Sunrise

“His name is Purdy,” Brambleclaw replied. “He’s the loner we met on our first journey to the sun-drown-place. Purdy, this is our Clan leader, Firestar.”

“Welcome, Purdy.” Jayfeather pictured the flame-colored tom dipping his head to welcome the old tabby into the camp. “You can stay in the elders’ den. Foxpaw, will you go with him and introduce him to Mousefur and Longtail?”

“Thanks, Firestar,” the loner meowed. “Sol, just you give me a call if you need me, okay?” He padded after Foxpaw as the apprentice led the way toward the elders’ den.

As the old loner retreated, Leafpool padded up and gave Sol’s pelt a thorough sniff. “Were you hurt at all on the journey?” she asked. “Any stiffness in your legs?”

“No.” Sol’s voice was tinged with amusement. “I’m used to traveling long distances.”

Yes, because no cats want you around for very long. The sarcastic words rose to Jayfeather’s lips, but he had more sense than to let them out.

“Come on, Sol, I’ll take you to your nest,” Brackenfur announced.

As the two of them padded off, Firestar called quietly to Spiderleg. “You can take the first watch over Sol,” he murmured. “Bring him some fresh-kill, then make sure he stays in the den until morning.”

“No problem, Firestar.” Spiderleg bounded over to the fresh-kill pile.

Firestar headed back to his own den, leaving the rest of the Clan clustered together near the camp entrance.

“I’m sure he’s a killer!” Poppyfrost exclaimed. “Did you see those eyes? He looks as if he could see right through you.”

“I’m too scared to go to sleep,” Icepaw mewed. “What if he murders us in our nests?”

“Right,” Mousewhisker added. “I don’t know why Firestar let him in here.”

“Firestar needs to find out the truth,” Brightheart meowed.

“And I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about,” Sorreltail added briskly. “Spiderleg will make sure that Sol doesn’t get out of his den.”

In spite of the she-cats’ reassurance, Jayfeather’s paws tingled and the fur rose on his pelt as if a thunderstorm were about to break over the clearing. The air was tense with fear and uncertainty, as if every cat knew that something huge was hanging overhead.

Trying to ignore his jitters, Jayfeather padded over to where Hollyleaf and Lionblaze had flopped down together beside the thorn barrier.

“Hi,” he mewed. “How was the journey?”

“Long.” Lionblaze’s voice was bleak. “I thought we’d never get back.”

“We met some other cats,” Hollyleaf added. “They were having trouble with dogs, and Sol had encouraged them to fight. Several of them were killed, and since then the cats have to battle the dogs every time they set paw outside their den.” She let out a weary sigh. “More damage that Sol’s done.”

“He’s a troublemaker,” Lionblaze agreed, with a yawn.

The question Jayfeather wanted to ask—Do you think he killed Ashfur?—stayed unspoken. All he could pick up from his littermates were sensations of weariness, fear, and misery; he didn’t allow himself to probe deeper into their minds.

“It’s good to have you home,” he told them.

Neither Lionblaze nor Hollyleaf responded. Jayfeather realized that although he had missed his brother and sister with pangs sharp as claws, now that they were back, the murdered body of Ashfur still came between them.

“Come and eat,” he suggested, pushing the thought away. “Then you both need a good sleep.”

I wonder if we’ll get a chance to talk to Sol, he thought as he followed his littermates over to the fresh-kill pile. After all, he’s the only other cat who knows about the prophecy. A new thought occurred to him: Sol talked as if we were definitely the Three referred to in the prophecy. But we can’t be, because Squirrelflight’s not our mother!

Was this something that Sol didn’t know? Or had he been lying to them as well?

CHAPTER 16

Lionblaze woke to the sound of excited mewing and movement around him. He lifted his head to see his Clanmates pushing their way out of the warriors’ den and into the clearing. He staggered to his paws, wincing at the stabs of pain from his aching muscles, and shouldered his way through the branches after them.