Outcast (3 page)

But it was probably unimportant. Jaypaw dismissed the question from his mind as his brother flopped down beside him, a mouse in his jaws.

“I'm worn out!” Lionpaw announced. “I thought I'd have to chase that squirrel all the way to ShadowClan.”

“Why bother?” Jaypaw asked. “It's not
your
assessment today.”

“I know,” Lionpaw mumbled around a mouthful of fresh-kill. “But that's not the point. A good warrior will always do as much as he can to feed the Clan.”

And Lionpaw wanted to be the best warrior he could. Jaypaw knew that, and he knew how tense and determined his brother had been ever since they found the kits in the tunnels. He knew the reason, too, even without reading Lionpaw's mind: His brother had decided to concentrate on his training to make up for meeting the WindClan apprentice Heatherpaw in secret.

Jaypaw's whiskers twitched in sympathy. As a medicine cat, he was allowed to have friends outside his Clan, though he couldn't imagine wanting to. How could anyone trust a cat from a different Clan?

The patter of a falling pebble alerted him that Firestar was bounding down from the Highledge. His voice came from close to the warriors' den.

“We need a border patrol. Which of you—”

Beside Jaypaw, Lionpaw leaped to his feet. “I'll go!”

For a moment Jaypaw wondered why Firestar was organizing a patrol, until he remembered that the Clan deputy, Brambleclaw, was out in the forest giving Berrypaw his assessment.

“Thanks, Lionpaw,” Firestar meowed, “but I can see you've been working hard today.”

Lionpaw sat down again; Jaypaw could tell he was disappointed.

“I'll go.” Graystripe spoke as he pushed his way out of the warriors' den.

“So will I.” Squirrelflight was just behind him.

“And I'll come with Honeypaw.” Jaypaw heard Sandstorm
padding up from the direction of the apprentices' den, with her apprentice at her side.

“Good,” meowed Firestar. “I think you should take a look at the border with WindClan. Everything's been quiet since the kits were found, but you never know.”

“We'll make sure the scent marks are fresh,” Graystripe promised. “And if we see—”

He broke off at the sound of excited meows and loud rustling from the thorn tunnel. Jaypaw sat up, jaws parted to distinguish the different scents of the newcomers. Berrypaw was first into the clearing, with Hazelpaw and Mousepaw bundling just behind him. They were followed by their mentors, Brambleclaw, Dustpelt, and Spiderleg.

“We did it!” Berrypaw's triumphant yowl echoed around the stone hollow. “We all passed our assessment, and now we'll be warriors!”

“Berrypaw.” Brambleclaw sounded stern. “That's for Firestar to decide.”

“Sorry.” Jaypaw could feel Berrypaw's sudden dejection and pictured him with head and tail drooping. “But we will get to be warriors, won't we?”

“Maybe we should assess how well you can keep your mouth shut,” Dustpelt snapped.

“It's okay.” Firestar sounded amused. “If the mentors will come and speak to me, we'll arrange the warrior ceremony.”

“What about the border patrol?” Graystripe asked.

“It can wait till dusk. We're not expecting trouble, after all.”

All the apprentices were gathering in an excited cluster near their den. Lionpaw pelted across to join them. Jaypaw rose, stretched, and followed more slowly.

“…and
two
voles,” Berrypaw was meowing as Jaypaw came into earshot. “I'd have had a thrush as well if
he
hadn't frightened it away.”

Jaypaw's neck fur bristled, but before he could speak Hollypaw jumped to his defense. “What does it matter? You passed the assessment.”

Jaypaw's tail tip twitched.
I can look after myself, thanks
.

“I got a humongous vole.” Hazelpaw was too excited to notice the hostility between Berrypaw and Jaypaw. “And I brought down a blackbird just as it was flying away. Dustpelt said he'd never seen such a good leap.”

“That's great!” mewed Honeypaw.

“I caught a squirrel,” Mousepaw boasted. Jaypaw remembered how the apprentice had climbed the Sky Oak in pursuit of a squirrel, and then was too scared to climb down again. Cinderpaw had broken her leg going up to fetch him when a branch gave way and she fell. Jaypaw would have bet a moon of searching the elders' fur for ticks that the squirrel Mousepaw caught had been on the ground.

“I wish
we
were being assessed, don't you?” Hollypaw murmured to Lionpaw. “Sometimes I think we'll never be warriors.”

“I know.” Lionpaw sounded just as envious; then a jolt of determination shot through him. “We'll just have to work harder, that's all.”

Jaypaw didn't join in the conversation. His paws were set on a different path. He wouldn't finish his medicine cat training for a long, long time, and when he received his proper name he would still be Leafpool's apprentice. He wouldn't be a full medicine cat until she died. Even though his fur prickled at the thought of his littermates moving on without him, he didn't want his mentor to die.

Besides, the prophecy said that he and the others would have the power of the stars in their paws as soon as they were born. It didn't say that they had to be warriors first.

Firestar's voice rang out from the Highledge. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a Clan meeting!”

The clearing flooded with different scents as the Clan began to emerge. Jaypaw could make out Mousefur and Longtail, the elders, as they left the shelter of their den under the hazel bush. Leafpool came out of the medicine cats' den and sat in front of the screen of brambles.

Then the other scents were overwhelmed by Daisy's, as she bounded over to the group of apprentices.

“Berrypaw, just look at you!” she exclaimed. “Your fur is sticking out all over the place. And Hazelpaw—have you collected every single burr between here and the lake?”

Jaypaw heard the sound of fierce licking.

“It's okay, I can do it,” Berrypaw protested.

“Nonsense,” Daisy scolded. “You can't go to your warrior ceremony looking like some scruffy band of rogue kits. Any cat would think I hadn't brought you up properly.” She began
licking Berrypaw again, then broke off to add, “Mousepaw, you're just as bad! Have you seen the state of your tail?”

“I hope Firestar has forgotten about
my
tail,” Berrypaw mewed anxiously. “He might use it to give me my warrior name.”

Berrypaw's tail was just a short stump. When he was a kit he had snuck out of the camp to go hunting and caught his tail in a fox trap.

“What, Berrystumpytail?” Poppypaw suggested. “That would be a mouthful!”

“Oh, no!” Berrypaw wailed. “Firestar wouldn't, would he?”

“Don't be silly,” Daisy mewed.

“I'm sure you don't have to worry.” Brightheart's voice joined the conversation. Among all the different scents, Jaypaw hadn't noticed her approach. “When the dog pack attacked me, Bluestar gave me Lostface as my warrior name. But when Firestar became leader, he changed it. I'm sure he wouldn't give any cat a cruel name.”

“I hope not!” Berrypaw still sounded doubtful.

Suddenly alarmed, Jaypaw thought over what Brightheart had said. “You don't think Leafpool might mention that I'm blind when she gives me my full medicine cat name?” he muttered into Hollypaw's ear.

“Like, Jayno-eyes? That's just as stupid as Berrystumpytail,” his sister replied.

“
You
think it's stupid, but will Leafpool—”

“Be quiet, all of you,” Graystripe interrupted. “The ceremony is about to start.”

Lionpaw gave Jaypaw a nudge. “Come on. Let's get a good place at the front. I want to see everything that happens.”

“Yes, it'll be our turn soon,” Hollypaw meowed enthusiastically.

Jaypaw followed his littermates and the other apprentices to the front of the crowd that had gathered around Firestar. He could sense fizzing pride in the three who were to be made warriors. He pictured them sleek-furred and shiny after their mother's frantic licking. Daisy felt just as proud, though Jaypaw picked up anxiety, too, for the two tiny kits she had left in the nursery.

Then he located Ferncloud, sitting just outside the nursery with Icekit and Foxkit. The gentle queen would make sure no harm came to the two newborns while their mother watched her first litter become warriors.

“This is a good day for ThunderClan.” The excited murmuring of the Clan cats died into silence as Firestar began to speak. “No Clan can survive without new warriors. Brambleclaw, is your apprentice Berrypaw ready for his warrior ceremony?”

“He has trained well,” Brambleclaw replied.

Jaypaw could feel the excitement of the three apprentices building as Firestar addressed the other two mentors, Dustpelt and Spiderleg. Then he heard their paw steps as they padded forward to stand in front of Firestar.

“I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these three apprentices.” The Clan leader's voice rang out above the rustle of trees at the
top of the hollow. “They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Berrypaw, Hazelpaw, Mousepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?”

“I do!” the three young cats replied, Berrypaw loudest of all.

For a few heartbeats Jaypaw felt his fur prickle with envy. One day he would have his own naming ceremony as a medicine cat, but he would never stand before his Clan and make the promise to defend it with his life.

“Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names,” Firestar went on. “Berrypaw, from this moment you will be known as Berrynose.”

“Oh, thank you!” the new warrior exclaimed, interrupting his Clan leader.

A ripple of amusement passed through the Clan, though Jaypaw caught a hiss of annoyance from Berrynose's former mentor, Brambleclaw.

Firestar waited for the noise to die down before continuing. “StarClan honors your bravery and your enthusiasm, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.”

There was a pause; Jaypaw knew that Firestar would rest his muzzle on the top of Berrynose's head, and Berrynose would lick his leader's shoulder. Then Firestar went on to give Hazelpaw the name of Hazeltail, and Mousepaw became Mousewhisker.

“ThunderClan is proud of you all,” Firestar finished. “May
you serve your Clan faithfully.”

“Mousewhisker! Hazeltail! Berrynose!” The Clan welcomed the three new warriors with enthusiastic yowls.

Jaypaw sensed their pride in their new responsibilities, and a renewed confidence in every cat that the Clan was growing in strength and numbers, the hardships of the Great Journey now a fading memory.

But there was something more lingering in the hollow like mist—traditions that stretched back beyond ThunderClan to the ancient cats who had walked the forest long ago. If Fallen Leaves had made it alive out of the tunnels, would he have been greeted like this?

What happened to those cats?
Jaypaw wondered.
Where did they go?

Lionpaw pushed his way through clumps
of long grass wet with dew; he shivered as the moisture soaked his fur, and blinked sleep from his eyes. Clouds lay low over the forest, though a growing brightness above the trees showed where the sun was rising.

The dawn patrol was heading toward WindClan territory. Ashfur and Berrynose had drawn slightly ahead, discussing something in voices too low for Lionpaw to catch. After a few moments Berrynose glanced over his shoulder. “Don't lag behind, Lionpaw,” he meowed loudly. “And watch out for fox traps.”

“Watch out yourself,” Lionpaw muttered. The cream-colored tom had been a warrior for three whole days, and already he was acting like a mentor.
But he needn't think I'm going to obey his orders!

Lionpaw let himself drop even farther behind. His paws were tingling with memory as he rounded a bramble thicket and saw the entrance to the tunnels. It looked like a disused rabbit hole, half-hidden by bracken, but once it had led down to a cave with an underground river and then up again into WindClan territory. Pain stabbed Lionpaw's heart as he
remembered how he used to plunge into the tunnels at night and meet Heatherpaw in the cave. He wished they could go back to the time when she had been Heatherstar, leader of DarkClan, and he was her loyal deputy.

He hesitated outside the entrance for a heartbeat, then couldn't resist squeezing through it and crawling along the tunnel until he came to the avalanche of mud left behind when the tunnels flooded. He opened his mouth, but all he could taste was wet soil and worms.

“Lionpaw! I know you're in there!” Berrynose called. “Come out
now
!”

For a moment Lionpaw felt like ignoring him, but he realized how stupid that would be. He didn't want to stay in this damp, stifling hole. Slowly he wriggled backward until he could stand up and shake the mud out of his fur.

Berrynose was standing in front of him, cream-colored fur bristling. Ashfur was a couple of tail-lengths away; his blue eyes were calm and unreadable.

“What do you think you're doing, exploring in a dangerous place like that?” Berrynose demanded. “What if the roof had fallen in? You'd expect us to dig you out, I suppose, like last time.”

Lionpaw had almost suffocated when he fell into an old badger set during the daylight Gathering. But that was completely different. And anyway, Berrynose hadn't been the one to dig him out.

“Stop ordering me around,” he snapped. “You're not my mentor.”

“Then stop behaving like a stupid kit!”

Lionpaw dug his claws into the ground to stop himself from taking a swipe at the arrogant tom. “Don't call me a kit,” he growled. “Your scent hasn't faded out of the apprentice den, and you're already—”

“That's enough,” Ashfur interrupted. “Berrynose, I'll do the mentoring, thanks. But he's right, Lionpaw. There's no point in sticking your nose down every hole between here and WindClan. Unless there were any suspicious scents down there.”

“No. But there might have been!” Lionpaw defended himself.

Ashfur made no comment, except for an impatient twitch of the tail. “Let's get moving.”

Lionpaw gave Berrynose a final glare and padded after his mentor. He could still feel a tug of longing for Heatherpaw, drawing him down into the caves. But he knew he would never walk there again—and not just because mud had blocked the tunnels.

He wanted to be the greatest ThunderClan warrior ever. And he couldn't be that if his best friend was a cat from another Clan.

 

“Jump! High as you can—now!”

Lionpaw leaped into the air, twisting as he landed so that he was facing his opponent. He managed to land a blow on Poppypaw's haunches before she scrambled around to face him. Flashing a glance toward the edge of the clearing, he
could just make out the shadow of a tabby-striped pelt and the gleam of amber eyes.

Thanks, Tigerstar!

Poppypaw sprang at him, and Lionpaw launched himself forward, slipping underneath her with his belly brushing the moss. Hooking her hind legs out from under her, he planted his forepaws on her belly as she rolled over.

“Well done, Lionpaw.” Ashfur gave him a nod of approval, though there was no warmth in his blue eyes.

What am I doing wrong now?
Lionpaw wondered. He had understood Ashfur's annoyance with him when he was spending every night in the caves with Heatherpaw. Then he'd been almost too tired to put one paw in front of another during the day.
But I'm training well now. I'm working really hard!

“I've never seen that last move before.” Thornclaw, Poppypaw's mentor, padded up to the two apprentices. “Where did you learn it?”

“Er…I just figured it out, I suppose,” Lionpaw mumbled.

He had learned the move from Tigerstar, during a training bout with Hawkfrost. The two shadowy cats visited him so often, he felt as if he always had voices in his ears, telling him to jump higher, strike harder, twist out of the way. The constant practice had made his muscles harder and stronger. He knew without any cat telling him that his battle skills had improved faster than any other apprentice's. But it was difficult sometimes to explain where the skills came from.

“You can let me up now,” Poppypaw mewed.

“Oh, sorry.”

Lionpaw stepped away from her and she bounced to her paws, shaking scraps of moss from her fur. “Will you teach me how to do that?”

“Sure. When a cat leaps at you, you need to flatten yourself, but keep moving forward.”

“Like this?” Poppypaw tried to imitate the move.

“Yes, but a bit faster.”

While the young tortoiseshell she-cat practiced, Lionpaw glanced toward the edge of the clearing again. But the ghostly presence of Tigerstar was gone.

 

Lionpaw maneuvered a long tendril of bramble through the tunnel into the stone hollow, tugging hard as it snagged on the thorns. His paws were aching with tiredness. First the dawn patrol, then the training session, then, after a short break for a few mouthfuls of fresh-kill, Ashfur had set him to repairing the elders' den. And it was only just past sunhigh!

As he dragged the bramble across the clearing, something heavy landed on the other end of it, bringing him up short and making him stumble. Dropping his end, Lionpaw glanced back to see Foxkit. The reddish tabby tom had sunk his teeth into the other end of the tendril and was battering it with his paws. A low growl came from his throat.

“ShadowClan are invading!” Icekit squealed, dashing up beside her brother and leaping onto the bramble. “Get out of our camp!”

Whitewing halted on her way across the clearing, her neck fur beginning to bristle, then carried on with a flick of her
tail. Cloudtail thrust his head out of the warriors' den, blue eyes wide with alarm. When he spotted the two kits he twitched his ears in disgust and disappeared.

“Hey, you're disturbing every cat,” Lionpaw meowed. “And I need this to patch the elders' den.”

“Can we help?” Icekit asked.

“Yes, we'll be apprentices soon,” Foxkit added, letting go of the bramble.

“Okay, but be careful you don't get thorns in your pads.”

Lionpaw went on dragging the tendril across the clearing. The two kits tried to help him tug it along, but they mostly got under his paws and made the task harder.

When they drew closer to the elders' den, Foxkit and Icekit seemed to forget about helping. Instead they dashed across to Mousefur and Longtail, who were sunning themselves at the entrance to the den.

“Tell us a story!” Foxkit demanded. “Tell us about the Great Journey. Tell us how the Twolegs—”

“No, I want to hear about the old forest,” Icekit interrupted.

Mousefur yawned. “You tell them something,” she mewed to Longtail. “Then maybe they'll settle down and some cats can get a bit of sleep.” She closed her eyes and wrapped her tail over her nose.

Longtail sighed, then settled into a comfortable crouch with his paws tucked under his chest. He turned his face toward the kits, even though he couldn't see them. “Okay, what do you want to hear about?”

“Tigerstar!” Foxkit's fur bristled with excitement.

“Yes, Tigerstar!” Icekit added. “Tell us how he tried to take over the forest.”

Lionpaw saw Longtail's tail tip flick as the blind cat hesitated. Curiosity clawed at him as he began weaving the length of bramble to block up a hole in the honeysuckle fronds that sheltered the den. He wanted to hear about Tigerstar as much as the kits did.

“Tigerstar was a great warrior,” Longtail began at last. “He was the strongest cat in the forest and the best fighter. When I was a young cat, I thought he would be the next leader of ThunderClan. I wanted to be just like him,” the pale tabby added awkwardly.

“But he was
evil
!” Foxkit burst out, round-eyed.

“We didn't know that back then,” Longtail explained. “He killed Redtail, the ThunderClan deputy, but every cat believed that Redtail had died in battle….”

Lionpaw's belly churned as he listened to the tale of blood and conspiracy. It was hard to keep his paws moving, fixing the bramble into place, and to pretend that this was just a story to him, no more than it was to the kits. This was the cat who padded beside him through the forest, teaching him how to be a warrior!

“It was Tigerstar's ambition that destroyed him,” Longtail concluded. “If he'd been willing to wait for power to come to him, he would have been the greatest leader in the forest.”

Lionpaw relaxed. There was no reason for him to avoid Tigerstar. The dark tabby couldn't be ambitious now. He was
dead
; there was nothing left to plan for.

And he had never suggested that Lionpaw should break the warrior code. He had been angry when he discovered the meetings with Heatherpaw in the cave. All he wanted was to make Lionpaw a really good warrior. Perhaps Tigerstar was sorry for what he had done and was trying to make up for it by helping ThunderClan.

Lionpaw left the kits pestering Longtail with questions and padded thoughtfully out of the camp to fetch more brambles.