Dark River

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.

Lionpaw let his claws slide back in.

“Do they know each other?” Hollypaw gasped.

Lionpaw shrugged.

Breezepaw stared wide-eyed as his mentor stepped away from Millie and blinked warmly at her. “Thanks for the rabbit you gave us at the contest,” she purred. “You share like a Clan cat.”

Millie dipped her head. “It was a day for sharing,” she meowed.

“It looks like the contest did some good after all,” Hollypaw whispered to Lionpaw.

But another WindClan warrior, Tornear, was staring at Millie through narrowed eyes. He clearly didn’t like the sight of his denmate talking with a kittypet. Russetfur was watching, too, pelt bristling as she leaned forward to whisper something into a Clanmate’s ear.