Tallstar’s Revenge

“You could have been killed!” Dawnstripe’s fur lifted along her spine. Tallpaw couldn’t tell if she was more frightened or angry.

“I was okay,” he reassured her. “Sandgorse was with me.”

“Tunneling near the gorge is too dangerous,” Dawnstripe declared.

Reena stepped forward, her eyes round. “Why do you tunnel at all?”

“WindClan cats have always tunneled,” Woollytail mewed.

Reena peered into the rabbit hole. “And there are cats underground right now?” She sounded amazed.

“Of course.”

Reena shuddered. “Do you sleep down there?”

Tallpaw’s pelt pricked with irritation. Why was she acting like it was so creepy? “Sandgorse and Palebird are tunnelers, too,” he huffed. “They’re all WindClan warriors, you know.”

“Sandgorse and Palebird kitted you, right?” Reena’s eyes rounded with curiosity as he nodded. “Why aren’t you a tunneler, then?”

Tallpaw dropped his gaze, feeling hot beneath his pelt. “Heatherstar thought I’d make a better moor runner.”

“Moor runner,” Woollytail muttered under his breath. “We’ve too many runners. Not enough diggers.”

Dawnstripe had been pacing. She stopped in front of Woollytail. “Does Heatherstar know about the flood?”

“Why should she?” Woollytail answered. “She’s no tunneler.”

“We need to tell her.”

Tallpaw’s belly twisted. He sensed trouble.

“Hey, Wormpaw!”

Shrewpaw. Tallpaw turned and saw his denmate charging toward him. That’s all I need. Hareflight bounded after his apprentice.

“We’re going to Outlook Rock.” Shrewpaw stopped beside them. He glanced at Reena. “Do you want to come with us?”

“They look busy,” Hareflight warned. “Don’t let us hold you up, Dawnstripe.”

“I’m returning to camp with Woollytail,” Dawnstripe growled.

Hareflight pricked his ears. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Dawnstripe glanced at Woollytail. “But could you take Tallpaw with you to Outlook Rock?”

Hareflight swished his tail. “Of course.”

“What about me?” Reena stepped forward. “Can I come?”

Shrewpaw looked at Hareflight. “Can she?”

“She doesn’t need to know everything about how WindClan trains its warriors.” Hareflight swapped looks with Dawnstripe. “Perhaps you could take her back to camp?”

Reena’s shoulders slumped. “I’ll be no trouble; I promise.”

“Bess’ll be missing you.” Dawnstripe beckoned Reena with her tail. “Let’s go.” She grabbed Tallpaw’s rabbit in her jaws as she and Woollytail started to walk away. His tail-tip was flicking angrily.

“Come on, then, you two!” Hareflight broke into a run, heading uphill.

Shrewpaw darted after him. Tallpaw followed, giving one last glance at Dawnstripe, Woollytail, and Reena.

Clouds were gathering on the horizon as they reached Outlook Rock. Hareflight stood on the grass where the stone jutted over the slope. “Shrewpaw, you go first. Remember, observation is an important part of your final assessment.”

Shrewpaw padded to the edge. Peering down at the meadows and forest stretching below, he began to list what he could see. “Monster. Dog by the Twolegplace. Buzzard circling Highstones…”

Tallpaw stuck close to his denmate, trying to spot each new find as Shrewpaw listed it. “Can I try?” he asked Hareflight, before Shrewpaw could call everything in sight. At this rate there would be nothing left for him to point out.

“Swap places,” Hareflight ordered.

Shrewpaw turned and pushed past Tallpaw. Tallpaw’s heart lurched as his paws slithered on the smooth rock. Carefully he took Shrewpaw’s place, bracing himself against the breeze. “I can smell the Thunderpath,” he called to Hareflight. “It smells as though monsters have been traveling it all day.” He scanned the land, struggling to find something Shrewpaw had missed. On a treetop beyond the cluster of Twolegplace, he could make out some movement, and recognized the dark feathers of a bird of prey. Half guessing, he began to describe it. “A buzzard is teaching its fledglings to fly.”

“How can you see that?” Shrewpaw nosed in beside him.

Tallpaw gripped with his claws, trying to keep his place. “There!” He flicked his muzzle toward the distant tree.

“That’s not a buzzard,” Shrewpaw scoffed.

Tallpaw glanced back at Hareflight. The brown warrior was squinting. “It’s the right color.”

“How can you see fledglings?” Shrewpaw challenged.

“Why else would a buzzard be balancing on the edge of its nest in the middle of greenleaf?” Tallpaw retorted.

“Nice guesswork, Tallpaw,” Hareflight praised him.

“Is that what we’re practicing?” Shrewpaw sneered. “Guessing?” He turned his tail on Tallpaw and stomped back to Hareflight’s side. “I thought we were practicing our observation skills.”

Tallpaw growled under his breath. Training with Reena—even if she couldn’t get his name right—had been much more fun.