Dawn

The Tribe queen dipped her head. “Stoneteller said you were coming,” she meowed. “The Tribe of Endless Hunting told him that old friends would return and bring new friends with them.”

Despite her tiredness and hunger, Leafpaw’s fur prickled with curiosity. “How did he know?” she whispered to Squirrelpaw.

“Stoneteller shares with the Tribe’s ancestors like you do with StarClan,” Squirrelpaw replied quietly.

Talon padded over. “There’s caught-prey here,” he offered, flicking his tail toward a pile of fresh-kill.

Leafpaw blinked. “Surely there can’t be enough to share with us all?”

“Eat.” Talon flicked his tail once more to the pile of fresh-kill. “Crag is organizing a hunt. There will soon be enough.”

The smell of rabbit rising from the fresh-kill pile made Leafpaw’s stomach growl, but she couldn’t eat until she knew the rest of the Clan was all right. Dipping her head respectfully, she left Squirrelpaw with her mountain friends and found Cinderpelt among the other medicine cats gathered near the entrance.

“A cat called Crag said we can use the nests over there.”

Cinderpelt gestured to a cluster of shallow scoops in the earth floor, lined with moss and feathers.

“Will there be enough room?” Littlecloud wondered.

“The coldest and weakest can use the nests,” Barkface suggested. “The rest must sleep where they can find space. At least we’re safe from the snow and wind in here.”

“And there’s food.” Leafpaw nodded toward the pile of fresh-kill. Some of the Tribe cats were already taking pieces of prey and bringing them over to the Clans. Talon dropped a rabbit at Mudclaw’s paws. The WindClan deputy looked at it with hungry eyes and nodded a curt thanks to the cave-guard before taking the rabbit to his queens and apprentices.

“We should get the kits into nests to warm up,” Mothwing mewed.

Leafpaw joined the other medicine cats as they began to usher the youngest cats and their mothers toward the soft hollows in the cave floor. As she helped to settle Tallpoppy and her kits into a nest, a long-bodied Tribe tom padded toward her. His fur was so streaked with mud she could not make out the color of his pelt. Only the white whiskers around his muzzle betrayed his age.

“Who among you is healer?” he asked.

Startled, Leafpaw looked back at him. Squirrelpaw had told her that the same cat was both healer and leader among the Tribe. Which did he wish to meet? She glanced toward Cinderpelt, but she was busy examining Dawnflower’s kits.

“I’ll take you to meet Firestar,” she decided. She led him to where her father stood in quiet discussion with the other Clan leaders.

“We must not stay long,” Blackstar was muttering. “The snows will only get worse.” He looked around as Leafpaw approached.

“This is Stoneteller.” Leafpaw dipped her head and backed away.

“You are healer?” Stoneteller asked Firestar.

“I’m leader of ThunderClan,” he replied. “Cinderpelt is our Clan healer.” He flicked his tail toward Cinderpelt, who was watching them with interest from the other side of the cave. “This is Blackstar, Leopardstar, and Tallstar.” Firestar nodded to the three leaders in turn.

“You are all leaders?”

“Yes, we are,” Leopardstar meowed.

Stoneteller’s gaze rested on Tallstar, whose eyes were half-closed with exhaustion. “You are not well,” he meowed. “We give you herbs.” He glanced over his shoulder, catching the eye of a gray tabby she-cat. “Bird, bring strengthening herbs.”

The tabby slipped away down one of the tunnels.

“The Tribe is grateful to your friends for killing Sharptooth.

To Feathertail most of all. Her spirit will always be remembered by us.”

“She had her father’s courage,” Firestar agreed, and Leafpaw winced to hear the grief still raw in his voice when he thought of Graystripe.

“You must eat and rest,” Stoneteller went on.

“But after that we must continue our journey,” Blackstar meowed.

Stoneteller dipped his head. “We would not delay you.”

Bird returned with a mouthful of herbs and laid them in front of Tallstar.

Leafpaw felt her whiskers twitch with curiosity. “What herbs are those?”

Stoneteller’s amber eyes gleamed in the half-light.

“I am learning to be a healer,” Leafpaw explained quickly.

“I know the herbs of the forest, but in the mountains…” She paused. “Everything is so different here.”

“I hope she isn’t bothering you.” Cinderpelt’s soft mew sounded beside them. “She’s very inquisitive.”

“Inquisitive is good in a healer,” Stoneteller rasped. “She will learn much.” He blinked kindly at Leafpaw. “The herbs are ragwort and lamb’s ears. Good for strength.”

“May I see some later, so I can recognize them if I find them again?”

“Of course.” Leafpaw felt warmth in this wise old cat’s voice, and she longed to learn from him, to understand the differences between Tribe and Clan. “Wing said you knew we were coming,” she meowed. “Is that true?”

Stoneteller nodded. “The Tribe of Endless Hunting showed me.”

“Do you share dreams with your ancestors?” Cinderpelt asked.