Tallstar’s Revenge

Tallpaw saw several solid-looking shapes ahead, ears and tails silhouetted in the rain. The rogues! He recognized their dripping pelts as they trudged beside the hedge, trying to find some shelter from the storm. One by one, they clambered over the snaking roots of a lightning-blasted tree. Tallpaw crept after them, ducking under the low branches as though he was stalking prey. He halted beside the charred tree and watched them disappear along the trail.

This isn’t StarClan! This is just a dumb dream! Frustration flared inside him. Where’s Sandgorse? Curling his claws into the wet earth, he screwed his eyes shut and tried to sleep once more.

Darkness engulfed him and he was swirling through emptiness again. More shapes flashed on the edge of his vision: a Twolegplace, a dense forest, a chattering river sparkling in sunlight. Tallpaw blinked open his eyes, desperate to find himself in StarClan’s territory.

The Moonstone gleamed at the end of his nose. He was back in the cavern. Where was StarClan? Fear wormed in Tallpaw’s belly. They hadn’t shared anything with him! He backed away from the Moonstone, noticing that Shrewpaw was still resting peacefully by the stone.

Were the ancestors ignoring him because of Brackenwing? Or was StarClan angry because he hadn’t been able to follow in his father’s paw steps? Tallpaw’s heart twisted. I tried!

Dawnstripe blinked open her eyes and stretched. She met Tallpaw’s gaze. “Did you dream?”

Before he could answer, Shrewpaw jumped up. “Wow! I saw the star and some old cat called Dais—”

“Hush.” Hareflight stirred beside him, his mew thick with sleep. “You don’t share your StarClan dreams with any cat.”

Dawnstripe nodded. “You keep the secrets they share with you in your heart.”

“Unless you’re a medicine cat and StarClan speaks to your Clan through you.” Hareflight stretched, arching his spine and quivering.

Dawnstripe padded toward the cavern entrance. “Let’s get back to the Clan.” Shrewpaw bounded past her. “I’ll lead!” Dawnstripe called. “I don’t want you getting lost.”

Hareflight and Shrewpaw fell in behind her and Tallpaw followed last, glancing over his shoulder at the Moonstone as he headed out of the cavern. The huge rock glittered frostily in the moonlight. A pang tugged at Tallpaw’s belly. StarClan, why didn’t you share with me? Cold air washed his pelt as he stepped into the darkness, trailing a little behind his Clanmates. Numbness set into his paws, and Tallpaw had to force himself to keep plodding upward, following the scent and sound of his Clanmates as they led him out of the hill.

Hareflight and Shrewpaw were already scrambling down the rocky slope when Tallpaw emerged into moonlight.

“I thought we’d lost you,” Dawnstripe murmured. She waited for Tallpaw to jump down from the ledge, and fell in beside him. Tallpaw walked in silence. As they reached the meadows, he hardly felt the wet grass drag along his flanks. All he felt was tiredness, growing heavier with each paw step.

The sky was turning pale beyond the moor-top as they neared the WindClan border. The Thunderpath was quiet and they crossed it easily, just as Dawnstripe had promised.

Dawnstripe peered closely at Tallpaw as the ground began to slope up toward the moor. “Are you okay?” she prompted.

“I’m fine.” Tallpaw padded past her without meeting her gaze. “Just tired.” He glanced up the slope to the top of the moor, then back toward Highstones. They seemed to catch fire as the rising sun turned them red, then yellow, paler and paler against the lightening sky. The jagged peaks loomed over the valley, piercing the clouds. To Tallpaw, the moor hardly seemed big enough to contain WindClan, hemmed by forest, crushed by the sky, cut off short by the river in the gorge.

But this is home! Breaking into a run, he bounded past his Clanmates and raced down the hillside toward camp. The Clan was already stirring. Lilywhisker and Whiteberry yawned at the entrance to their den. The Meeting Hollow looked as crowded as a burrow full of rabbits as the Clan gathered around Reedfeather, waiting for his orders for the day’s patrols.

“Tallpaw!” Hopkit scrambled across the tussocks, stumbling each time his twisted paw buckled underneath him. “Did you see the Moonstone?”

“Yes.” Tallpaw nuzzled his head. The kit’s wide, friendly gaze seemed to banish the darkness of Mothermouth.

Sorrelkit raced after her brother, her gray-and-brown fur spiked with excitement. She stopped beside Tallpaw and began sniffing his pelt, her mouth open as she tasted the strange scents he’d brought back. She glanced over her shoulder at Pigeonkit. “He smells funny.”

Pigeonkit pushed past her and inspected Tallpaw closely. “Your fur’s all wet.”

“We’ve been trekking through long grass,” Tallpaw explained.

“What did you see?” Sorrelkit flicked her short tail.

“The Moonstone.”

Sorrelkit widened her eyes. “Was it big?”