Warriors: A Vision of Shadows #3: Shattered Sky by Erin Hunter

Author:Erin Hunter
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: General, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Cats, Animals
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2017-04-11T03:43:49+00:00

CHAPTER 13

Violetpaw crouched over the body of a fat wood pigeon, tearing at the succulent flesh. All around her, Darktail and his Kin were gulping down their prey. The sun felt warm on Violetpaw’s back, and from close by she could hear the gentle gurgling of the streams that bordered the RiverClan camp.

It must have been so beautiful here, before Darktail and his rogues attacked.

“Wow, I’ve never seen a pigeon disappear so fast,” Darktail meowed, looking up at Violetpaw from the rabbit he was eating. His eyes gleamed teasingly. “Maybe you’d like some of this rabbit as well.”

Scorchfur, one of the last remaining ShadowClan warriors, pricked up his ears and frowned, as if he couldn’t believe Darktail’s good-humored tone. But he didn’t speak, instead running to carry a squirrel to his mate, Snowbird, who was in the nursery with her kits.

Violetpaw had to choke down her mouthful; she trusted Darktail even less when he was being friendly. “No thanks, Darktail. I’m not even sure I can finish this.”

“Well, tell me if you change your mind,” Darktail responded. “We can’t have you starving, can we?”

As he spoke, Scorchfur came back, hesitated for a moment, and then meowed, “Maybe we should give the leftover prey to the RiverClan prisoners—and to Needletail. They’re beginning to look really skinny. After all,” he added with a glance toward the center of the camp, where the prisoners were kept, “if we’re going to keep them prisoner, isn’t it our responsibility to see that they’re healthy?”

Violetpaw spotted Darktail narrowing his eyes, his muzzle tensing in anger, then an instant later relaxing. His voice was calm as he replied to Scorchfur.

“Of course I’m feeding the prisoners well. Do you have any reason to think otherwise?”

Scorchfur glared at Darktail, hatred shining visibly in his eyes. Looking from one cat to the other, Violetpaw felt her neck fur prickle with fear. Don’t say it, she pleaded silently. Snowbird is still nursing your kits—don’t make her struggle for prey while you’re punished by Darktail.

Slowly, Darktail rose to his paws and padded over to Scorchfur, thrusting his face within a mouse-length of the dark gray warrior’s.

“Scorchfur,” he meowed softly, “do you doubt my ability to lead my Kin? Perhaps you’re not truly my Kin. Not every cat is. Perhaps you would be happier somewhere else?”

Scorchfur was silent for a few more heartbeats. “No, Darktail,” he blurted out at last. “Of course I don’t doubt you. Of course you know what’s best.”

For a long moment, Darktail did not move, staring into Scorchfur’s eyes. At last, when Violetpaw thought she could not bear the tension any longer, he gave a curt nod and padded back to where he had left his rabbit, close beside Sleekwhisker.

Scorchfur choked down the rest of his vole, then rose and stumbled away, followed by the other ShadowClan warriors who had been eating with them.

“Don’t go far,” Darktail called after him. “The prisoners’ den needs to be cleaned out soon.”

Poor Scorchfur, Violetpaw thought. He should have kept his mouth shut. Now that there were no apprentices, Darktail saved the worst jobs for cats who had angered him.

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