“And how will you explain to your Clanmates that you drove away a fox single-pawed?” Firestar queried. “I thought you wanted to keep your powers secret.”
“They won’t know,” Lionblaze argued. “I can tell them that I took the fox by surprise. That winning the fight was just lucky. I’ll say that it was already injured after attacking the camp.”
Firestar wrapped his tail over his paws. “Okay,” he agreed. “But take Dovepaw with you.”
“Dovepaw?” Lionblaze’s ears twitched. “She might get hurt.”
“Keep her at a distance,” Firestar ordered. “She can run for help if you need it.”
“I won’t need—” Lionblaze bit back his objection. I won’t need help; I know it. He had gotten what he wanted. There was no need to say anything else.
Chapter 13
Lionblaze stretched in his nest. His back brushed Cinderheart’s. She murmured but didn’t wake. Dawn hardly showed through the woven stems of the den. Lionblaze lay still, breathing gently, while shadows stirred around him. Dustpelt yawned and slid out of the den, ready for the first patrol.
Whitewing sat up and reached a paw into Brackenfur’s nest. “It’s time,” she whispered.
The russet warrior grunted and hauled himself to his paws. “Has it snowed again?”
“I haven’t looked yet.” Whitewing picked her way between the nests and ducked out of the den. Snow crunched as she headed across the clearing.
Lionblaze waited for Brackenfur to leave before he sat up. He wished he’d fought the fox last night while its wounds were still fresh and before it had rested. But Firestar had ordered him to wait.
“If you hunt it now,” the ThunderClan leader had reasoned, “the other warriors will feel cheated of a chance to protect their Clan. If you wait, they’re more likely to believe you came across it by accident.”
Cinderheart rolled onto her back, ears twitching as though she was dreaming. The gray fur of her belly looked downy and warm. Lionblaze felt a sudden pang of guilt. She had no idea about his special powers. He hadn’t told her about the prophecy. Now that they’d grown so close, it seemed like lying to keep it from her. But how could he tell her? Their love felt strong, but could it survive the truth?
Lionblaze pushed away the worry and breathed in her warm, sleepy scent. I’ll drive this fox out for you, Cinderheart, so that you can hunt safely all leaf-bare. He brushed his tail gently over her as he crept to the den entrance. A fresh layer of snow had fallen, and the clearing had the smoothness of water, ruffled only by the tracks of the dawn patrol. The sky showed pink above the hollow, and soft light filtered down into camp.
Lionblaze slid out of the den. Firestar was standing on Highledge, gazing over the empty clearing. He narrowed his eyes when he saw Lionblaze, then nodded. Lionblaze flicked his tail and hurried to the apprentices’ den. “Dovepaw!”
His call was barely a whisper, but a moment later the ferns rustled and the gray apprentice pushed her way out.
“Training already?” She stretched with her front paws until her belly dented the snow.
“We have a special mission.”
Dovepaw straightened. “Is Jayfeather coming with us?”
“We don’t need his powers for this.” I don’t need yours, either.
He headed out of camp, Dovepaw scampering after him.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll find out when we get there.”
“Do you need me to listen for something?”
“No.” He wasn’t in the mood for questions. He should have done this last night and done it alone. He marched along a well-worn trail, his thoughts on the fox. Dovepaw spoke again, but he didn’t listen. Lionblaze was picturing the fox whirling wildly in the camp, snapping at Ferncloud, lashing Daisy with its tail. Rage boiled in his blood. How dare it threaten his Clanmates?
A gray pelt blocked his path. “Where are we going?” Dovepaw’s frustrated mew made him stop.
“I’m going to chase away the fox.” He pushed past her and pressed on.
She bounded along beside him. “Just us?”
“Just me. Firestar said I had to bring you to fetch help if I got hurt.”
“Firestar knows about this?” Dovepaw sounded surprised.
“Why shouldn’t he?” Lionblaze bristled. “He’s Clan leader. And he knows about my powers. He knows I won’t get hurt.”
“But this isn’t what we were given our powers for!”
Lionblaze halted and stared at Dovepaw. “You think we should stand by and let a fox terrorize our Clanmates?”
“I didn’t mean that.” Dovepaw stood her ground. “I mean other Clans deal with foxes without special powers. Why do something alone that a patrol of ordinary warriors could do?” There was something wistful in the way she mewed ordinary.
“It’ll be easier this way,” Lionblaze promised. “And no one will get hurt.”
Dovepaw turned away. “It just seems wrong, that’s all. Like cheating.” She followed the trail around a sprawling patch of ivy.
“Cheating?” Lionblaze hurried after her. “How can it be cheating to use the powers we’ve been given to protect our Clan?”
Dovepaw carried on walking. “In a Clan, everyone looks after one another. It’s what binds us together. If you can do the duties of every other warrior, what’s the point?”
“The point is I won’t get hurt and they might.”
“I’m sure Thornclaw and Dustpelt would be happy to know that they can move straight into the elders’ den. Clearly they’re not needed now that the Clan has you.”
“For StarClan’s sake!” Lionblaze growled. “Why are you making this so difficult?”
“I’m just saying what I think. Or isn’t that allowed anymore? Does only your opinion count?”
“You know I don’t think that.” Lionblaze was surprised to hear Dovepaw sound so fierce. “I’m just being practical. This way, the fox will be gone, and no one will get hurt.”
Dovepaw flicked her tail. “I just wish you felt the same way about Ivypaw.”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you told her to stop visiting the Dark Forest yet?”
“Jayfeather thinks we should wait.”
“For what? Until she wakes up with an injury so bad everyone in the Clan will notice it?”
Lionblaze halted. “Look,” he began. “Jayfeather thinks that if we watch her, we might learn how the Dark Forest warriors are training their recruits.”
Dovepaw tipped her head to one side and stared at him. “Why don’t you just ask her?”
“Would she tell us?”
“Of course she would!” Dovepaw snapped. “She doesn’t know they’re using her. She thinks she’s being trained to be a great warrior.”
“In that case, what’s the harm in watching her for a little while longer?” Even as he spoke, doubt pricked his pelt. Ivypaw was only an apprentice. Whatever was going on in the Place of No Stars, she was out of her depth.
“What if she gets badly hurt?” Dovepaw snapped. “How would you feel, knowing you could have stopped her and didn’t?” She turned and kicked through the snow.
There was no time to reason with her. They were nearing the elderberry bush where the fox hole was hidden. Lionblaze padded ahead and signaled with his tail. “Hide under that holly bush and listen out in case there’s trouble.”
Fur bristled along Dovepaw’s spine. “Be careful,” she whispered.
“I’ll be okay, but just in case anything goes wrong, get back to camp and get help.”
She nodded.
Lionblaze turned away and opened his mouth, letting fox scent bathe his tongue. Dovepaw’s arguing had distracted him, interfered with his focus. The fox invaded our territory, he reminded himself. It had attacked the camp. Kits could have been killed. Anger started to bubble beneath his pelt, and he ducked under the elderberry bush and crept toward the fox hole.