Эрин Хантер - Eclipse

“Lionpaw?” Squirrelflight opened her eyes. A purr caught in her throat. “How are you?”

“Fine,” Lionpaw mewed.

“Firestar said you fought like a warrior in the battle.” Squirrelflight lifted her head to look at him through sleep-misted eyes. “You don’t seem to have a scratch on you.”

Lionpaw shrugged. “Just lucky, I guess.” His belly rumbled.

“You should have something to eat,” Squirrelflight murmured, resting her head down again.

“I will.” Lionpaw licked her ear gently as she closed her eyes.

Jaypaw was still sorting through the leaves he’d brought back.

Had StarClan really not shared anything with him? Or was he just keeping it to himself? “Are you hungry?” Lionpaw asked. Perhaps they could share some prey. It might make him more talkative.

Jaypaw didn’t look up. “I’ve already eaten.”

Sighing, Lionpaw headed out of the den.

Hollypaw was stretching outside the apprentices’ den.

When she spotted Lionpaw, her whiskers twitched. “Why didn’t you wake me?” she demanded, trotting toward him.

“You seemed so tired.”

“No more tired than you!”

Lionpaw snorted. “I was trying to help!” Why were his littermates so snappy with him? “If you’re so desperate to clean out the nursery, then go ahead.” He stomped to the fresh-kill pile and picked a shrew from the top. Crouching to gulp it down, he heard Dustpelt.

“We haven’t had a battle like that in moons.” The brown tabby warrior was sitting beside the halfrock with Ashfur and Poppyfrost.

“It was like the old days back in the forest,” Ashfur agreed.

Poppyfrost’s eyes widened. “You’ve had battles like that before?”

“Worse,” Dustpelt meowed. “Do you remember the battle against BloodClan, Ashfur?”

Ashfur’s tail twitched. “Now, that was a battle!”

“Did the sun go out then?” Poppyfrost mewed.

Dustpelt sighed. “No.”

“I hope this was the worst battle I’ll ever see,” Poppyfrost went on. “I was fighting two warriors at a time! I know we’d covered it in training, but I never imagined I’d have to do it.”

“You fought well,” Ashfur purred.

“Not as well as Lionpaw,” Poppyfrost breathed. “Did you see him? And there’s not a scratch on him!”

Ashfur stopped purring. “He’s ready to become a warrior.”

Lionpaw glanced up from his shrew. Ashfur was staring at him.

“There’s little else I can teach him.” The pale gray warrior got to his paws. “Lionpaw, are you ready for the patrol?”

Lionpaw swallowed and sat up. “Yes.”

Ashfur signaled to Sorreltail and Whitewing, who were sharing tongues outside the warriors’ den. They leaped to their paws and followed Ashfur to the thorn tunnel. Lionpaw hurried after them.

The forest was brighter now that the leaves were beginning to fall. Sunlight streamed through the branches and pooled on the forest floor. As they padded toward the WindClan border, Lionpaw dropped back. Was he really ready to become a warrior? Since he was a kit, he had dreamed of being the greatest warrior ThunderClan had ever known. But back then it had been a dream. Now the battles were real. He remembered with a shiver the blood pulsing from Crowfeather’s neck, and Heatherpaw’s terror. He had done that, possessed by some strength he seemed unable to control. Was that what being a warrior meant? Would he ever learn to control the power he felt in his paws?

Lionpaw shivered as the woods darkened. Clouds had covered the sun. He could hear his Clanmates rustling through the undergrowth ahead, but something moved in the ferns nearer. He paused. A shape rippled between the trees beside him. A dark-striped pelt.

Tigerstar.

The warrior growled from the shadows. “I watched the battle.” Tigerstar shouldered his way through the bushes and stepped onto the path in front of Lionpaw. “You fought well.

You were a credit to your ancestors.” His amber eyes gleamed.

Lionpaw looked past Tigerstar, searching for Hawkfrost.

“I came alone,” Tigerstar told him. “I have no patience for Hawkfrost’s sneering. He thinks you actually believe this prophecy. But I know you’re too smart to believe Firestar’s mouse-brained dreams.”

Lionpaw shifted his paws, uncomfortable under Tigerstar’s unblinking gaze. “Did you see the sun vanish?”

“It seems the Clans have displeased StarClan.” Tigerstar’s whiskers twitched. “Those starry-eyed fools never had the heart for battle. Unlike you.”

“Ashfur says I’m ready to be a warrior.”

“Really?” Tigerstar circled him. “You think you have learned all there is to learn?”

“I’ve learned all Ashfur has to teach.”

“You still have plenty to learn from me.”

Lionpaw narrowed his eyes. Did Tigerstar really know more? Does he guide my paws in battle? Was it only Tigerstar’s training that helped him beat every enemy and leave the fight unscathed?

Tigerstar’s breath felt hot on his muzzle as the warrior leaned closer. “You have plenty to learn from me, right?”

Lionpaw shifted on his paws. The dark warrior wanted an answer.

“You can teach me more battle skills, I suppose.” Lionpaw lifted his chin. “But what’s the point when I’ve proved I can beat any cat?”

Tigerstar’s eyes blazed like fire. “You think you’re invincible!” A growl rumbled in his throat. “Hawkfrost is right. You do believe this prophecy.”

“Yes!” Lionpaw dug his claws into the ground. “You saw me fight in the battle. Could you have fought better and come out unharmed?” He flicked his tail. “You were kil ed in battle.”

He turned to leave. He didn’t need the guidance of this dead cat!

A roar split the air. Lionpaw spun around. Too late: Claws pierced his shoulders as Tigerstar knocked him to the ground.

Lionpaw struggled, but Tigerstar held him down, his massive shoulders rippling with the effort.

“You think you don’t need me anymore, is that it?” Tigerstar hissed in his ear. “You’re a fool! You’ve just been lucky, nothing more. Firestar’s prophecy is blinding you. You’re like a kit who still believes in nursery tales.” He shoved Lionpaw down harder, pressing his face into the leaves. “You’re powerful because of me, and you will only grow more powerful by learning what I teach you.” He gave Lionpaw another shake before jumping back.

Lionpaw scrambled to his paws and turned on him, anger flaring in his belly. But Tigerstar was fading, his shape dissolving in front of him.

“I’ve not finished with you yet.” With a final hiss, Tigerstar vanished.

Lionpaw was trembling with fury. Why was Tigerstar so determined to ignore the prophecy?

“Lionpaw!” Ashfur was calling him from the bushes ahead.

He hurried to catch up, his shoulders stinging where Tigerstar’s claws had dug in. He glanced behind him. Was Tigerstar still watching? What did the dark warrior want from him, if he didn’t want the power of the stars?

Hollypaw paused from washing herself. “Are you going to the Gathering?”

Jaypaw heard her tongue scrape along her foreleg. “Yes.”

He rolled onto his side, feeling full.

“Me too.” Lionpaw kicked the remains of the squirrel away and stretched out.

The fresh-kill pile had been restocked in the days following the battle, and they had eaten well. Now they lay beside the halfrock enjoying the last of the evening sun.

Hollypaw yawned. “Do you think the other Clans will turn up?” No one had seen any sign of WindClan since the battle, but tension was still high, with continual patrols along the WindClan border.