“At least someone does,” Crookedjaw growled under his breath. He felt a flash of guilt. “Can I lead a border patrol on this side of the river?” he called to Hailstar. “We haven’t checked the bridge or fence in days.”
Hailstar was already leading his Clanmates toward the reeds. He glanced back. “Okay,” he answered. “Take anyone you like.”
Loudkit was chasing after Ottersplash. “When are you coming back?” he whimpered.
She stopped and leaned down. “I told you,” she murmured softly. “I’ll be back before sunhigh.”
“Promise?”
Ottersplash pressed her muzzle to Loudkit’s head. “StarClan willing,” she breathed.
Loudkit stared after her as Ottersplash followed the patrol out of camp. “Will StarClan want her like they wanted Brightsky?” he whispered.
Crookedjaw opened his mouth to reassure him, but Shimmerpelt had already darted forward and was sweeping him away with a soft swish of her tail.
Crookedjaw skirted the Twoleg bridge and headed away from the river, into a line of willow trees. He glanced over his shoulder. Voleclaw, Oakheart, Petaldust, Willowbreeze, and Graypool were following him through the straggly grass, ducking behind the slim gray trunks at the edge of the meadow.
“I don’t see why we couldn’t hunt,” Voleclaw grumbled.
“We’re patrolling, not hunting,” Crookedjaw told him.
“Just because you suggested the patrol doesn’t make you Clan leader.” Voleclaw sniffed.
Petaldust nudged her brother. “It does make him patrol leader, though,” she pointed out.
“Sssh!” Crookedjaw paused and glanced through the willow trees. The sun was lifting into the sky, and all around the meadow Twolegs were beginning to stir from their pelt-dens. The field was dotted with the brightly colored mounds. They rustled and flapped in the breeze.
“Get down!” Crookedjaw warned as a Twoleg crawled out of his den and padded, coughing, up the field. A Twoleg kit tottered out after him, carrying a bright yellow ball. It tossed the ball and stood watching as it rolled across the grass and bumped into another den.
“We’re better get past here before they’re all awake,” Oakheart whispered.
Crookedjaw glanced at the knotted gray fence that bounded the field beyond the trees. They’d have to creep up through the willows and around the top of the field to reach the dog fence. “Come on.” He began to pad forward, tail down. Sunlight streamed through the shivering leaves and dappled the grass. Crookedjaw trod lightly, keeping one eye on the pelt-dens.
Suddenly a shadow flashed between them. Crookedjaw paused. The shadow flashed again and with a jolt he recognized the shape. A cat. With shoulders and tail that were familiar.
Mapleshade? He hadn’t trained with her for a moon. Why was she here?
Oakheart halted beside him and tasted the air. “What’s up?”
“Can you see that cat?” Crookedjaw nodded to the gap between pelt-dens where Mapleshade’s outline was showing clear as day.
“What cat?” Oakheart frowned at him. “Do you think the Twolegs have started taking their kittypets out with them?”
“It’s not a kittypet,” Crookedjaw whispered. “It’s a warrior.”
Oakheart twitched. “Where?”
“There.”
Mapleshade returned his gaze, then flitted behind a pelt-den as the Twoleg kit toddled past.
“I can’t see anything.”
“What’s holding us up?” Voleclaw hissed from behind.
Willowbreeze crept past him and stopped beside Crookedjaw. “Is anything wrong?”
Crookedjaw shook his head. “I’m seeing things,” he joked. As he began to move off, Mapleshade appeared again, padding around the edge of the pelt-den. What is she doing? He kept walking. His patrol was depending on him to get them away from these Twolegs and safely back to camp.
“You definitely can’t see any cats with the Twolegs?” he checked with Oakheart.
“Definitely.” Oakheart flicked his tail over Crookedjaw’s spine. “I think you should get Brambleberry to check your eyes when we get back.” He purred. “And I can tell Beetlenose he’s missed two patrols. He’s going to be spitting mad. He’s picking mallow leaves while Hailstar’s invading ThunderClan and we’re stalking a dog and an invisible cat!”
“Wait!” Crookedjaw interrupted, his heart tightening.
Mapleshade was nudging the yellow ball toward them.
Go away! Panic flared in him. The Twolegs will see us!
Oakheart bristled beside him. “Is the wind making that ball move?” His gaze was fixed on the slowly rolling ball.
“No.” Crookedjaw stared pleadingly at Mapleshade as she tapped the ball closer. She held his gaze but did nothing to stop the ball from trickling within a reed-length of the warriors.
“Twoleg!” Willowbreeze’s hiss snapped his attention from Mapleshade. The Twoleg kit was running after the ball, mewling.
Graypool stiffened, a growl rumbling in her throat. “It’s heading straight for us.”
“Duck down!” Crookedjaw ordered. “And stay still! It won’t see us through the long grass. It’s just a kit.”
The patrol crouched, fear sparking around them. Crookedjaw peered through the green stems. Mapleshade’s eyes glittered as she rolled the ball closer. With a final push she sent it spinning toward the edge of the meadow. The Twoleg kit stumbled after it, paws outstretched. With a thump, the kit fell over and started to wail.
A huge Twoleg darted from a pelt-den and raced toward the kit, yowling. It scooped it up and held it, its gaze drifting toward the ball and then the willow trees.
“StarClan help us!” Willowbreeze’s hiss barely made it through her gritted teeth.
The Twoleg let out a yelp of surprise.
“It’s seen us!” Oakheart growled.
“Hide!” Crookedjaw backed deeper into the long grass. He darted behind a trunk and held his breath as the Twoleg put down its kit and headed into the willows. The Twoleg kit was pointing straight at them! Voleclaw darted behind a fern. Petaldust crouched beside him. Graypool flattened herself beneath an arching strand of bramble and Oakheart ducked behind a rock. Crookedjaw scanned the trees. Where was Willowbreeze?
The Twoleg was wading through the long grass now, ducking under a low branch. Willowbreeze! Crookedjaw’s heart lurched as he spotted her backed against the gray knotted fence where it extended into the trees. The Twoleg was leaning down toward her. With a grunt, it reached out with one pink hairless paw and grabbed her scruff.
Crookedjaw swallowed back a cry of rage and fear and watched helplessly as the Twoleg carried Willowbreeze back toward its pelt-den. Its kit followed, yelping happily.
Oakheart was beside Crookedjaw in an instant. “What happens now?”
Crookedjaw stared at Willowbreeze, her paws churning the air as she dangled in the Twoleg’s grip. “We’ve got to rescue her!”
“How?” Voleclaw stared at him, eyes blazing. “Why did you bring us here, you fish-brain?”
Petaldust leaped from her hiding place and circled her Clanmates. “What are we going to do?”
“We’ve got to get out of here before they find the rest of us,” Voleclaw hissed.
Crookedjaw noticed Graypool staring after her sister in horror. “We’ll rescue her, I promise.”
“Not now, though.” Oakheart nodded to the Twolegs, who were crowding to see their catch. Some of them turned and pointed to the willow trees.
Crookedjaw straightened up. “Let’s get back to camp and organize a rescue patrol. We’ll take the quickest route. Just make sure no one slows down enough to get caught as well.” He raced out of the trees and pelted across the meadow. The Twolegs stared in surprise as the patrol streamed past them.