The Last Hope

“It’s okay, Leafpool.” Hollyleaf’s eyes flickered open again. “I don’t mind,” she croaked. “I’m glad I came back to ThunderClan.” Her chest fluttered as she fought for breath. “I couldn’t bear to… to leave without getting to know my mother.”

“Save her!” screeched Ivypool. “You have to save her! Hawkfrost tried to kill me, but Hollyleaf chased him away.”

“Hawkfrost?” Brambleclaw looked up from beside Hollyleaf, his eyes darkening. “He did this?”

Ivypool nodded. “I was fighting Snowtuft and Thistleclaw. I couldn’t help her.”

Dovewing pressed against her sister. “You carried her home,” she soothed. “You couldn’t have done more.” She pricked her ears as she heard the paw steps of the Dark Forest patrol crunch over leaves. “Firestar,” she hissed. “They’ve reached the woods.”

Firestar stiffened beside Leafpool.

“Hollyleaf.” Leafpool pressed her muzzle against her daughter’s cheek. “Hollyleaf?”

Hollyleaf’s head fell back and her eyes dulled.

Leafpool turned frantically to Jayfeather. “She’s not breathing!”

“She’s lost too much blood,” Jayfeather mewed gently. He touched Hollyleaf’s pelt. His paw trembled. “We couldn’t have saved her.”

Paw steps sounded outside the hollow, determined and fast. Firestar wrenched his gaze away from the still, black shape on the ground and straightened up. “Prepare for attack!”

Brambleclaw signaled to Squirrelflight and Sandstorm, sending them to guard the nursery, where Ferncloud was nosing Brightheart through the shredded brambles. The WindClan and RiverClan patrols spread out across the clearing. Mousefur and Purdy lined up outside their den. Leafpool dragged Hollyleaf’s body to the edge of the hollow. As her Clanmates prepared for attack, she crouched over the motionless cat as if she could nurse her to life by the warmth of her fur.

The shredded barrier quivered as Birchfall leaped through it. He skidded into the clearing with Blossomfall just behind him. Shock pulsed through Dovewing. Are they leading the attack? Her own father, fighting for the Dark Forest!

Jayfeather raced for the medicine den and disappeared through the brambles. “Briarlight!” he yowled. “Get back in the herb store!”

Firestar met Birchfall’s gaze. “How could you betray us?” He advanced on his Clanmate, his lip curled into a snarl.

Dovewing’s paws turned cold. “I thought you’d choose to fight on our side.”

“He did!” Ivypool shot forward. “He fought with me at the WindClan camp.”

Birchfall lifted his tail. “We would never betray ThunderClan!”

Mousewhisker skidded into the camp. “We came to warn you!”

Blossomfall butted in. “We saw the Dark Forest patrol! They’re coming!”

As she spoke, a huge gray-and-white tom crashed through the thorns. His muzzle was striped with wounds, one eye swollen, but hard muscle twitched beneath his pelt. “Traitors!” he snarled at Birchfall. “We lost the WindClan camp thanks to you!” His tail whipped behind him. “I’ll save killing you till last.”

“Not if I kill you first, Thistleclaw!” Birchfall hissed. “You tricked us!”

Dark Warriors began to flood the hollow. A tabby sent Bumblestripe flying with a powerful front-paw swipe. Two toms leaped on Tigerheart, hurling him to the ground. Squirrelflight disappeared under a wave of spitting warriors.

“Guard the nursery!” Firestar yowled.

Broad-shouldered warriors surged past Sandstorm. Brambleclaw launched himself across the clearing and began hauling them away. Tigerheart struggled free and rushed to help. Daisy shot out of the brambles and began slashing wildly at the wall of snapping jaws.

“Hide!” Ferncloud thrust Brightheart and the kits deep into their nest as a Dark Forest tom reached through the tattered den wall. She slashed his muzzle, then spun around and grabbed a bunch of bramble stems in her teeth. She dragged them across the top of the nest, covering the she-cat. “I won’t let any cat near!”

Brightheart struggled up through the brambles. “I won’t let you fight alone!” She straddled her nest and reared up beside Ferncloud.

“Darkstripe!” Mousefur’s hiss sounded from outside the elders’ den. “I hoped I’d never see you again.” The old she-cat lashed out at a snarling tom.

Darkstripe hit back, sending Mousefur reeling.

Dovewing skidded across the clearing and knocked Darkstripe away. He turned to her, lips drawn to show bloodstained teeth.

“Go for his ears!” Cinderheart landed beside her. “I’ll go for his legs.”

Dovewing swiped at Darkstripe, her paws fast as birds. He stumbled as Cinderheart hooked his forepaws from under him. Dovewing battered his muzzle into the earth.

“Nice.” Cinderheart sprang onto Darkstripe’s back and began scrabbling at his spine with her hind claws.

More Dark Forest warriors streaked toward them.

“Ready, Mousefur?” Purdy nodded at his denmate and the two elders arched their backs against the honeysuckle den and began fighting.