Warriors: Omen of the Stars #6: The Last Hope (7 page)

Cinderheart nosed him away. “She hurt her leg.” She sniffed at Blossomfall’s sprained shoulder. “How is it feeling?”

Blossomfall jerked away. “I told you! I’m fine!”

Lionblaze saw hurt flash in Cinderheart’s eyes. He dropped his sparrow. “Get some poppy seeds from Jayfeather if you think the pain will keep you awake tonight.” He glanced at Bumblestripe. “Is Jayfeather back?”

Bumblestripe nodded. “He got back just after you left.”

“Was he okay?”

Bumblestripe shrugged. “He snapped at Hazeltail for getting in the way, hissed at Cherrypaw for trampling on Ferncloud’s moss, and ordered Foxleap and Toadstep to fetch comfrey.” He glanced warily over his shoulder. “So I guess he’s fine.”

The thorn barrier rustled. Lionblaze turned to see Hollyleaf wriggle out. Rosepetal, Berrynose, and Whitewing trotted after her. Berrynose, his head high, eyes shining, was carrying a plump pigeon.

On the Highledge, Firestar got to his paws. “Borders clear?”

“Yes.” Hollyleaf halted beside the rock tumble. “And we remarked the scent line along the ShadowClan border. It was a bit stale.”

“Good.” Firestar bounded down into the clearing. “And you checked the tunnel entrances?”

Hollyleaf nodded. “No sign of invasion.”

Graystripe padded across the clearing. “WindClan wouldn’t dare come back after the shredding we gave them last time.” His eyes lit up when he spotted Berrynose’s pigeon. “Nice catch.”

Firestar’s whiskers twitched. “I think you’d better lead the next patrol.” He looked pointedly at his old friend’s round belly. “You could do with stretching your legs.”

Graystripe widened his eyes in mock indignation. “It’s all fur, you know.” He sat back on his haunches, revealing a wide expanse of soft gray fluff.

Hollyleaf purred. “You look like the pigeon!”

Whitewing padded around Graystripe, studying him. “You’ll certainly make it through leaf-bare.”

Graystripe stood up and shook out his pelt. “A good warrior needs to stay strong.”

Lionblaze stiffened, pelt pricking.
A good warrior needs to stay strong.
Was Graystripe training in the Dark Forest, too?

“Are you okay?” Hollyleaf murmured in his ear.

“Fine.”

“Come on.” Hollyleaf nudged him toward the entrance. “Let’s go for a walk.”

Outside camp, the early leaf-fall sun pierced the leaves with brittle shards of light. They dappled Hollyleaf’s black pelt. Lionblaze followed her along the trail to the Ancient Oak.

“What’s up?” Hollyleaf kept her eyes fixed on the trail.

“Nothing.”

Hollyleaf flicked her tail. “You hardly spoke this morning.”

“I’ve got a lot on my mind.” Had she forgotten he was supposed to be stopping the Dark Forest single-pawed?

“I saw how you were looking at Cinderheart.”

A mossy log blocked the trail here. Sunshine rippled over its crumbling bark. “So?” Lionblaze meowed.

“It bothers you, doesn’t it?” Hollyleaf guessed.

Lionblaze stopped. “What does?”

“Cinderheart being Cinderpelt.” Hollyleaf flicked her tail. “It worries me, too.” She shifted her paws. “She was my best friend before I—” Her voice dipped for a moment. “Before I left. But now I don’t know who I’ve come back to. Is she Cinderheart or Cinderpelt? Was she ever Cinderheart?”

Lionblaze wanted to reassure his sister, but he couldn’t. “I don’t know,” he admitted. He sat down. “Is there a difference? I mean, if she was born with Cinderpelt’s spirit, then she’s been Cinderpelt all along....”

“Is it that simple?” Hollyleaf frowned. “Cinderpelt was a medicine cat. Cinderheart is a warrior. How can she be both?”

Lionblaze shook his head. “I don’t think she knows.”

Hollyleaf tilted her head to one side, thinking. “StarClan gave her a second chance,” she meowed. “We should trust them and just deal with Cinderheart as she is now. Whether she’s a medicine cat or a warrior, she’s still our friend, right?”

“Yeah.”
But if she’s a medicine cat, she’ll never take a mate.

“Come on!” Hollyleaf nudged him. “You’re getting too serious.” She leaped onto the log. “Let’s race to the oak!”

Lionblaze blinked at her. “I remember when you were too small to get over that. Squirrelflight had to nose you over.”

Hollyleaf scampered along the trunk. “And you used to graze your belly on it when we were apprentices.” She disappeared over the other side, her paws thrumming away along the trail beyond.

Lionblaze bounded after her, clearing the log without touching it. He spotted Hollyleaf’s black pelt streaking between the trees and chased after the flickering shadow. He caught up and fell in beside her. They raced side by side, leaping over roots and swerving bushes, their pelts brushing.

As the Ancient Oak loomed ahead, the tips of its branches pushing high above the other trees, he scrambled to a halt. “It’s like you never went away.”

Hollyleaf swerved and stopped ahead of him. “I wish that were true.” Her eyes shone suddenly dark. “So much has changed. You and Jayfeather have so much responsibility now. Not just because of the prophecy. You’ve changed. Become so much a part of the Clan. Everyone depends on you.”

“You’ve done a lot for the Clan, too!”

“Like what?” Hollyleaf plucked at the ground. “While you were fighting and hunting for your Clanmates, I was hiding from all of you. Hiding from what I’d done.” She stared at her paws.

“But you came back.” Lionblaze padded closer and nudged her shoulder with his nose. “And I’m glad you did.”

She lifted her gaze to meet his. “Don’t pretend the past never happened, Lionblaze.” She padded slowly toward the Ancient Oak. “It’s like my shadow. Always following me.”

The ferns behind them rustled and Lionblaze turned to see Jayfeather and Dovewing bound out onto the path.

“I told you they were here,” Dovewing mewed.

“Okay, big ears,” Jayfeather snapped. His blind gaze drifted toward Hollyleaf. “We need to talk.”

Hollyleaf blinked. “With me?”

“Without
you.” Jayfeather’s bluntness took Lionblaze by surprise. “I’m sorry, Hollyleaf.” He shrugged. “But this is something only the Three can share.”

Hollyleaf dipped her head. “Okay.” She padded back down the trail. “I’ll hunt by the lake.” Her purr sounded forced. “I might be able to do better than that limp sparrow you brought back earlier, Lionblaze.” She was trying to tease but her eyes glistened sadly.

Lionblaze trailed his tail along her spine. “You always were the best hunter.”

“Thanks.” She headed off the path and disappeared into the ferns.

Lionblaze turned his attention to Jayfeather. “What is it?” Was the Dark Forest ready to attack? He unsheathed his claws.

“I have a message from the Tribe of Endless Hunting,” Jayfeather announced.

“The Tribe?” Dovewing weaved between Jayfeather and Lionblaze and sat down. “When did this happen?”

“When I was in the mountains.” Jayfeather swished his tail impatiently.

“And you’re only telling us now?” Dovewing mewed in surprise.

“Just listen, okay?” Jayfeather muttered. “They said we have to find the fourth cat.”

Lionblaze tipped his head, puzzled. “The fourth cat?”

“In the prophecy,” Jayfeather meowed.

Dovewing shifted her paws. “But the prophecy says
there will be three
.”

“That was the StarClan prophecy,” Jayfeather explained. “The Tribe of Endless Hunting told me something else:
The end of the stars draws near. Three must become four to challenge the darkness that lasts forever.
”

Lionblaze felt his fur prick. “Don’t they think we can manage by ourselves?”

Jayfeather flattened his ears. “Obviously not.”

“Have we done something wrong?” Dovewing’s eyes clouded with worry.

Jayfeather paced in front of them. “Who cares? We have to find the fourth cat.”

Lionblaze tried to ignore the uneasiness in his belly. “Did they say who it is?”

Jayfeather halted. “If they did, I’d have told you!”

“It must be Ivypool!” Dovewing’s eyes brightened. She stood up, tail-tip flicking. “She’s the only ally we have among the Dark Forest warriors.”

Jayfeather turned to face her. “Ivypool was recruited by the Dark Forest. She has no special powers.” He started pacing again. “It could be a cat from another Clan.”

A thought struck Lionblaze like a shaft of sunlight. “It’s Hollyleaf! That’s why she came back! To be the fourth cat.”

“If it was someone inside the Clan, we’d have noticed their special power by now,” Jayfeather objected.

“But it must be kin of Firestar’s kin!” Dovewing argued.

“Well, Mothwing is Brambleclaw’s kin and Brambleclaw was Squirrelflight’s mate.” Jayfeather lashed his tail. “That makes her kin, if you like.”

“Mothwing?” Lionblaze stared at his brother in astonishment. “What special power does she have?”

“What special power does Hollyleaf have?” Jayfeather shot back.

“Ivypool can dream her way into the Dark Forest!” Dovewing insisted.

“So can a lot of Clan cats! I told you it was pointless arguing.” Jayfeather headed away again. “We just have to hope that when the fourth cat is needed, we’ll know who it is.”

Lionblaze watched him go, his pelt pricking with irritation. How could Jayfeather be so stubborn? Hollyleaf should have been part of the prophecy all along. Of course she was the fourth cat.

Dovewing shifted beside him. “It’s got to be Ivypool.”

Lionblaze closed his eyes. “Whoever it is, how in the name of StarClan are we going to be sure?”

“Perhaps they’ll send a sign,” Dovewing mewed.

“They didn’t even know about the fourth cat.” The world shifted beneath Lionblaze’s paws: Cinderheart wasn’t Cinderheart; the Three were now four. How were they supposed to win a battle when nothing stayed the same?

His belly felt hollow. Did StarClan know what was happening? Nothing they said made sense, and now even their prophecy was wrong.

How could Lionblaze trust them with the fate of the Clans?

Dovewing watched Jayfeather pad away.

There’s a fourth cat.
Her paws trembled.
Aren’t I good enough?
Perhaps StarClan had hoped for more when they made her the third cat in the prophecy. So what if she could hear the Dark Forest warriors coming? It didn’t mean she could defeat them.

She glanced at Lionblaze. “Are we going to hunt?”

“Go ahead without me.”

Dovewing shifted her paws. Lionblaze had been her mentor. He was one of the strongest, bravest warriors in ThunderClan. Why did he seem so lost? “I’ll see you later, then?”

“Okay.” Lionblaze didn’t look at her.

She trotted into the trees, snatching a glance over her shoulder, wishing he’d follow. But he stayed where he was.

She leaped a small stream and pushed deeper into the forest, soothed by the shade and relishing the musty scents of nettle and fern. The first fallen leaves of the season specked the forest floor. Surely Ivypool was the fourth cat? She risked her life every night fighting with the Dark Forest warriors. She
deserved
to be the fourth cat.