“No, Frecklepaw! Get back!”
Shrewtooth’s urgent yowl made Leafstar jump. She spun around to see that Frecklepaw had started to climb the tree, her gaze fixed on the hole in the trunk. Shrewtooth’s warning startled the apprentice; she lost her balance and grabbed at the nearest branch.
There was a loud crack. The branch Frecklepaw was holding gave way, and she half fell, half leaped to the ground in a tumble of mottled brown fur. The low humming of the bees grew to a high-pitched, angry buzzing. More and more of them poured out of the hole in a swelling cloud, reaching out toward the cats like a dark paw.
“Run!” Leafstar screeched.
She pushed the dazed Frecklepaw in front of her as the patrol fled back to the gorge. Her heart pounded as the striped black-and-yellow bodies whirled around her head, and she braced herself for the stab of their vicious stings. The swarm pursued them all the way, a threatening storm that hovered over them, occasionally darting down in a noisy frond to strike. Ebonyclaw let out a yowl as a bee stung her ear, flailing her tail wildly to try to keep them off.
As the patrol bounded over the Rockpile, the cats who still remained in the gorge sprang up in alarm. Clovertail, roused from a doze outside Echosong’s den, let out a terrified wail. Tangle and Lichenfur slid out their claws as if this was an enemy they could attack. Echosong shot out of her den and gazed upward, her fur bristling.
“Into the water!” Leafstar yowled. “Quick!”
As her paws hit the ground at the foot of the Rockpile she launched herself at Tangle and Lichenfur, pushing them into the river. Tangle let out an outraged screech that ended in a splutter as Lichenfur shoved his head under. Echosong was helping Clovertail. Shrewtooth, Ebonyclaw, and Frecklepaw ran into the water without breaking stride and ducked their heads under the surface.
Leafstar followed them, crouching at the edge of the river with just her nose and eyes out of the water. She shivered at the cold touch of the current that threatened to carry her off her paws. Thank StarClan that most of the Clan are out on patrol! And that Fallowfern and her kits are safely in the nursery!
The bees buzzed furiously overhead; Leafstar thought she could hear their frustration that their prey had escaped. They circled around the pool, hovering low over the surface, but there was nothing for them to attack. After what felt like several moons, the swarm bunched together again and flew away.
Leafstar hauled herself out of the pool; her fur felt heavy and water streamed from it, pooling around her paws. The rest of her Clanmates dragged themselves onto the bank; they looked thin and bedraggled with their pelts plastered to their sides.
“What were you trying to drown me for?” Tangle snapped at Lichenfur.
“Next time I’ll let you get stung,” the old she-cat muttered.
Echosong was staring around at the drenched cats, speechless with shock. Leafstar couldn’t understand what was bothering her; she was usually far quicker than this to react to an emergency.
“Hey, what happened?”
The voice came from the other side of the river; Leafstar looked up to see Harveymoon and Macgyver, carrying bundles of moss from the cave and staring down in amazement at their sodden Clanmates.
“Bee attack,” Tangle grunted.
“Bee attack?” Harveymoon echoed, his eyes bulging from his head. “How did that happen?”
“It was an accident, but it’s over now. Take the moss to Fallowfern,” Leafstar told the daylight-warriors. “Tell her to keep her kits in the nursery in case there are any bees hanging around. I’ll come up and see them in a moment.”
As Harveymoon and Macgyver raced off, Leafstar realized that almost all the cats were hurt. Clovertail had a sting dangerously close to her eye; it was swelling fast as she pawed at it with whimpers of pain. Ebonyclaw was circling, trying to reach a bite on her rump, while Shrewtooth was biting at his forepaw in a vain attempt to get the sting out.
Leafstar padded over to Echosong. “Don’t these cats need help?” she prompted, giving the medicine cat a gentle prod on her shoulder.
Echosong jumped. “Yes, of course. Sorry, Leafstar.” She padded forward, beckoning her Clanmates with her tail. “Line up here so I can take your stings out,” she instructed. “Don’t scratch them; you’ll only make it worse. Frecklepaw, are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine,” the apprentice replied, pattering up.
“Then you can help me. Go into my den and fetch some blackberry leaves.”
Frecklepaw gave herself a good shake, scattering water droplets everywhere, before plunging into Echosong’s den.
Seeing that everything was under control, Leafstar padded away to check on the nursery. “Come and see me later!” Echosong called after her.
Leafstar waved her tail in acknowledgment and headed up the trail. To her relief, none of the swarm had found their way into the nursery.
“It’s not fair!” Plumkit complained. “We never got to see the bees.”
“Trust me, you don’t want to,” Fallowfern assured her. “We’re very lucky that we were safe in here.”
When Leafstar returned to the bottom of the gorge, she discovered that Sharpclaw had returned with his hunting patrol; Shrewtooth was reporting on how Frecklepaw had disturbed the bees.
“It’s a good thing it was no worse,” Sharpclaw commented, glancing over to where Echosong was treating the cats who had been stung. “Do you think we should do something?” he asked Leafstar as she padded up.
“I don’t think there’s anything we can do,” Leafstar replied, “unless you want to try moving a whole swarm of bees. No, we’ll just have to stay well clear, and reset the border markers to keep all the cats away from the tree.”
Sharpclaw let out an annoyed hiss. “You’re right—but I hate losing territory.”
“Leafstar! Leafstar!” Frecklepaw came bounding over, her eyes wide and troubled, the sharp scent of blackberry leaves clinging to her fur. “I’m so sorry. It was all my fault. It was stupid to climb that tree.”
Leafstar touched the apprentice’s shoulder with the tip of her tail. “It wasn’t the best idea you’ve ever had, but you were right that honey is very useful for Echosong. It’s a pity we can’t get any from there.”
“Next time think before you act, or ask your mentor,”Sharpclaw added, though he didn’t sound as scathing as Leafstar had expected, seeing that he was speaking to a daylight-warrior.
Frecklepaw nodded. “I will, I promise.”
Leafstar glanced toward the medicine cat’s den to see that she had finished treating the injured cats: Shrewtooth was just limping away from her, to flop down beside the river and begin to groom his damp fur.
At least the sun will soon dry us off, Leafstar thought.
She bounded over to the medicine cat’s den as Echosong was heading inside with the remains of the blackberry leaves. “You wanted to talk to me?” she asked.
“Yes, I—” Echosong broke off, staring at Leafstar’s shoulder. “You’ve got a sting in there,” she murmured. “Hold still while I get it out.”
“I never even realized,” Leafstar meowed, while Echosong parted her fur and delicately removed the sting with her teeth.
The medicine cat chewed up some of the blackberry leaves and patted the poultice onto Leafstar’s shoulder. “The bee attack meant something else,” she told Leafstar while her head was still bent over the wound. “It was a sign.”
Leafstar blinked. “What sort of sign? Does it mean that Frecklepaw shouldn’t be a medicine cat?”
Echosong shook her head. “No, it’s more serious than that.” Hesitating, she stared out across the gorge, as if she was seeing something more distant than the cliffs opposite. “It was definitely a sign,” she went on at last, “but I don’t know exactly what it means. Maybe you do.”