Эрин Хантер - Path Of A Warrior

NETTLESPLASH

—

pale brown tom

TINYCLOUD

—

small white 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

GORSETAIL

—

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

LEAFTAIL

—

dark tabby tom with amber eyes

EMBERFOOT

—

gray tom with two dark paws

SMOKEHAZE

—

gray she-cat

BREEZEPELT

—

black tom with amber eyes

CROUCHFOOT

—

ginger tom

LARKWING

—

pale brown tabby she-cat

SEDGEWHISKER

—

light brown tabby she-cat

SLIGHTFOOT

—

black tom with white flash on his chest

OATCLAW

—

pale brown tabby tom

FEATHERPELT

—

gray tabby she-cat

HOOTWHISKER

—

dark gray tom

HEATHERTAIL

—

light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

FERNSTRIPE

—

gray tabby she-cat

ELDERS

WHISKERNOSE

—

light brown tom

WHITETAIL

—

small white she-cat

RIVERCLAN

LEADER

MISTYSTAR

—

gray she-cat with blue eyes

DEPUTY

REEDWHISKER

—

black tom

MEDICINE CATS

MOTHWING

—

dappled golden she-cat

WILLOWSHINE

—

gray tabby she-cat

WARRIORS

MINTFUR

—

light gray tabby tom

APPRENTICE, SOFTPAW

(gray she-cat)

DUSKFUR

—

brown tabby she-cat

APPRENTICE, DAPPLEPAW

(gray-and-white tom)

MINNOWTAIL

—

dark gray-and-white she-cat

APPRENTICE, BREEZEPAW

(brown-and-white she-cat)

MALLOWNOSE

—

light brown tabby tom

BEETLEWHISKER

—

brown-and-white tabby tom

APPRENTICE, HAREPAW

(white tom)

CURLFEATHER

—

pale brown she-cat

PODLIGHT

—

gray-and-white tom

HERONWING

—

dark gray-and-black tom

SHIMMERPELT

—

silver she-cat

APPRENTICE, NIGHTPAW

(dark gray she-cat with blue eyes)

LIZARDTAIL

—

light brown tom

HAVENPELT

—

black-and-white she-cat

SNEEZECLOUD

—

gray-and-white tom

BRACKENPELT

—

tortoiseshell she-cat

APPRENTICE, GORSEPAW

(white tom with gray ears)

JAYCLAW

—

gray tom

OWLNOSE

—

brown tabby tom

ICEWING

—

white she-cat with blue eyes

ELDERS

MOSSPELT

—

tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Maps

Chapter One

A fresh breeze carried the smell of rabbit, and Tawnypelt’s mouth watered. She tasted the air thoughtfully, following the tantalizing scent.

There. She couldn’t see it, but she knew it was there from the scent and from tiny sounds: the slight crackle of bracken, the rabbit’s hurried breathing, the pounding of its heart. The prey was huddled in a clump of bracken near the base of a big pine tree. The sweet scent of pine resin, so dear to Tawnypelt, filled her nostrils.

It’s good to be home, she thought. It feels like I’ve been gone for moons!

She crouched, fixing her eyes on the rabbit’s hiding place, and began to slink closer, her paw steps silent. She knew the forest floor like the back of her paws; she knew where to step to keep her approach silent. She was quite close to the rabbit when a loud crack sounded from the bracken: Her prey must have scented her. It bolted out of the undergrowth, but she could easily predict where it would go. She pounced. One strong bite to its neck, and the rabbit fell, limp beneath her.

Tawnypelt picked up her prey, satisfied. This would make a fine meal for her Clanmates.

The sun was climbing into the sky as she slid through the thorn tunnel and past the boulder into camp, the rabbit dangling from her jaws.

“Tawnypelt!” Dawnpelt was washing herself outside the warriors’ den. Tawnypelt’s heart warmed at the sight of her. Oh, Dawnpelt, where have you been? It felt like ages since she had seen her kit. “Nice catch!”

“Oh, good, I’m starving,” Pinenose said cheerfully, getting to her feet. Her sides were rounded and she moved heavily. Her kits, Tawnypelt thought. Has she really not had them yet? It’s been a long time. It feels like …

The thought hit her suddenly: Something’s wrong. Tawnypelt dropped the rabbit in the fresh-kill pile and stared, puzzled, at her Clanmates and at the peaceful camp. Dawnpelt shouldn’t be here. And Pinenose … Tawnypelt remembered those kits being born. There’d been four, hadn’t there? They’d taken a long time coming, and Pinenose had borne the pain bravely.

But now that pain was still in the future. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t real .

Tawnypelt shivered as if she’d fallen into the lake in winter. This felt so familiar, so right, but this wasn’t ShadowClan … not anymore. Dawnpelt and Pinenose were dead. So many of her Clanmates were dead.

“It was a good hunt, then?” The voice came from behind her.

“Rowanstar!” Joy flooded through her as she turned to face her mate. He blinked his amber eyes affectionately and she stepped closer, brushing her cheek against his, breathing in his familiar scent. It felt as if it had been longer than one morning since she had seen him.

Much longer. Wait, she realized again . Something’s wrong.

She flinched, and Rowanstar’s tail twitched in concern. “What’s the matter?”

“This isn’t ShadowClan.” The words tumbled out of Tawnypelt’s mouth. She grew surer as she went on, remembering. “I mean, it is , but it’s not real ShadowClan, not as it is now. This is before the sickness, and before Darktail came… .” Her voice trailed off as Rowanstar stared at her, puzzled.