Warriors: Omen of the Stars #6: The Last Hope (20 page)

Dovewing glanced at her Clanmate. Why was she so keen to dismiss the danger?

“These were no rogues! I smelled RiverClan among the other scents!” Rowanclaw yowled.

Brambleclaw nodded. “And there was definitely ShadowClan scent in ThunderClan territory.”

Blackstar narrowed his eyes. “No ShadowClan warrior has trespassed across your border!”

A growl rumbled in Mistystar’s throat. “RiverClan has no need to stray into other territories. We have everything we need in our own!”

Eyes glittered like tiny moons as the leaders flashed warning looks at one another. Dapplenose drew away from Dovewing, her gaze suddenly suspicious. Onestar’s tail was lashing. Blackstar glared accusingly at Firestar.

“Listen to what you are saying!” Firestar hissed. His green gaze swept the restless crowd. “We haven’t all been invading one another’s territories!”

“Then how do you explain the scents?” Dawnpelt challenged from the bottom of the tree.

Firestar stepped forward to the end of his branch, his shoulders rippling beneath his pelt. “If rogues have been traveling across all the territories, they could have picked up scents and spread them like fleas in their path.”

Mistystar’s fur smoothed a little. “The scents
have
been confusing.”

Onestar’s eyes had narrowed to slits. “If rogues could carry scents from one territory to another, then so could a Clan patrol.”

Firestar met his gaze. “Then we should all step up patrols and try to find these cats.”

“Send out more patrols!” a ShadowClan tom called from the crowd.

“We must stay alert!” a RiverClan warrior yowled.

Firestar pressed on. “And if any Clan finds evidence, we must share it with the other Clans!”

Onestar bristled. “And warn them they’ve been found out? Never!”

Mistystar backed away from the other leaders. “I protect my own Clan,” she growled. “No other.”

Dovewing gasped as a WindClan cat barged past her, heading for his Clanmates farther down the clearing. All around her, warriors were weaving closer to their denmates. Dovewing glanced over her shoulder. The knot of apprentices had broken up and Cherrypaw and Molepaw were scurrying back to the ThunderClan warriors.

Blackstar jumped down from the Great Oak. Mistystar slithered down the trunk next, while Onestar glared at Firestar before leaping into the clearing.

“Come on, Dovewing,” Whitewing meowed. “There won’t be any sharing tongues tonight.”

Dovewing stretched her head up to find Tigerheart. There was no sign of him among the streaming pelts. “I’ll catch up!” she called to Whitewing as her mother headed after Squirrelflight and Blossomfall. She felt buffeted like a leaf on a river as cats moved around her, heading for the tree-bridge, clustering close to their Clanmates.

“Dovewing?” A familiar mew sounded behind her.

She spun around, her heart leaping as she saw Tigerheart.

His tail was high. “I thought we’d been found out with all that talk of drifting scents!”

“Me too!” Dovewing saw relief in his gaze. “We have to be more careful from now on.”

Tigerheart nodded. “There’ll be more patrols.” He stretched his muzzle close to her ear. “Let’s meet outside the territories again tomorrow night,” he whispered. “At the Twoleg nest.”

As Dovewing nodded, she felt the fur bristle on the back of her neck. She looked past Tigerheart and saw Bumblestripe staring at her. Her heart missed a beat. “We were just discussing the intruders,” she told her Clanmate quickly. “Tigerheart was asking if I’d noticed anything.”

Bumblestripe’s eyes widened.

“I thought it would be a good idea to talk to other patrols, to see if the scents have been picked up on the same nights.” Dovewing realized she was chattering like a blackbird.

Bumblestripe shrugged. “You can talk to whoever you like,” he meowed. “It’s a Gathering.” He began to follow the other cats toward the tree-bridge and disappeared into the long grass.

Dovewing turned back to Tigerheart. “I’d better go.”

Tigerheart dipped his head. “Me too.” He headed away, slipping between Rowanclaw and Dawnpelt as they passed.

Dovewing bounded after Whitewing, following her scent into the grass and catching up with her as she reached the shore. Whitewing glanced sideways at her as they waited for the other Clans to pass one by one over the fallen tree. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” Dovewing mewed as brightly as she could.

Whitewing didn’t answer, but moved closer to her daughter till Dovewing felt her soft pelt brush her flank. Above them, clouds rolled across the sky and the wind lifted, sending waves scudding across the lake. Dovewing wished she could tell her mother everything: about Tigerheart and how much he meant to her; how heavy the prophecy seemed and how small she felt under its weight. But she couldn’t talk about the prophecy to any cat beyond the ones already involved, and Whitewing would be devastated if she knew her daughter loved a cat from another Clan.

Whitewing pressed closer. “I’m always here if you need me.”

Rain began to fleck Dovewing’s pelt. Her vision blurred, and she told herself it was just raindrops. “Thanks, Whitewing,” she whispered.

“Come on.” Whitewing nudged her toward a gap in the stream of cats. “We’ll be home before you know it.”

“Are we all here?” Brokenstar’s eyes
gleamed in the darkness as he scanned the circle of cats.

Ivypool lifted her chin. Hawkfrost had told her about the Dark Forest Gathering the moment she’d woken into the Place of No Stars. She had to represent ThunderClan. Applefur, who had proved herself worthy of full warrior status here, stood for ShadowClan, while Breezepelt—WindClan’s representative—shifted from one paw to another, eyeing Brokenstar warily.

“Beetlewhisker.” Brokenstar greeted the RiverClan cat with a voice like ice as Beetlewhisker padded from the trees. “Did you have trouble finding your way?”

Ivypool tucked her tail tighter over her paws.

“I was at the Gathering.” Beetlewhisker took his place beside Applefur. “I didn’t get to my nest till well after moonhigh.”

Tigerstar padded around the edge of the circle. “You can’t be in two Clans at once,” he murmured, pausing in front of Beetlewhisker before sliding in between Mapleshade and Hawkfrost.

Thistleclaw dug his claws into the ground and tore out a pawful of slimy grass. “Can we start now?”

Sparrowfeather sat down, ears twitching. “What’s this meeting about?”

Darkstripe flashed him a warning look, then dipped his head to Brokenstar. “Sparrowfeather asks questions like a kit.” He crossed the circle, blocking Brokenstar’s view of the mottled tom. “I’ve told him already we’ve come to praise our brave recruits.”

Brokenstar curled his lip.

“Our young warriors have practiced hard.” Mapleshade took the center of the circle, shoving Darkstripe back to his place. “I’ve watched their training carefully. They can climb, run, swim, and fight.” Her gaze slid toward Beetlewhisker. “Though not enough of them have learned to deal the killing blow.”

Applefur frowned. “Warriors don’t kill.”

Mapleshade whipped around. “Clan cats don’t kill but they’re not real warriors,” she hissed. “If they were, why weren’t you satisfied with their training? Why did you seek us out?”

“I thought you sought me out.” There was a note of uncertainty in Applefur’s voice.

Shut up!
Ivypool glared at her.
Why creep into a fox’s den, then complain about the smell?

Hawkfrost’s blue eyes glinted in the half-light. “We recognized your need for better training. It led us to you.”

Mapleshade’s whiskers twitched. “That’s right,” she purred. “And you’ve learned a lot.” Her gaze flitted from Applefur to Breezepelt, then Beetlewhisker and Ivypool.

Ivypool met it, forcing her legs not to tremble. “You taught us well,” she meowed with what she hoped was the right note of gratitude.

“You had more courage and strength than I imagined,” Mapleshade conceded. “I’m proud of your progress.”

Ivypool’s heart quickened as Brokenstar padded forward. Muscles flexed like waves beneath his pelt, as though he was ready for battle. “Pride is not important.” He waved Mapleshade away with a sweep of his tail. “Power is important, and the willingness to use it.”

Breezepelt puffed out his chest. “I’m ready for anything!”

“Good.” Brokenstar’s whiskers twitched. “There are difficult times ahead but loyalty to the Dark Forest and hunger for victory will carry you through.”

Ivypool swallowed. “Victory over what?” She had to find out exactly what these cats were planning.

Brokenstar jerked his head around and stared at her. His amber gaze blazed like a scorching sun. Ivypool narrowed her eyes against it.

“Our
enemies,”
Brokenstar growled. “Our courage will be tested but we will be ready.”

“Enemies?” Beetlewhisker stretched his muzzle forward, eyes puzzled. “What enemies?”

Mapleshade blinked at him. “Don’t you know yet?” She flicked her tail. “Have your Clanmates never doubted you even though you were right? Has Mistystar never acted like a mouse-heart, siding with weaker cats while punishing the strong? Have your denmates never treated you like a kit when you are more skillful and dangerous than they could even imagine? I don’t know how you can bear returning every sunrise to feed and protect such feeble creatures!”

Beetlewhisker bristled. “My Clanmates are not feeble or mouse-brained! Mistystar is noble. If she sides with the weak, it’s because the weak need our protection!”

Tigerstar’s eyes flashed. “The weak should be left to fend for themselves.”

Beetlewhisker blinked. “But that’s the opposite of everything the warrior code teaches us!”

Brokenstar lowered his head and spoke quietly. “The warrior code teaches you how to be weak.”

“It teaches us how to be strong!” Beetlewhisker snapped. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but you’ll never make me despise the warrior code, or my Clan!” He took a step toward Brokenstar. “My Clan thinks it’s being targeted by rogues because of you. They’re frightened by our nighttime visits to their territory. I don’t want to be part of that.” His voice softened. “I appreciate everything you’ve taught me, I really do. You’ve made me a stronger warrior than I could have ever dreamed of being, but I can’t stay here. I must leave and protect my Clan. I won’t be coming here again.” He turned and padded away.

Ivypool’s paws trembled as she watched Beetlewhisker shoulder his way past Hawkfrost and Applefur.

Brokenstar’s ears flattened. “No cat leaves the Dark Forest unless I say so.” He unsheathed his claws. “Your loyalty is to us now.”

Run!
Ivypool silently begged Beetlewhisker.
Run and don’t look back!

Beetlewhisker paused and glanced over his shoulder. “My loyalty is to RiverClan, just as it has always been,” he meowed. “You promised me that coming here would make me stronger for my Clanmates. It has, and I’m grateful, but you must have known that I’d leave eventually.”

Brokenstar’s eyes glinted menacingly. “You really are dumb, aren’t you?”

Beetlewhisker lashed his tail. “Not as dumb as you hoped! I’m going, and you can’t stop me.”

In a flash, Brokenstar shot from the circle and blocked Beetlewhisker’s path. Ivypool started to move, but Thistleclaw’s tail whipped her backward.