Erin Hunter - The Last Hope

Birchfall’s confession made Ivypool stiffen. “When?”

“Now.”

Ivypool swallowed. “Why?”

“We need to practice fighting in daylight,” Mousewhisker added.

Birchfall leaned forward, eyes bright. “If we can practice what we’re learning in the Dark Forest, we can improve our skills.”

“And we’ve got to think of a way for the Dark Forest warriors to get to our territory if we need their help.”

Ivypool stifled a gasp. “Why would we need their help?” The thought of Hawkfrost and Tigerstar running freely beside the lake made her feel sick.

Birchfall blinked at her. “That way, if one Clan’s threatened, we can all help them.”

Do they really believe that? Ivypool stared at her Clanmates. Their eyes were wide and clear. Everything’s upside down! The Clans were on edge, threatening one another’s borders as their fear rose, while the warriors training in the Dark Forest grew closer and closer. She searched her father’s gaze, desperate to confess what she knew and warn him that he was stalking wolves, not mice.

Her heart quickened. She couldn’t tell them she was a spy. What if they betrayed her?

A sharp wind whisked through the branches overhead.

“So?” Mousewhisker demanded. “Are you coming?”

Ivypool shifted her paws. “Where?”

Birchfall flicked his tail excitedly. “We’ve arranged to meet Sunstrike at the border.”

“She’s bringing Larkpaw and Harespring,” Mousewhisker added.

Ivypool fought to keep her fur smooth as horror surged through her. How mouse-brained were they? She stared at Birchfall. His light brown tabby pelt was glossy and smooth, his chest puffed up. He actually thought he was being loyal to his Clan by meeting WindClan warriors to share battle moves!

I have to stop this!

As Birchfall and Mousewhisker headed away through the trees, Ivypool stretched her ears, wishing she had her sister’s hearing. She couldn’t order them not to go because it would reveal too much about what she was doing in the Dark Forest. She had to keep spying as long as possible. She had to find out when and where Brokenstar planned to attack.

“Wait for me.” She hurried after her Clanmates as they joined the trail that led to the WindClan border. Following the path upward, she scanned the forest. Birds flitted from branch to branch. A squirrel was skittering across the forest floor beyond the ferns. She suddenly spotted a fox-red pelt in the brambles beyond. Someone was stalking the squirrel.

Her heart lifted. “I’ll catch up.”

Birchfall looked back at her. “We’re meeting at the stream,” he mewed.

“Okay.” Ivypool veered off the trail and ducked into the ferns. Poking her head out the other side, she saw the squirrel run. The fox-red pelt darted after it, landing squarely on the squirrel and killing it with a bite.

“Foxleap!” Ivypool raced from the ferns.

The warrior turned, the squirrel dangling between his jaws. He dropped it. “What’s up?”

Ivypool glanced over her shoulder. Mousewhisker and Birchfall had disappeared over the rise. “Bring a patrol to the WindClan border,” she hissed. “Not this way. Follow the lake trail.” She couldn’t risk a ThunderClan patrol catching up with Birchfall and Mousewhisker and following them directly to the meeting place.

Foxleap tipped his head. “Why?”

“I smelled WindClan scent at the border,” she lied. “I think patrols have been crossing the stream.”

Foxleap frowned. “I’ll fetch some others.” Scooping up the squirrel in his jaws, he raced toward camp.

Ivypool rushed to catch up with Birchfall and Mousewhisker.

“Is everything okay?” Birchfall narrowed his eyes.

“Fine.” Ivypool fell in beside him, lifting her chin. “I just had to make dirt.”

Birchfall’s gaze flicked back to the trail. Ivypool could see the trees lighten as they neared the edge of the forest. She slowed her pace. The stretch of grass beyond ran straight to the border. She had to give Foxleap time to fetch the patrol.

“I’m proud of you.” Birchfall’s pelt brushed hers as he murmured in her ear. “Seeing you in the Dark Forest makes me realize how much I’ve underestimated your skills in the past.”

Would he be as proud of her if he knew she was lying to everyone? She should warn him about the dangerous path he was choosing. She should confess she was only in the Dark Forest to find out what Brokenstar was up to. But she couldn’t. There was too much at stake.

They padded into the sunlight. Ahead, the ground sloped down toward the border stream. Beyond that, WindClan’s smooth, grassy moor rose, stark against the brilliant blue sky. Ivypool scanned the heather for pelts, then glanced furtively toward the lake. There was no sign of WindClan or Foxleap’s patrol. She spotted a gorse bush clinging to the slope, a few fox-lengths from the stream. “Let’s hide there till they come.”

Mousewhisker bristled. “Why should we hide?”

Ivypool marched past him. “You don’t want everyone knowing about the Dark Forest, do you?” She ducked underneath the low branches of the gorse. Spikes tugged at her pelt as she squirmed as far in as she could. She wriggled around and hissed to her Clanmates. “Come on, there’s plenty of room.”

Birchfall and Mousewhisker squeezed in after her and she lay, hot and prickly, staring out at the moor. Her heart thumped against the ground. Please, StarClan, don’t let Birchfall and Mousewhisker smell my fear-scent. What if Foxleap arrived first? Birchfall might guess she’d given them away. Ivypool peered into the heather beyond the stream, praying for pelts to appear.

Fresh ThunderClan scent seeped under the bush. Foxleap! Straining, she saw the young warrior climbing the slope from the lake. Brackenfur and Graystripe flanked him. As they neared the gorse bush, the heather on the far side of the stream swished and Harespring padded out, scanning the border. Larkpaw and Sunstrike followed.

“Any sign of them?” Sunstrike murmured to his Clanmates. He stared across the stream as they approached the border.

“Stay back!” Foxleap’s yowl sounded from the slope. The ThunderClan patrol ran toward the border and skidded to a halt opposite the WindClan cats. “What are you doing here?”

“Checking the border.” Sunstrike met his gaze. “Just like you.”

“You’ve been trespassing!” Brackenfur accused.

“We haven’t crossed the border!” Harespring hissed.

“Not this time,” Foxleap growled. “But warriors have picked up WindClan scent this side of the stream.”

Birchfall stiffened beside Ivypool. “Have they?” he whispered.

Ivypool shrugged. “I don’t know,” she lied.

Mousewhisker’s tail flicked. “Why did Firestar have to send a patrol here now?” he grumbled.

Sunstrike stood on the edge of the small gorge cut by the stream. Foxleap faced her on the other side. Both warriors were bristling, ears flat.

Sunstrike bared her teeth. “No WindClan cat has crossed the border.”

Graystripe lashed his tail. “Are you accusing ThunderClan of crossing the scent line?”

Brackenfur dropped into a crouch—the same one Ivypool had spent the morning teaching Molepaw and Cherrypaw. Don’t attack! Guilt flooded through her. She didn’t want to start a fight. She just wanted to save her Clanmates from making a terrible mistake.

Harespring met Brackenfur’s gaze through narrowed eyes. “Onestar says we should challenge any cat we find on our land.”

“This is our land.” Brackenfur’s hindquarters twitched as he bunched his muscles.

“Stop!” Birchfall shot out from the gorse.

Foxleap spun around, his eyes wide. “What are you doing here?”