Now was Jaypaw’s chance to share what he’d learned. He scrambled up the tumble of rocks to Highledge. “Firestar!” he called, rushing into the leader’s den.
Firestar twitched in surprise. “Jaypaw?” he meowed.
Sandstorm woke up on the other side of the cave. “What is it?”
“I had a dream about StarClan,” Jaypaw began. “WindClan is going be attacked by dogs.” He sensed Firestar’s tail bristling and went on. “This would be a great chance to take some of WindClan’s territory! They’ll be distracted at the
other end of the ridge, and there won’t be any patrols around to stop us. We can take the strip of trees, the stream. . . . We could become stronger than the other Clans. ShadowClan would never dare invade us again.”
“Did StarClan tell you this?”
Why did Firestar sound so wary?
Jaypaw nodded eagerly. “About the dog attack, yes.”
Sandstorm fixed Jaypaw with her steady green gaze. “Are you sure that this is what StarClan meant? That we should use the dog attack against our neighboring Clans?”
“Why else would they let me hear Tallstar’s warning?”
Then Firestar spoke. “We will not take advantage of WindClan’s troubles,” he meowed.
“But surely StarClan let me share this so we
“Are you sure they didn’t just want to warn us that dogs were loose nearby?”
Jaypaw’s tail twitched with indignation. “You weren’t there!” he snapped. “How do you know what StarClan meant?”
He marched out of the den and bounded down the rocks back to the medicine den.
Chapter 21
Whitewing’s yowl jerked Lionpaw from his nest. Instantly awake, he scrambled to the entrance of the den. Berrypaw and Mousepaw had already shot outside. Hollypaw pressed behind him—her tail was bushed out, her ears flattened—
ready to defend her Clan.
“Can you see them?” she gasped.
“Are they near the nursery?” Hazelpaw called.
Lionpaw blinked against the rain. A steady drizzle drenched the camp, and the morning sky was gray with clouds. There was no sign of dogs.
Only cats filled the clearing, staring wildly around, their claws unsheathed. Spiderleg and Birchfall came streaking from the warriors’ den. Graystripe and Millie skidded after them as Whitewing paced urgently below Highledge.
“Where are they?” Ferncloud’s terrified mew sounded from the nursery. She crouched at the entrance, shielding Foxkit and Icekit, her eyes round with terror.
“It’s just like the badger attack!” wailed Daisy, cowering beside her.
Firestar leaped down from Highledge in one bound, Sandstorm on his heels. “Where are the dogs?”
Whitewing’s words came in gasps as she fought to get her breath back. “They’re not on ThunderClan territory,” she panted.
“Where are they, then?” Firestar demanded.
“On WindClan territory,” Whitewing reported. “I was patrolling with Thornclaw and Cloudtail near the border, and we heard dogs barking and cats shrieking from the moor.”
“Where are Thornclaw and Cloudtail now?”
“They went to investigate.”
“StarClan protect them!” Ferncloud whimpered.
Lionpaw’s heart was still pounding like a woodpecker on oak. “I hope Heatherpaw’s okay!”
Hazelpaw’s whiskers grazed his cheek. “Is Firestar going to send a patrol?”
“He
Leafpool rushed out of the medicine den. “Any injuries?”
Whitewing shook her head. “We didn’t see WindClan; w-we just heard them screeching, and the dogs . . .” Her ears twitched. “They were howling for blood.”
Jaypaw flashed a look of triumph at Firestar. “Do you believe me now?” he mewed, flicking his tail.
Lionpaw stared at his brother in surprise.
Firestar glared at the blind apprentice. “This is not about you proving a point. Cats might
Lionpaw glanced questioningly at Hollypaw, but she looked as puzzled as he was.
“We must send a patrol to help WindClan,” Firestar decided.
Spiderleg blinked. “Have you forgotten the last time we fought dogs?”
“We lost warriors that day,” Sandstorm remembered grimly.
“It’s up to WindClan to look after themselves,” Jaypaw growled.
Firestar glanced at Brightheart. She had lost half her face when she’d confronted a pack of vicious dogs many moons ago. “What do you think?” he asked gently.
“We nearly lost everything when the dogs attacked us.”
She held her head high, but Lionpaw could see she was trembling. “We can’t let the same thing happen to WindClan.”
“But if we go, we risk leading them here,” Dustpelt pointed out.
“They might find their way here anyway,” Firestar meowed.
Brambleclaw nodded. “WindClan territory is too close to our own to ignore this,” he agreed.
“Exactly.” Firestar gazed at each of his warriors. “You will be risking your lives to save WindClan, but you will also be defending ThunderClan from a deadly enemy.”
“We must help them!” Birchfall called.
Spiderleg paced in an agitated circle. “We have to drive the dogs away!”
Lionpaw clawed at the ground.
“Ashfur! Graystripe!” Brambleclaw called. “You’ve fought dogs before. I’ll need your experience. Birchfall and Spiderleg! You come too.”
Lionpaw lifted his muzzle. “What about me?”
Brambleclaw glanced at Ashfur. “Is he ready?”
Ashfur gave a quick nod.
“Okay,” Brambleclaw meowed. “Millie!” He swung his head toward the kittypet. “You know about dogs from when you lived in the Twolegplace, don’t you?”
Millie nodded. “They don’t scare me,” she meowed. “And I know how easy they are to trick.”
“Good.” Brambleclaw nodded. “Come with us, then.” He turned to his apprentice. “You too, Berrypaw.”
Berrypaw unsheathed his claws, his eyes shining.
“Shall I come too?” Whitewing meowed.
“Yes. We’ll need you to show us which way Thornclaw and Cloudtail went,” the deputy told her.
“What about me?” Hollypaw was staring hopefully up at her father.
He shook his head, and Lionpaw saw disappointment cloud his sister’s gaze. “I need you to stay here and help Brackenfur guard the camp,” Brambleclaw explained.
