The Forgotten Warrior

Hollyleaf led the way into the tunnels followed by Brackenfur and then Brightheart. Dovewing hung back to take the last place, guessing that she might be able to use her senses to guard their rear, in case any WindClan warriors were lurking in the tunnels. Thornclaw was hanging back, too; Dovewing could see how reluctant he was to go down into the darkness.

“It’ll be fine,” she mewed as he hesitated at the entrance.

Thornclaw shot her a glare and plunged into the tunnel; Dovewing could guess how much he must hate being reassured by a much younger Clanmate, especially when he didn’t know that she had experience of being underground.

The light from the tunnel entrance soon died away behind them. Dovewing padded along in darkness, adjusting her senses to the unfamiliar surroundings and remembering how freaked out she had been when she first followed this path with Ivypool. Now the damp earth beneath her paws and the sensation of her fur brushing the walls of the tunnel didn’t bother her nearly so much. It was better because they had a confident leader in Hollyleaf. Now and again her voice would echo back along the tunnel.

“Watch your paws here; the ground is uneven.”

“It’s a tight squeeze just here, but it doesn’t last long.”

As the floor began to slant more steeply downward, Dovewing became aware of Thornclaw in front of her; he was breathing hard and once or twice his tail lashed across her face.

He’s getting scared. I know how he feels.

In the next heartbeat she collided with Thornclaw’s hindquarters and realized he was trying to back away. “I’ve got to get out of here,” he muttered.

“No—you can’t!”

The tunnel was so narrow that Dovewing was blocking Thornclaw’s retreat. Panting, he started to claw at her. “Let me out!” he gasped.

“Hollyleaf!” Dovewing called. “Thornclaw needs help.”

“Okay, I’m coming!”

In the blackness Dovewing couldn’t see a thing, but she could hear grunts and hisses from the other cats as Hollyleaf squeezed her way past them until she reached Thornclaw.

“There’s nothing to be scared of,” she told Thornclaw calmly. “The dark can’t hurt you, just because you can’t see. And you have other senses, remember?”

Her words seemed to soothe Thornclaw; at least, he stopped struggling, though Dovewing was close enough to feel him trembling. “I’ll walk with you,” Hollyleaf went on. “I’ve lived for moons down here, and nothing bad has happened to me.”

Thornclaw took a deep breath. “Okay,” he whispered. “Sorry.”

“Brackenfur!” Hollyleaf raised her voice. “Will you take the lead? Just keep on going straight, and ignore any side turns.”

“Right.” Brackenfur’s voice echoed back.

Thornclaw’s brief panic had unsettled Dovewing, and she began to feel uncomfortable, acutely aware of the contrast between bright, warm daylight and this cold blackness. She managed to slide forward past the others until she could pad between Brackenfur and Ivypool, feeling reassured by their closeness. Brackenfur especially was a solid and calm presence, apparently too curious about the tunnels to feel any fear.

“What keeps the roof up?” he asked, sounding impressed. “And what made the tunnels in the first place?”

“Water,” Hollyleaf replied from farther back. “There’s a river, and when it floods the tunnels fill.”

“Will they fill now?” Thornclaw fretted.

“Not a chance,” Hollyleaf told him. “There has to be really heavy rain for a long time before that happens. Run your paw along the stone,” she added, “and you can feel ridges like ripples in a windblown lake. That’s from when the tunnels were first worn away by water.”

Reaching out to feel the tiny furrows, Dovewing felt strangely comforted. Hollyleaf is really at home down here, she thought. She knows every mouse-length of these tunnels!

“I thought we were down here to learn about fighting?” Toadstep remarked as they padded on.

“You are,” Hollyleaf countered. “But you wouldn’t be able to fight a beetle in these narrow tunnels. When it comes to a battle, we’ll have to confront our enemies in larger spaces. The tunnels are useful to flee or pursue, but not for combat. If you try, you’re more likely to hit the walls than your opponent.”

“Sorry I asked,” Toadstep muttered.

As the tunnel grew slightly wider Hollyleaf took the lead again and headed along a twisting side passage. At last Dove-wing realized that she could see, very dimly, the shapes of the cats in front of her. The sound of running water came from up ahead; her pelt prickled at the thought of a flood rising to engulf them.

Moments later the cats emerged into an underground cave. A crack in the roof, high above their heads, gave them enough light to see one another. A river ran across the center of the cavern; Hollyleaf flicked her tail at it.