Dark River

Should he warn Jaypaw about the tree-bridge? It was sur-prisingly slippery; Lionpaw had almost fallen off on his first crossing.

Hollypaw mewed beside him. “It’ll be good to see Willowpaw.”

“Willowpaw?” he echoed distractedly. There was only one apprentice Lionpaw was hoping to see at the Gathering: Heatherpaw, the pretty WindClan apprentice with smoky blue eyes. He let out a small sigh.

“What are you thinking about?” Hollypaw nudged him.

“You’re moons away.”

“Er, Jaypaw,” he mewed quickly. “I was wondering if he could make it over the tree-bridge.”

“Don’t let him hear you say that,” Hollypaw warned.

Lionpaw suddenly felt cold water seep over his claws.

Firestar had led them onto the marshy shore at the edge of RiverClan’s territory. Sandstorm picked her way after him.

Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight padded beside Millie and

Graystripe while Birchfall and Dustpelt followed, talking quietly. Hazelpaw was listening to her mentor while Berrypaw dodged from side to side, sniffing among the clumps of grass as though any moment he might flush out prey.

“This is RiverClan territory,” Hollypaw hissed, reminding him that hunting on another Clan’s territory was forbidden.

“I know,” Berrypaw retorted. “But there’s no harm in looking.”

“So long as you just look.”

Graystripe let out a loud purr. “Firestar?” he called. “It sounds like Hollypaw’s preparing to challenge you for leader-ship.”

Lionpaw glanced at his sister. Was this the gray warrior’s gentle way of telling her not to be so bossy?

“She can challenge all she wants,” Firestar purred back. “I don’t think I have to worry until she gets a bit bigger.”

“Hey!” Hollypaw fluffed out her fur indignantly. “I was just telling him!”

Firestar halted among the snaking roots of the fallen tree that crossed the water between the shore and the island. The scents of WindClan and ShadowClan were fresh on the bark; they must be here already. Lionpaw pricked his ears. Faint mews drifted from the island. Sandstorm jumped up nimbly and wove her way between the stumps and knots until she reached the other side. One by one, the others followed.

Lionpaw stood back as Hollypaw leaped after Hazelpaw.

“Aren’t you coming, Lionpaw?” she mewed, steadying herself.

“Of course,” Lionpaw hissed back at her.

“He’s waiting to make sure I don’t fall in,” Jaypaw mewed from behind him.

“Only because I nearly fell in the first time,” Lionpaw explained quickly. “It’s tricky if you don’t know where to put your paws.”

Jaypaw reached up into the tangle of roots, feeling his way with his forepaws.

“Here,” Leafpool meowed, jumping up past him onto the trunk. “It’s not too high.”

Jaypaw lifted his nose and sniffed, judging how far away his mentor was. Then he pushed up with his hind legs and clawed his way onto the trunk beside her. Instantly, his forepaws slid from under him.

Lionpaw’s heart lurched as Jaypaw shot sideways. Leafpool darted toward him but Jaypaw had already dug his claws into the rotting bark and steadied himself, his tail lashing as he fought to regain his balance. Beneath him the dark water lapped at the shore. Lionpaw fought the urge to jump up and help as Jaypaw began to pad past his mentor and along the trunk. Leafpool crouched, tense and silent, ready to spring if Jaypaw slipped again. One slow paw step at a time, the blind apprentice felt his way along the bridge.

“Jump this way, Jaypaw!” Hollypaw called from the shore on the far side. “The sand’s a bit soft, but it’s clear.”

Jaypaw leaped down, landing a little clumsily, but straightened up at once.

Lionpaw felt a wave of relief.

“Hurry up, Lionpaw!”

Berrypaw was trying to push past him. Lionpaw leaped onto the trunk to block his way, but the tree trembled as Berrypaw leaped straight up after him.

“Come on!” Berrypaw urged.

Lionpaw felt his denmate’s breath on his heels, hurrying him forward. Clutching tightly with his claws, he scrambled along the tree.

“There’s no need to rush.” Brackenfur’s warning mew sounded a tail-length behind them. But Berrypaw kept pressing up behind Lionpaw.

“Stop hanging arou—”

The apprentice’s mew suddenly turned to a yelp. Lionpaw glanced back to see him sliding off the trunk, his cream pelt plummeting toward the black water.

Brackenfur lunged forward and grasped Berrypaw by the scruff. Berrypaw jerked and dangled, his paws churning the air, the tip of his thick, cream tail rippling the surface of the lake.

“Hold still,” Brackenfur grunted through clenched teeth.

Muscles straining beneath his pelt, the golden warrior heaved Berrypaw up onto the trunk. “I told you not to rush!”

Lionpaw blinked. Thank StarClan it wasn’t me! He turned and padded the rest of the way, glad that Berrypaw wasn’t still trying to shove past him. The fresh scent of RiverClan drifted from the shore; their patrol must have been heading down to the lake. Lionpaw scanned the edge of the water but saw no sign of them.

“Is everyone ready?” Firestar called as he, Berrypaw, Brackenfur, and finally Ashfur jumped down onto the beach.

The cats nodded. Firestar signaled with his tail, and the party began to head into the trees.

Lionpaw watched Hollypaw’s black pelt disappear into the bracken. His paws tingled with excitement as he prepared to spring after her. But Jaypaw wasn’t moving. He was just staring into the trees. Is he nervous?

“It’s only bracken,” Lionpaw reassured him. “Just push through. The clearing’s not far.” He rested his tail on Jaypaw’s flank and felt his brother’s muscles, strong and lean, beneath his pelt.

“Come on, you two!” Hollypaw came crashing back through the bracken. “Why are you dawdling?”

“Just planning our entrance.” Jaypaw flicked his tail and padded forward.

The brittle fronds of bracken scratched Lionpaw’s nose as he followed his littermates toward the clearing, but he could feel soft baby fern leaves curled under his paws. New leaves for newleaf.

“ShadowClan and WindClan are waiting in the clearing,”

Hollypaw called over her shoulder. “But RiverClan haven’t arrived yet.”

“They’re on their way,” Lionpaw mewed. “I smelled them from the tree-bridge.”

Jaypaw lifted his nose. “You’re right.” His whiskers twitched. “But there’s something odd . . .”

Lionpaw opened his mouth and tasted the fresh scent of

RiverClan again. It seemed the same as usual to him.

“Probably just been eating too much fish,” he guessed.

“Let’s make sure we beat them.” Hollypaw urged them through the bracken and out onto the edge of the clearing.

As they emerged into the open, Jaypaw stiffened. “Are there always so many cats?” he whispered.

Lionpaw gazed at the warriors, apprentices, and medicine cat who crowded the clearing. It looked like an ordinary Gathering to him. Was Heatherpaw here?

“Hey! Kittypet!”

Whitetail, a WindClan she-cat, was rushing toward Millie.

Whitetail’s apprentice, Breezepaw, hurried after her, ears flattened. Lionpaw unsheathed his claws, ready to defend his Clanmate.

“Hi, Millie!” Whitetail rubbed muzzles with Millie and twined her tail with hers as if they were old friends.