Tallstar’s Revenge

Stagleap shrugged. “How would I know?”

Tallpaw scanned the sheer rock face, spotting a narrow ledge at the water’s edge. It ran the whole length of the gorge, opening out at the end onto grassland. “Have you ever been down there?”

Stagleap shook his head. “It’s too dangerous in leaf-bare. In newleaf, there’s snowmelt and the river covers it.”

“But it’s a good route to get to the Twoleg bridge without being seen by RiverClan.” Tallpaw nodded toward the wooden pathway spanning the river, just visible beyond the gorge.

“Are you planning to invade RiverClan territory?” Stagleap teased.

As he spoke, Tallpaw felt a faint shudder in the ground beneath him. His fur lifted along his spine. “What was that?”

Before Stagleap could answer, yowls echoed behind them. Tallpaw spun around, scanning the moor. He could see nothing but birds swooping across the heather. Larksplash tasted the air. The yowls sounded again, deep and hollow, strangely muffled.

Ryestalk’s gray fur stood on end. “What is that?”

Tallpaw darted to the edge of the gorge and looked over. Was someone calling from the bottom?

“It’s coming from here!” Dawnstripe was sniffing at a rabbit hole a few tail-lengths away. She backed away as the yowls grew louder.

Sandgorse burst out of the hole. Fur spiked up, eyes wide, he glanced over his shoulder as Mistmouse hurtled out on his heels. “Are you okay?” He circled his mud-streaked tunnelmate, sniffing her anxiously.

“I’m fine,” she panted. Her pelt was thick with mud.

Sandgorse stuck his head down the hole and yowled. Tallpaw pricked his ears as distant yowls sounded back.

“They’re safe.” Sandgorse straightened up. He seemed to notice Larksplash for the first time. “Just a cave-in. The others are safe. Hickorynose and Woollytail are experts. They’ll find their way out through a lower entrance if they need to.” He shook out his pelt.

Tallpaw rushed over to his father. “What happened?”

Sandgorse touched his nose to Tallpaw’s head. “Too much sunshine,” he explained matter-of-factly. “Makes the soil shrink. Rocks drop and we get cave-ins.” He looked at the wide, blue sky. “We could sure use a few days of rain.”

Tallpaw winced. What if Sandgorse had been caught in the cave-in? In the last half-moon, he’d been aware of more and more distance between himself and his father. Sandgorse spoke to him, but not often, and not with the warmth he’d had before. If he could just see how well Tallpaw was doing with his training, he would understand that he had chosen the right path, and everything would be okay again.

Sandgorse padded away, weaving between Dawnstripe and Stagleap. “Are you patrolling the borders?”

“We’ve nearly finished,” Dawnstripe told him. “No sign of intruders.”

The tunneler gazed across the heather. “We’ve been digging all night.”

Ryestalk blinked at him. “Aren’t you tired?”

Sandgorse’s eyes shone. “We’re so close to breaking through to the gorge.” His ears twitched excitedly. “I’m not resting till it’s done.”

Mistmouse peered down the tunnel. “What about the cave-in?”

“We’ll clear it in no time.” Sandgorse nosed past her, his mew echoing as he stuck his head into the hole. “The soil’s light. It’ll be easy to burrow through.” He ducked out and looked at Dawnstripe. “This is the perfect time to give Tallpaw some tunneling experience.”

Tallpaw’s pelt bristled. He forced it flat. “But we’re patrolling the borders.”

Sandgorse kept his gaze on Dawnstripe. “You said you’d nearly finished.”

Dawnstripe glanced at Tallpaw. “Heatherstar does want every warrior to spend a day underground,” she conceded.

“At least a day.” There was an edge to Sandgorse’s mew. “How will moor runners appreciate the importance of the tunnels if they don’t know what it’s like to be underground?”

“Of course.” Dawnstripe shifted her paws.

Please, no, Tallpaw begged her silently.

“Then it’s settled.” Sandgorse beckoned Tallpaw with a flick of his tail.

Tallpaw looked hopefully at Dawnstripe. “Is it?”

“You might as well go with him.” Dawnstripe dipped her head. “When you’re finished, come and find me in camp.”

“Okay.” Swallowing, Tallpaw padded toward his father. The rabbit hole loomed in front of him like a black mouth sucking him in. There can’t be more than one cave-in today, surely?

Sandgorse purred. “I’m glad you finally have a chance to see what tunneling’s all about.” For the first time in a half moon he gazed at Tallpaw with pride.

Tallpaw gritted his teeth. He couldn’t let his father down now. “I’m looking forward to it,” he lied. Perhaps once he was underground, he’d understand why his father thought being a tunneler was so special.

Chapter 10

“You first, Mistmouse.” Sandgorse stood aside to let the pale tabby she-cat scramble into the burrow. Behind her, Tallpaw paused. “Go on,” Sandgorse urged. “Don’t let the darkness put you off. Remember you have ears and whiskers as well as eyes.”