balance.”
“How do I get to the other side before they slash me?”
Lionpaw wondered.
“I told you. Be fast!” Tigerstar padded around Hawkfrost.
“Try it on him.”
Lionpaw dropped into a crouch as Tigerstar stepped out of the way. He focused on the gap beneath Hawkfrost’s white-furred belly, letting energy build in his muscles. Then he shot forward. Darting underneath the long-legged warrior, he drew a paw, claws sheathed, across his forepaws, as Tigerstar had instructed. He felt Hawkfrost twist above him. The warrior was rearing, ready to crash down on him as soon as he emerged. But Lionpaw backed sharply, pulling out the way he had come, like a rabbit backing out of its hole. He hooked his claws into Hawkfrost’s fur, careful not to prick the skin, and dragged Hawkfrost, now unbalanced, down onto the ground.
“Excellent,” Tigerstar purred.
Hawkfrost scrambled to his paws, shaking pine needles from his fur.
Lionpaw lifted his chin and gazed proudly at Tigerstar.
“Not bad, huh?”
Paws slammed into his side, knocking him to the ground.
Lionpaw struggled, gasping in surprise, but Hawkfrost held him down, his massive paws pressing hard into Lionpaw’s flank.
“Never assume you’ve won until your enemy is dead!”
Tigerstar called.
Hawkfrost leaned in close. “Found out any more about that prophecy?” he sneered.
“I don’t think about it anymore,” Lionpaw lied.
Hawkfrost gave him a pitying look. “Haven’t StarClan made you leader of the forest yet?”
Pain seared his side. Hawkfrost’s claws tore his flesh, then let go.
Jumping to his paws, Lionpaw felt blood welling in his fur.
Anger swelled in his belly. Why didn’t they take the prophecy seriously? It could be his greatest weapon. A shiver of uncertainty ran down his spine. Unless they were right and it was nothing more than Firestar’s dream.
“Wake up!”
Lionpaw felt a muzzle nudging his flank where Hawkfrost had clawed it. He winced in pain and struggled to his paws.
Hollypaw was sitting beside him. “The patrol will be leaving soon.”
The den glowed faintly in predawn light. Light rain pattered on its branches.
Hollypaw licked her nose. “Blood?” She licked it again, glancing anxiously at Lionpaw’s flank where she had nuzzled him.
Shocked, Lionpaw licked the wound Hawkfrost had left.
He hadn’t realized the line between dream and reality was quite so blurred.
“There must be a thorn in your nest,” Hollypaw decided.
She pushed Lionpaw out of the way and began picking through the moss.
Paws began to pace the clearing outside.
“We’ll have to find it later,” Lionpaw mewed. “It sounds like the patrol’s getting ready to leave.”
Hollypaw looked up, eyes shining in the half-light.
“Let’s go!”
Lionpaw was already heading out of the den.
Ashfur and Brackenfur waited in the clearing, their fur slicked flat by the rain.
“You’re awake.” Ashfur shook drops from his whiskers.
“We can leave.”
“Wait.” Firestar bounded down from Highledge. “Remember,” he warned, “you’re only going to look for signs of prey-stealing. I don’t want you fighting any trespassers. If you find intruders, come back and report it.” His eyes glittered with worry. “This is more serious than a simple border skir-mish. If there is to be a battle, it must be decisive.” He looked from one cat to another. “Understand?”
Lionpaw nodded along with his Clanmates.
“Good.” Firestar turned and began to climb the rocks back to Highledge.
Brackenfur weaved between Lionpaw and Hollypaw. “Are you two ready?”
Ashfur was already darting through the tunnel. Lionpaw raced after him, his paws slapping the rain-muddied ground.
The tunnel sheltered him briefly; then he was out in the dripping forest. Hollypaw and Brackenfur pounded behind; he could hear their paws skidding on the slippery leaves. He unsheathed his claws, gouging the earth as he ran. Energy surged through him.
Ashfur, streaking
“How do I get to the other side before they slash me?”
Lionpaw wondered.
“I told you. Be fast!” Tigerstar padded around Hawkfrost.
“Try it on him.”
Lionpaw dropped into a crouch as Tigerstar stepped out of the way. He focused on the gap beneath Hawkfrost’s white-furred belly, letting energy build in his muscles. Then he shot forward. Darting underneath the long-legged warrior, he drew a paw, claws sheathed, across his forepaws, as Tigerstar had instructed. He felt Hawkfrost twist above him. The warrior was rearing, ready to crash down on him as soon as he emerged. But Lionpaw backed sharply, pulling out the way he had come, like a rabbit backing out of its hole. He hooked his claws into Hawkfrost’s fur, careful not to prick the skin, and dragged Hawkfrost, now unbalanced, down onto the ground.
“Excellent,” Tigerstar purred.
Hawkfrost scrambled to his paws, shaking pine needles from his fur.
Lionpaw lifted his chin and gazed proudly at Tigerstar.
“Not bad, huh?”
Paws slammed into his side, knocking him to the ground.
Lionpaw struggled, gasping in surprise, but Hawkfrost held him down, his massive paws pressing hard into Lionpaw’s flank.
“Never assume you’ve won until your enemy is dead!”
Tigerstar called.
Hawkfrost leaned in close. “Found out any more about that prophecy?” he sneered.
“I don’t think about it anymore,” Lionpaw lied.
Hawkfrost gave him a pitying look. “Haven’t StarClan made you leader of the forest yet?”
Pain seared his side. Hawkfrost’s claws tore his flesh, then let go.
Jumping to his paws, Lionpaw felt blood welling in his fur.
Anger swelled in his belly. Why didn’t they take the prophecy seriously? It could be his greatest weapon. A shiver of uncertainty ran down his spine. Unless they were right and it was nothing more than Firestar’s dream.
“Wake up!”
Lionpaw felt a muzzle nudging his flank where Hawkfrost had clawed it. He winced in pain and struggled to his paws.
Hollypaw was sitting beside him. “The patrol will be leaving soon.”
The den glowed faintly in predawn light. Light rain pattered on its branches.
Hollypaw licked her nose. “Blood?” She licked it again, glancing anxiously at Lionpaw’s flank where she had nuzzled him.
Shocked, Lionpaw licked the wound Hawkfrost had left.
He hadn’t realized the line between dream and reality was quite so blurred.
“There must be a thorn in your nest,” Hollypaw decided.
She pushed Lionpaw out of the way and began picking through the moss.
Paws began to pace the clearing outside.
“We’ll have to find it later,” Lionpaw mewed. “It sounds like the patrol’s getting ready to leave.”
Hollypaw looked up, eyes shining in the half-light.
“Let’s go!”
Lionpaw was already heading out of the den.
Ashfur and Brackenfur waited in the clearing, their fur slicked flat by the rain.
“You’re awake.” Ashfur shook drops from his whiskers.
“We can leave.”
“Wait.” Firestar bounded down from Highledge. “Remember,” he warned, “you’re only going to look for signs of prey-stealing. I don’t want you fighting any trespassers. If you find intruders, come back and report it.” His eyes glittered with worry. “This is more serious than a simple border skir-mish. If there is to be a battle, it must be decisive.” He looked from one cat to another. “Understand?”
Lionpaw nodded along with his Clanmates.
“Good.” Firestar turned and began to climb the rocks back to Highledge.
Brackenfur weaved between Lionpaw and Hollypaw. “Are you two ready?”
Ashfur was already darting through the tunnel. Lionpaw raced after him, his paws slapping the rain-muddied ground.
The tunnel sheltered him briefly; then he was out in the dripping forest. Hollypaw and Brackenfur pounded behind; he could hear their paws skidding on the slippery leaves. He unsheathed his claws, gouging the earth as he ran. Energy surged through him.
Ashfur, streaking
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