Violetkit sits outside the nursery, wishing she could actually leave it. She's upset Darktail actually walked into the camp, getting her in trouble with ShadowClan. However, some of the apprentices and younger warriors now view her differently since she knows the rogues. Suddenly Rain, Raven, and Flame walk into the camp with fresh kill. They offer it as a gift, stating they want to join the clan. Rowanstar rejects their offer and is furious they hunted on ShadowClan land. Crowfrost tells the rogues to leave, with their prey, when Needlepaw speaks up, challenging Rowanstar and Crowfrost. She argues they should keep the prey and show no loyalty to WindClan. The rogues are escorted out of the camp but Needlepaw doesn't stop. She starts arguing about how ShadowClan used to be great, but now it is weak due to its alliance with the other clans and because ThunderClan has forced them to be peaceful. Other apprentices start agreeing with her. Rowanstar says they don't know what loses a real battle and bring and tells them he is now going to be strict about them following the warrior code. Needlepaw rejects this, and says she is leaving with the rogues. Other apprentices state they will follow her, much to the clans shock. Violetkit asks Needlepaw not to leave, and Needlepaw says she is taking her with her. Leafpool begs her not to do this, as Needlepaw has a destiny with the clans but Rowanstar tells her to take the kit, as he feels Needlepaw and Violetkit are nothing but trouble.
Alderpaw is at the Gathering wondering where ShadowClan is when they finally arrive, clearly having been in a fight. Leafpool joins the other medicine cats but refuses to tell Alderpaw what is going on with ShadowClan. The leaders start naming their new warriors, and as everyone cheers Alderpaw notices that some of ShadowClan's new warriors' littermates are missing from the list. Rowanstar then makes the announcement that some of the rogues asked to join his clan and he turned them away - but some of the apprentices left with them and they took Violetkit. Everyone is furious that Rowanstar let Violetkit be taken, but he argues that she isn't the special cat of the prophecy and she is Needlepaw's problem anyway. Everyone wants to go rescue Violetkit but then Rowanstar tells them that they attacked the rogues and lost - and another apprentice and two warriors left the clan to join the rogues. Everyone is shocked by this news. Rowanstar insists his cats will realize their mistake and come back, but the other leaders aren't as sure. A decision is reached that it is too dangerous to rescue Violetkit now, as the rogues might kill her rather than let her be taken. Onestar wants to attack the rogues but Rowanstar cannot bear to attack his clanmates. It is decided for now to wait and see what happens and the gathering is brought to an end.
Moons have passed and Twigpaw is now Ivypool's apprentice. As they train Ivypool realizes that Twigpaw doesn't feel like the clan is her kin. She tells her it is a pity that Squirrelflight's patrol never found her mother. Twigpaw knows nothing of this, and after she gets away she asks Alderpaw. Alderpaw confesses that Squirrelflight wasn't actually looking for Twigpaw's mother but he cannot tell her what she was really doing. Twigpaw feels betrayed and feels that Alderpaw stole her from her mother. She races away to the edge of the territory where she runs into Violetkit, now Violetpaw. She is happy to see her sister finally but Violetpaw does not return the feeling. Twigpaw tries to talk to her about their mother and how she might still be alive but Violetpaw feels she is dead so there is no point in dwelling on this. Needletail shows up and says the rogues are Violetpaw's family now. Twigpaw wants Violetpaw to help her look for their mother but Violetpaw refuses. She and Needlepaw leave, so Twigpaw unhappily returns home.
Violetpaw feels guilty for leaving her sister as she follows Needletail. They run into Rain and Sleekwhisker, who were out hunting. Violetpaw can't help but feel the rogues are disorganized, as much as they try to act like a clan. The borders change daily based upon who marks them and the hunting patrols are more interested in napping than feeding the group. When they return to camp Darktail is furious over how little prey Rain has been bringing back lately and refuses to let him eat. The two cats fight and Darktail wins. Rain surrenders and Darktail blinds him in one eye so he can never challenge his authority again. Needlepaw is devastated and Violetpaw is horrified. That night Needlepaw tends to Rain with the help of Nettle, who knows a little about herbs but not enough. Violetpaw realizes she cannot stay here any longer. She feels bad for betraying Needlepaw, but she sneaks out of the camp and leaves. She decides to return to ShadowClan and see if they will take her in. She catches prey and enters the camp, asking to return. Some of the cats are angry that she has come back, others are sympathetic as she was just a kit and Rowanstar did throw her out. Rowanstar is upset that only Violetpaw has returned - he was hoping everyone would come back - but he lets her stay and names Dawnpelt as her mentor.
Violetpaw becomes determined to be the best apprentice ever and helps the clan in any way she can. One day she tries to help Puddleshine with some sick ShadowClan cats by offering to collect herbs, but he tells her the herbs are not working. Later he has a dream. Runningnose came to him and told him how to cure the sickness. Rowanstar has fallen ill as well so Crowfrost sends them on a mission to find the herb, which only grows on WindClan land. Violetpaw is thrilled that she is trusted enough to join the cats. They pass a ThunderClan patrol. Dovewing calls out to them but Tigerheart deliberately looks away. Puddleshine wants to stop and talk to them, to warn them of this new illness, and Violetpaw is happy as her sister is with Dovewing, but Twigpaw ignores her. Tigerheart and Dovewing act cold towards each other. After relaying the news they rush on to WindClan land where they run into a hostile patrol. They are brought to WindClan's camp where Onestar denies them the herb. Kestrelflight pleads on their behalf but Onestar will not listen and the ShadowClan cats are sent away with the threat of an attack.
Onestar has always been grumpy but this is extreme, even for him. Condemning cats to potentially die and threatening a medicine cat is really taking things too far. I wonder if he is going senile? I think he is older than Firestar. If nothing else he is the same age and Firestar is dead while Graystripe is an elder.
As for the rogues, I do not understand them at all - or their appeal. They mock the clan cats yet they try to act like a clan anyway. Granted a more vicious clan, but still. Border patrols, hunting patrols, etc - these are things the clan cats do. And how can Needletail prefer this to ShadowClan?!? Darktail just blinded Rain!!! I am glad Violetpaw left - and that ShadowClan took her back in. I think she would be happier with ThunderClan. RiverClan and WindClan always struck me as different, but ShadowClan is really just a prouder, darker version of ThunderClan. They are what ThunderClan would be if ThunderClan was more worried about being warriors than peacekeepers. I am glad Violetpaw is finding acceptance in her clan but she would have found peace alongside acceptance in ThunderClan, and I think she needs that more.
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