Dovewing's Silence Read Online Free PDF Page B

again.”
    â€œThe same goes for Breezepelt,” Onestar declared. “We suffered great losses during the battle. Why should I want to punish one of my few remaining warriors? We need Breezepelt on patrol, not wasted because of something that has finished.”
    â€œBut they broke the warrior code!” Blackstar protested. He looked at Tigerheart and Ratscar, and his eyes were full of sorrow. “They betrayed the Clan, their leader, and themselves. How can this go unpunished?”
    Onestar let his gaze rest on the ThunderClan cats. “I suppose we have to face the fact that some of our Clanmates were recruited by the Dark Forest, for whatever reason. Some Clans more than others,” he added meaningfully.
    Dovewing felt her pelt burn with indignation. Bramblestaropened his mouth to speak but Mistystar interrupted him. “There must be a way to move forward without further weakening our Clans,” she meowed. “None of us can spare more warriors, so exile is not an option.”
    Dovewing blinked. Exile! She hadn’t even thought that would be a possibility. She shifted closer to Ivypool. “You have to tell them what happened,” she whispered in her sister’s ear. “How Hawkfrost recruited you. You weren’t being disloyal to your Clan! They have to understand that!”
    Bramblestar overheard and nodded. “Go on, Ivypool. Please.”
    The gray-and-white warrior looked daunted as she moved into the center of the clearing, but when she spoke her voice was steady. “I think it would help to understand why some of us joined the Dark Forest,” she began. Onestar and Blackstar bristled but Ivypool kept talking. “It wasn’t because we hated our Clanmates, or didn’t believe in the warrior code. We thought we were learning more skills that would help the Clans. Cats from the Dark Forest sought us out in our dreams and . . . and used our most personal reasons for offering a different way to train.” She glanced at Dovewing, who blinked. Was I one of those reasons? she wondered in alarm. Around her, Birchfall and the others were nodding.
    â€œHawkfrost approached me,” Ivypool went on. “He made me believe that the best thing I could do for ThunderClan would be to train with Dark Forest warriors. I would be braver, better at fighting, more loyal to my Clanmates. He made me feel . . . important.” She paused for a moment, thencontinued. “I overheard Hawkfrost and Tigerstar planning to attack the Clans. I told my Clanmates, and became a spy, reporting everything I learned about the Dark Forest. I knew other cats from the Clans were being trained, but to avoid suspicion I didn’t say anything to them.” She looked over her shoulder at her father. “Only when the battle began did I tell them the truth, and they instantly followed me back to our Clanmates to fight alongside them. They never intended to be disloyal. Like me, they thought they were being given a chance to be better warriors.”
    Breezepelt was looking smug and Dovewing felt an urge to rake his ears. She was sure he hadn’t wanted to be a better WindClan warrior. He had wanted power and strength, that was all. Birchfall leaned toward Dovewing as if he could read her thoughts. “If one of us is to be forgiven, all must be forgiven,” he mewed.
    Blackstar heaved himself to his paws. “You have spoken well,” he rasped. “It’s Ivypool, isn’t it?” He peered at her, his eyes cloudy. “But I saw my own Clanmates attack each other. How was that being loyal, or a better warrior?”
    â€œWe were promised a different way to serve our Clan,” Ivypool insisted.
    â€œI believe you,” Mistystar meowed. “Thank you, Ivypool.”
    Onestar traced his forepaw in the dust. “I don’t need to know why Breezepelt made his choices. I only need to trust him from now on. Which I do.”
    Blackstar shook his