Эрин Хантер - Ravenpaw’s Farewell

The young cats settled down onto their haunches and leaped forward one by one. Bella nearly fell over and Riley didn’t cover much distance, but it was a decent start.

Ravenpaw dragged a stick out of the hedge.

“Pretend that this is your enemy,” he panted. “I want you to land with your front paws on the back of its neck, here.” He indicated a lump on the stick.

Bella did well this time, dropping down with her paws lightly on her imaginary enemy’s neck. Riley stumbled as he took off and ended up breaking the stick in two.

“Well, at least you wounded your enemy,” Ravenpaw commented, looking down at the splintered wood.

“Teach us something else!” Bella pleaded.

“Just one more; then we need to set off. Let’s try a front-paw blow.” Ravenpaw beckoned to Riley with the tip of his tail. “Imagine we’re face-to-face in battle. I’ll reach up with my front paw like this, fast as I can, and bring it down straight on top of your head. If I can’t reach, I can rear up on my hind legs, but see how this leaves my belly exposed?

You have to be quick for this move!”

Bella took Ravenpaw’s place and lightly patted her brother’s head. “Too slow,” Ravenpaw warned. “He would have known exactly what you were going to do. Riley, you can use the duck-and-twist move to get out of Bella’s reach.

Drop sideways, tuck your legs under you, and roll out of the way. Excellent!” he praised as Riley folded himself into a ball and tumbled to the edge of the path. “But don’t fall in the river,” Ravenpaw added.

Riley and Bella took turns practicing the front-paw blow and duck-and-twist. Bella had good reach with her long legs, but Riley’s broad shoulders gave him more power, and he was surprisingly fast given his sturdy build.

“We’ll make warriors of you yet!” Ravenpaw exclaimed.

“Good work!”

Riley looked at him, his flanks heaving. “That was fun!”

“I can’t wait for our first battle!” Bella mewed.

Ravenpaw shook his head. “Never wish yourself into a fight,” he murmured. “It will come soon enough.” For a moment he thought of Violet, how terrified she would be to know that her kits were preparing for danger. It’s better to be prepared, Ravenpaw told himself. “Come on, you two. Let’s keep going.” He flicked his tail, and the two cats fell in behind him.

Farther along the river, they reached an abandoned Twoleg den made from crumbling red stones. There was no trace of Twoleg scent in the air, and the den was completely silent. Ravenpaw glanced at his companions.

“Want to explore?” he suggested.

“Yes, please!” Riley meowed.

Ravenpaw followed them inside. The floor was strewn with broken stones and dotted with large Twoleg relics. A

jagged wooden slope led up to another level, and above that Ravenpaw could see glimpses of sky through holes in the roof.

“Watch this!” yowled Riley. He sprang onto the nearest

Twoleg relic, then bounced onto the wooden slope. It creaked under his weight, so he leaped down onto the floor, sending up a puff of dust. “That was fun!” he gasped.

“I’ll chase you!” Bella mewed, bounding toward him.

Riley skidded around and set off at a sprint, hurtling past

Ravenpaw so fast that his fur was flattened.

Ravenpaw started to worry that something would overhear them. He opened his mouth to warn them to be quiet, when a shadow filled the doorway behind him.

Ravenpaw whirled around, claws out, ready to fight. He stared in astonishment.

“Barley!”

Ravenpaw’s first thought was to fling himself at his old friend and cover him with joyous licks. But he held back, remembering their bitter words the last time they had seen each other.

Barley spoke first. “I’m so sorry,” he blurted out. “I should never have tried to stop you from helping Violet’s kits. You are brave, and generous, and I don’t deserve you…”

Ravenpaw bounded forward and pressed his muzzle against Barley’s cheek. “Don’t be such a mouse-brain. You were right to be concerned. It’s been hard, but we’re okay.”

He felt a lump in his throat. “Even better now that you’re here.”

Barley nuzzled the top of his head. “I left not long after you did. I thought that the barn was my home, but my home is wherever you are.” He took a step back and blinked at Ravenpaw. “I… I thought you were leaving because you didn’t want to be with me anymore.”

“That will never happen!” Ravenpaw meowed. “I’m sorry

I left without you. I’ve missed you every step of the way.”

“Whoa! It’s Barley!” Bella came tearing down the wooden slope. Her brother’s paw steps thudded overhead, and Ravenpaw glanced nervously at the trembling ceiling.

With a clatter, Riley rushed down to join them. “Are you going to come with us to SkyClan?”

Barley nodded. “I couldn’t let you have this great adventure without me, could I?”

“It’s been amazing!” Bella mewed, to Ravenpaw’s surprise. “There was this really fierce dog, and we had to hide in the hedge!”

Barley looked alarmed.

“It’s okay,” Riley put in. “We stayed super quiet until the dog went away. Ravenpaw made sure we didn’t come out till it was safe.”

“And he’s taught us great battle moves!” Bella exclaimed. “We can do the hunter’s crouch, the front-paw blow, and the duck-and-twist!”

Barley glanced at Ravenpaw. “I’m glad to hear he’s been looking after you,” he purred.

Bella nodded. “Yes, but he’s really bossy,” she added.

“As he should be!” Barley meowed. “He knows all about living in a Clan, so you must listen to everything he says.”

He looked around the abandoned den. “Now, are you planning to make a camp here, or should we keep going?”

“Let’s go!” yowled Riley, racing out the door with Bella on his heels.

Ravenpaw blinked affectionately at Barley. “You certainly know how to motivate them!”

The black-and-white tom ran his tail over Ravenpaw’s flank. “I’m so proud of you for doing this. You’re right; they deserve to choose the life they lead. Just as we did, a long time ago.”

Side by side, they padded into the sunshine. Ravenpaw forgot the tiredness in his legs as he trotted beside Barley.

Riley and Bella took the lead, calling back to let the older cats know about every new scent, every ripple in the river, every crushed leaf.

“They’re certainly observant,” Barley commented as they all stopped to look at a dragonfly that Bella had spotted on a reed.

As dusk fell, they reached a shallow pool fed by a low waterfall. Ravenpaw and Barley settled onto warm, flat boulders and basked in the final rays of the sun while the young cats played at the edge of the water, chasing rainbows in the spray. Riley ventured too far from the shore with one leap and vanished into the pool with a splash. Bella squeaked in horror, but a moment later her brother emerged, scattering drops of water, with a wriggling fish in his jaws.

He scrambled out and dropped it triumphantly beside

Ravenpaw and Barley.

“Look what I caught!” he announced.

“Caught? Or did it land in your mouth when you fell?”

Barley teased.

“Whatever happened, it’s the best fresh-kill we’ve had in a while,” Ravenpaw purred. “Well done, Riley!”

The gray tabby shook his fur, making Bella spring away with a yelp as water spattered her pelt. Ravenpaw let them start eating first. He was conscious of Barley standing very close to him as they watched the young cats tuck in.

“I can’t believe how well they’ve settled into living wild,” Barley murmured. “You’ve done a great job.”

“They’ve been very brave,” Ravenpaw replied. “I’m proud of them.”