The Last Hope

Chapter 22

They’ll have to save themselves now.

Jayfeather’s words turned Dovewing cold with fear. She tasted the air, searching for Ivypool, then darted to the apprentices’ den. Ivypool was curled in her nest, eyes tight shut, ears twitching. She’s trying to dream herself into the Dark Forest to find Blossomfall, Birchfall, and Mousewhisker.

Dovewing padded closer. But they know she’s a spy! What if they’ve already betrayed her to Tigerstar? Suddenly, a voice sounded at the edge of her hearing.

“The time has come.”

It was Brokenstar’s rasping mew, ringing from the Dark Forest.

Cats crowed their approval, their yowls echoing through leafless branches. Dovewing closed her eyes and searched out the sound. She cast her senses between shadowy trees and heard the sluggish wash of water over slimy banks. A little farther along the river, a legion of cats jostled for position around a blackened tree stump.

“This is the last night you’ll spend in this stinking forest!” Brokenstar declared from the stump. His amber eyes gleamed as he surveyed the sea of bristling pelts.

“What does he mean, the last night?”

Dovewing recognized Blossomfall’s whisper. The tortoiseshell crouched at the edge of the crowd with Mousewhisker and Birchfall huddled beside her.

Tigerstar leaped onto the tree stump and nudged Brokenstar aside. “Tonight we will sweep away the warrior code that has robbed the Clans of true honor for so long. For too many moons, the Clans have nurtured the weak and rejected the strong.” He swung his broad head around to take in all the cats below him. “But tonight we will rage through the Clans like a storm until only the strong remain. We will build a new Clan where strength and victory are prized above weakness and failure!”

“No more warrior code!” yowled a battered tabby.

“The Dark Forest will rule the Clans!” Cries rose from the crowd.

“Follow me tonight!” Tigerstar lifted his voice. “And I promise you more power and freedom than you have ever known.”

The Dark Forest warriors’ cheers rang in Dovewing’s ears. With a gasp, she spotted Sunstrike of WindClan and Minnowtail from RiverClan. They were staring at Tigerstar, their eyes wide with shock. Not far away from them, Mousewhisker was backing toward the trees.

“The Clans have been flawed for too long.” Hollowflight stretched up among the Dark Forest warriors. The RiverClan tom’s eyes shone. “We have to show them that only the strongest will survive.”

Dovewing felt sick. How can a Clan cat believe in such cruelty?

Icewing’s white pelt flashed at the corner of her vision. The RiverClan she-cat nudged Mousewhisker back toward Blossomfall and Birchfall. With a flick of her tail, she beckoned Furzepelt and Harespring of WindClan closer. “Don’t let Tigerstar see you’re afraid,” she hissed. “Keep quiet and do exactly what he says or you’ll never see your home again.”

Birchfall started to object but a ragged tortoiseshell turned to face him, eyes narrow. “I don’t hear you cheering for our leader,” she growled.

Icewing met her gaze. “We’re planning our strategy, Mapleshade,” she meowed. “Don’t forget we have the edge when it comes to fighting the Clans. Our Clanmates trust us.”

“Really?” Mapleshade sounded unconvinced. “Let’s hope you’re prepared for the battle of your lives.” She leaned closer to Icewing. “Because fighting alongside us is the only way you’ll survive.”

A thin, black tabby tom pushed his way from the crowd and stopped beside Mapleshade. “How are our recruits doing?” he sneered.

“Darkstripe.” Mapleshade greeted him with a curt nod. “They’re scared as kits.”

Darkstripe’s gaze swept over the Clan cats. “Don’t be,” he snapped. “You’re on my patrol and I’ll make sure you fight like heroes.” His eyes narrowed suddenly. “Where’s Ivypool?”

“She’s coming,” meowed Blossomfall.

Darkstripe flexed his claws. “She should be here already.” He glanced at Mapleshade. “I never trusted her,” he growled. “Always trying too hard to please Tigerstar. Sly as a Twoleg’s dog.”

Birchfall lashed his tail. “That’s not true!”

Hawkfrost summoned them from the tree stump. He’d jumped up beside Tigerstar and Brokenstar, his pelt glossy in the eerie half-light. “Our warriors are ready,” he yowled. “Death to the Clans!”

As the Dark Forest warriors picked up the chant, wind surged through the trees. It dragged at the branches, splintering bark and stripping shriveled, dead leaves. Lightning split the sky as thunder burst in Dovewing’s ears.

She flinched, but kept watching as Tigerstar jumped down from the stump. The crowd parted to let him through and he raced for the trees, Brokenstar and Hawkfrost at his tail. The Dark Forest army surged after them.

“Death to the Clans!”

“Death to the Clans!”

The storm lit up the forest and tore at the trees. Battle cries ripped the air. Dovewing’s breath caught in her throat as she heard countless paws thundering closer. Oh, StarClan, help us! They’re coming!

She jabbed Ivypool with a paw.

Ivypool jerked up her head. “I was just starting to dream!”

“It’s too late!” Dovewing nudged her sister to her feet. “The battle has begun. We have to tell Firestar.” She darted from the den, then skidded to a halt at the edge of the clearing.

Around her, the Clan was watching Oakfur, Smokefoot, and Snowbird pad into camp.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Cloudtail muttered. “ShadowClan warriors in our camp.”

“Welcome, Oakfur.” Firestar hurried to meet them, flashing Cloudtail a warning look.

Brambleclaw caught up. “Smokefoot, Snowbird, it’s good to see you.”

“There’s prey if you’re hungry,” Lionblaze offered.

“We’ll catch our own if we need to,” Smokefoot meowed stiffly.

Prey? Dovewing ran forward. “There’s no time to worry about prey! They’re coming!”

Firestar turned. “The Dark Forest cats?”

Dovewing pricked her ears and heard paws thundering over bare earth, then the sudden soft swish of ferns. “They’re in the forest!”

The ShadowClan patrol faced the barrier, hackles high. Lionblaze unsheathed his claws and dropped into a battle crouch.

Hazeltail was staring at Dovewing. “How do you know?”

“She just does, okay?” Jayfeather bounded from the medicine den and stopped in front of Dovewing. “Which way are they heading?”

Brambles rustled and leaves crackled loud enough to make Dovewing’s ear fur tremble. “I can’t tell!”

Brambleclaw snapped his head up, scanning the tree line above. Dovewing stiffened as she realized that the paw steps were close enough for any cat to hear. Firestar swung his head around, meeting the panicked gaze of his Clanmates. Foxleap pushed between Berrynose and Hazeltail. Poppyfrost and Cinderheart pressed close beside Rosepetal and Thornclaw. Millie lifted her chin, never more distant from her kittypet roots.

“It’s time,” Firestar meowed. “I trust you to do whatever you must to save our Clan.” His gaze flicked to Smokefoot. “To save all the Clans.”

Brambleclaw stepped forward. “Sorreltail, Thornclaw, and Spiderleg, go as fast as you can to ShadowClan,” he ordered. “Fight like they’re your own Clanmates. Whitewing, Berrynose, and Hazeltail, you must help WindClan.” The warriors raced out of camp. Only Sorreltail hesitated, glancing toward the nursery.

“We’ll keep Lilykit and Seedkit safe,” Firestar promised her.

Sorreltail dipped her head and charged after her patrol.

Brambleclaw flicked his tail toward Foxleap.

The russet warrior was already running for the entrance with Toadstep and Rosepetal on his tail. “We’ll get to RiverClan before the Dark Forest warriors,” he called over his shoulder.

Cherrypaw and Molepaw dashed across the clearing and stood in front of Firestar. “Where should we go first?”

The ThunderClan leader nodded at the two eager runners. “Molepaw, head for WindClan and then RiverClan. Cherrypaw, go to ShadowClan. Bring back any news you can. We need to know where the Dark Forest strikes first.”

Poppyfrost met her kits as they headed for the thorn barrier. “I know you’ll be brave.” She lifted her chin. “I’m very proud of you, remember that.”

She stood aside and let them rush out, her eyes glistening. Berrynose padded to her side and pressed his cheek against hers. “They’re warriors today,” he murmured.

Dovewing glanced around the camp, shocked to find it so empty now that the patrols had left. Were there still enough cats here to defend it? Above, the sound of fur brushing undergrowth was so loud that she flattened her ears to muffle it. Jayfeather hurried toward the medicine den and grabbed a trailing bramble in his jaws. He hauled it across the entrance and Millie rushed to help him.

Briarlight called through to them from the den. “I’ve lined up the herb parcels and put moss to soak in the pool.”

“Push the emergency supplies to the back of the store,” Jayfeather told her, dragging another tendril to block the entrance.

Graystripe headed for the elders’ den, where Purdy and Mousefur peered out. “Stay inside!” he ordered.

“What about the fighting moves Spiderleg taught us?” Purdy asked.

“Use them if you have to, but don’t enter the battle until it finds you.” The gray warrior nosed the elders back into the depths of the honeysuckle.

Daisy and Ferncloud paced outside the nursery, the fur on their spines sticking up like thorns. “Are Seedkit and Lilykit in your nest, Brightheart?” Daisy called through the bramble wall.

“They’re all tucked in together,” Brightheart answered.

“No cat will reach them,” Ferncloud promised with a growl.

“We need to meet our enemy outside the hollow,” Firestar decided. He nodded to Brambleclaw. “You stay in camp. Choose your patrol.”

Brambleclaw turned to Squirrelflight first. “Will you fight beside me?”

Their eyes met for a long moment. “Always,” she meowed.

“Good.” Brambleclaw nodded. “Dustpelt, Bumblestripe, Cinderheart, Leafpool, and Graystripe, you’ll help defend the hollow.”

“Graystripe comes with me,” Firestar put in, with a glance at his oldest friend.

Brambleclaw dipped his head. “Of course.”

Lionblaze lashed his tail. “Where do I fight?”

“With me.” Firestar faced his Clan. “Fight like rogues if you have to,” he growled. “We’re fighting for everything that matters. Whatever happens, no cat will forget that the Clans fought first with their hearts and then with their claws.”

Smokefoot looked at the thorn barrier. “What about the WindClan and RiverClan patrols?”

Firestar pricked an ear toward the battle cries rising at the top of the hollow. “We don’t have time to wait for them.”

“Firestar,” Sandstorm hissed. She walked over and stood between Firestar and his Clan. “This is your last life.” Dovewing heard her whisper fiercely. “You can’t risk losing it now. Your Clan needs you.”

“They need me to fight,” Firestar replied.

“But what will they do if you’re killed?”

“They’ll fight harder.” Firestar’s green eyes glowed. “My warriors have only one life, and they are willing to give it up for their Clanmates. I’m no different. My place is beside them.”

Sandstorm pressed her cheek against Firestar’s. “I love you,” she breathed.

“I love you too,” Firestar murmured. “Stay with Brambleclaw and guard the camp.” He broke away and raced for the entrance. Lionblaze and Graystripe led the patrol after him, sweeping past Dovewing. She chased behind them, fear surging beneath her fur. Where’s Ivypool? There was no sign of her sister’s black pelt.

Heart pounding, she broke from the thorns. Firestar had scrambled to a halt outside the camp and was commanding silence with gleaming eyes. The patrol clustered around him, bristling. Above them, the forest shivered with movement. Dovewing held her breath. Firestar whispered in Graystripe’s ear, then silent as an owl, flicked his tail one way, then the other, ordering the patrol to split in two. Dovewing shuffled toward Graystripe and found herself squeezed between Cloudtail and Snowbird. The ShadowClan she-cat smelled like pinesap, her fur sleek and the muscles beneath it like stone. Firestar nodded Graystripe toward the slope that circled one side of the hollow. Then he padded to the slope opposite, beckoning his half of the patrol to follow.

He wants us to climb up from both sides and trap the enemy at the top.

Dovewing waited for Firestar to give the order to charge, surprised when he summoned her forward with a jerk of his muzzle.

“Are they everywhere?” he hissed as she reached him.

She stretched her ears. A shriek rang out from beyond the ShadowClan border. On the moor, heather creaked as warriors pushed through and, beyond the lake, reeds snapped beneath paws. Her breath quickened. “Yes. They’re attacking all the territories at once.”

Firestar nodded. “We knew this would happen.” His muzzle brushed hers. “Stay strong. Good luck.” Eyes flashing at Graystripe, he lashed his tail.

It was the signal to begin fighting back. Dovewing took a deep breath. This is it. The battle is here.

May the powers of the stars truly be in my paws.