“Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Everything will be back to normal soon,” Willowpaw sighed.
“Yes.” Hollypaw felt the word catch in her throat.
Everything will be back to normal. She was no longer so sure that an end to RiverClan’s trouble would stop the hostility that had flared between the Clans. It was almost as if the long peace between the Clans had left the younger cats itching for battle and set the older warriors dreaming of past glories. She thought of the WindClan patrol she had faced with the RiverClan cats. They had bristled with so much aggression.
They hadn’t wanted to hear RiverClan’s explanation. Could this hunger for battle simply vanish like mist in the sunshine?
The sky was lightening behind the clouds. Across the causeway, the cats were stirring on the island. Hollypaw could see pelts moving among the trees, pelts already as familiar as those of her own Clan. Graymist was leading Sneezekit and Mallowkit down to the shore to drink. Mosspelt was heading over the tree-bridge with Beechfur and Pebblepaw. Such a small dawn patrol! Hollypaw knew that most of the warriors’ effort was being channeled into recovering the old island camp.
Mistyfoot padded from the trees and crossed the causeway, a slender fish drooping in her jaws. She dropped it in the puddle at the front of the overhang.
Mothwing lifted her head at the splash and stretched in her nest. “Thanks, Mistyfoot,” she yawned.
Hollypaw knew it was unusual for the Clan deputy to deliver food to the medicine den. She was painfully aware that Mistyfoot had come to check whether Hollypaw had escaped in the night. But she was grateful that Mistyfoot had chosen such a tactful way to do it.
“It’s not much,” Mistyfoot meowed. “But it should see you through the day.”
Hollypaw’s belly growled. The whole day! Food was so scarce here that some of the warriors went to bed hungry; she was lucky to be fed at all. But thankful as she was that RiverClan were prepared to feed their unwelcome guest, she couldn’t get used to the strange tang of fish and she longed for the musky flavor of forest prey.
“Intruder!” Mosspelt yowled from the tree-bridge.
Graymist instantly began herding her kits back to the island clearing. Hollypaw stiffened, scenting the air.
ThunderClan!
Hope fluttered like a bird in her chest. She strained to see through the drizzle. The dawn patrol were circling a cat on the far shore. Squirrelflight! She recognized her mother’s pelt and felt the same surge of excitement she used to feel when, as a kit, Squirrelflight returned to the nursery after a spell in the warriors’ den.
“You’d better come with me,” Mistyfoot growled. She turned and padded back along the causeway. Hollypaw leaped after her, forcing herself not to race past the RiverClan deputy. Her paws fizzing, she trotted onto the island and followed Mistyfoot to the clearing.
Pebblepaw bounded from the undergrowth. “She’s come to get Hollypaw!”
Behind him, the ferns rustled and Squirrelflight padded calmly into the clearing, flanked by Mosspelt and Beechfur.
Hollypaw tensed. Squirrelflight was alone. Would Leopardstar let them leave together? She glanced nervously toward the Great Oak and saw Leopardstar squeeze out from her makeshift den among the roots. The RiverClan leader was staring at Squirrelflight; Hollypaw could see uncertainty in her eyes and her golden pelt pricked along her spine.
“Leopardstar.” Squirrelflight halted in front of the RiverClan leader and dipped her head. “I have come to fetch one of our apprentices.”
Hollypaw wanted to race forward and brush muzzles with her mother, but Squirrelflight hadn’t even looked at her yet.
She was staring steadily at Leopardstar. “I believe she strayed into your territory.”
“Strayed!” Leopardstar widened her eyes in disbelief. “She came to spy!”
Hollypaw’s ears burned. “I only wanted to help!” The words burst out before she could stop them.
Squirrelflight swung her head around and glared at her.
Hollypaw shrank back.
Around the clearing, the RiverClan cats were watching, muscles tense, tails twitching.
“She is only an apprentice, Leopardstar,” Squirrelflight meowed. “She lacks the good judgment that I hope will come with experience. I promise she’ll be punished for breaking the warrior code, but ThunderClan can’t allow her to remain here.” Her mew was firm, the politeness only thinly masking an unspoken threat. Would ThunderClan really fight to bring her home? Hollypaw flexed her claws nervously. She couldn’t believe she might end up causing a battle after all this.
Leopardstar’s shoulders stiffened as she met Squirrelflight’s gaze.
Will she let me go? Hollypaw’s heart was racing.
Leopardstar turned to look at her. “Can I trust you to show better judgment in future?”
She’s asking me to keep my mouth shut. “Yes!” Hollypaw nodded.
“I made a mistake coming here, but I won’t let any cat suffer because of it.”
Leopardstar blinked slowly. “Then you may go home.”
“Thank you.” Hollypaw breathed a sigh of relief.
Around the clearing, uneasy mews rippled among the RiverClan cats.
“Thank you, Leopardstar,” Squirrelflight meowed. “I apologize on behalf of ThunderClan.” Hollypaw winced with shame. The tip of her mother’s tail was twitching. Squirrelflight was furious. Hollypaw padded to her mother’s side, staring at her paws. How embarrassing to be fetched home like a naughty kit.
Squirrelflight dipped her head and turned toward the ferns.
“Wait!” Leopardstar flicked her tail. “Mosspelt and Beechfur will accompany you to the border.”
Squirrelflight glanced back, eyes narrowed, and nodded curtly.
Paws suddenly pattered over the clearing. Willowpaw was hurrying toward them. “Good-bye.” She brushed Hollypaw’s cheek with her muzzle. “Promise not to say anything,” she whispered.
“I promise,” Hollypaw breathed.
Willowpaw stepped back, glancing awkwardly at her Clanmates, who were staring at her. Graymist was curling her lip, and Heavystep, a stocky tabby elder, flattened his ears in disapproval. Mosspelt led the way into the undergrowth.
Squirrelflight shooed Hollypaw ahead as Beechfur fell in behind them. They padded to the edge of the island and crossed the tree-bridge.
Hollypaw wanted to tell her mother how happy she was to see her, but it didn’t feel right to say that in front of their RiverClan escorts. She held her tongue until they reached the WindClan border. Squirrelflight hardly looked at her, checking only that she made it down from the tree-bridge without tripping and steering her away from the waves that gently lapped the shore.
“I’m really sorry!” The words exploded from Hollypaw as soon as the RiverClan cats had turned back.
Squirrelflight’s eyes clouded. “Don’t ever do that again!” she hissed.
“I won’t,” Hollypaw promised meekly.
Squirrelflight led the way along the shore, keeping within two tail-lengths of the water. “I do understand,” she meowed.
Hollypaw pricked her ears.
“I know what it’s like to have friends in other Clans.”
Squirrelflight kept her gaze fixed firmly ahead. “To feel that there’s something stronger than your Clan calling you away from home.”
She must be talking about the Great Journey.
“But”—Squirrelflight glanced at her—“trying to help RiverClan was a foolish idea. Thinking you could sort out the Clans’ problems on your own was very arrogant.”