The Last Hope

“There’s prey if you’re hungry,” Lionblaze offered.

“We’ll catch our own if we need to,” Smokefoot meowed stiffly.

Prey? Dovewing ran forward. “There’s no time to worry about prey! They’re coming!”

Firestar turned. “The Dark Forest cats?”

Dovewing pricked her ears and heard paws thundering over bare earth, then the sudden soft swish of ferns. “They’re in the forest!”

The ShadowClan patrol faced the barrier, hackles high. Lionblaze unsheathed his claws and dropped into a battle crouch.

Hazeltail was staring at Dovewing. “How do you know?”

“She just does, okay?” Jayfeather bounded from the medicine den and stopped in front of Dovewing. “Which way are they heading?”

Brambles rustled and leaves crackled loud enough to make Dovewing’s ear fur tremble. “I can’t tell!”

Brambleclaw snapped his head up, scanning the tree line above. Dovewing stiffened as she realized that the paw steps were close enough for any cat to hear. Firestar swung his head around, meeting the panicked gaze of his Clanmates. Foxleap pushed between Berrynose and Hazeltail. Poppyfrost and Cinderheart pressed close beside Rosepetal and Thornclaw. Millie lifted her chin, never more distant from her kittypet roots.

“It’s time,” Firestar meowed. “I trust you to do whatever you must to save our Clan.” His gaze flicked to Smokefoot. “To save all the Clans.”

Brambleclaw stepped forward. “Sorreltail, Thornclaw, and Spiderleg, go as fast as you can to ShadowClan,” he ordered. “Fight like they’re your own Clanmates. Whitewing, Berrynose, and Hazeltail, you must help WindClan.” The warriors raced out of camp. Only Sorreltail hesitated, glancing toward the nursery.

“We’ll keep Lilykit and Seedkit safe,” Firestar promised her.

Sorreltail dipped her head and charged after her patrol.

Brambleclaw flicked his tail toward Foxleap.

The russet warrior was already running for the entrance with Toadstep and Rosepetal on his tail. “We’ll get to RiverClan before the Dark Forest warriors,” he called over his shoulder.

Cherrypaw and Molepaw dashed across the clearing and stood in front of Firestar. “Where should we go first?”

The ThunderClan leader nodded at the two eager runners. “Molepaw, head for WindClan and then RiverClan. Cherrypaw, go to ShadowClan. Bring back any news you can. We need to know where the Dark Forest strikes first.”

Poppyfrost met her kits as they headed for the thorn barrier. “I know you’ll be brave.” She lifted her chin. “I’m very proud of you, remember that.”

She stood aside and let them rush out, her eyes glistening. Berrynose padded to her side and pressed his cheek against hers. “They’re warriors today,” he murmured.

Dovewing glanced around the camp, shocked to find it so empty now that the patrols had left. Were there still enough cats here to defend it? Above, the sound of fur brushing undergrowth was so loud that she flattened her ears to muffle it. Jayfeather hurried toward the medicine den and grabbed a trailing bramble in his jaws. He hauled it across the entrance and Millie rushed to help him.

Briarlight called through to them from the den. “I’ve lined up the herb parcels and put moss to soak in the pool.”

“Push the emergency supplies to the back of the store,” Jayfeather told her, dragging another tendril to block the entrance.

Graystripe headed for the elders’ den, where Purdy and Mousefur peered out. “Stay inside!” he ordered.

“What about the fighting moves Spiderleg taught us?” Purdy asked.

“Use them if you have to, but don’t enter the battle until it finds you.” The gray warrior nosed the elders back into the depths of the honeysuckle.

Daisy and Ferncloud paced outside the nursery, the fur on their spines sticking up like thorns. “Are Seedkit and Lilykit in your nest, Brightheart?” Daisy called through the bramble wall.

“They’re all tucked in together,” Brightheart answered.

“No cat will reach them,” Ferncloud promised with a growl.

“We need to meet our enemy outside the hollow,” Firestar decided. He nodded to Brambleclaw. “You stay in camp. Choose your patrol.”

Brambleclaw turned to Squirrelflight first. “Will you fight beside me?”

Their eyes met for a long moment. “Always,” she meowed.

“Good.” Brambleclaw nodded. “Dustpelt, Bumblestripe, Cinderheart, Leafpool, and Graystripe, you’ll help defend the hollow.”

“Graystripe comes with me,” Firestar put in, with a glance at his oldest friend.

Brambleclaw dipped his head. “Of course.”

Lionblaze lashed his tail. “Where do I fight?”

“With me.” Firestar faced his Clan. “Fight like rogues if you have to,” he growled. “We’re fighting for everything that matters. Whatever happens, no cat will forget that the Clans fought first with their hearts and then with their claws.”

Smokefoot looked at the thorn barrier. “What about the WindClan and RiverClan patrols?”

Firestar pricked an ear toward the battle cries rising at the top of the hollow. “We don’t have time to wait for them.”