Outcast

“Stoneteller knows the five of you better than any other Clan cats, so he’s more likely to trust you.”

“What?” Brook’s ears flattened, and she turned her head to stare at her brother. “Stoneteller did send you to fetch us, didn’t he?”

Night and Talon looked at their paws; Talon’s tail flicked uncomfortably. “Not exactly,” he mumbled, then added, “but I’m sure he’ll be glad when he knows you’ve come to help.”

“Great.” Stormfur’s voice was bitter. “I get to be told I’m dead all over again.”

Brook pressed her muzzle to her mate’s. “Please, Stormfur, we have to do this. Stoneteller won’t be the Healer forever, but the Tribe deserves to last beyond his lifespan.”

“From what Talon and Night say, we don’t have much time,” Firestar meowed. “Brambleclaw, you can leave for ShadowClan right away.”

“And you three can come out now.” Squirrelflight rose to her paws and stared straight at the holly bush.

“Fox dung,” Hollypaw muttered. “We’ll end up searching the elders for ticks instead of going to the mountains.”

“Come on,” Squirrelflight repeated. “If you don’t want to be seen, Lionpaw, don’t leave your tail sticking out.”

His fur hot with embarrassment, Lionpaw emerged from the bush and padded down the slope toward his mother.

“Mouse-brain!” Hollypaw hissed as she followed him with Jaypaw.

“You shouldn’t have been spying,” Squirrelflight mewed severely when the three apprentices were standing in front of her. “Cats who listen uninvited might hear things they don’t want to.”

“But we had to listen!” Lionpaw burst out. “We want to go with you!”

Squirrelflight’s green eyes stretched wide in astonishment, while Brambleclaw’s neck fur was fluffing up ominously. But to Lionpaw’s relief Firestar blinked in amusement.

“Don’t be angry with them,” he told Squirrelflight. “They remind me of a certain ginger apprentice who also insisted on going on a journey when she hadn’t been invited.”

Squirrelflight huffed, making her whiskers flutter, and gave a single lash of her tail.

“Why do you want to go?” Firestar prompted.

Lionpaw was opening his jaws to reply when Hollypaw gave him a nudge. “We want to help the Tribe cats, too,” she announced. “Lionpaw and I are good fighters, and Jaypaw…

well, Jaypaw can help heal cats who are injured.”

“Thanks a bunch,” Jaypaw muttered.

“Jaypaw can do more than that,” Leafpool meowed calmly.

Jaypaw jumped as if he was surprised to find the medicine cat on his side.

“For what it’s worth,” Leafpool went on, “I think they should be allowed to go. When we lived in the forest, all the apprentices made the journey to Mothermouth, to visit the Moonstone, before they became warriors. We seem to have left that tradition behind, but I think there’s value in apprentices making a long journey, to see what lies beyond their territories.”

Warmth spread through Lionpaw from whiskers to tail tip as he heard Leafpool putting words to the longing in his own mind. “Please can we go?” he begged.

“I agree with Leafpool,” Sandstorm mewed. “There’s nothing to be lost in meeting other cats and seeing how they live.” Her gaze held Firestar’s for a moment as if she and the Clan leader were sharing memories.

“Brambleclaw, what do you think?” Firestar asked. “They’ll be an extra responsibility, and it could be very tough for them. A long, hard journey, and fighting at the end of it.”

“I’m sure my kits can manage it.” There was a glow of approval in Brambleclaw’s amber eyes as his gaze swept over the three apprentices. “I’d be proud to take them to meet the Tribe of Rushing Water.”

“Even if we’re not sure of our reception?” Stormfur reminded him softly.

No cat answered him. Instead, Brambleclaw rose to his paws. “Are you ready?” he asked Lionpaw.

“For what?” Lionpaw meowed, his paws tingling with a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

“We must go to ShadowClan and see if Tawnypelt will come with us,” his father replied.

“Great!” Lionpaw couldn’t stop himself from bouncing eagerly, then froze, cross that he was behaving like a stupid kit. “I’m looking forward to seeing Tawnypelt’s kits. They’re my kin,” he added, trying to sound more dignified.

Squirrelflight glanced briefly at Leafpool. “Hollypaw, you can come with me to WindClan to find out if Crowfeather will come with us,” she meowed.

“What about me?” Jaypaw asked.

“Come back to the clearing with me,” Leafpool told him.

“We’ll need to prepare traveling herbs.”

“If the other cats agree to go,” Firestar mewed, “bring them back to the hollow. You can leave in the morning.”

“Fine. Let’s go, Hollypaw.” Squirrelflight waved her tail and set off through the trees toward the WindClan border.

Hollypaw darted after her, almost stumbling over her paws in her haste.

“All set, Lionpaw?” Brambleclaw asked.

Lionpaw nodded; his chest felt tight at the thought of crossing the border into another Clan’s territory.

“Good luck, all of you!” Firestar called.

Lionpaw waited until Hollypaw’s black pelt had vanished among the rustling bracken. Then he turned and plunged into the undergrowth, following his father.

Chapter 11