Warriors: Omen of the Stars #6: The Last Hope (36 page)

Breezepelt paced the top of the rise, tail lashing. Thistleclaw gazed down into the camp.

“When do we attack?” Applefur sounded scared.

“When the first patrol has weakened them,” Thistleclaw told her.

Blossomfall shifted her paws. Ivypool could feel the tortoiseshell’s pelt pricking with frustration. “Why don’t we help them now?”

“Wait.” Thistleclaw lifted his gaze to the far side of camp where Hawkfrost sat, silhouetted against the clouds. His patrol weaved impatiently beside him. Tigerstar’s tabby pelt shone among them.

A wail flared below. Ivypool caught her breath as she saw a queen rearing up to grapple a Dark Forest tom away from a tiny kit shivering beside the frayed camp wall.

Hurry up!
She fought to keep her paws rooted to the spot, then saw Hawkfrost lift his tail. Lashing it down, he gave the signal.

“Attack!” Thistleclaw yowled and charged down the slope, crashing through the heather wall into camp. Snowtuft charged after him, Blossomfall on his tail.

Ivypool blocked Applefur’s way. “You’re not going to fight on their side, are you?”

Applefur stared at Ivypool, her eyes wild with terror. “B-but I have to!”

“You have to defend the Clan!” Ivypool hissed. “Isn’t
death
better than having Brokenstar as your leader?”

Applefur blinked.

“You are still a warrior,” Ivypool reminded her. “And the warrior code says we should lay down our life for our Clanmates. They have never needed us more than they do now!”

Applefur nodded. “You’re right,” she whispered. “My life is a small price to pay, considering what I’ve done.”

“There’s no time for guilt now,” Ivypool told her. “Fight loyally, and with courage. That is all your Clan asks of you.”

“Then that is what I will give them!” Applefur sprang away toward the camp. Ivypool raced after her. She had to get to Breezepelt. She exploded through the heather and landed, skidding, on the peaty clearing. Cats grappled and yowled on every side. She scanned the camp. Breezepelt was chasing Thistleclaw through the throng. Ivypool snaked after him.

“No!” As Breezepelt reared up to attack a WindClan warrior, Ivypool launched herself at him. Smashing into Breezepelt’s flank, she sent him flying. “You can’t fight for the Dark Forest!”

“Are you crazy?” Breezepelt struggled free and stared at her. “This is what we’ve been training for!”

“But you can’t believe that this is right!” Suddenly claws raked Ivypool’s cheek. Pain shot through her and she staggered sideways.

Thistleclaw loomed over her, his lip curled to show long, yellow teeth. “Traitor!”

“I’m no traitor!” Ivypool hissed. “I’ve been loyal to my Clan all along! I only came to the Dark Forest to find out what you were planning!”

Her heart froze as Hawkfrost appeared behind Thistleclaw’s shoulder. Then Snowtuft landed beside her, his eyes darkening with hate.

“We won’t fight for you either!” Birchfall flung himself at a Dark Forest tabby.

Applefur lunged for a ragged tom. “I fight for the
Clans!”

Rage flared in Hawkfrost’s gaze. “Then we shall kill you first, before we destroy your wretched Clans!”

Ivypool braced herself, stiffening as fur flashed beside her. Claws pierced her flank. She spun around as the full weight of Snowtuft sent her sprawling. Jumping to her paws, she hurled herself at the skinny, white tom. She hooked her claws into his shoulders and hauled him backward, but he twisted and snapped at her throat. She dodged just in time and crashed into a dark tabby flank.

Tigerheart!
She recognized his scent. “Do I have to fight you, too?” she snarled.

Tigerheart’s eyes narrowed. “I’m a warrior,” he growled. “I fight for the Clans.” He turned and kicked out with his back legs, sending Thistleclaw sprawling. “Dark Forest warriors don’t belong here. This is
Clan
territory!”

With hope flaring inside her, Ivypool thrust Snowtuft away. His fur ripped in her claws. “Then why were you in the Dark Forest?” she called to Tigerheart.

Tigerheart ducked under Thistleclaw’s belly and shoved him off balance. “Same as you. I wanted to find out what they were up to.”

Thistleclaw rounded on him. “But you’re Tigerstar’s kin!”

“That doesn’t mean I have to be like him.” Tigerheart swiped at Thistleclaw. “He almost destroyed ShadowClan once before. I wasn’t going to let him do it again!”

Roaring, Hawkfrost barged past Thistleclaw. “I’ll finish this traitor off.” He hurled himself at Tigerheart. “You and Snowtuft deal with Ivypool.”

Ivypool felt claws slice her shoulders. Legs buckling, she stumbled sideways. Snowtuft and Thistleclaw reared over her, side by side. Together they began to drive Ivypool back through the ragged camp wall, swinging blow after blow at her muzzle. Ivypool raised her forelegs, trying to fend off the strikes, but her hind paws slipped on the peaty floor. Heather snagged her pelt and she tripped and fell, finding her feet just in time to leap out of the way as Snowtuft lunged for her. Looking up, she realized she’d become separated from the Clan cats. She could see Tigerheart in the clearing, surrounded by Dark Forest warriors. Birchfall was defending a kit at the far side of the camp. Applefur and Blossomfall fought back to back, blood dripping from their whiskers, fending off blows from four Dark Forest toms.

StarClan, help me!
Snowtuft and Thistleclaw kept forcing Ivypool back with stinging blows. The camp slid from view, swallowed by shadow as they drove her deeper and deeper into the heather. Then they paused. Snowtuft dropped onto all fours and stared at her. Thistleclaw stood panting beside him.

Ivypool whipped around, catching her breath as she looked for an escape route. Gorse, thick with thorns, crowded every side. Snowtuft and Thistleclaw blocked the only way out.

“We’ve trapped her!” Thistleclaw called over his shoulder.

Hawkfrost strode into the tiny clearing. “Did you really think you’d live after betraying me?” His blue eyes shone as he glanced at Thistleclaw and Snowtuft. “Let’s make her death slow,” he growled.

He lunged at Ivypool, throwing her backward with such force that it knocked the wind from her. Gasping for air, she felt claws rake her spine. Thistleclaw’s pelt flashed at the edge of her vision. Snowtuft grabbed her from behind. Teeth and claws ripped her pelt. Pain seared her flesh.
I won’t die easily!
Terror sent power surging through her.
And I’ll take you with me, Hawkfrost!
With a roar, Ivypool reared up, strong as a badger, and sent her attackers flying.

Hawkfrost landed neatly on all four paws. “I trained you too well,” he snarled. His gaze fixed on her throat.

Ivypool backed away. She twisted and ducked under him as he leaped, but his claws sank into her tail and pinned her to the ground. Thistleclaw and Snowtuft attacked from opposite sides, snarling, slicing her ears. She struggled away from them, crashing into hard muscle. Hawkfrost was behind her now. He stabbed his claws into her shoulders. With a gasp, Ivypool saw his teeth flashing beside her throat. Then a black pelt flashed over the top of the gorse. Paws landed with a thump beside her.

“Get off her!” Hollyleaf yowled.

Ivypool’s world spun as the black warrior slammed into Hawkfrost and sent him reeling into the gorse. Free from Hawkfrost’s claws, Ivypool turned on Thistleclaw and Snowtuft. She began slashing with her front paws, remembering in a crystalline moment every moon of training. Hollyleaf reared up beside her, matching her blow for blow, as though she instinctively knew where Ivypool would strike next. Blood sprayed the forest floor as Ivypool sliced Snowtuft’s muzzle and tore Thistleclaw’s nose. Turning, she kicked out with hind legs and knocked Thistleclaw backward, then sank her teeth into Snowtuft’s neck.

The white warrior screeched and ripped free from her jaws. Ivypool tasted his blood as he hared away through the bracken. She met Thistleclaw’s gaze. Fear sparked in his eyes as she spat out a bloody clump of Snowtuft’s fur.

“Run,” she hissed. “Because if you stay, I
will
kill you.”

Mouth open, Thistleclaw fled, disappearing through the gorse. A shriek exploded behind Ivypool. She turned and saw Hollyleaf swipe at Hawkfrost’s muzzle. The force of the blow sent the Dark Forest warrior crashing away. He dropped with a thump and scrabbled to his paws. Blood dripping from his cheek, one eye swollen shut, he glanced at Hollyleaf and tore his way through the gorse.

Ivypool stared at the black she-cat. “You saved my life!”

Hollyleaf staggered and fell to the ground.

“Hollyleaf!” Ivypool darted to her side and saw blood pulsing from a wound in her neck. Panic formed a hard lump in Ivypool’s belly.

Grasping Hollyleaf’s scruff in her teeth, she began to half drag, half carry her Clanmate toward the ThunderClan border. Jayfeather would know what to do.

“I’ll get you home,” Ivypool growled through gritted teeth. “I promise I’ll get you home.”

A tabby pelt crashed through the gorse toward them. Ivypool braced herself, ready to fight again.

“Let me help!” Tigerheart stopped beside her and shoved his nose beneath Hollyleaf’s shoulder. Taking half the weight, he pressed his flank against Ivypool. “We can do this together.”

The screeches of the battle for WindClan faded behind them as they began to haul the injured warrior away.

Dovewing caught her breath. The Dark
Forest warriors had gone but she could hear the paw steps of a second patrol pounding toward the camp. They’d break out of the Dark Forest soon, into the heart of ThunderClan. She blocked out the noise and tried to focus on the camp.

“They went straight for the kits.” Leafpool stopped beside her and dropped a bundle of herbs. Her mew was shaky.

Shredded brambles hung from the nursery. Ferncloud paced outside, her claws unsheathed, her pelt streaked with blood.

Poppyfrost looked up from licking the scratches on her flank. “We saw them off, though.”

“We did.” Mousefur stood beside Purdy outside the elders’ den. She lifted a paw, her stiffness apparently gone, and rubbed at a scratch on her nose.

I just hope we can do it again,
Dovewing thought grimly.

She could see Brightheart through the torn nursery walls, clutching her kits to her belly and calming their frightened mewling with gentle strokes of her tongue. Her tail was wrapped tight around Lilykit and Seedkit, who peered from the nest beside her.

“We’d better fix what we can.” Brackenfur was already hauling brambles from beside the medicine den. “Mintfur, Troutstream!” He called to the RiverClan warriors. “Can you help?”

They hurried to join Brackenfur in dragging brambles to patch the nursery. Dovewing wrinkled her nose at the scent of Leafpool’s herbs, wondering what it felt like to be a warrior one moment, and a medicine cat the next. ThunderClan was lucky to have her. If they survived the next onslaught, they would need medicine cats more than anything. “How’s Daisy?”

“She’s got a nasty scratch on her muzzle, but she’ll be fine.” Leafpool picked up her leaf bundle and headed toward Mousefur. “Jayfeather’s seeing to it now.”

Dovewing licked her nose, washing away the herb smell.
Fresh blood!
She stiffened as the scent wafted from outside the hollow. Paws were staggering toward the camp, fur dragging behind. “Someone’s coming! They’re injured!” She raced across the clearing and barged out through a hole in the barrier.