Tallstar’s Revenge

“Only the wind.” Stagleap paused as Aspenfall and Dawnstripe appeared at the crest of the hill. He called to them. “Has ThunderClan declared war?”

Aspenfall’s tail quivered. “They know it was an honest mistake.”

Dawnstripe pulled up beside Tallpaw. “How’s the border?” She sniffed the air. “Have you started marking it?”

“Not yet.” Tallpaw realized that he’d been so busy worrying about ShadowClan scent, he’d forgotten to leave his own. He quickly sprayed a clump of grass and followed Stagleap down the slope. After a few strides, he paused and scanned the hillside. Far away, along the Thunderpath, he could see the ThunderClan patrol, specks now. Tallpaw winced as he imagined the story the apprentices would tell on their return, of a rabbit-brained WindClan apprentice who thought they were attacking WindClan at a steady walk.

He suddenly noticed that Stagleap had slowed. The dark brown warrior sniffed the grass, padded forward a tail-length, then sniffed again. His hackles rose.

“Is something wrong?” Aspenfall asked.

“I keep getting whiffs of ShadowClan on this side of the border.”

Aspenfall trotted over and ran his muzzle across the grass. He wrinkled his nose.

Dawnstripe opened her mouth. “I can smell it from here,” she growled. “A ShadowClan patrol has crossed the border.”

“They didn’t go far.” Stagleap was checking the grass deeper into WindClan territory. “There’s no scent here.”

“Why would they cross at all?” Aspenfall asked.

Tallpaw glanced up the slope toward the brambles. “I smelled ShadowClan up there, too.”

Aspenfall jerked his head up and stared at him. “Why didn’t you say?”

“I thought they might be on their way to the Moonstone like the ThunderClan cats.”

“ShadowClan doesn’t need to cross our territory to reach the Moonstone,” Aspenfall snapped. “Their camp is on the other side of the Thunderpath, just like Highstones.”

Tallpaw gulped. “There were a lot of scents up there.”

Aspenfall broke into a run and bounded up the slope. Dawnstripe raced after him with Stagleap at her heels. Tallpaw followed, his heart pounding. What had he done? He caught up with his Clanmates as they investigated the bramble thicket.

Aspenfall dodged back and forth, sniffing leaves. “There are too many scents to count.”

“Why didn’t you mention this before, Tallpaw?” Dawnstripe’s pelt was spiked along her spine.

“I didn’t want to be wrong again.” Tallpaw felt cold. “What does it mean?”

“A huge ShadowClan patrol has crossed the border.” Stagleap had his muzzle pressed to the ground, following a line of trampled grass across the moor. “They headed this way.”

“Toward the camp!” Aspenfall charged past Stagleap and plunged into the heather.

Dawnstripe launched herself across the grass. “Come on, Tallpaw!”

Tallpaw bolted after her, Stagleap racing at his side. Tallpaw ran faster than he’d ever run before. Stagleap fell behind as Tallpaw pushed harder, hearing nothing but the blood roaring in his ears. Aspenfall and Dawnstripe were just a few paces ahead of him, swerving along a rabbit trail through a dense swathe of gorse and then bursting into the clearing outside camp.

Yowls rang out beyond the heather wall. An agonized screech. A terrified wail.

Dawnstripe skidded to a halt. Tallpaw slammed into her flank as Aspenfall pulled up beside her. “Why are we stopping?” Tallpaw gasped.

Stagleap caught up with them, panting.

“Fetch the patrol that’s hunting near the RiverClan border!” Dawnstripe ordered Tallpaw. “We’ll need every spare warrior.”

“I want to fight!” Tallpaw protested. If it hadn’t been for him missing the first signs of invasion, they might have stopped the ShadowClan patrol from reaching the camp.

“I’ll go.” Aspenfall hurtled away.

“Okay, then.” Dawnstripe stared at Tallpaw. “Are you ready?”

Tallpaw nodded. “Ready.”

“Come on!” With a battle yowl, Dawnstripe raced through the entrance. Tallpaw shot after her, Stagleap crowding his heels. Tallpaw burst out of the heather, claws unsheathed, and stared in horror.

The camp seethed with snarling cats. Tails lashed. Paws flailed. The stench of pinesap mingled with the tang of blood. At the center Stonetooth, the ShadowClan deputy, reared up on his hind paws, teeth bared.

“Spare no one!” he snarled, slamming his paws down on Hareflight’s spine. Hareflight rolled clear and leaped to his paws, hissing.

Tallpaw looked around, frozen.

“Circle the clearing and pick off the outsiders!” Dawnstripe ordered before she leaped into the middle of the fighting. As she disappeared beneath a huge tabby, Tallpaw scanned the edges of the camp.

Algernon and Bess were outside the nursery: one ducking, the other slicing at ShadowClan attackers. Meadowslip and Palebird were nowhere to be seen, so Tallpaw figured they must be inside the nursery. Reena crouched in the entrance, slashing at any ShadowClan muzzle that came near.