The Last Hope

“Here, only the strongest survive,” Hollowflight growled.

“It should be like that in the Clans,” Redwillow added.

Ivypool stared at him. “Would you let your Clanmates die if they were weak?”

Alarm sparked in Redwillow’s eyes as though he realized he’d revealed too much. “O-of course not.” His gaze flashed to Hollowflight. “We were just saying that we’ve got a lot to learn from the Dark Forest warriors, that’s all. So we can be true warriors.”

“Yeah.” Ivypool kept walking, trying to stop her fur spiking in horror. “I guess that’s what we’re training for.”

Tigerstar halted at the top of the slope, the trees behind him framing the lake below. “See how thick the tree trunks are.” He nodded toward a sturdy beech. “That’s why we teach you to climb in the Dark Forest. Here in ThunderClan territory you have to be prepared to fight in trees.” His gaze sought out Blossomfall’s. “Why don’t you explain?”

Blossomfall pushed her way to the head of the patrol, her chest puffed out. “All ThunderClan cats are taught to climb so we can drop on enemies from above, and we can move through the forest by jumping from branch to branch without touching the ground.”

“Like squirrels,” Redwillow muttered.

Blossomfall flicked her tail. “We move like squirrels, but we fight like foxes!”

Ivypool’s fur lifted along her spine. Blossomfall was giving away all of ThunderClan’s secrets! “We hardly bother with tree-fighting now,” she lied quickly.

“But Dovewing and Brambleclaw were practicing earlier!” Blossomfall blurted.

Ivypool caught Birchfall’s gaze, relieved to see that his eyes were glittering with worry. He understands the danger!

“They don’t have to know everything, Blossomfall,” Birchfall cautioned.

Tigerstar shifted his paws. “Don’t worry, Birchfall,” he meowed. “We’re among friends.” He gazed around the patrol. “We’re Clanmates now. Secrets aren’t necessary.”

Mapleshade padded heavily up the slope and stopped beside Tigerstar. “Perhaps Birchfall doesn’t feel part of our Clan.” There was menace in her mew.

“Of course he does!” Ivypool growled, stepping in front of her father.

“Then why doesn’t he tell us something about ThunderClan territory?” Tigerstar invited.

“I-it’s all woods,” Birchfall began. Ivypool could tell he was feeling uncomfortable from the way the tip of his tail quivered. “Except for the slopes down to the shore and to the WindClan border.”

“And is it better to fight in woodland or the open?” Tigerstar pressed.

Birchfall’s gaze darted nervously toward Furzepelt. “ThunderClan fights better in the woods, I guess,” he admitted. “We can use the undergrowth to trap our enemies.”

We’re giving everything away! Ivypool padded to the top of the slope and stared across the lake toward RiverClan. “Why don’t you tell us about your territory, Beetlewhisker?”

Beetlewhisker lifted his tail. “We have pine trees, not oaks,” he began.

Brambles swished at the bottom of the slope. Ivypool stiffened. “Someone’s coming!” Spiderleg’s pelt was moving through the undergrowth below them. Brambleclaw was following him.

“Are you sure you heard voices?” Brambleclaw asked.

“I was guarding the entrance and I heard paw steps.” Spiderleg faltered. “I wasn’t sure at first if they were paw steps, to be honest. I thought I’d imagined them. But then I heard voices coming from this direction.”

“It’d better not be another WindClan invasion.” Brambleclaw growled. “We should check the tunnel entrances.”

“But the voices came from here.” Spiderleg’s pelt disappeared under ferns as he headed up the slope.

Blood pounded in Ivypool’s ears. “We’ve got to get out of here!” she hissed to Tigerstar.

“And miss a chance to practice our battle skills?” Tigerstar spat back.

“You can’t!” Fear shot through Ivypool. “Take us back now!”

“Are you scared of your Clanmates?” Tigerstar’s murmur was no more than a breath in her ear.

They mustn’t find out I’m visiting the Dark Forest! The brambles shivered below them. Ivypool felt panic rising. “If they find us here,” she whispered, “they’ll start sending out night patrols.” Hope flickered in her belly as Tigerstar’s ear twitched. “And when the final battle comes, we’ll have lost the advantage of surprise.”

Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. “Very well.”

Relief rushed through Ivypool as the dark warrior signaled with his tail and led the patrol quickly and silently along the crest of the slope. Swallowed by brambles and creeping juniper, Ivypool kept low and followed Tigerstar, checking behind to see that the rest of the patrol was keeping up. The undergrowth grew darker and when she looked up, the moon had disappeared. The ground turned slimy once more beneath her paws and ferns gave way to tangled thorn bushes. Ivypool wrinkled her nose as the air soured with the stench of decay. They were back in the Dark Forest.

As the patrol broke from a thicket of sticky brambles, Tigerstar halted.

Mapleshade paced around him. “Why didn’t we stay and fight?”