Squirrelflight's Hope

Firestar closed his eyes, and Sandstorm began to wash his ears as though he were a kit. Mousefur rolled onto her side, clearly relishing the sunshine. How comforting it was to know that those who’d left them would never truly be gone.

Hollyleaf caught Squirrelflight’s eye. “Can I show you around?”

“What about Sandstorm and the kits?” Dandelionkit, Juniperkit, and Flickerkit chased one another’s tails on the other side of the clearing.

“They can come too,” Hollyleaf told her. “Don’t forget, kits aren’t confined to camp here. They can go wherever they like in StarClan. There’s nothing to hurt them here.”

Squirrelflight glanced at her father. He was dozing now, gently snoring. “Should we wake him?”

“He likes to have a nap in the afternoon,” Sandstorm told her. “He’ll be fast asleep until sunset.”

Squirrelflight got to her paws. “Dandelionkit! Juniperkit!” They stopped playing and looked at her eagerly. “Do you want to come look around with us?”

“Yes!” Dandelionkit raced toward her, Juniperkit on her tail.

“Can we come too?” Larksong and Flickerkit hurried after them.

“Sure!” Hollyleaf shook out her pelt. “Maybe we’ll catch some squirrels while we’re out.” She headed for the thorn tunnel. “Tree hunting is the best.”

“Tree hunting?” Squirrelflight pricked her ears nervously. “Isn’t that dangerous?”

“Not here.” Hollyleaf ducked through the entrance.

Juniperkit lifted his tail happily. “You can’t hurt yourself, even if you fall.”

“It’s like flying without wings.” Dandelionkit pushed past her and raced through the gorse tunnel, Juniperkit at her heels.

Squirrelflight hurried after them, her belly tightening. Even in StarClan, she didn’t like the idea of her kits falling.

“Don’t worry.” Sandstorm must have seen her pelt prickling. She ran her tail along Squirrelflight’s spine. “They’re perfectly safe.”

Squirrelflight raced along the oak branch. A ginger tail bobbed just ahead. As the ground blurred far below, she felt no fear. She reached the end and leaped. Air streamed through her fur. The tree beyond seemed to reach toward her, and she landed among its branches, breathless at the thrill. She hesitated, scanning the tree for the squirrel. There it was, swarming up the trunk! She hauled herself upward, her claws digging easily into the soft bark, and scrambled onto a crooked branch as the squirrel doubled back.

Hollyleaf was watching from the branch above. As the squirrel neared her, she slithered down, blocking the squirrel’s path. It turned, eyes widening as it saw Squirrelflight. She leaped for it and hooked it up, then killed it with a single bite. Its blood sang on her tongue, and she sat back on her haunches, satisfaction pulsing beneath her pelt.

Hollyleaf stopped beside her. “Good, huh?”

Squirrelflight purred. “Very.” She peered down through the leaves. She could see Juniperkit and Dandelionkit running along a branch below. It was strange to see kits so young climbing trees. They weren’t fast enough to catch squirrels, but they moved with such nimbleness they looked like tiny warriors.

“Let’s take this down and rest,” Hollyleaf mewed. The sky was darkening as the sun dipped in the sky. “Firestar will be awake soon.”

She picked the squirrel up between her jaws and scrambled down the trunk.

Squirrelflight followed, the forest floor soft as she landed.

Leaves rustled above her head, and Juniperkit and Dandelionkit dropped down beside her. They sniffed the squirrel excitedly.

“Can we taste it?” Dandelionkit asked.

“Aren’t you too young to eat fresh-kill?” Squirrelflight pricked her ears with surprise.

Juniperkit rolled his eyes. “This is StarClan,” he told her. “We can eat anything we like.”

“Okay, then.” As they padded around the squirrel, searching for the best place to take a bite, Squirrelflight looked around the woods. “Where’s Sandstorm?”

“I’m here.” Her mother padded from between the trees, Larksong at her tail. Flickerkit followed them, dragging a mouse by its tail. His catch was almost half his size.

“Did you catch that yourself?” Juniperkit sounded impressed as he hurried to sniff the mouse.

Flickerkit let the mouse flop onto the ground. “Larksong flushed it out and I killed it.”

Larksong stopped beside his son and puffed out his chest. “He learns quickly.”

Squirrelflight’s belly felt suddenly hollow. How would Sparkpelt feel when she heard that Flickerkit was learning warrior skills without her? She blinked at Larksong. “Should I tell Sparkpelt that you’re happy here?”

Larksong’s gaze darkened. “I’m not happy, exactly.,” he murmured. “I still miss her.” Grief glittered in his eyes.

Flickerkit looked at him. “Will Sparkpelt be joining us soon?”

“Not yet.” Larksong touched his nose to Flickerkit’s head.