Tigerheart's Shadow by Erin Hunter

Author:Erin Hunter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2017-07-12T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

“Why are there more nests now?” Lightkit looked out from beneath the ledge that sheltered their nest, while behind her, Shadowkit chased Pouncekit around its wooden legs.

Tigerheart followed the kit’s gaze to the two new heaps of furless pelts, which Bracken, Boots, and Spire had assembled. “Mittens and Rascal found two sick cats while they were out scavenging yesterday. They brought them back so the medicine cats can look after them.”

Lightkit blinked at him. “How come you call them medicine cats when everyone else calls them healers?”

“Because that’s what we call healers back home,” Tigerheart explained.

Pouncekit skidded to a halt beside them. Shadowkit bundled after her, his tiny paws slipping on the shiny floor.

“Dovewing says that home is such a long way away it would take days and days to walk there,” Pouncekit mewed.

“Will we ever go there?” Lightkit asked eagerly.

Shadowkit shifted his paws. “It’s dark in the forest.”

Tigerheart glanced at him sharply. How did he know what the forest was like? Tigerheart had talked of trees and prey, but not of light and shadow. And the kit had spoken solemnly, as though his words carried hidden meaning. This one will see into the shadows. Spire’s words rang in his mind. Did Shadowkit know something? Had shadows swallowed his Clan? Tigerheart swallowed back fear. Don’t be dumb! How could a kit know what was happening in ShadowClan? He’d never even been there. Dovewing had probably told the kits how dark the pine forest could be. It probably did seem dark to her. She was ThunderClan after all. “The woods are shadowy,” he conceded. “But when you train to be warriors, you’ll find the shadows are your friend. You can hide in shadows, or keep cool in them, or shelter there from bad weather.”

“I don’t want to hide in shadows.” Lightkit gazed up at the clear stretches of wall. Blue sky showed beyond. “I like sunshine.”

Pouncekit padded toward the middle of the den. “Can we go and look at the new cats?”

“No,” Tigerheart told him. “They’re sick. Leave them in peace.”

“But Spire gets to look at them,” Pouncekit argued. The healer was leaning over one of the new nests, where a black-and-white tom was wheezing.

“He’s taking care of them,” Tigerheart explained. His gaze drifted longingly toward Fierce. The tortoiseshell was padding between Cobweb, Ant, Rascal, Mittens, and Dotty. They were going on a special patrol.

Fierce and the other guardian cats had been talking excitedly about it for days. “We call it the outdoor gathering,” Fierce had told him. “Every moon, Twolegs set up ledges in the biggest stone clearing in the city and pile food on them, right out in the open, even when it’s raining or snowing. There’s smoke and some fire. The smells are delicious. It’s easy to scavenge. There are Twolegs everywhere, but no one looks at what happens under the ledges. Sometimes they drop food. Sometimes we can reach up and take it. Some of the ledges are covered with meat.” Fierce had paused to lick her lips hungrily.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.