"Okay," Jayfeather agreed. "But I'l have to ask Leafpool first. She's...wel , she's a bit touchy just now."

"I know," Sandstorm told him. "Wait there." She brushed past the bramble screen, and Jayfeather heard her meow, "Leafpool, I'm borrowing Jayfeather for a bit. We're going into the forest."

"Al right," Leafpool replied, though she sounded grudging as she gave permission. "Tel him to fetch some tansy back with him."

Jayfeather's paws tingled as he fol owed Sandstorm through the gorse tunnel and along the trail that led toward the WindClan border. He had always respected the ginger she-cat, and even though he now knew that she wasn't his kin, he stil trusted her.

Sandstorm said nothing particularly helpful as she fol owed the stream that marked the border with WindClan. Jayfeather listened impatiently to her comments about how the prey was running and whether WindClan was likely to make a raid across the border. But he didn't object; he knew the she-cat wouldn't talk until she was ready.

wouldn't talk until she was ready.

Eventual y they reached the spot where the trees gave way to moorland, and a cold wind came whistling down from the ridge that stretched al the way to the Moonpool.

"Let's rest for a while," Sandstorm suggested, sitting at the edge of the stream.

Jayfeather padded over to join her, turning until the wind was in his face, enjoying the snow-scented blast that flattened his pelt to his sides.

"Jayfeather," Sandstorm began, "do you think Leafpool is al right? She seems very tense lately."

So that's what it's about! "I've noticed that too," he replied cautiously.

"Is it the strain of dealing with the greencough?"

Sandstorm guessed. "Or something worse? Do...do you think it's possible she's blaming herself for Ashfur's death?"

Jayfeather sank his claws into the grass to steady himself.

I didn't see that coming! He wanted to tel Sandstorm that the death of Ashfur had nothing to do with Leafpool. I can guarantee it! But he knew how stupid it would be to voice his certainty. It would provoke questions from Sandstorm-questions that he had no way of answering without bringing the whole of ThunderClan crashing down around his ears.

"I don't think so," he murmured.

"Perhaps she feels she ought to have predicted his death, or stopped it somehow," Sandstorm went on. "Or maybe she thinks she should be able to visit him in StarClan and find out the truth."

Jayfeather froze. So Firestar hasn't told Sandstorm that he asked Leafpool to find Ashfur and talk to him. How many more cats have secrets from one another?

"I think Leafpool's tired from dealing with the greencough," he mewed, knowing he would have to say something to explain his mentor's strange mood.

"And I know she's worried about Whitewing's kits being born in such a cold season. Besides, every cat is stil grieving for Ashfur." Well, maybe not every cat... Jayfeather curled up his claws as the lie slipped out.

"You could be right," Sandstorm sighed. "Firestar and I are both worried about her. After al she's not just our medicine cat, she's our daughter, too.

Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight would feel just the same about you if you were in trouble."

Or not...Jayfeather found it hard to nod seriously, hoping that his expression showed none of the turmoil he felt.

"You'l tel me if you find out anything else?"

Sandstorm mewed.

"Of course." Of course not! As he fol owed the ginger she-cat back to the camp, Jayfeather wondered which cat would be the next to probe his secrets, and how long the terrible things he knew could stay hidden.

"Into the nursery now, kits," Daisy mewed gently.

"It's time you were asleep."

"But WindClan are attacking us!" Rosekit protested. "And I'm going to be Clan leader and fight them off!"

"You can be Clan leader tomorrow," Daisy promised.

Jayfeather listened as the kits tumbled into the nursery, their high-pitched voices fading. A chil night breeze ruffled his fur; stretching, he padded off toward his den.

Two sunrises had passed since his conversation with Sandstorm. Leafpool was stil touchy, and Jayfeather stil didn't know why. His mentor was afraid of something, that much he was sure of, but he didn't dare ask for an explanation.

He had just reached the bramble screen when he heard a yowl from Cloudtail, who was on guard duty at the end of the thorn tunnel. "Brambleclaw!

Brackenfur! Hey, they're back!"

Rustling came from the warriors' den as cats bounded out into the open. Several of them raced past Jayfeather to greet the returning patrol.

Jayfeather fol owed, but hung back, trying to make sense of the mingled scents as the cats slipped through the thorn tunnel and into the camp.

Brambleclaw was in the lead, fol owed by Brackenfur. A shiver passed through Jayfeather's pelt as he recognized the scent of Sol. The loner stepped calmly out of the tunnel and paused at the entrance before padding forward into the camp.

Confidence radiated from him; this was no prisoner dragged back to answer for his crimes.

A flurry of excited speculation broke out among the Clan cats.

"That's Sol!"

"They found him!"

"He looks so calm," Brightheart mewed, sounding confused. "Surely he wouldn't look like that if he had kil ed Ashfur?"

"I wouldn't put anything past that cat," Dustpelt growled. "Look what he did to ShadowClan."

"What's Firestar going to do with him?" That was Foxpaw's voice, quivering with excitement. "I think he should rip his pelt off and leave him for the crows."

"No." Graystripe's voice rose strongly above the babble. "That isn't how Firestar does things. He'l talk to Sol and find out the truth."

I hope not, Jayfeather thought.

Another cat fol owed Sol into the clearing, with a scent Jayfeather couldn't place, though he knew he should remember it. Hazeltail fol owed, and last of al came Hol yleaf and Lionblaze. Jayfeather relaxed as he realized that his littermates had made it home unhurt.

The Clan cats fel silent as Firestar padded past Jayfeather, their pelts almost brushing. "Greetings, Sol," he meowed. His tone was cool but polite.

"Thank you for coming."

"Anything I can do to help," Sol replied, with equal politeness.

"I'l let you rest for tonight," Firestar went on. "You must be tired after your journey. Berrynose, Honeyfern!"

"Yes, Firestar?" The two young warriors bounded up.

"Make a nest for Sol, would you? That bush between the medicine cats' den and the warriors'

den would be a good place. It's nicely sheltered, tucked under the cliff."

And there's a narrow entrance, so it's easily guarded, Jayfeather added silently.

"Wel done, Brambleclaw, and al of you," Firestar continued, when Honeyfern and Berrynose had hurried off. "I know how difficult this must have been."

"More than we expected," Brambleclaw admitted.

"We found Sol in a Twolegplace, with-"

"Wi'

me!"

An angry voice interrupted Brambleclaw, and Jayfeather suddenly remembered who the cat was whose scent he hadn't been able to who the cat was whose scent he hadn't been able to identify. Purdy! What's he doing here?

"An' I'd like to know why you've dragged Sol al this way!" the old cat went on. "I hope you're not accusin' him of somethin' he hasn't done!"

An astonished murmur broke out among the listening cats. Jayfeather wasn't sure whether Purdy's mere presence or his fierce defense of Sol had provoked it.

"Brambleclaw, who's this?" Firestar asked, surprise in his voice.

"His name is Purdy," Brambleclaw replied. "He's the loner we met on our first journey to the sun-drown-place. Purdy, this is our Clan leader, Firestar."

"Welcome, Purdy." Jayfeather pictured the flame- colored tom dipping his head to welcome the old tabby into the camp. "You can stay in the elders' den.

Foxpaw, wil you go with him and introduce him to Mousefur and Longtail?"

"Thanks, Firestar," the loner meowed. "Sol, just you give me a cal if you need me, okay?" He padded after Foxpaw as the apprentice led the way toward the elders' den.

As the old loner retreated, Leafpool padded up and gave Sol's pelt a thorough sniff. "Were you hurt at al on the journey?" she asked. "Any stiffness in your legs?"

"No." Sol's voice was tinged with amusement. "I'm used to traveling long distances."

Yes, because no cats want you around for very long. The sarcastic words rose to Jayfeather's lips, but he had more sense than to let them out.

"Come on, Sol, I'l take you to your nest,"

Brackenfur announced.

As the two of them padded off, Firestar cal ed quietly to Spiderleg. "You can take the first watch over Sol," he murmured. "Bring him some fresh-kil , then make sure he stays in the den until morning."

"No problem, Firestar." Spiderleg bounded over to the fresh-kil pile.

Firestar headed back to his own den, leaving the rest of the Clan clustered together near the camp entrance.

"I'm sure he's a kil er!" Poppyfrost exclaimed. "Did you see those eyes? He looks as if he could see right through you."

"I'm too scared to go to sleep," Icepaw mewed.

"What if he murders us in our nests?"

"Right," Mousewhisker added. "I don't know why Firestar let him in here."

"Firestar needs to find out the truth," Brightheart meowed.

"And I'm sure there's nothing to worry about,"

Sorreltail added briskly. "Spiderleg wil make sure that Sol doesn't get out of his den."

In spite of the she-cats' reassurance, Jayfeather's paws tingled and the fur rose on his pelt as if a thunderstorm were about to break over the clearing.

The air was tense with fear and uncertainty, as if every cat knew that something huge was hanging overhead.

Trying to ignore his jitters, Jayfeather padded over to where Hol yleaf and Lionblaze had flopped down together beside the thorn barrier.

"Hi," he mewed. "How was the journey?"

"Long." Lionblaze's voice was bleak. "I thought we'd never get back."

"We met some other cats," Hol yleaf added. "They were having trouble with dogs, and Sol had encouraged them to fight. Several of them were kil ed, and since then the cats have to battle the dogs every time they set paw outside their den." She let out a weary sigh. "More damage that Sol's done."

"He's a troublemaker," Lionblaze agreed, with a yawn.

The question Jayfeather wanted to ask-Do you think he killed Ashfur?-stayed unspoken. Al he could pick up from his littermates were sensations of weariness, fear, and misery; he didn't al ow himself to probe deeper into their minds.

"It's good to have you home," he told them.

Neither Lionblaze nor Hol yleaf responded.

Jayfeather realized that although he had missed his brother and sister with pangs sharp as claws, now that they were back, the murdered body of Ashfur stil came between them.

"Come and eat," he suggested, pushing the thought away. "Then you both need a good sleep."

I wonder if we'll get a chance to talk to Sol, he thought as he fol owed his littermates over to the fresh-kil pile. After all, he's the only other cat who knows about the prophecy. A new thought occurred to him: Sol talked as if we were definitely the Three referred to in the prophecy. But we can't be, because Squirrelflight's not our mother!

Was this something that Sol didn't know? Or had Was this something that Sol didn't know? Or had he been lying to them as wel ?

CHAPTER 16.