Dawn

“Of course I am! What do you take me for—a kit who’s never left the nursery?” Squirrelpaw jerked indignantly away.

He blinked at her, his eyes glittering with concern, and she realized with a jolt that he was just worried about her. “I’m fine,” she promised. “It feels like a battle, and I need to fight for the forest—even if we can’t win. We can’t let Tawnypelt down.”

She whirled around and raced for the camp entrance.

Tawnypelt was already scrambling through the prickly tunnel that led into the camp. As Squirrelpaw pounded after her into the clearing, the stench of terror nearly stopped her dead in her tracks. Pelts flashed everywhere as the ShadowClan cats bolted in blind panic. Terrified yowls tore through the air as queens called for their kits, and warriors shrieked orders.

Amid the chaos, the newly arrived warriors were somehow managing to stay calm: Squirrelpaw spotted Sorreltail and Tornear flanking a group of confused ShadowClan elders to herd them across the clearing; on the far side, Leafpaw urged Runningnose, the old ShadowClan medicine cat, toward the camp entrance.

Blackstar’s white coat stood out among the shadows. A gray apprentice crouched beside him, his fur standing on end.

“Don’t be afraid!” the ShadowClan leader growled, nudging the apprentice to his paws. “I won’t let you die.”

He began to push the petrified apprentice toward the tunnel. Suddenly a kit squealed from the far end of the clearing.

Blackstar turned to look, and Squirrelpaw followed his gaze.

The tiny scrap of dark brown fur had flattened itself on the ground and screwed its eyes tightly shut.

Blackstar glared at Squirrelpaw. “Don’t just stand there! Get Smokepaw out while I get that kit!” He shoved the apprentice toward her and headed for the kit.

Smokepaw stared at her, too stunned to speak or move.

There was no time for formal introductions. Squirrelpaw grasped the scruff of his neck in her teeth and started to haul him across the ground. She pushed him into the tunnel and scanned the clearing. Blackstar had grabbed the kit and was pelting toward her. Squirrelpaw darted out of the way just in time to let the ShadowClan leader hurtle past.

She rushed over to the nursery thicket and thrust her head into the nest. Peering into the shadows, she scented the air and listened for mewling above the roaring of the monsters.

The nest was empty.

“Is everyone out?” Mothwing stood beside her, pelt bristling.

As Squirrelpaw nodded, she heard Hawkfrost call to one of his Clanmates, “We’ve done enough. Get out now, before the camp is destroyed!”

“We’ll stay until every cat is out!” Mistyfoot counter-manded instantly, her sharp yowl making Hawkfrost freeze in surprise.

“Stop acting like you’re in charge!” Mothwing hissed angrily to her brother.

“Maybe not now,” Hawkfrost spat back. “But one day!”

Squirrelpaw felt a shiver chill her fur, but there was no time to think about it. A tortoiseshell ShadowClan queen was struggling to carry her two kits across the clearing. She kept dropping one and dashing back to fetch the other. Squirrelpaw raced over.

“I’ll take this one!” she breathed, picking up the tiny bundle in her teeth.

The queen flashed her a grateful look, and together they made for the entrance. Dustpelt was waiting outside.

Squirrelpaw thrust the kit at him and ran back down the tunnel.

The camp was emptying quickly, and the roar of the monsters was deafeningly close. Make sure that no cat remains inside the camp. Firestar’s order rang in her ears. She scoured the shadows of the camp wall for cats, terrified that any moment a monster would crash through, but only Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt, and Mothwing were left in the clearing.

“Mothwing, get outside and help Leafpaw check for injuries,” Brambleclaw hissed. “We’ll search the camp for stragglers.”

Mothwing headed for the tunnel. “Hurry!” she called over her shoulder.

Trees were tipping and falling all around the camp, their leafless branches rattling together like dried bones. But Squirrelpaw had not heard her father’s signal yet, so she had to assume it was safe to stay.

“Is everyone out?” Brambleclaw demanded.

“We need to check the dens again to make sure,” Tawnypelt panted.

“I’ve checked the nursery,” Squirrelpaw meowed. “It’s empty.”

“Did Tallpoppy and her kits get out?”

“I helped a queen and her kits to the tunnel,” Squirrelpaw told her.

Brambleclaw flicked his tail. “I’ll check the warriors’ den.”

He glanced at Tawnypelt. “You check the apprentices’.”

“What about the medicine clearing?” Squirrelpaw called to Tawnypelt.

“Littlecloud’s gone already.”

“But are any sick cats there?” Squirrelpaw demanded.

Tawnypelt blinked. “I don’t know,” she admitted.

“I’ll check,” Squirrelpaw promised. “Where’s the entrance?”

“Over there!” Tawnypelt pointed with a flick of her tail to a tangle of thorns beside the warriors’ den.

Squirrelpaw squeezed her way through the narrow tunnel.