Erin Hunter - The Last Hope

“You could have kept your mouth shut!” Dovewing lashed her tail. “Or do you believe her?”

Tigerheart’s ears twitched. “I couldn’t let her stand up alone. Not when she was making such a serious accusation.” He moved closer, eyes round. “You’d have done the same for Ivypool, wouldn’t you?”

“Not if I didn’t think she was telling the truth.”

Tigerheart narrowed his eyes. “And what if Ivypool had done something terrible? Would you abandon her?”

Dovewing’s fur prickled. “Ivypool couldn’t do anything terrible!” Tigerheart’s tone unnerved her. “She wouldn’t !”

“Really?” His eyes gleamed with a hint of a challenge.

“What do you mean?” she demanded. Dovewing knew he and Ivypool both trained in the Dark Forest. Had something happened there, something Ivypool had kept secret?

Tigerheart dropped his gaze. “Nothing.”

Dovewing lifted her chin. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Ivypool. This is about Dawnpelt’s dumb lie!”

“Dawnpelt believes what she said.”

“Do you?” Dovewing arched her back.

“I miss you, Dovewing.” Tigerheart’s amber gaze pierced her. “Why do we have to argue?”

She flinched back in surprise as he leaned closer.

“Why can’t we meet like we used to?” He sliced a bramble leaf with his claw and watched it flutter to the ground. “When it’s just the two of us, everything’s so much simpler.”

Dovewing opened her mouth to argue. They were from different Clans. She shouldn’t even be thinking about him, let alone talking to him. Not like this. “I—I don’t know,” she stammered.

“You do know!” He took a step forward until their muzzles were almost touching. “You feel the same way as I do. I can tell.”

He trains in the Dark Forest! Dovewing tried to back away but his strength and warmth pulled her closer. For the first time in moons she felt safe, as though she could melt into him and never be afraid again. Ivypool trains there too, she reminded herself. Perhaps Tigerheart is spying for his Clan, like she is.

His breath was soft on her cheek. Just like it had been when they’d sat together in the old Twoleg place, away from Clan territory, alone beneath the moon.

“Tigerheart!” Ratscar’s yowl made her jerk away. The ShadowClan warrior was on the other side of the brambles.

“Coming!” Tigerheart scrambled under the bush. “Meet me tonight!” he hissed at Dovewing. “I’ll wait for you here.”

Trembling, Dovewing turned and ran. I can’t meet him! Her thoughts raced with her paws as she skimmed the drooping grass clumped between trees.

But why not? I’ll just meet him once. If it still feels wrong I won’t meet him again.

An orange pelt flashed in front of her. Skidding, Dovewing stumbled to a halt, missing Firestar by a whisker.

He reared back, surprised. “Dovewing!” Finding his paws, he stared at her. “Sorry. I was thinking about something. I didn’t even hear you coming.”

“I should have been looking where I was going.”

He gazed at her sympathetically. “Were you worrying, too?”

Yes. About Tigerheart. “I w-was just…” As she stammered guiltily, Firestar interrupted.

“…listening for danger?”

Dovewing bristled. There’s more to me than ears! I can hunt and fight as well!

The ThunderClan leader shook his head. “It’s hard knowing, isn’t it?”

Dovewing frowned. “You mean, knowing about the Dark Forest?”

“Yes.” Firestar stared deep into the forest. “The Clan feels it too, even if they don’t know what the danger is. They know something’s wrong. I ordered them to increase patrols and reinforce the dens. They’re not mouse-brains. They sense danger.” He suddenly turned toward her. “Are you okay?” His gaze was as green as the forest. “You’re young to have so much responsibility.”

Dovewing straightened. “I can handle it.”

“I know.” Firestar tipped his head. “But make sure you’re getting enough prey and rest, and remember…” He paused, glancing into the trees once more. “…the final responsibility is mine. You don’t hold the whole Clan in your paws. I just need you to do what you can.” He lifted his chin. “I’ll take care of the rest.”

Watery sunshine filtered through the den walls.

Ivypool yawned, arching her back till her legs trembled. She was aware of every muscle tensed beneath her skin, each one a little stronger after another night’s training in the Dark Forest. Now that she was mentoring Birchfall and Redwillow, she woke with fewer wounds, but weary from the effort of demonstrating moves and running through them again and again. Redwillow was a quick learner and Birchfall was clearly hungry to prove that he was as good a Dark Forest warrior as he was a ThunderClan one. He’d picked up the rearing lunge she’d shown him on his first try and, though he was her father, not her kit, Ivypool had felt a fond rush of pride.

Dovewing yawned.

“You look tired.” Ivypool could see weariness in her sister’s blue eyes, and Dovewing’s pelt was unkempt, dusted with fragments of leaf. Had she been out of the camp?

“The forest noises kept waking me.”

Ivypool guessed it must be hard to sleep with ears that heard far beyond the walls of the den. “You could try stuffing them with moss.”

Dovewing blinked, confused. “What?”

“Your ears.” Ivypool frowned. Dovewing seemed like she was in another world.

Molepaw rolled over and struggled to sit up. “I wish I’d stuffed my ears with moss,” he mewed sleepily. “Then I wouldn’t be woken up by you two chattering like blackbirds.”

Cherrypaw stretched. “It’s dawn,” she pointed out. “Time to wake up.”

“But Rosepetal and Foxleap are practicing tree climbing with Spiderleg,” Molepaw reminded her. “Which means no training for us.”

Cherrypaw lifted her head. “Why can’t we train with them?”

“Spiderleg thinks we’re too small to jump off a branch.” Molepaw lashed his tail. “I bet I could jump down from the Ancient Oak and land safely.”

Ivypool cuffed his ear gently. “We can’t risk any injuries.” Not with the Dark Forest getting ready to attack. She ducked out of the den and padded over to where Brambleclaw was doling out morning duties.

“Prey is starting to go to ground,” the ThunderClan deputy declared. “We must hunt while we can. But we can’t forget battle training. The Clans are nervous. And nervous Clans are dangerous.”

“Is that why WindClan tried to attack us through the tunnels?” Sorreltail called.

Cloudtail narrowed his eyes. “And why ShadowClan accused our medicine cat of murder?”

Firestar bounded down from Highledge and joined Brambleclaw. “We mustn’t be drawn into Clan squabbles. We have to concentrate on preparing for leaf-bare.”

And the attack from the Dark Forest. Ivypool’s tail twitched. Her Clanmates were fretting over the threat from their neighbors. They had no idea a far greater threat hung over the forest.

Brambleclaw padded forward. “Firestar’s right. We must prepare for the cold moons, but keep training. Berrynose!” He looked up to a nest woven on top of the beech trunk. A wide, cream head poked out.

“Yes?”

Brambleclaw beckoned him with a flick of his tail. “I want you to help Spiderleg train Foxleap and Rosepetal in tree battle.”

Berrynose slid out of his den and jumped into the clearing. He shook out his pelt, his muscled shoulders rippling. “Great!” His eyes shone. With claws as strong as an eagle’s talons, he was one of the best climbers in the Clan. And he knew how to time a drop so that he could land squarely on any warrior passing underneath his branch.