The Last Hope

Dovewing heard Ferncloud shriek. The kits! She raced for the thorns but long claws hauled her back and sent her flying. She landed with a thump. Struggling to her paws, she suddenly spotted familiar pelts on the slope above camp. Warriors from RiverClan and WindClan had arrived. Dovewing just hoped they were on the right side.

The patrols thundered down the slope and Troutstream, Pebblefoot, and Mintfur hurled themselves into battle beside Dovewing. She watched them closely for a moment, then breathed out in relief when she realized they were aiming only for Dark Forest cats.

“There’s more in camp!” Firestar screeched, batting away Darkstripe.

“We’ll deal with them.” Owlwhisker disappeared through the barrier with Whitetail and Boulderfur on his tail.

As screams sounded from the hollow, the RiverClan warriors turned tail-to-tail and began driving the Dark Forest warriors apart. Dovewing dived into a gap between two tabbies and, with whirling paws, began pushing them farther away. Within moments, the Dark Forest throng was split into much smaller groups.

Firestar lined up beside Bumblestripe and Poppyfrost and began herding a knot of warriors toward the trees. Dovewing joined Millie and Squirrelflight to push back another cluster. She reared and dived, sure of her movements, knowing exactly where to aim. She nipped at a tabby’s hind legs while Millie batted his muzzle. Squirrelflight tripped another and Dovewing sliced his ear. The Dark Forest warriors jerked around, looking at their scattered allies with dismay before turning and running for the trees.

Dovewing spun around. Lionblaze was chasing a tabby up the slope. Leafpool sent a black tom staggering backward. The Dark Forest cats had thinned to a few stragglers.

Firestar stood stiff-legged in front of them. “You can run or you can die,” he offered in a low growl.

They froze, then turned and pelted for the forest.

“Cowards!” Ferncloud hissed from the entrance to the hollow.

Pebblefoot and Sandstorm exploded out from behind her, driving the last few Dark Forest warriors out of camp. As they hurtled past, Dovewing pricked her ears and followed the sound of their wailing back into the Dark Forest. Excitement rose in her chest. We survived!

Then she froze.

Beyond the wailing she heard fiercer yowls. Battle cries. Paws slapped against slimy earth. Not fleeing, but marching—heading this way. “There’s more coming,” she whispered.

“Cloudtail! Pebblefoot! Dustpelt!” The ThunderClan leader called to the bloodiest cats. “Medicine den! Now!”

They limped across the battered thorns, turning the branches red.

“Is anyone else badly hurt?” Firestar scanned the patrol. Millie rubbed at a torn ear. Graystripe pressed against her, his eye swollen. Poppyfrost licked a wrenched claw. Mintfur sniffed a scratch on Troutstream’s flank while Smokefoot shook out his ragged pelt.

Leafpool wove between them, checking wounds. “Nothing dangerous,” she meowed.

Brambleclaw ducked out of camp. “All clear,” he reported. “The kits are safe.”

“For now,” Firestar answered darkly.

Dovewing stiffened as paw steps pounded beyond the rise.

Cloudtail arched his back. “Who is it?”

A young ShadowClan cat appeared at the top of the slope.

“Stoatpaw?” Brambleclaw padded forward. “How’s ShadowClan?”

“Blackstar’s losing a life!” Stoatpaw raced toward them, eyes wide. “We’ve been overrun! We need help!”

Smokefoot darted forward to meet the apprentice. Oakfur and Snowbird watched their Clanmates, panic lighting their eyes.

“Have you seen Cherrypaw?” Poppyfrost asked.

Stoatpaw blinked. “Isn’t she here?”

Poppyfrost stiffened.

“Perhaps she’s gone to WindClan to find Molepaw.” Leafpool pressed against the tortoiseshell warrior. “Or she might be lying low until it’s safe to travel.”

Firestar looked at Dovewing. “How near is the next Dark Forest patrol?”

Dovewing listened, relieved to find that their paw steps were still muffled by Dark Forest mist. “They haven’t broken through yet.”

The ThunderClan leader lashed his tail. “Lionblaze, go to ShadowClan. You go too, Graystripe. We can manage here without you.”

Can we? Dovewing trembled. The paw steps might still be far away, but they were approaching steadily, relentless as storm clouds.

“Smokefoot!” Firestar called to the ShadowClan warrior. “Take your patrol home. Your Clanmates need you more than we do.”

As Smokefoot nodded, Brambleclaw weaved around Lionblaze. “Save them, Lionblaze.” He touched his muzzle to the golden warrior’s cheek as though they were still father and son. “I know you can.”

Lionblaze gazed for a moment into Brambleclaw’s eyes, then pulled away and raced into the forest. Graystripe and the ShadowClan patrol hurtled after him, Stoatpaw trailing behind on tired legs.

Dovewing’s belly felt hollow as they disappeared. She glanced around at her Clanmates. Fear sparked in their eyes.

“The camp’s been destroyed,” Ferncloud growled.

“We’ve rebuilt it before.” Firestar turned and headed through the ragged barrier. “We can rebuild it again.”