“What in StarClan were you doing!” Hawkwing glared at her. “You just stood there while it—” His mew stopped short. Grief glittered in his gaze. He thrust his muzzle against her neck, his breath hot and quick. “You could have been killed.”
Stiff with shock, Violetpaw looked back at the small monster, silent now on the far side of the Thunderpath. The big green monster had stopped and a Twoleg had jumped out. It ran to the small monster, where another Twoleg had climbed free. The Twolegs yelped at each other for a few moments, and then the Twoleg from the small monster pointed at Violetpaw. As its gaze fixed on her, panic flashed fresh inside her.
“Run!” she shrieked.
She pelted away from the Thunderpath, glancing behind to see the others chasing after her. She kept running, slithering beneath a fence and tearing over a wide stretch of earth, until the sounds of the Thunderpath dimmed behind her.
She stopped, her lungs burning. Hawkwing slowed to a halt beside her, and Molewhisker, Rabbitleap, and Blossomheart pulled up a few tail-lengths ahead. Their flanks heaved as they stared at one another with wide, round eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Violetpaw puffed. Her fur was still on end. “I froze.”
“You’re safe now,” Rabbitleap grunted between breaths. “That’s all that matters.”
“I didn’t know monsters attacked each other!” Blossomheart was trembling. “Why do Twolegs go near them?”
“Who knows why Twolegs do anything.” Molewhisker shook out his fur. “Let’s go. We’ve still got a long way to travel.”
Hawkwing looked at Violetpaw, concern shadowing his eyes. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, swallowing back fear. “Thanks for saving me.”
“I will always save you if I can.” Hawkwing blinked at her. “I just wish I had been around to save your mother.”
Violetpaw was in the starlit woods again. Was it another dream?
Needletail’s mew sounded from the darkness. “You made your choice.”
Violetpaw strained to see her friend’s pelt between the trees. “Wait! Please wait! I can’t lose you.”
Silver flashed in the shadows, weaving between the black trunks. Once more Violetpaw saw Needletail’s green gaze flash at her accusingly.
“I thought you wanted to lose me.”
Violetpaw jerked awake, her heart twisting with grief. She blinked in the darkness of the crevice where the patrol had sheltered for the night. Her Clanmates, plus Molewhisker, were curled around her, squashed into the narrow gap between two boulders, sheltered from the chilly wind.
Her heart was thumping hard. She needed fresh air and to walk off the anxiety itching beneath her pelt. Hardly breathing, she got to her paws and delicately picked her way around the sleeping cats. Molewhisker stretched out his legs, pushing against Rabbitleap, who snorted, wriggled, and fell still as Hawkwing snored softly beside him. At the entrance, Violetpaw hopped out into the fresh wind.
Outside, the moon glowed through thin cloud. The boulders opened onto a sandy clearing in an oak forest. They’d trekked through it most of the afternoon, stopping to hunt and then rest once the sun began to set behind the trees. Violetpaw drew in a deep breath of air, letting it soothe her. A light breeze made the leaves rattle overhead. Somewhere in the distance, a fox screeched. An owl answered as if telling it to be quiet.
Violetpaw padded cautiously between the trees. If she couldn’t sleep, she might as well hunt. Her Clanmates would be pleased to wake to fresh-kill. Opening her mouth, she tasted the air. Among the musty scents of fallen leaves, she smelled mouse.
Violetpaw slowed, scanning the shadows for movement. Something glowed between the trees. She blinked, wondering if she was imagining the hazy light ahead, and padded closer. Curiosity pricked her pelt. Was it a patch of moonlight on the forest floor? But the moon was hidden, and starlight wouldn’t be strong enough to make such a bright pool. She widened her eyes, straining to see.
A familiar scent touched her nose. Needletail? As she neared the glow, she saw the shape of a cat. She recognized it at once. It was Needletail! Am I still dreaming? She curled her claws into the fallen leaves. They crunched. The breeze in her fur felt real. I am awake! She was sure of it.
She hurried toward Needletail. Could the ShadowClan warrior have survived Darktail’s attempt to kill her? I didn’t see her die. All she remembered from when she fled was that the rogues had heavily outnumbered Needletail. “What are you doing here?”
Needletail didn’t answer. She only stared. Her pelt looked as though she were lit from inside.
“What happened to you?” Violetpaw’s thoughts whirled. “Are you dead?”
Needletail snorted. “Of course I’m dead. Do you think Darktail had a change of heart after you got away?”
“But there are no stars in your pelt. . . .” Violetpaw’s mew trailed away. Wasn’t Needletail with StarClan? Her belly tightened. Had she come from the Dark Forest? She swallowed. The young warrior had betrayed her Clan, but StarClan must have known that it was a mistake. They must have seen her give her life to save her Clanmate. She didn’t deserve to go to the Dark Forest.
Needletail turned and began to walk away.
Violetpaw followed. “Am I dreaming you?”
Needletail didn’t answer. She kept walking, the pale light from her fur showing the way between the trees.
“Where are you going?” Violetpaw glanced around as Needletail led her deeper into the forest. She was aware of her sleeping Clanmates, farther behind her with each step. “Do you want me to come with you?”
Violetpaw’s mew echoed through the forest. The fox screeched again. Movement caught her eye and she looked up. An owl glided silently between the trees. Violetpaw’s heart quickened.
“Needletail!” Violetpaw stopped. Where was Needletail going? Why was she so silent? But as she spoke, the faint light disappeared. Needletail was gone.
Violetpaw stiffened, suddenly aware that she was alone in a strange forest.
She turned back, breathing rapidly. What if the owl decided she was prey? What if the fox picked up her scent? She had to get back to her Clanmates.
Why did you lead me so far away, Needletail? She shivered. Had her friend wanted to separate her from Hawkwing and the others? Is she angry with me? She sped up, hurrying back along the path she had come. Quickly she lost her scent trail. Had she gone the wrong way? She looked around. The trees looked the same in the dark. The strange scents of the unfamiliar forest confused her. What if she was heading farther away from the cleft in the rock? She froze, unsure what to do. I should stay here, she decided. When dawn comes it will be easier to find my way back.
She looked around for cover. A hollow between arching tree trunks would give her shelter for the night. She fluffed out her fur, determined not to be afraid. I can hunt and I can fight, she told herself. I will be safe until dawn.
Paw steps made her freeze. Leaves crunched nearby. Something was heading her way. She unsheathed her claws, blood thumping in her ears.
“Violetpaw?”
She recognized her father’s mew. Relief washed her pelt like a cool breeze.
“Hawkwing.” She raced toward the sound, joy bursting in her chest as she saw his familiar pelt in the starlight.
“What are you doing out here?” He hurried to meet her.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she told him. “So I thought I’d hunt. But I got lost.” She could never tell him about Needletail. She didn’t want to tell him about how her friend died, and she didn’t know if she could explain what had just happened.