Night Whispers

“What are you doing awake?” Lionblaze panted. “It’s not even dawn.”

“Checking on the wounded cats.”

“Is everyone okay?”

Jayfeather nodded and headed for the barrier. “Come with me,” he instructed. “We need to talk.”

Lionblaze was starting to feel bone tired from all his running. “What about?” he grumbled mutinously.

Jayfeather narrowed his eyes. “Ivypaw,” he growled.

Chapter 4

“Ivypaw?”

Dovepaw sat up, blinking.

Lionblaze’s disbelieving mew had woken her, ringing in her ears as clearly as a blackbird’s alarm. She jerked her head around, searching the apprentices’ den for him, but he wasn’t there. Ivypaw was sleeping; Blossomfall and Bumblestripe were still snoring in their nests. They’d move to the new warriors’ den once it was finished. Then Ivypaw and Dovepaw would be alone, the only apprentices in the Clan until Molekit and Cherrykit became ’paws.

“Yes, Ivypaw.” That was Jayfeather speaking.

Dovepaw shook her head. She must be hearing voices outside the den. She reached past the den walls into the ice-cold camp, casting her senses, searching for the conversation that had disturbed her sleep.

“Are you sure?” Lionblaze sounded breathless with disbelief.

What were they saying about Ivypaw? Why did they sound so worried? Trembling, Dovepaw scrambled out of the den. I’m one of the Three. They should be talking to me. I’m Ivypaw’s sister. She headed for the barrier, hurrying lightly over the frosted earth.

The entrance was less than a tail-length away when a voice called from outside the nursery. “Dovepaw!”

She halted, frustrated.

Berrynose was watching her. “Where are you going?” The young warrior’s creamy coat glowed in the pale light. Molekit and Cherrykit huddled beside him, tiny clouds of air spouting from their noses.

“Dirtplace.”

“Then use the dirtplace tunnel.”

Lionblaze’s voice pricked Dovepaw’s ear fur once more. “She knew him?”

Knew who?

Dovepaw had to find out. She turned and trotted to the dirtplace tunnel. She could slip out that way and find them.

Paw steps followed her. “Are you going to the dirtplace?” Ivypaw, her fur ruffled from sleep, fell in beside her. “Me too.”

Dovepaw curled her claws with frustration. There was no way she could slip away now. Ivypaw would want to come with her. As she pricked her ears, searching out Lionblaze again, she noticed that Ivypaw was limping.

“What’s wrong?” Her worries swiftly focused on her sister. Ivypaw was favoring one of her hind paws, treading lightly on one, heavily on the other. “I thought you weren’t injured in the battle.”

“I must have slept on it funny,” Ivypaw muttered. The silver-and-white she-cat stiffened as though trying to disguise her limp. “Wasn’t the battle exciting?” Ivypaw changed the subject.

“You enjoyed it?” Dovepaw stared at her sister. “But Firestar lost a life.”

“Well, that bit was bad, and Russetfur dying. But it felt so good to use all the skills we’ve learned.”

Dovepaw ducked through the dirtplace tunnel. “I’d rather stick to using hunting skills and save the fighting skills for defending my Clan.”

“But we were defending our Clan!” Ivypaw followed her. “ShadowClan was going to steal our territory. Don’t you remember my dream?”

Dovepaw didn’t answer. She still didn’t understand why StarClan had sent a dream to Ivypaw and not to her. She made her dirt and headed back into camp.

The Clan was stirring. Graystripe padded past, yawning, heading toward the warriors’ den. He cast a baleful glance at the clear dawn sky. “This chill is here to stay. Prey will be scarce before long.”

Hazeltail padded after the gray warrior. “That was a long, cold night,” she commented.

Graystripe paused to brush muzzles with Millie, who was nosing her way out of the warriors’ den. “You’re warm,” he purred.

Millie pressed against him. “Get some rest,” she told him. “It’s warm inside. I’ll catch you something nice for when you wake up.”

The first rays of sun sliced over the top of the hollow and washed the nursery in orange light. Dovepaw reached again for the conversation that had woken her, but Lionblaze and Jayfeather were heading away from camp, silent now except for their paw steps, which crunched over frozen leaves.

Why are they being so secretive?

“Hey!” Ivypaw hurried from the dirtplace tunnel. “You didn’t wait for me.”

Dovepaw forced her mew to sound light. “Are you surprised?” She wrinkled her nose.

“Are you saying I stink?” Ivypaw reared and cuffed her playfully, then winced and dropped back onto all four paws.

“Maybe you should see Jayfeather about that leg,” Dovepaw suggested.

“It’ll be okay,” Ivypaw promised. “Look.” She turned toward the halfrock, where Brambleclaw and Firestar were organizing the day’s patrols. “There are more important things to worry about.”