Dark River

“Don’t do it again.” Leafpool’s mew was suddenly fierce.

Hollypaw bristled. You sound like my mother! She’d had enough of being told off. “Moss?” she asked again.

Leafpool flicked her tail to the pile at the side of the cave.

“Help yourself.”

Hollypaw took the biggest clump she could carry and padded to the elders’ den. There were worse punishments, she supposed.

“Is it true?” Mousefur shifted out of the way as Hollypaw began sifting through the old bedding. “Were you with RiverClan?”

“Yes.”

“Did they treat you well?” Longtail leaned forward, nose twitching. “It smells like they fed you.”

“Yes.”

Mousefur wrinkled her muzzle. “I’ve never liked the taste of fish. Too watery.”

Hollypaw plucked a wad of dried moss and flung it toward the entrance.

Mousefur narrowed her eyes. “You’re very quiet for an apprentice who’s just had a big adventure.”

“What’s the point in talking?” Hollypaw flung another clump of moss. “No one wants to listen to an apprentice.”

“Was Firestar tough on you?” Longtail mewed sympathetically.

“No.”

Mousefur flicked her tail. “It’s no use sulking,” she snapped. “You broke the warrior code. Did you think everyone would welcome you back like a hero?”

“No!” Hollypaw glared at her. “But at least I was trying to help. Everyone else just wants to fight!”

“We must defend our borders,” Longtail pointed out.

“We wouldn’t have to defend our borders if we talked to one another!”

“Talk?” Longtail’s eyes widened with surprise. “We’re warriors! We fight with tooth and claw, not words!”

“Wait a moment.” Mousefur leaned toward Hollypaw.

“Why do you think talking will help? WindClan has made it clear that they want to steal our prey. They crossed our border once. They’re trying to steal our territory.”

“Why do you think they want to steal our territory?”

Hollypaw challenged.

“Because RiverClan is planning to steal theirs!” Longtail meowed.

Hollypaw swished her tail. “Are you sure?”

“Of course! They’ve lost their land!” Longtail argued.

“They have to go somewhere.”

They haven’t lost their land! Hollypaw wished she hadn’t promised RiverClan she’d keep quiet. “Everyone is jumping to conclusions!” she snapped. “We don’t know anything for sure.

WindClan doesn’t know anything for sure. We’re all just guessing! We might end up fighting over nothing!”

Mousefur frowned. “And you think talking might stop the battle?” Her mew was thoughtful.

Hollypaw felt hope flicker beneath her pelt. Was someone listening to her at last? She gazed expectantly at Mousefur.

“Can you get Firestar to think about it again?”

Mousefur didn’t reply directly. “You’d better fetch some more moss.” She began to spread out the pile Hollypaw had brought. “We’re going to need more than this.”

Hollypaw closed her eyes as the sweet flavor of mouse spread over her tongue. She crunched through a bone.

Something worth chewing, at last. She lay beside the halfrock with Poppypaw and Honeypaw, newleaf sunshine warming her pelt. For the first time in days, she pushed away her worries about the coming battle and enjoyed the familiar scents of home.

“So what are they like?” Poppypaw lay beside her, idly hooking a freshly killed sparrow from one paw to another.

“RiverClan, I mean?”

“The elders are grumpy, the warriors are bossy, and the kits are a nuisance,” Hollypaw replied with her mouth full.

“Pretty much the same as us.”

Poppypaw purred. “Don’t let Brackenfur hear you saying that,” she warned. “You’re in enough trouble as it is.”

“Look!” Honeypaw sat up and stared at the medicine den.

Leafpool was leading Cinderpaw slowly out into the clearing.

Cinderpaw was limping, hardly touching the ground with her injured leg, but the rushes and cobwebs were gone. Her leg looked thin, the fur pressed flat against the skin from being bound up so long, but her eyes were bright with excitement.

“Hollypaw!” Leafpool called across the clearing.

Hollypaw leaped to her paws, gulping down a last mouthful of mouse, and hurried to greet Cinderpaw. She flicked her tail over her friend’s ears. “You’re better!”

“Not completely,” Leafpool warned. The medicine cat’s eyes glittered with worry. “But she’s fidgeting around in the den so much, I thought she’d better get some fresh air.”

“Can we go out into the forest?” Cinderpaw mewed.

“No!” Leafpool bristled. She stared at Hollypaw. “I thought you could help Cinderpaw get some gentle exercise.”

She emphasized gentle as though she were teaching Hollypaw a new word.

“Of course!” Hollypaw kneaded the ground.

“Stay in the clearing,” Leafpool ordered. She glanced at Cinderpaw. “And be careful!”

“She’s acting like a badger with sore stripes!” Hollypaw whispered as Leafpool padded back to the medicine den.

“I know,” Cinderpaw purred. “She worries too much. She thinks if I breathe too hard I’m going to be crippled for life.”

Hollypaw sniffed Cinderpaw’s leg. It smelled strongly of comfrey. “How does it feel?”

“Stiff and sort of delicate,” Cinderpaw mewed. “But it doesn’t hurt anymore. I just have to be careful.”

“Can you put weight on it?”