Sunrise

After a long search through the forest, trying to follow confusing traces of their sister’s scent, they discovered Hollyleaf at the top of the mossy bank that sloped down toward the lake. Jayfeather sensed her tension as soon as he bounded up to her. “Hollyleaf, we need to talk,” he meowed.

“There’s nothing to discuss.” Hollyleaf’s voice was distant. Jayfeather could tell that she hadn’t turned to face him and Lionblaze. Instead she was gazing across the water as if the answers were hidden among the waves. “We have to find out who our real father is. And that will be the end of all the secrets.”

“What do you mean?” Lionblaze asked, padding up to join them. “No cat knows yet who killed Ashfur, not unless Sol confesses. That’s one secret that the Clan won’t let rest.”

“Too bad.” Hollyleaf’s voice was dismissive, though Jayfeather detected a new surge of tension within her. “There are more important secrets than that. We must know who our father is.”

“You’re right,” Jayfeather agreed, curiosity prickling in every hair on his pelt. “But it’s not going to be that easy figuring it out on our own. Did you ask Leafpool?”

“No, and I don’t think she would tell us if we did.”

Jayfeather realized she was right. He couldn’t imagine that Leafpool would want to tell the truth about their father now, when she had kept the secret for so many moons. Once the rest of the Clan found out what she had done—and they would find out, because Jayfeather couldn’t see how the secret could be contained any longer—her life would be ruined. She wouldn’t want that to happen to another cat as well.

“Wait a moment,” Lionblaze meowed. “Do we really want to do this?”

“What do you mean, mouse-brain?” Hollyleaf hissed. “Are you going to live the rest of your life never knowing who fathered you?” Jayfeather heard her claws tearing at the moss. “Because I’m not!”

“Just think about what you’re saying.” Lionblaze sat down beside Jayfeather. “We never wanted the secret to come out, and now that Ashfur’s dead it doesn’t have to. Leafpool won’t tell any cat the truth.”

“I want to know!” Hollyleaf’s tail lashed through the dead leaves that covered the ground.

“But why?” Lionblaze argued. “If we keep quiet, everything will go back to how it was before.”

If you believe that, you’ll believe anything, Jayfeather thought, but he said nothing.

“Haven’t you realized what this means?” Lionblaze went on, his voice growing excited. “Leafpool’s our mother, and Firestar is her father. We’re still part of the prophecy!”

CHAPTER 23

Lionblaze slid out of the camp through the dirtplace tunnel and skirted the rim of the hollow until he came to the place where he and his littermates had nearly been burned alive on the night of the storm. The grass was still blackened, and debris from charred branches was scattered around. Lionblaze shuddered as he remembered the leaping flames and the mad glare in Ashfur’s eyes.

Above his head the moon floated in the indigo sky, waxing toward full and surrounded by the frosty glitter of stars. No clouds blurred their light. Does that mean you approve of what I’m doing, StarClan? Lionblaze silently addressed his warrior ancestors. He had made this plan as soon as he realized that he and his littermates were still part of the prophecy, but it had taken him another day to decide to put it into action. Whatever you think, I have to do this.

Looking down into the hollow, he could see the thornbush where Sol was a prisoner, and Birchfall, crouched on watch just beyond the outer branches. The thick, criss-crossing growth of the thorn hid Sol from Lionblaze’s sight, but Sol’s scent drifted up to him as he tasted the air.

“Right,” Lionblaze whispered. “Let’s go!”

Paw step by paw step, he crept down the cliff face, testing each foothold before he dared put his weight on it. He wasn’t just afraid of falling; if he dislodged a stone, or slipped and had to scrabble to save himself, he would alert Birchfall. He froze once as he brushed against a straggling bush growing from a crack, and once when a shower of grit spurted up from under his paws and pattered down into the camp. But Birchfall didn’t move.

Snoozing on watch? Lionblaze wondered.

Moons seemed to have passed before he leaped down the last fox-length to land lightly on the ground beside the bush. His legs trembled. With a swift glance toward the slumbering shape of Birchfall, he crawled underneath the branches of the thornbush.