A Dangerous Path by Erin Hunter Page A

side. “Dogs don’t behave like that. They come here with their Twolegs, and their Twolegs take them away again. Whoever heard of a dog roaming free in the forest?”
    â€œJust because it hasn’t happened before, doesn’t mean it can’t happen now,” Fireheart meowed desperately. “Why do you believe it was WindClan?”
    â€œCan’t you see?” Bluestar’s voice was taut with fury. “WindClan warriors were hunting rabbits, and the rabbits must have crossed the RiverClan border by Fourtrees. RiverClan’s territory is narrow there. The WindClan cats chased their prey across both borders, onto ThunderClan territory, before they caught it and killed it.” She spoke with absolute certainty, as if she had witnessed it herself. “It’s so obvious, a kit could see it.” Her paws started working again. “Well, WindClan had better watch out!”
    Fireheart’s heart lurched. It sounded as if Bluestar were planning to attack WindClan. We can’t bear any more trouble! he thought despairingly. An image popped into his head, of Tigerstar on his way to visit Crookedstar and Leopardfur. With a possible alliance in the air between RiverClan and ShadowClan, the last thing they needed right now was a war with WindClan.
    â€œYou may be right, Bluestar,” he admitted diplomatically, “but we shouldn’t blame WindClan without any real proof.It could have been RiverClan, couldn’t it?”
    â€œNonsense!” Bluestar’s voice was scornful. “The cats of RiverClan would never cross a border in pursuit of prey. They know the warrior code better than that. Have you forgotten how they helped us in the fire? We would all have been burned or drowned if not for RiverClan.”
    Yes, and Leopardfur won’t let us forget it in a hurry, Fireheart added silently. He couldn’t help thinking that RiverClan might believe a few rabbits were only the beginning of payment for their help.
    Fireheart shook his head to clear it. There was no point in trying to blame RiverClan. He knew what scents he had picked up. A dog was responsible for the scattered prey, and he had to make Bluestar see that. “Bluestar, I really think—” he began.
    Bluestar dismissed his words with a sweep of her tail. “No!” she insisted. “It was you, Fireheart, who came to me after the last Gathering and told me how Tallstar welcomed Tigerstar as leader of ShadowClan.”
    â€œHardly welcomed!” Fireheart tried to protest, but Bluestar ignored him.
    â€œHave you forgotten how WindClan warriors stopped me from traveling to Highstones? And how they attacked you when you brought Cloudpaw home? They show no gratitude, none, for what ThunderClan did for them, when you and Graystripe brought them home from exile! Tallstar is working with StarClan against me! He has allied himself with my greatest enemy, and now he and his warriors invade myterritory. He’s a disgrace to the name of warrior; he…” Her eyes were wild and her voice sank to a rough choking, as if she could hardly get the words out.
    Thoroughly alarmed, Fireheart started to back out of the den. “Bluestar, don’t,” he begged. “You’ve been ill; this is bad for you. I’m going to fetch Cinderpelt.”
    But before he could leave, a loud yowling broke out from the clearing. It was the sound of many cats raising their voices in a terrible screech of fear. Fireheart spun around and raced out of Bluestar’s den.
    The center of the clearing was almost deserted, bathed in bright light where the normally leafy cover had been burned away. Cats crouched around the edges in the scant shelter of the charred fern walls. Fireheart caught a glimpse of Goldenflower and Willowpelt pushing their kits into the nursery. Brackenfur was nudging a couple of the elders toward their den, urging them to hurry.
    The cats at the edge of the clearing were staring up