Читаем Darkest Night полностью

Alderheart looked up nervously. Rainwater was streaming down the rock face. Ferns and brambles sagged over the top, oozing muddy water from their roots. The earth groaned.

Ivypool’s fur bristled. “Perhaps we should evacuate the camp.” She glanced at the fallen beech where the elders’ den nestled beneath dead branches. “Weather like this washed that tree from the top of the cliff. It killed Longtail and crippled Briarlight.”

Alderheart looked toward the medicine den. It seemed safe, tucked into a hollow in the cliff face. But its roof opened to the sky. Could rocks fall inside? “I’ll go and ask Jayfeather if we should move Briarlight to the warriors’ den until the weather clears.”

As he spoke, the cliff top groaned again. His heart lurched as a chunk of rock shifted at the top. With a creak, it broke away from the cliff face and dropped like a diving hawk, pulling soil and plants after it. Alderheart leaped for the edge of camp as it smashed onto Highledge, earth and stones cascading around it.

Dazed, he looked at Ivypool and Fernsong. They’d dived clear and were crouching against the walls of the elders’ den.

Ivypool’s eyes were wide with panic. She lifted her muzzle as cats scrambled into the clearing. “Clear the camp!”

Lionblaze shot from the warriors’ den, Brackenfur at his heels. He looked at the cliff, where earth hung and bushes dangled over the edge. Cracks snaked through the rock below the rim. The crack of splitting stone rang across the camp. Lionblaze’s amber gaze hardened. “Brackenfur.” He jerked his muzzle toward his denmate. “Make sure the warriors’ den and the elders’ den are cleared. Get everyone to the lakeshore.”

Brackenfur nodded. “Cinderheart! Bumblestripe!” He called to his Clanmates, who stumbled, wide-eyed, into the flooded clearing, and repeated Lionblaze’s order.

They nodded curtly. Cinderheart disappeared inside the den while Bumblestripe stood outside and nosed warriors toward the thorn entrance tunnel.

Brackenfur called to Poppyfrost. “Get Graystripe and Millie out of camp,” he ordered. As Poppyfrost raced toward the fallen beech, he ran to the entrance. “Head for the lakeshore,” he yowled as Whitewing, Lilyheart, and Stormcloud streamed past him.

Ivypool and Fernsong waited at the nursery entrance. Thornclaw was already scrambling out, Eaglekit swinging from his jaws. Daisy followed him, running for the camp entrance as Blossomfall passed Shellkit and Stemkit through the opening in the brambles. Fernsong and Ivypool grabbed the kits by the scruff and raced away. As Blossomfall snatched up Plumkit and followed, an ominous crack sounded from the cliff top.

Alderheart stared, frozen with terror, as a lump of stone peeled away and fell toward the clearing. Lionblaze raced at him, shouldering him backward until he was pinned against the thorn barrier. Behind him, rubble and earth exploded as the stone hit Highledge and rolled into the clearing. It sent a wave of muddy water sweeping across the camp, drenching the fleeing cats.

Icy cold pierced Alderheart’s pelt, shocking him from his panicked stupor. “Jayfeather!” He raced for the medicine den. “Briarlight!”

Lionblaze hared after him as he scrabbled over the mound of rubble at the heart of the camp. The golden tom called to his Clanmates. “Cloudtail! Birchfall! Snowbush! Come, help us!”

Alderheart burst through the lichen that draped the entrance to the medicine den. Jayfeather was shielding Briarlight, stretched over her as mud and stones showered down from the cliff top.

The earth above the den seemed to roar as more stone and mud cascaded into the camp.

Lionblaze shoved Jayfeather out of the way and grabbed Briarlight by her scruff. He dragged her from her nest. Birchfall ducked under her hindquarters and lifted her onto his shoulders. Between them, the two warriors carried her out of the den.

“My herbs!” Jayfeather screeched.

“Leave them!” Cloudtail yowled.

“They’re half-rotten anyway.” Alderheart tried to nudge Jayfeather toward the den entrance. But the blind medicine cat dug his claws into the ground. “We’ve been gathering them for a moon. They have to see us through leaf-bare.” He glared at Alderheart and Cloudtail.

Snowbush darted to the crack in the cliff where the herbs were stored and began dragging them out, bundle after bundle. Cloudtail snatched up as many as he could hold in his jaws. Jayfeather grabbed a mouthful. Alderheart pawed the wads of catmint together and gripped them between his teeth. He turned to follow Cloudtail and Jayfeather out of the den.

Snowbush was still hauling out herbs.

“Leave them!” Alderheart tried to make himself heard through the leaves blocking his mouth.

Snowbush paused and blinked at him.

Alderheart beckoned the white warrior away with a panicked flick of his tail. Earth and stones were falling more heavily into the den. In a moment, they might be submerged in mud. Snowbush grabbed a fat bundle of thyme and mallow and headed for the entrance.

Alderheart slid ahead of him and raced across the camp.

Перейти на страницу:

Все книги серии Warriors: A Vision of Shadows

Похожие книги