hurt, almost disbelieving expression.
I know he's worried about me. He must hate that I'm so eager to leave.
For a moment Dovewing felt a thorn scratch of fear that Bumblestripe would change his mind and offer to go on the quest. She had a sudden urge to go to him and tell him that it would be better if he didn't.
But that's just mouse-brained, she told herself. How would I even find the words to say that to him? It would be like sticking an invisible claw into his heart.
To her relief, Bumblestripe dragged his gaze away and said nothing as Molewhisker led the way across the camp toward the thorn tunnel.
Dovewing shook her head, banishing her guilt. I can talk with Bumblestripe about everything when I get back. Right now, she thought as she raced into the forest after Tigerheart, I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. . . .
there?”
Dovewing didn't want to answer. How can I tell Tigerheart about
what Bumblestripe said to me?
Then Tigerheart touched her shoulder with the tip of his tail. “If you want to talk, I won't repeat it to any cat,” he promised.
After another heartbeat's hesitation, Dovewing let out a sigh. “I feel bad about an argument I had with Bumblestripe,” she confessed. “He wants us to have kits together. I told him I wouldn't. This is not the time
to talk about having kits, is it?”
For a long moment Tigerheart was silent. Dovewing tried to read
his expression; his eyes were deep and dark, giving away nothing about
what he was thinking.
“You're right, Dovewing,” he responded at last. “This is not the time—not at all. I don't think any cats should have kits when their hearts are so heavy with grief. Surely they'd pass that bad feeling on to their kits.”
As he spoke, Dovewing felt a twinge of something in her chest: a mixture of relief and sadness, which combined into a feeling of utter frustration. Tigerheart understands, she thought. Why does he have to be
a ShadowClan cat?
Tigerheart tilted his head to one side. “I guess we're all coming up to that age,” he meowed. “The age when we start having kits.”
Dovewing turned her head away, unsure how she felt about that remark. Do I want him to agree with me? To tell me not to have kits with Bumblestripe?
Once again, Tigerheart was silent for a few moments that seemed to stretch out for moons. Dovewing couldn't begin to guess what he was thinking. When he finally spoke, it was only to say, “I think we should go back. Otherwise some cats might . . . might ask questions.”
Nodding agreement, Dovewing headed back through the thorn tunnel. Her feelings were in chaos, as if a whole nestful of sparrows were chasing once another around her chest and belly. All she was sure of was that she didn't want to catch Bumblestripe's eye when she returned to the hollow.
[...]
The rest of the Clan fell into a somber silence as they watched over Purdy's body. Dovewing felt that Bumblestripe was staring at her, though she resolutely avoided his gaze. Sharp claws of guilt dug into her again.
I should be thinking about him, not Tigerheart—but I wish I knew
why Tigerheart behaved so strangely when I told him what Bumblestripe
had said about us having kits together.
[...]
“Don't blame yourself,” Bramblestar reassured her. “We all agreed that this was not the right time to search for SkyClan. No one cat is responsible. All we can do now is send some cats out to look for Twigpaw and bring her home safe.”
“I'll go,” Tigerheart offered immediately, his eyes gleaming at the prospect of adventure.
Dovewing's gaze flew instantly to Bumblestripe, to see his head turned away from Bramblestar. Obviously, he had no intention of volunteering for this quest.
“And so will I,” she meowed, weaving her way through the assembled cats until she reached Tigerheart's side.
Are you going because you want to find Twigpaw? a voice in her head asked her. Or are you taking any chance to get away from the Clan, and all that Bumblestripe is expecting from you?
Shut up! she told herself, trying to silence the annoying voice. I'm going, and that's that!
[...]
But as Dovewing turned to leave, she caught Bumblestripe's gaze as he stared at her from across the camp. Her heart clenched in pity at his
hurt, almost disbelieving expression.
I know he's worried about me. He must hate that I'm so eager to leave.
For a moment Dovewing felt a thorn scratch of fear that Bumblestripe would change his mind and offer to go on the quest. She had a sudden urge to go to him and tell him that it would be better if he didn't.
But that's just mouse-brained, she told herself. How would I even find the words to say that to him? It would be like sticking an invisible claw into his heart.
To her relief, Bumblestripe dragged his gaze away and said nothing as Molewhisker led the way across the camp toward the thorn tunnel.
Dovewing shook her head, banishing her guilt. I can talk with Bumblestripe about everything when I get back. Right now, she thought as she raced into the forest after Tigerheart, I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. . . .
RIVER OF FIRE
Bumblestripe, who had been Dovewing’s mate for a brief time, padded up and dipped his head stiffly to her. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he told her.
Alderheart could tell that he really meant it, but at the same time he recognized the hurt in Bumblestripe’s voice. It can’t be easy, knowing she chose to be with a cat from another Clan.
Alderheart could tell that he really meant it, but at the same time he recognized the hurt in Bumblestripe’s voice. It can’t be easy, knowing she chose to be with a cat from another Clan.
RAGING STORM
Squirrelflight padded forward to greet her, but a warning look from Scorchfur made her hesitate. Lionblaze frowned from beside the fresh-kill pile. Graystripe and Millie slipped from the elders’ den and exchanged looks as they saw Dovewing. Cherryfall and Bumblestripe glared at their former Clanmate, their hostility plain as Bramblestar reached the
ShadowClan cats.
“You’ve come for Puddleshine?” the ThunderClan leader asked.
Tawnypelt met his gaze stiffly. “Tigerstar told the two youngsters you sent that we’d fetch him in two days. Is he ready?”
Scorchfur scanned the camp, clearly looking for the ShadowClan medicine cat. Dovewing’s gaze had drifted to the nursery.
“Well?” Tawnypelt pressed when Bramblestar didn’t answer. The ThunderClan leader was staring at Dovewing.
“I’m surprised you brought her here,” he meowed. “Feelings are running high about her decision to leave.” He glanced uneasily at Cherryfall
and Bumblestripe. The pale gray tom’s hackles were up.
“She’s a member of ShadowClan now,” Tawnypelt meowed simply. “She joins our patrols whether they’re hunting or escorting Clan members home.
Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. “Surely she should be in the nursery taking care of her kits?”
Dovewing padded forward. “I asked to come,” she mewed softly. “I was hoping to see Ivypool.”
Bumblestripe lashed his tail. “You visited with Ivypool and her kits a
moon ago. Before you went to ShadowClan. When you left your Clan, you left your kin. I thought you understood that.”
“I did what I thought was best for every cat,” Dovewing told him.
Alderheart’s pelt prickled uneasily. Bumblestripe’s feelings had clearly
hardened since he’d last seen Dovewing. [...]
ShadowClan cats.
“You’ve come for Puddleshine?” the ThunderClan leader asked.
Tawnypelt met his gaze stiffly. “Tigerstar told the two youngsters you sent that we’d fetch him in two days. Is he ready?”
Scorchfur scanned the camp, clearly looking for the ShadowClan medicine cat. Dovewing’s gaze had drifted to the nursery.
“Well?” Tawnypelt pressed when Bramblestar didn’t answer. The ThunderClan leader was staring at Dovewing.
“I’m surprised you brought her here,” he meowed. “Feelings are running high about her decision to leave.” He glanced uneasily at Cherryfall
and Bumblestripe. The pale gray tom’s hackles were up.
“She’s a member of ShadowClan now,” Tawnypelt meowed simply. “She joins our patrols whether they’re hunting or escorting Clan members home.
Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. “Surely she should be in the nursery taking care of her kits?”
Dovewing padded forward. “I asked to come,” she mewed softly. “I was hoping to see Ivypool.”
Bumblestripe lashed his tail. “You visited with Ivypool and her kits a
moon ago. Before you went to ShadowClan. When you left your Clan, you left your kin. I thought you understood that.”
“I did what I thought was best for every cat,” Dovewing told him.
Alderheart’s pelt prickled uneasily. Bumblestripe’s feelings had clearly
hardened since he’d last seen Dovewing. [...]
Something probably worth noting is that Bumblestripe actually seems to get more strict afterwards, especially towards the code. Maybe this had to do with Dovewing, maybe not, I just found it interesting.