Tallstar’s Revenge

Hickorynose tossed a mouse to the rogue’s paws and Sparrow crouched to eat it.

Tallpaw’s belly rumbled. Isn’t anyone going to offer me any prey? I’m still their Clanmate, after all. He sank his claws into his bedding. They don’t care if I eat. As far as they’re concerned, I killed Brackenwing. Poor Sparrow’s only crime was to follow a foolish warrior down an unsafe tunnel. He hissed, curling his lip as he watched Sparrow lick his lips.No one blames him. They’re too dumb to see what’s under their whiskers.

“But I blame you,” he growled through gritted teeth. “You killed my father!”

Chapter 19

Tallpaw was roused by the sound of paws scurrying across the starlit clearing. He peeked through the gorse opening and saw Hawkheart heading for the nursery. Is Meadowslip having her kits? It had been a quarter moon since Sandgorse had died. Her kits were well overdue.

Palebird’s face appeared at the nursery entrance, eyes round with worry. “They’re coming,” she whispered to Hawkheart. The medicine cat shooed her back and slid into the den.

Tallpaw rested his muzzle on the soft wool lining of his nest. Being stuck in camp since the accident had made him feel tired, not rested. He didn’t think about running anymore, or the feeling of wind in his fur. Every time he imagined practicing battle moves with Dawnstripe again, or running across the moor, guilt tightened his throat. Sandgorse would be watching from StarClan, his eyes dark with disappointment. You were born to be a tunneler. His father’s words rang in Tallpaw’s head. You can’t change that, whatever any other cat tells you.

He must have dozed because it was light when the chatter of his Clanmates woke him. They were clustering outside the nursery. Lilywhisker and Whiteberry had pushed their way to the front. Larksplash and Appledawn circled Palebird beside the Meeting Hollow. They were showering her with questions.

“Is Meadowslip okay?”

“How many kits are there?”

“What did Hickorynose say when he saw them?”

For once, Palebird’s eyes were bright. Tallpaw climbed out of his nest, pricking his ears as she answered the warriors’ questions. “Three kits,” she announced. “Hickorynose is delighted. He’s named the tom Hopkit. One of his paws is a little crooked, but he’ll be fine. There’s another tom—Pigeonkit. He’s dark gray and white, and there’s a she-kit, Sorrelkit. She’s gray and brown.” Palebird sat back, ears twitching with delight. “They are beautiful! Hungry the moment they arrived.”

Heatherstar purred. “WindClan will have more warriors.”

Plumclaw eyed her sharply. “Let’s hope Hickorynose insists they become tunnelers.”

“Let’s hope they grow up healthy and strong,” Heatherstar meowed.

Bess nosed in among the Clan cats. Reena’s ginger fur flashed beside her. They seemed as excited as the warriors. Sparrow watched from a tussock, staring at the nursery with an unreadable expression while Hareflight and Redclaw paced excitedly beside him.

“This is the first good thing to happen to WindClan in moons,” Hareflight enthused.

“The rogues have brought luck to the Clan,” Redclaw gushed.

Luck? Tallpaw bristled. He imagined the pleasure he’d get from sinking his claws deep into Sparrow’s short, brown fur.

“Tallpaw!” Reena slid from the crowd and hurried over to him. “Isn’t it great? Kits in the camp! I can’t wait to see them!”

“What do you care?” Tallpaw sniffed. “They’re Clan kits, not rogues.”

Reena stopped in front of him, eyes flashing. “Of course I care!” she exclaimed. “They’re WindClan cats.”

“Stop acting like you’re one of us,” Tallpaw growled. “If you hadn’t come, Sandgorse would still be alive.”

Reena gasped. “We helped you fight off ShadowClan!”

Tallpaw curled his lip. “Sparrow took my father into a tunnel and left him to die.”

Sparrow’s head turned. Tallpaw watched the rogue’s expression from the corner of his eye. He looked more curious than angry. Tallpaw dug his claws into the ground. Was Sparrow too much of a coward to fight for his honor? “Weasel-heart,” he hissed.

Reena’s eyes blazed. “Don’t you dare blame Sparrow for Sandgorse’s death!” she spat. “Your father knew those tunnels were unsafe, but he took Sparrow down there anyway. Sparrow could have been killed too!”

“But he wasn’t,” Tallpaw mewed coldly. He looked at Sparrow, but the rogue had turned back to Hareflight and Aspenfall. “Now he’s got more friends in WindClan than I have.”

“You’ve turned mean, Tallpaw,” Reena spat. “That’s why you’ve got no friends anymore. Whenever a cat comes near you, you bite their head off.”

“So?” Tallpaw hissed. “At least I don’t kill them.”