Darkness Within Read online

  Dedication

  Special thanks to Kate Cary

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Allegiances

  Maps

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  About the Author

  Books by Erin Hunter

  Back Ads

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  Allegiances

  THUNDERCLAN

  ACTING LEADER SQUIRRELFLIGHT—dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and one white paw

  ACTING DEPUTY LIONBLAZE—golden tabby tom with amber eyes

  MEDICINE CATS JAYFEATHER—gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

  ALDERHEART—dark ginger tom with amber eyes

  WARRIORS (toms and she-cats without kits)

  THORNCLAW—golden-brown tabby tom

  WHITEWING—white she-cat with green eyes

  BIRCHFALL—light brown tabby tom

  MOUSEWHISKER—gray-and-white tom

  APPRENTICE, BAYPAW (golden tabby tom)

  POPPYFROST—pale tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

  BRISTLEFROST—pale gray she-cat

  LILYHEART—small, dark tabby she-cat with white patches and blue eyes

  APPRENTICE, FLAMEPAW (black tom)

  BUMBLESTRIPE—very pale gray tom with black stripes

  CHERRYFALL—ginger she-cat

  MOLEWHISKER—brown-and-cream tom

  CINDERHEART—gray tabby she-cat

  APPRENTICE, FINCHPAW (tortoiseshell she-cat)

  BLOSSOMFALL—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with petal-shaped white patches

  IVYPOOL—silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

  EAGLEWING—ginger she-cat

  APPRENTICE, MYRTLEPAW (pale brown she-cat)

  DEWNOSE—gray-and-white tom

  THRIFTEAR—dark gray she-cat

  STORMCLOUD—gray tabby tom

  HOLLYTUFT—black she-cat

  FLIPCLAW—tabby tom

  FERNSONG—yellow tabby tom

  HONEYFUR—white she-cat with yellow splotches

  SPARKPELT—orange tabby she-cat

  SORRELSTRIPE—dark brown she-cat

  TWIGBRANCH—gray she-cat with green eyes

  FINLEAP—brown tom

  SHELLFUR—tortoiseshell tom

  PLUMSTONE—black-and-ginger she-cat

  LEAFSHADE—tortoiseshell she-cat

  SPOTFUR—spotted tabby she-cat

  FLYWHISKER—striped gray tabby she-cat

  SNAPTOOTH—golden tabby tom

  QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

  DAISY—cream long-furred cat from the horseplace

  ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)

  GRAYSTRIPE—long-haired gray tom

  CLOUDTAIL—long-haired white tom with blue eyes

  BRIGHTHEART—white she-cat with ginger patches

  BRACKENFUR—golden-brown tabby tom

  SHADOWCLAN

  LEADER TIGERSTAR—dark brown tabby tom

  DEPUTY CLOVERFOOT—gray tabby she-cat

  MEDICINE CATS PUDDLESHINE—brown tom with white splotches

  SHADOWSIGHT—gray tabby tom

  MOTHWING—dappled golden she-cat

  WARRIORS TAWNYPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

  DOVEWING—pale gray she-cat with green eyes

  HARELIGHT—white tom

  ICEWING—white she-cat with blue eyes

  STONEWING—white tom

  SCORCHFUR—dark gray tom with slashed ears

  FLAXFOOT—brown tabby tom

  SPARROWTAIL—large brown tabby tom

  SNOWBIRD—pure white she-cat with green eyes

  YARROWLEAF—ginger she-cat with yellow eyes

  BERRYHEART—black-and-white she-cat

  GRASSHEART—pale brown tabby she-cat

  WHORLPELT—gray-and-white tom

  HOPWHISKER—calico she-cat

  BLAZEFIRE—white-and-ginger tom

  CINNAMONTAIL—brown tabby she-cat with white paws

  FLOWERSTEM—silver she-cat

  SNAKETOOTH—honey-colored tabby she-cat

  SLATEFUR—sleek gray tom

  POUNCESTEP—gray tabby she-cat

  LIGHTLEAP—brown tabby she-cat

  GULLSWOOP—white she-cat

  SPIRECLAW—black-and-white tom

  HOLLOWSPRING—black tom

  SUNBEAM—brown-and-white tabby she-cat

  ELDERS OAKFUR—small brown tom

  SKYCLAN

  LEADER LEAFSTAR—brown-and-cream tabby she-cat with amber eyes

  DEPUTY HAWKWING—dark gray tom with yellow eyes

  MEDICINE CATS FRECKLEWISH—mottled light brown tabby she-cat with spotted legs

  FIDGETFLAKE—black-and-white tom

  MEDIATOR TREE—yellow tom with amber eyes

  WARRIORS SPARROWPELT—dark brown tabby tom

  MACGYVER—black-and-white tom

  DEWSPRING—sturdy gray tom

  ROOTSPRING—yellow tom

  NEEDLECLAW—black-and-white she-cat

  PLUMWILLOW—dark gray she-cat

  SAGENOSE—pale gray tom

  KITESCRATCH—reddish-brown tom

  HARRYBROOK—gray tom

  CHERRYTAIL—fluffy tortoiseshell and white she-cat

  CLOUDMIST—white she-cat with yellow eyes

  BLOSSOMHEART—ginger-and-white she-cat

  TURTLECRAWL—tortoiseshell she-cat

  RABBITLEAP—brown tom

  APPRENTICE, WRENPAW (golden tabby she-cat)

  REEDCLAW—small pale tabby she-cat

  MINTFUR—gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

  NETTLESPLASH—pale brown tom

  TINYCLOUD—small white she-cat

  PALESKY—black-and-white she-cat

  VIOLETSHINE—black-and-white she-cat with yellow eyes

  BELLALEAF—pale orange she-cat with green eyes

  QUAILFEATHER—white tom with crow-black ears

  PIGEONFOOT—gray-and-white she-cat

  FRINGEWHISKER—white she-cat with brown splotches

  GRAVELNOSE—tan tom

  SUNNYPELT—ginger she-cat

  QUEENS NECTARSONG—brown she-cat

  ELDERS FALLOWFERN—pale brown she-cat who has lost her hearing

  WINDCLAN

  LEADER HARESTAR—brown-and-white tom

  DEPUTY CROWFEATHER—dark gray tom

  MEDICINE CAT KESTRELFLIGHT—mottled gray tom with white splotches like kestrel feathers

  WARRIORS NIGHTCLOUD—black she-cat

  BRINDLEWING—mottled brown she-cat

  APPRENTICE, APPLEPAW (yellow tabby she-cat)

  LEAFTAIL—dark tabby tom with amber eyes

  APPRENTICE, WOODPAW (brown she-cat)

  EMBERFOOT—gray tom with two dark paws

  BREEZEPELT—black tom with amber eyes

  HEATHERTAIL—light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

  FEATHERPELT—gray tabby she-cat

  CROUCHFOOT—ginger tom

  APPRENTICE, SONGPAW (tortoiseshell she-cat)

  LARKWING—pale brown tabby sh
e-cat

  SEDGEWHISKER—light brown tabby she-cat

  APPRENTICE, FLUTTERPAW (brown-and-white tom)

  SLIGHTFOOT—black tom with white flash on his chest

  OATCLAW—pale brown tabby tom

  HOOTWHISKER—dark gray tom

  APPRENTICE, WHISTLEPAW (gray tabby she-cat)

  FERNSTRIPE—gray tabby she-cat

  ELDERS WHISKERNOSE—light brown tom

  GORSETAIL—very pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

  RIVERCLAN

  LEADER MISTYSTAR—gray she-cat with blue eyes

  DEPUTY REEDWHISKER—black tom

  MEDICINE CATS WILLOWSHINE—gray tabby she-cat

  WARRIORS DUSKFUR—brown tabby she-cat

  MINNOWTAIL—dark gray-and-white she-cat

  APPRENTICE, SPLASHPAW (brown tabby tom)

  MALLOWNOSE—light brown tabby tom

  HAVENPELT—black-and-white she-cat

  PODLIGHT—gray-and-white tom

  SHIMMERPELT—silver she-cat

  LIZARDTAIL—light brown tom

  APPRENTICE, FOGPAW (gray-and-white she-cat)

  SNEEZECLOUD—gray-and-white tom

  BRACKENPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat

  JAYCLAW—gray tom

  OWLNOSE—brown tabby tom

  GORSECLAW—white tom with gray ears

  NIGHTSKY—dark gray she-cat with blue eyes

  BREEZEHEART—brown-and-white she-cat

  QUEENS CURLFEATHER—pale brown she-cat (mother to Frostkit, a she-kit; Mistkit, a she-kit; and Graykit, a tom)

  ELDERS MOSSPELT—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

  Maps

  Prologue

  Leafpool shivered. A cool wind streamed around her, fragrant with the scent of the wide green fields of StarClan’s hunting grounds. Clouds pressed at the distant hills. She fluffed out her fur, drawing her gaze back to where Firestar was sniffing the pool that marked the heart of StarClan territory. Bluestar crouched nearby, paws tucked under her chest, while Tallstar sat stiffly beside her, his amber eyes dark with worry.

  Despite the moons that had passed since she had come to StarClan, Leafpool still found it strange to be around cats she’d only heard about in nursery tales growing up. And yet she felt at home in the tranquil forests and meadows of her ancestors, reunited with Firestar and Sandstorm, caring for the kits Squirrelflight had lost before they’d had a chance to know their mother. She felt a sense of acceptance that she’d rarely felt in her final moons in Thunderclan. Back there, she’d known that some cats would never truly forgive her for lying about being the real mother of Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Hollyleaf. The secret she’d kept for so long, and the guilt she’d felt after it had been revealed, had stuck like thorns in her heart. Here, all was forgiven, and for the most part her heart was free of pain.

  But even in the midst of her joy, worry managed to find her. She’d promised to watch over Squirrelflight until her sister could join her. But how could she keep that promise now, when a shadow had fallen over StarClan? As she stared at Firestar, fear pressed harder in her belly.

  Her father sniffed again at the pool, where branches twined and snaked into the water. “There’s still no way to see the Clans,” he growled.

  Leafpool remembered how she and Squirrelflight had watched their Clanmates in the waters of this pool when they’d first come to StarClan. Squirrelflight had dived in and swum back through the murky depths to return to the cats she loved so much. But now that route was blocked.

  Branches crisscrossed the water, vines knotting them into an impenetrable web. No cat could see through such a tangle, and there would be no chance for any cat to reach the living Clans now.

  Even Squirrelflight wouldn’t be able to make it through. Leafpool’s heart fluttered with alarm. She was losing track of how long the branches had covered the pool, but she knew it had been too long. Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze were alone with no cat to watch over them. She saw Firestar’s fur prickle along his spine. He must feel the same way, as anxious about Squirrelflight and the Clan he’d left behind as she was. Where had the branches come from? Why were they blocking StarClan’s way? She knew her father was as mystified as every other cat in StarClan.

  She padded closer. “I keep hoping they’ll have disappeared each time I come here,” she mewed.

  Firestar’s pelt twitched nervously. “What if we never make it past them?”

  “We have to,” she breathed. “We can’t be separated from the living Clans forever. They need us.”

  Bluestar pushed herself to her paws. “Have faith,” she mewed. “They are warriors, and they’re resourceful. They might not need us as much as we think.”

  Panic sparked in Leafpool’s belly. “What if we need them?” A thought flitted at the edge of her mind, too frightening to reach for. And yet she couldn’t resist. “Will we disappear if we have no connection to the living Clans?”

  “Of course not.” Firestar blinked at her. She saw doubt in his emerald eyes. He doesn’t believe what he’s saying. Firestar’s gaze flitted back to the water. “Why did we allow a cat like that to go down there?”

  Bluestar snorted. “We were going to keep an eye on him, remember?” she mewed wryly.

  Firestar poked a vine angrily. It shivered, sending ripples over the water. Leafpool caught her breath. Had he managed to dislodge something? She peered hopefully into the water, but there was still nothing to see except the gray mist that seemed to swirl beneath the surface.

  “It was too important to put in the paws of such a cat,” Firestar growled. “We should have sent some other cat.”

  “It doesn’t matter who we sent—” Tallstar began.

  “Really?” Firestar swung his gaze toward the WindClan leader. “Don’t you think it’s strange that we trusted a cat we should never have trusted in life and this happened? We’ve lost our connection to the Clans. Do you think it’s a coincidence?”

  Tallstar’s ears twitched. “It’s no coincidence that this has happened when the Clans have been breaking the code whenever it suits them. They’re the ones who have caused this mess.” He jerked his muzzle toward the knotted branches obscuring the pool.

  “The code has been broken before,” Firestar retorted. “In worse ways, and nothing like this has ever happened.” He frowned. “There’s only one cat responsible for this. We must find a way to fix it. If we don’t, the living Clans might be lost forever.”

  Leafpool’s mouth grew dry. Was he right? Could this be the end of the connection between the lake Clans and their ancestors? And, if it was, how long could the living and the dead survive?

  Chapter 1

  As Squirrelflight’s mew rang across the island, Bristlefrost’s heart seemed to skip a beat.

  “I know who has taken over Bramblestar’s body!”

  Who? Bristlefrost jerked her muzzle toward the acting Thunderclan leader, who stared down from the Great Oak, her orange pelt milky in the moonlight.

  “But I can hardly believe it,” Squirrelflight mumbled, beneath other cats’ exclamations of surprise.

  The Clans stopped in their tracks. Mistystar had ended the Gathering abruptly, angry at demands that she allow Harelight and Icewing to rejoin RiverClan from their exile, and the Clans had been preparing to leave the island. But now every cat seemed to halt as though snared by the same thought, ears pricked, faces lifting toward Squirrelflight. Warriors who had been heading toward the tree-bridge turned back and pushed their way from the long grass, their eyes glittering anxiously as Squirrelflight went on. Graystripe, one of Thunderclan’s elders, turned back, his ears angled forward with curiosity.

  “And if I’m right”—in the moonlight, shadows darkened the Thunderclan leader’s face—“it’s even worse than we thought. This warrior will not stop until every Clan cat has paid for what he believes was stolen from him when he was alive.”

  Bristlefrost’s pelt sparked with dread. It sounded as though the cat who’d stolen Bramblestar’s body was well known to
Squirrelflight. She flattened her ears. Only part of her wanted to know who it was. Clearly some dark spirit had possessed the Thunderclan leader, dividing the Clans and turning Clanmate against Clanmate, until a bloody battle had left warriors dead and the impostor a prisoner of ShadowClan. Bristlefrost didn’t want to believe that a warrior could wreak such horrors on the Clans. Once Squirrelflight named the cat who’d driven out Bramblestar’s spirit and left it to wander the forest, neither living nor dead, the Clans would have to accept that one of their ancestors had betrayed them.

  Squirrelflight hesitated, her gaze flitting nervously over the waiting cats. Was she scared to say the warrior’s name out loud?

  “Well?” Tigerstar shouldered his way through the gathered cats and stopped at the base of the Great Oak. “Who do you think it is?”

  Bristlefrost’s belly tightened. She saw pelts spike around her. Would naming the cat who had stolen Bramblestar’s body divide the Clans once more? Would they fight again? Here? Now? She glanced back at Squirrelflight. There was fear in the Thunderclan leader’s gaze; it seemed to spark like lightning through the Clans, setting whiskers twitching and fur on end.

  “Tell us,” Tigerstar demanded.

  Squirrelflight glanced at the ShadowClan leader, then took a deep breath. “I know this is going to sound crazy,” she began.

  Tigerstar’s tail twitched ominously.

  “But I’m sure I’m right.” Squirrelflight’s mew grew more certain. “It has to be. It can’t be anyone else.” She lifted her chin. “I think Ashfur has returned.”

  Bristlefrost frowned, puzzled. Ashfur? He had been a Thunderclan warrior, she thought. He’d died, many moons ago, in an accident. She tried to remember the times she’d heard older warriors talk about him. There had been something strange about his death, hadn’t there?

  “Why would Ashfur come back?” Mistystar was threading her way between the cats. When she reached the Great Oak, she scrambled up beside Squirrelflight.

  Tigerstar followed her. “He wanted to be your mate, didn’t he? Before you chose Bramblestar.” As Harestar and Leafstar hurried to take their places beside the others once more, the ShadowClan leader went on. “Is that why you think he’s returned?”

  Squirrelflight avoided Tigerstar’s eye. “He might feel he has unfinished business here,” she mewed.

  “Maybe with Thunderclan.” Harestar looked unconvinced. “But not enough to stir up trouble with the rest of us.” He glanced at the other leaders.