Erin Hunter - The Sight

“Did StarClan tell you this?”

Why did Firestar sound so wary?

Jaypaw nodded eagerly. “About the dog attack, yes.”

Sandstorm fixed Jaypaw with her steady green gaze. “Are you sure that this is what StarClan meant? That we should use the dog attack against our neighboring Clans?”

“Why else would they let me hear Tallstar’s warning?”

Then Firestar spoke. “We will not take advantage of WindClan’s troubles,” he meowed.

“But surely StarClan let me share this so we could take advantage of it!” Jaypaw argued.

“Are you sure they didn’t just want to warn us that dogs were loose nearby?”

Jaypaw’s tail twitched with indignation. “You weren’t there!” he snapped. “How do you know what StarClan meant?”

He marched out of the den and bounded down the rocks back to the medicine den. Why don’t they believe me? he thought furiously. I’m the one who shared with StarClan! What’s the point of being a medicine cat if they don’t listen to me?

“Dog attack! Dog attack!”

Whitewing’s yowl jerked Lionpaw from his nest. Instantly awake, he scrambled to the entrance of the den. Berrypaw and Mousepaw had already shot outside. Hollypaw pressed behind him—her tail was bushed out, her ears flattened—ready to defend her Clan.

“Can you see them?” she gasped.

“Are they near the nursery?” Hazelpaw called.

Lionpaw blinked against the rain. A steady drizzle drenched the camp, and the morning sky was gray with clouds. There was no sign of dogs.

Only cats filled the clearing, staring wildly around, their claws unsheathed. Spiderleg and Birchfall came streaking from the warriors’ den. Graystripe and Millie skidded after them as Whitewing paced urgently below Highledge.

“Where are they?” Ferncloud’s terrified mew sounded from the nursery. She crouched at the entrance, shielding Foxkit and Icekit, her eyes round with terror.

“It’s just like the badger attack!” wailed Daisy, cowering beside her.

Firestar leaped down from Highledge in one bound, Sandstorm on his heels. “Where are the dogs?”

Whitewing’s words came in gasps as she fought to get her breath back. “They’re not on ThunderClan territory,” she panted.

“Where are they, then?” Firestar demanded.

“On WindClan territory,” Whitewing reported. “I was patrolling with Thornclaw and Cloudtail near the border, and we heard dogs barking and cats shrieking from the moor.”

“Where are Thornclaw and Cloudtail now?”

“They went to investigate.”

“StarClan protect them!” Ferncloud whimpered.

Lionpaw’s heart was still pounding like a woodpecker on oak. “I hope Heatherpaw’s okay!”

Hazelpaw’s whiskers grazed his cheek. “Is Firestar going to send a patrol?”

“He must !” Hollypaw’s eyes were round. “WindClan could be wiped out.”

Leafpool rushed out of the medicine den. “Any injuries?”

Whitewing shook her head. “We didn’t see WindClan; w-we just heard them screeching, and the dogs…” Her ears twitched. “They were howling for blood.”

Jaypaw flashed a look of triumph at Firestar. “Do you believe me now?” he mewed, flicking his tail.

Lionpaw stared at his brother in surprise. Did he know this was going to happen?

Firestar glared at the blind apprentice. “This is not about you proving a point. Cats might die today!”

Lionpaw glanced questioningly at Hollypaw, but she looked as puzzled as he was.

“We must send a patrol to help WindClan,” Firestar decided.

Spiderleg blinked. “Have you forgotten the last time we fought dogs?”

“We lost warriors that day,” Sandstorm remembered grimly.

“It’s up to WindClan to look after themselves,” Jaypaw growled.

Firestar glanced at Brightheart. She had lost half her face when she’d confronted a pack of vicious dogs many moons ago. “What do you think?” he asked gently.

“We nearly lost everything when the dogs attacked us.”

She held her head high, but Lionpaw could see she was trembling. “We can’t let the same thing happen to WindClan.”

“But if we go, we risk leading them here,” Dustpelt pointed out.

“They might find their way here anyway,” Firestar meowed.

Brambleclaw nodded. “WindClan territory is too close to our own to ignore this,” he agreed.

“Exactly.” Firestar gazed at each of his warriors. “You will be risking your lives to save WindClan, but you will also be defending ThunderClan from a deadly enemy.”

“We must help them!” Birchfall called.

Spiderleg paced in an agitated circle. “We have to drive the dogs away!”

Lionpaw clawed at the ground. I hope I get to go!

“Ashfur! Graystripe!” Brambleclaw called. “You’ve fought dogs before. I’ll need your experience. Birchfall and Spiderleg! You come too.”

Lionpaw lifted his muzzle. “What about me?”

Brambleclaw glanced at Ashfur. “Is he ready?”

Ashfur gave a quick nod.

“Okay,” Brambleclaw meowed. “Millie!” He swung his head toward the kittypet. “You know about dogs from when you lived in the Twolegplace, don’t you?”

Millie nodded. “They don’t scare me,” she meowed. “And I know how easy they are to trick.”

“Good.” Brambleclaw nodded. “Come with us, then.” He turned to his apprentice. “You too, Berrypaw.”

Berrypaw unsheathed his claws, his eyes shining.

“Shall I come too?” Whitewing meowed.

“Yes. We’ll need you to show us which way Thornclaw and Cloudtail went,” the deputy told her.

“What about me?” Hollypaw was staring hopefully up at her father.

He shook his head, and Lionpaw saw disappointment cloud his sister’s gaze. “I need you to stay here and help Brackenfur guard the camp,” Brambleclaw explained.

“Someone will have to patrol the entrance and make sure no dogs get in if we can’t stop them at the border.”

Hollypaw flicked her tail. “Yes, Brambleclaw.”

The deputy glanced at Firestar. “Will Onestar accept our help?”

“I think so. Onestar’s proud, but he’s no fool,” Firestar meowed.

“Ashfur?” Ferncloud had left the nursery and was padding toward her brother. Lionpaw knew that their mother, Brindleface, had been killed by Tigerstar to give the other dog pack a taste for cats’ blood. Ferncloud would have only the worst memories of dogs. “Be careful.” The she-cat rubbed her cheek along Ashfur’s.

“Don’t forget I’ve outrun a dog pack before,” he meowed.

“You had me at your side then,” she reminded him.

“And now I have you and your kits to protect.” He licked her between the ears. “I won’t let you down.”

Brambleclaw was racing toward the entrance. Ashfur spun and pelted after him, falling in behind Graystripe and Millie.

Birchfall and Spiderleg dashed after them, and Lionpaw followed, Berrypaw’s pelt brushing his as they raced side by side.

The patrol pounded out of the camp, picking up speed as it headed up the slope toward the WindClan border. Would they get there in time? What if the dogs were already at the border? Images of vicious fangs flashed in Lionpaw’s mind, making his tail tremble. He unsheathed his claws and pushed harder against the sodden earth.

His pelt was plastered against his skin by the time they reached the border. He scanned the moorland as the patrol streamed up into WindClan’s territory, but the wind drove the rain into his eyes.