All her fur stood up as she dodged around the pelt-dens; she hated being in the open like this, so close to Twolegs. And she couldn’t relax when they reached the opposite side, because now the scent of ShadowClan was all around them.
“Okay,” Hollyleaf meowed as they reached the border. “Let’s split up. Brackenfur, you and Berrynose go upstream and renew our markers there. Ivypool, you and I will go downstream.”
Brackenfur gave her a brisk nod and headed off with Berrynose beside him. “Go straight back to camp when you’ve finished,” Hollyleaf called after them.
Hollyleaf set the first marker; by the time she had finished the two toms were out of sight. Ivypool padded at her shoulder as she turned toward the lake. Pausing to set another marker, Ivypool picked up more ShadowClan scent, strong and fresh.
“A patrol!” she whispered.
As she spoke the ferns on the other side of the border were thrust aside and three cats emerged into the open. Dawnpelt was in the lead; with her were Redwillow and Scorchfur.
Dawnpelt drew her lips back in a snarl as she spotted the ThunderClan cats. Ivypool felt her neck fur beginning to rise at the naked hostility in the cream-furred she-cat’s gaze.
“Set one paw across—” Dawnpelt began, then broke off as she noticed Hollyleaf. “You!” she exclaimed. “I thought you’d left the Clans.”
Hollyleaf shrugged. “I came back.”
For a few heartbeats Dawnpelt’s hostility faded, to be replaced by a look of interest. But Ivypool hoped that she wouldn’t want to stand around and chat. I’ve got nothing to say to that flea-pelt. I don’t trust her one bit. Before we know it, she’ll be accusing Hollyleaf of murdering Flametail, too.
“We’re not doing any harm,” Ivypool meowed. “Just setting markers.”
Dawnpelt snorted disbelievingly. “I’d better check where you’re putting them,” she hissed, padding forward and craning her neck to sniff the marker Ivypool had just placed. “I’ll tell Blackstar if any of them are a leaf’s depth out of place.”
“Feel free,” Hollyleaf retorted. “If you can find anything wrong, I’ll tell Blackstar myself.”
Dawnpelt’s only reply was a snarl. Ivypool knew that she was spoiling for a fight and didn’t much care how she provoked one. Does she think she can make two Clans go into battle just because she wants to? Ivypool remembered Tigerheart’s warning to Dovewing at the Gathering, but she found it hard to take Dawnpelt’s threats seriously. Tigerheart probably just wanted an excuse to talk to Dovewing.
“Dawnpelt, stop fussing,” Redwillow meowed, stepping forward. “The ThunderClan scent marks are fine.”
Ivypool was reassured by the brown-and-ginger tom’s brisk tone, but her belly churned a moment later when she caught Redwillow’s eye and he gave her a nod.
He’s on my side because we’re Dark Forest Clanmates, Ivypool thought, wincing. No! I’m loyal to my own Clan. And he should be loyal to his!
“Come on, Hollyleaf,” she urged. “Let’s keep moving.”
Hollyleaf nodded, leading the way along the border, past the ShadowClan patrol. Dawnpelt let out a loud yowl behind them, as if she’d won some kind of victory.
“Great StarClan!” Hollyleaf meowed when they were out of earshot. “Who made dirt in Dawnpelt’s fresh-kill? Or has she got a furball stuck somewhere?”
“She’s a pain in the tail,” Ivypool agreed.
“And what’s the deal with Redwillow?” Hollyleaf went on, glancing at Ivypool with narrowed eyes. “He seemed to know you better than I’d expect from a ShadowClan cat.”
She has eyes like a hawk! Ivypool thought, startled. “It’s nothing,” she mumbled aloud. “We’ve talked once or twice at Gatherings, that’s all.”
Hollyleaf paused, fixing Ivypool with an intense look. “Becoming too close to a cat from another Clan is the worst act of disloyalty,” she mewed. “No cat is—”
“But I’m not!” Ivypool interrupted, horrified at where Hollyleaf’s suspicions were heading.
Hollyleaf ignored her protest. “No cat is worth breaking the warrior code for in that way,” she insisted. “It only leads to unhappiness.” Without waiting for Ivypool’s reply she strode on down the border, disapproval quivering in every hair on her pelt.
“I don’t know what got into her,” Ivypool meowed to Dovewing when the sisters met beside the fresh-kill pile later that day. “You don’t think she suspects I’m in the Dark Forest with Redwillow, do you?”
Dovewing rolled her eyes. “Oh, please! It’s hard when my only sister is such a mouse-brain. The Dark Forest is the last thing Hollyleaf would be worried about. Just think of who her parents are! She’s half-Clan, remember?”
“Oh.” Embarrassment flooded over Ivypool. “I hadn’t thought of that. Well, she needn’t be afraid that I’ll take up with Redwillow, or any cat from another Clan.”
And it looks as if Dovewing’s sights are set on Bumblestripe now, she told herself with satisfaction. That’s much better than mangy Tigerheart!
Chapter 23
Lionblaze pushed his way between the branches of the warriors’ den and bounded across the clearing to join the cats clustered around Firestar. The full moon floated high in a clear sky, the warriors of StarClan glittering around it. Lionblaze’s paws tingled with anticipation of the Gathering.
“I’m not going to mention Onestar’s threats,” Firestar was meowing as Lionblaze reached his side. “There’s no point in drawing the other Clans’ attention to what could just be a minor dispute.” He twitched his whiskers at the murmurs of uncertainty that came from his Clanmates. “Besides,” he went on, “we haven’t seen Sol in ThunderClan territory for a half-moon. Onestar has no reason to attack us now.”
Lionblaze agreed, though part of him wished that Onestar could be called to account for his outburst of hostility toward ThunderClan. It’s none of his business that we let Sol stay in our camp!
Jayfeather and Cinderheart emerged from the medicine cat’s den and padded over to the group of warriors.
“I want you to stay here,” Jayfeather told the gray she-cat. “Lilykit has a fever, and I’d be happier if you kept an eye on her.”
Cinderheart looked briefly disappointed, then dipped her head and padded off toward the nursery.
I bet Sorreltail’s kit would be fine without a medicine cat hovering over her, Lionblaze thought as he joined his brother on the edge of the group. “You don’t want to make awkward explanations about why Cinderheart has suddenly changed to being a medicine cat,” he murmured in Jayfeather’s ear.
Jayfeather’s tail lashed irritably. “She’s not the first cat to switch roles!” he growled.
“No, but she’s the first cat to be another cat first. Kind of…” Lionblaze responded.
Jayfeather opened his jaws to reply, but in the same heartbeat Firestar raised his tail and beckoned. He headed out through the thorn tunnel with the rest of the cats streaming behind him.
As they made their way down to the lakeshore, Lionblaze found himself walking beside Graystripe and Millie. “What did you think of the session this morning?” he asked. All three of them had gone with Birchfall and Hazeltail for underground battle training with Hollyleaf. “I have to admit that I don’t like fighting in the dark. I’d rather see my enemy and know where I can strike without risking my paws on hard stone.”