Sunrise

Brambleclaw padded up to the very edge of the Thunderpath until his fur was ruffled by the wind of passing monsters. “When I say run, run as if a whole pack of dogs were behind you.”

Lionblaze sighed. “Well, we’ve had plenty of practice.”

Hollyleaf noticed that Brackenfur had positioned himself next to Purdy, as if he intended to keep an eye on the old cat when the time came to cross. Sol stood on Purdy’s other side, his gaze fixed on the opposite side of the Thunderpath.

A huge monster swept by, the rumbling from its belly louder than a whole Clan of cats growling at once. As it faded into silence, Brambleclaw glanced sharply up and down the Thunderpath. “Now! Run!”

Hollyleaf leaped forward, aware of Lionblaze on one side of her and Birchfall on the other. The surface of the Thunderpath was hard under her flying paws. Then she was across, stumbling thankfully onto the grass on the other side.

Turning, she saw that all the cats had crossed safely, except for Purdy, who was weaving erratically across the middle of the Thunderpath, and Brackenfur, who padded beside him, trying to urge him on.

“Take it easy, youngster,” Purdy meowed. “There ain’t no monsters coming.”

“But—” Brackenfur began desperately.

He broke off at the sound of a monster approaching. As it roared into sight around the corner, he gave Purdy a massive shove from behind. The old tabby stumbled forward with a startled yowl and flopped safely onto the grass as the monster swept past, snarling, barely a mouse-length away. Brackenfur had sprung to safety beside him with a heartbeat to spare.

“Purdy, never scare us like that again!” Brambleclaw hissed in exasperation.

The old cat picked himself up, blinking. “What? There weren’t no problem. And there weren’t no need to go pushin’ me around,” he added to Brackenfur in an injured tone.

Brackenfur sighed. “Sorry.”

“Always panickin’, you young cats,” Purdy muttered.

Hollyleaf rolled her eyes. “This journey is going to be interesting,” she whispered to Lionblaze.

Brambleclaw gathered the patrol together with a wave of his tail and set off along the edge of the Thunderpath. Soon Hollyleaf picked up the sound of many Twoleg kits, their voices shrill in the crisp morning air. “What’s that?” she asked, her paws tingling with suspicion.

“Nothin’ to worry about,” Purdy reassured her. “You’ll see.”

Hollyleaf wasn’t sure she could trust the old cat’s judgment. Rounding the next corner, she saw a huge Twoleg nest with a wide expanse of stone on the ground all around it. A fence of narrow, shiny trees cut it off from the Thunderpath. Crowds of Twoleg kits—more Twolegs than she had ever seen together at one time—were running and yowling and throwing things at one another.

“What is this place?” she meowed curiously.

Purdy shrugged. “Dunno. They come here most days.”

Hollyleaf’s belly clenched with shock as the old cat trotted up to the fence and stuck his nose through a gap. At once several of the Twoleg kits ran up to him, stretching out their hands.

“What’s he doing?” Brackenfur muttered. “Purdy!”

Purdy took no notice. The Twoleg kits were reaching through the fence to stroke him; his purr was loud enough to reach the rest of the patrol where they stood a few tail-lengths away.

“Remember, he used to be a kittypet,” Birchfall murmured. “It must make him act weird sometimes.”

Brambleclaw said nothing, just twitched his tail to guide the patrol past the shiny fence at a safe distance. They waited for Purdy a few fox-lengths down, alongside the Thunderpath. As they padded past, Hollyleaf noticed one of the kits pull something out of its pelt and hold it out to Purdy, who licked it up enthusiastically.

Has he no sense?

Eventually a harsh clanging sounded from inside the Twoleg den, and all the kits ran over toward it and stood in a line to go through the entrance. Purdy turned away and came bounding up to the patrol.

“What’re you all starin’ at?” he demanded, puffing.

“Purdy, was that a good idea?” Brambleclaw asked. Hollyleaf could tell he was trying to keep irritation out of his voice. “What did that kit feed you?”

“Dunno.” Purdy’s eyes gleamed as he swiped his tongue around his jaws. “It was real tasty, though.”

Brambleclaw sighed. “Right, let’s go.”

A little farther on, the Twoleg dens became more widely spaced; then they stopped altogether as woodland took over on either side of the Thunderpath. Relief flooded through Hollyleaf from ears to tail-tip as Brambleclaw veered away from the Thunderpath to pad under the trees. Before they had ventured more than a couple of tail-lengths into the wood, he halted.

“This would be a good place to check our direction,” he meowed. “Who feels like climbing a tree?”

“I will!” Lionblaze offered instantly.

“No, I will,” Hazeltail argued. “I’m lighter. I can get up higher.”

Brambleclaw nodded. “Okay, Hazeltail.”