Эрин Хантер - Tallstar’s Revenge

Lifting his head, he tasted the air. There was more than one rabbit scent here. There were many. Had they dug new burrows on the slope? He scanned the grass, looking for tunnel openings, but it was smooth and unbroken. Why had so many rabbits passed this way? Deep in his belly, worry churned harder.

The Thunderpath ran along the bottom of the slope. Monsters hurtled past, their roars ringing through the stone-cold air. Talltail blocked out their stench and tried to focus on the scent of rabbit. He suddenly realized it was tinged with blood. He wasn’t smelling live prey; he was smelling fresh-kill ! He padded farther down the slope, flattening his ears. His time in Twolegplace had taught him that the monsters were more noise than danger so long as he stayed clear of their path.

The blood stench sharpened as he drew closer. Perhaps rabbits were killed by monsters here. Talltail scanned the glittering, black stone of the Thunderpath. There was no sign of crow-food. Sniffing, he followed the blood scent along its edge. He slowed. He was nearing the tunnel that passed underneath the Thunderpath and joined WindClan territory to ShadowClan’s border, echoing with the howls of the monsters hurtling over it. He hadn’t been here in a long time. Dawnstripe had shown him the opening when he was an apprentice, but WindClan warriors rarely patrolled in this corner. There was little to hunt here, and ShadowClan scent markers didn’t begin until the other side of the Thunderpath.

Curiosity pulled Talltail on. The blood scent tainted the air, stronger as he neared. He scrambled down the ditch at the edge of the Thunderpath and pushed through the long grass choking the tunnel entrance. Blood streaked the stems, and as he slid into the dank, stinking tunnel, he saw more blood frozen into the muddy water pooled at the bottom. How many rabbits had been killed and dragged through here? Talltail swallowed. ShadowClan scents hung fresh in the air.

Pelt bushing, he turned and raced up the slope. Pushing hard against the rough grass, he pelted toward the heather. “Dawnstripe!” At his call, a grouse fluttered up from the bushes. He shouldered his way in, the stems scraping his muzzle as he raced along a rabbit trail.

“What in the name of StarClan are you doing?” Dawnstripe burst out of the heather and blocked his path.

Talltail skidded to a halt. “ShadowClan has been stealing prey and taking it through the tunnel!”

Dawnstripe’s pelt spiked. “Have you seen them?”

“I saw blood trails and ShadowClan scent was everywhere.”

Plumclaw stormed out behind Dawnstripe. “You scared off the grouse!” Her eyes blazed.

Aspenfall barged past her. “I was about to attack.”

Talltail squared his shoulders. “ShadowClan is using the tunnel under the Thunderpath to steal prey from the moor.” He glared at Aspenfall. “Go and tell Heatherstar. Bring warriors. We need to re-mark the border. They have to know that if they cross it again they face a fight.”

Aspenfall turned and pushed away through the heather.

“Come and see.” Talltail beckoned Dawnstripe to follow as he turned and headed back toward the tunnel.

He led her down the slope, Plumclaw close behind. “Ignore the monsters,” Talltail muttered as they neared the Thunderpath. “They’ll stick to their path.” He padded to the tunnel, pushing back the grass with a paw so that Dawnstripe could lean in and sniff the rabbit blood.

“It reeks of ShadowClan,” she growled, flinching away.

Plumclaw sniffed, frowning. “How long have they been doing this?”

Dawnstripe lashed her tail. “Quite a while, by the smell of it,” she hissed.

Talltail ripped the grass with his claws. “Heatherstar should keep a patrol here day and night.” Rage pulsed in his paws. “ShadowClan needs to learn that WindClan doesn’t give up prey without a fight.”

Dawnstripe eyed him. “Wasn’t it you who gave WindClan prey to RiverClan?”

Talltail bristled. “It was RiverClan’s prey to begin with,” he reminded her. “And they took it with my permission. They didn’t steal while our tails were turned.” He glared across the Thunderpath, blind to the monsters flashing past. “There’s a difference between a starving Clan and a thieving Clan.”

Plumclaw circled Dawnstripe, pelt ruffled. “How dare they—”

“Hush!” Talltail silenced her. Paw steps were thrumming through the tunnel, echoing against the stone walls.

“Attack!” A shriek ripped through the air. ShadowClan warriors streamed from the tunnel, eyes blazing with hate.

Talltail unsheathed his claws. “Invasion!”

“ShadowClan, attack!” Cedarstar yowled as he charged up the slope. Ears flat, teeth showing, he raced at Dawnstripe. Talltail hurled himself in front of her.

“I don’t need your help!” she hissed, dodging around him to meet the ShadowClan leader head-on.

Paws slammed into Talltail’s side. White fur blinded him as Blizzardwing knocked him off his paws and lunged for his throat. Talltail rolled. Teeth snapped at his cheek, catching his whiskers and plucking them out. Talltail scrambled to his paws, reared up, and brought his claws down on Blizzardwing’s ears. Plumclaw was wrestling in the mud downslope, locked in combat with a ginger tabby. Did the tunneler have enough battle skills to fight him off? Dawnstripe shrieked with pain. Talltail whipped around. Newtspeck had joined Cedarstar. The black-and-ginger she-cat was battering Dawnstripe’s muzzle while Cedarstar raked her flank with vicious claws.

“You can’t save her, rabbit heart!” Blizzardwing snarled.

Talltail boiled with rage. “I’m no rabbit heart!” He dived forward, butting Blizzardwing’s shoulder with such force that the ShadowClan warrior staggered backward. Talltail ducked and nipped his forepaw and the tom fell to the ground, rolling onto his back. Leaping onto him, Talltail clung to his shoulders and churned his claws against Blizzardwing’s belly. He tipped his head away as Blizzardwing snapped at it, springing off before the tom could tear out more whiskers.

Plumclaw screeched with fury as a ShadowClan apprentice, Raggedpaw, joined the ginger tabby’s attack. The tunneler was beating them off with a flurry of blows, but they were driving her farther down the slope, closer to the monsters thundering past. Less than a tail-length from Talltail, Cedarstar wrestled Dawnstripe onto her spine. Newtspeck nipped at her thrashing hind legs. Blood stained her muzzle.

Dawnstripe! Talltail tried to jump toward her but claws pierced his flanks and Blizzardwing dragged him back. He glanced desperately up the slope. Had Aspenfall persuaded Heatherstar to send warriors? Dawnstripe shrieked. If help didn’t come soon, they’d have to retreat. Talltail turned and swiped Blizzardwing’s throat, rage surging through him.

Blizzardwing staggered back, his eyes lighting with surprise as blood splashed from his white scruff. “Not bad for a WindClan cat,” he hissed.

Snarling, Talltail lunged at the tom. Blizzardwing reared up on his hind paws. Talltail saw him totter, unbalanced by the slope. Twisting in the air, he aimed for the tom’s unsteady hind leg and sank in his teeth. Blizzardwing yowled with rage, and curling around, bit deep into Talltail’s shoulder. Pain scorched through him.

“Talltail!” Dawnstripe’s panicked screech ripped through the air.

Talltail twisted away from Blizzardwing. Cedarstar loomed over Dawnstripe as she writhed on the grass. Newtspeck leaned back, her lip curling in delight. Talltail braced himself to watch the ShadowClan leader deliver the death blow. Then he felt the ground tremble beneath him. Paws were thrumming toward them across the moor. Help is coming! If they could just hold the ShadowClan patrol for a few moments more. Energy surged beneath Talltail’s pelt. He ripped free of Blizzardwing’s grip, ignoring the burning sensation of losing fur.