here to welcome her.
When Hollypaw slipped out of the den, she saw
Brightheart scrambling up the rockfall to Firestar’s cave.
Thornclaw lay by the halfrock, sharing tongues with Whitewing. Spiderleg was dozing in the early morning sunshine below Highledge.
Foxkit and Icekit burst from the nursery entrance in a flurry of fur and whiskers.
“Don’t stray into the clearing,” Ferncloud’s voice called from inside the den. “I don’t want you getting under anyone’s paws!”
“We won’t,” Icekit replied.
Icekit flicked her brother’s russet-colored muzzle with her tail. Foxkit retaliated with a lunge that sent her tumbling toward Hollypaw.
Hollypaw steadied the snow-white kit with her paw.
“Hi, Hollypaw!” Icekit glanced up at her, then spun and leaped at her brother. She tumbled him over, grasped him with a paw behind each cheek, and began to pummel him enthusiastically with her hind paws.
“Tuck your head in, Foxkit, and give her a good nip!”
Hollypaw called.
Icekit squeaked and let go of her brother. “That’s not fair,”
she wailed. “You’re helping him.”
“It doesn’t look like you need any help!” Hollypaw mewed.
Foxkit hurled himself at his sister.
“Duck!” Hollypaw warned the snowy kit.
Icekit rolled out of the way just in time, and Foxkit skidded past her into the frosty grass outside the apprentice’s den. He turned and, crouching low, prowled back toward Icekit.
“Not so fast,” Hollypaw advised. Icekit was waiting with her chest pressed to the ground and her tail lashing excitedly.
“Let her come to you.”
Foxkit stared at his sister, his eyes defiant. “She won’t dare come near me!”
Icekit wriggled closer, unable to resist her brother’s challenge. Foxkit waited until she was so close that her breath billowed in his face.
“Get behind her now!” Hollypaw urged.
Foxkit darted out of the grass and shot behind Icekit. By the time she had spun around he had jumped onto her back and was rolling her onto her side.
“You two are going to make great warriors!” Hollypaw purred.
A flash of ginger-and-white fur caught her eye. Brightheart was leaping down the tumble of rocks. Hollypaw felt a pang of sympathy. Jaypaw had been Brightheart’s first apprentice. She must have been eager to prove that she could make as good a mentor as any other warrior. Hollypaw hoped Jaypaw had persuaded her that his decision had nothing at all to do with the way she had been training him.
“Show us a fighting move!” Foxkit was reaching up to Hollypaw’s shoulder with his forepaws, tugging at her pelt.
Hollypaw ducked down and, twisting like a snake, rolled over onto her back.
“Wow!” Icekit breathed. “You’re really quick.” The white kit’s gaze flicked across the clearing, and she suddenly looked nervous. “Firestar’s coming,” she whispered.
“I’ve decided on your new mentor,” Firestar announced, stopping in front of Hollypaw.
“You’ve got a new mentor?” Foxkit mewed in surprise.
Firestar gazed down at the little kit. “She’s going to train as a warrior,” he explained.
“I thought she was training to be a medicine cat,” squeaked Icekit.
Hollypaw felt a prickle of unease. She still couldn’t help worrying that she had broken the warrior code.
“Hollypaw knows best what lies in her heart,” Firestar meowed.
Cloudtail came hurrying through the camp entrance. “I’ve told him,” he called to Firestar. “He’s on his way.”
“We’ll have an apprentice ceremony later,” Firestar told Hollypaw. “But I’ve called your new mentor back from the hunting patrol. If he agrees to take you on, you might as well start right away. You’ve got plenty of training to catch up on.”
Hollypaw nodded, unable to speak because her throat seemed to have closed up with excitement.
The thorn barrier quivered.
“Firestar?” Brackenfur hurried toward the ThunderClan leader, panting. He must have run all the way back. “What is it?”
Hollypaw flicked her tail happily. Not only was Brackenfur a great fighter, but he was also clever and thoughtful; she trusted his judgment as much as his strength.
“Would you be willing to take on Hollypaw as an apprentice?” Firestar asked.
Brackenfur’s gaze shot toward Hollypaw. “What happened?”
Hollypaw tensed. Was he going to say no? After all, she had already let one mentor down. “I-I don’t think I’m cut out to be a medicine cat.”
Brackenfur gazed at her a moment longer; then he turned back to Firestar. “I’d be pleased to train her.”
Hollypaw felt a wave of relief.
“Good,” Firestar meowed. “I’ll leave her in your paws, then.” He turned and padded away.
Brackenfur looked Hollypaw up and down. “You’ve got some catching up to do,” he warned.
“I know, and I’m going to train extra hard.”
“Good.” Brackenfur flicked his tail. “We’ll do battle training every day to begin with.”
“Great!”
Brackenfur stared at her with his head to one side. “I’m not going to ask what made you change your mind. If you’re going to be a warrior, I want you to concentrate on the pres-ent, not the past. You’ve made your decision, and I expect you to stick to it.”
“I will!” Hollypaw vowed.
Brackenfur kneaded the ground with his front paws, his shoulders flexing. “Are you ready to start training right away?”
Hollypaw nodded.
“Good. You can join our hunting patrol.” He headed back toward the thorn barrier and raced out of the entrance.
Taken by surprise, Hollypaw pelted after him, her tail fluffed out. Her first real hunt!
Brackenfur didn’t slow down to accommodate her shorter legs, and Hollypaw had to run twice as fast to keep up with
him. He raced up the slope and headed through the forest.
All the time Hollypaw had spent sorting herbs had exercised her mind more than her body. She realized with a jolt how much fitter the other warrior apprentices must be.
Brackenfur glanced over his shoulder as she struggled after him. “We’re nearly there,” he encouraged.
Hollypaw dug her claws into the frozen earth and tried even harder to catch up. A fallen tree blocked the path, but Brackenfur cleared it with ease. Hollypaw skidded to a halt in front of it and wriggled through the narrow gap underneath.
Brackenfur was waiting for her on the other side.
Graystripe and Millie were pacing the small clearing in the undergrowth. Ashfur and Spiderleg talked quietly nearby, while their apprentices, Lionpaw and Mousepaw, competed to see who could skid farthest through the fallen leaves.
Lionpaw stared at Hollypaw in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
“Meet my new apprentice,” Brackenfur meowed.
Lionpaw’s tail flicked. “That’s great!”
