Эрин Хантер - Fading Echoes

Sandstorm called down from the top of the gully, “That’s fine with me.” She nodded to Icecloud. “Let’s try the lakeshore.” She raced away through the trees, Thornclaw and Icecloud on her tail.

“I’ll get that mouse now, okay?” Dovepaw mewed pointedly.

“It’s probably run for cover.”

“I can still hear it.” Dovepaw headed away up the slope and, with a deft pounce, captured the mouse and gave it a quick killing bite. She flung it down in front of Lionblaze. “You think it’s unfair, don’t you?” she challenged.

“What?”

“Using my powers to hunt!”

“Of course not.” Lionblaze wished he hadn’t been so sharp with her. She was just beginning to get used to hearing far beyond her Clanmates. “They’re part of the prophecy; you may as well use them.”

“But I thought the prophecy didn’t just apply to ThunderClan,” Dovepaw argued. “I thought it applied to every Clan. Wouldn’t it be fairer if I used my senses to catch food for every Clan?”

“I don’t think they’d thank you for the help,” he pointed out. But he understood what she meant. He would leap into battle to defend his Clanmates from a rival Clan. But he always knew he’d win. Was that a fair fight? He shook his head, uncertain how to reassure her. “I think we just have to remember the good we’ve done with our powers already. After all, if you hadn’t sensed the beavers, we’d have all died of thirst by now.”

Dovepaw’s eyes brightened a little.

Relieved, Lionblaze led her along the gully and up the rise. From the top, they could see Sandstorm’s hunting party stalking the slope beside the lake. With a sudden lunge, Sandstorm flushed a pheasant from the grass, and Icecloud, crouching in wait, leaped and made a clean catch before it could escape.

“Well done, Icecloud!” Dovepaw cheered.

Lionblaze stiffened as her mew died away and she pricked her ears. “What is it?”

“Ivypaw’s patrol.”

He flicked his tail. “Have they found more ShadowClan scents?” Had Tigerheart crossed the border again?

Dovepaw shook her head. “No, but they’re looking for them.” She stood still with her ears stretched up. What was she searching for? Lionblaze stared through the trees, but saw nothing but branches and bushes blocking his view.

Dovepaw jerked, her eyes widening.

“What is it?” Lionblaze unsheathed his claws.

“Nothing,” she answered quickly.

Lionblaze narrowed his eyes. She was definitely jumpy.

“Why don’t we try closer to the WindClan border?” Dovepaw mewed suddenly. “I can hear a woodpecker. We can find its nest.”

Lionblaze hesitated. Perhaps it was better to head that way. Brackenfur was already checking the ShadowClan border. He wouldn’t thank his Clanmates for treading on his paws.

They tracked the tapping of the woodpecker to a tree at the edge of the forest. WindClan’s moorland stretched beyond the border, gray beneath a gray sky.

“I’ll climb up,” Dovepaw offered.

“I’ll come with you.” Lionblaze didn’t want to get a reputation as a reluctant tree climber. It was bad enough to have Cinderheart teasing him. He scrabbled up the shiny poplar trunk after Dovepaw and perched on a thick branch high above the forest floor.

The woodpecker’s tapping had stopped, but Dovepaw clambered onto the next branch. “The noise was coming from here,” she called down. “Look!” She shuffled out of the way to let Lionblaze climb after her, then flicked her tail toward a small nest lodged in the crook of the branch. There were no eggs or birds inside, but it was lined with soft feathers.

Lionblaze pushed his head into the nest, wrinkling his nose at the stench, and pulled out a mouthful.

Dovepaw purred. “You look like you just swallowed a starling!”

As Lionblaze twitched his whiskers, he heard voices.

Jayfeather.

The medicine cats were coming down from the Moonpool. He could hear them calling their farewells at the border.

“Let’s wait for them.” Feathers puffed from his mouth as he spoke and drifted down onto the forest floor. He could see Jayfeather padding from the border with Littlecloud and Flametail.

“Come on.” Lionblaze scooted down the tree, landing a whisker in front of the ShadowClan cats.

Littlecloud jumped in surprise. “Are ThunderClan cats turning into squirrels?” He quickly smoothed his ruffled fur with a few sharp licks.

“Didn’t mean to surprise you,” Lionblaze apologized. “We were just collecting feathers.”

“Are you planning to learn how to fly?” Flametail meowed.

As he spoke, Dovepaw clawed her way down the trunk, sending a shower of feathers and bark ahead of her. Flametail ducked like a startled mouse.

“Sorry!” Dovepaw mewed. She glanced at Jayfeather. “How was the meeting at the Moonpool?”

Lionblaze searched his brother’s face. Had he found anything out?

“It was fine,” Jayfeather reported. He turned and dipped his head to the ShadowClan cats. “I’ll head back to camp with my Clanmates,” he told them.

“Okay.” Littlecloud nodded. “We’ll head for our border from here.”

“See you next half-moon,” Jayfeather called as the two cats walked into the trees.

“Say hi to Tigerheart from me!” Dovepaw mewed.

Lionblaze glanced at her. Why was she sending greetings to Tigerheart?

Her pelt ruffled as she caught his eye. “And, er, say hi to Dawnpelt too,” she added quickly.

Jayfeather was already following the trail home. His shoulders were slumped and his eyes were glazed with tiredness.

Lionblaze fell in beside him. “So?”

“Wait, what about these?” Dovepaw was staring around at the feathers, scattered below the poplar.

“We can come back for them later,” Lionblaze meowed over his shoulder. “What happened?” He pressed close to Jayfeather, guiding him with his shoulder. His brother seemed happy to lean against him.

“I visited the Dark Forest,” Jayfeather began.

“What do you mean?” Dovepaw gasped.

“That’s where our real enemies lie,” Lionblaze told her.

Dovepaw blinked. “Dead warriors?”

Lionblaze felt a flicker of frustration. Why hadn’t they told Dovepaw earlier? There wasn’t time to explain it all now. “Just listen,” he ordered. He turned his attention back to Jayfeather. “What did you see?”

“I met Brokenstar,” Jayfeather meowed. “He’s the one who fought against me with Breezepelt.”

“The old ShadowClan leader?” Lionblaze’s pelt bristled.

Jayfeather nodded. “And we saw Hawkfrost training warriors.”

Lionblaze’s heart lurched. “ Clan warriors?”

“No. Dark Forest warriors.”

“So we still don’t have any proof they’re recruiting Clan cats.”

“No.” Jayfeather sighed. “But they are up to something. Why else would dead warriors be training? Their fighting days are long gone. And they were using some pretty nasty moves.”

Lionblaze felt Jayfeather shudder against him. But he wasn’t afraid. He unsheathed his claws. Strength pulsed through the muscles beneath his pelt. He couldn’t wait to take on Hawkfrost and Tigerstar in a battle! He knew he could beat them both.

Dovepaw padded after them, the fur bristling along her spine. “How could Dark Forest cats recruit Clan warriors?”

“Through their dreams,” Jayfeather told her.

“But why in the name of StarClan would Clan cats listen to them?”

“You don’t know Tigerstar,” Jayfeather warned. “He preys on other cats’ weaknesses. He can make them feel like they’re strong and noble by doing what he wants them to. They probably don’t even realize they’re doing anything wrong.”