The thrush fluttered up into the higher branches calling an alarm. “Are we hunting at Snakerocks or what?” Thistlepaw mewed loudly. She crept slowly forward, eyeing the leaves as they twitched to reveal a small song thrush. There was no harm in bagging a bird or two on the way. Bluefur halted and crouched, signaling for her patrol to copy her. Thistlepaw padded sulkily to the back of the patrol.Īhead of them, a branch rustled with life. “Just fall in behind, Thistlepaw,” Adderfang ordered. Was he going to undermine her every paw step of the way? “We’d lose our pelts in there,” Bluefur snapped. He flicked his tail toward a thick bramble. “Why don’t we take this shortcut?” Thistlepaw scampered ahead of her and leaped onto a fallen log. “This way’s not so steep,” Robinwing meowed. “Why are we taking the long route?” Thistlepaw called as Bluefur headed into a gully toward Snakerocks.īluefur hesitated, suddenly doubting her sense of direction. She led her Clanmates up the ravine and into the forest. As she padded out of camp she heard, with relief, paw steps following behind. “Good.” Bluefur headed for the gorse tunnel, praying her patrol was following. Smallear nodded and Robinwing plucked the ground as if she couldn’t wait to get moving. She was a warrior, and she deserved his respect. She was not going to be intimidated by an apprentice, even if he was bigger than her now. “You’re not scared, are you?” She stared at him. “Because it’s infested with adders and foxes,” Thistlepaw sneered.īluefur’s tail whisked the ground. “Snakerocks.” Bluefur blurted out the first place that came into her head.Īdderfang watched her coolly. “You heard me.” Sunfall padded away to join Poppydawn, leaving Bluefur to face the spiky apprentice’s disbelieving glare. “Bluefur will lead the patrol,” Sunfall added. “Adderfang, Thistlepaw, Smallear, and Robinwing.” The cats straightened as he called their names.

Bluestar's prophecy