Lost Hope: Book 6: Future of Hope

Chapter 26

"Who?" Burrowpelt asked, staring at the figure of Tarantulaclaw.

    "He's a warrior of BrookClan," Sparrowfeather said. "Or, at least he used to be."

    But what is he doing here? Forestpaw thought. A small voice tugging at the back of her mind said, Viperfang must have sent him to guard the Star Pearl. She must know that I know.

    "So what are we going to do now...?" Sparrowfeather asked.

    "I'll distract him," Burrowpelt said. "And then you and Forestpaw can go get the Star Pearl."

    Sparrowfeather hesitated for a moment. "Are you sure?"

    "Of course I am," Burrowpelt said. She gave him an affectionate lick on the ear. "I'll be careful, I promise." Forestpaw and him both watched as she stood up and walked past the bush toward the brown and gray warrior.

    Tarantulaclaw was focused on the surface of the lake, which seemed a little counterintuitive to her. What if it was a trap? Forestpaw wanted to call out to Burrowpelt to come back, but she was already too far away. "Oi!" Burrowpelt said, coming up to Tarantulaclaw, almost nose to nose with him. The tom startled, jumping back a few pawsteps.

    "Who are you?" he asked, and Forestpaw could tell he was trying to inject some sense of superiority into his voice, but Burrowpelt just looked mildly amused.

    "I'm looking for Viperfang, seen her around lately?"

    "Uh, not that lately," he said, ears twitching. "She usually goes looking for you. Anyways, she's not here."

    Burrowpelt didn't look satisfied with that answer. "How about you show me where the training grounds are then?"

    Tarantulaclaw angled his muzzle vaguely toward the clearing. "It's down past the split in the river. You'll know it when you see it."

    "Oh, I'm afraid I won't," Burrowpelt said. "You see, I don't have the best vision for seeing that far away. Just imagine my relief when I spotted such a capable tour guide."

    Tarantulaclaw blinked once. Twice. "What's your name again?"

    "Burrowpelt," she said. "Are we going now?"

    He didn't seem to recognize the name. "Uh, I suppose this place wouldn't miss me too much," Tarantulaclaw conceded, his eyes darting around, as if checking for something. "Just to put you on your way...."

    "Wonderful!" Burrowpelt said, giving him a delighted smile and Forestpaw watched as Tarantulaclaw started leading her back to Sparrowfeather's and Forestpaw's hiding spot. The brown tom gently shoved her farther into the bush, pressing himself close to the ground. Tarantulaclaw and Burrowpelt passed without a glance at them, and when they gone several more paces out of earshot, Sparrowfeather dislodged himself and helped Forestpaw up.

    "Let's go find that pearl now," he said and Forestpaw nodded, making for the eel lake, throwing a glance over her shoulder just to make sure Burrowpelt and Tarantulaclaw were still heading away from them.

    Flashbacks started dancing in Forestpaw's head as she approached the shoreline; tripping in the water and being saved by her brother, making their dash away from this horrid place. She had thought she was going to die then, and to be quite honest, she thought she was going to die now. But she had survived this place once, why not survive a second time? She paced along the edge, finding the spot where she had come to the last time she'd been here. The Star Pearl shouldn't be that far from edge, she thought. She hoped.

    Sparrowfeather eyed the dark water before stepping a paw in. Forestpaw followed his lead, shuffling through the sticky sand, hoping to feel the smooth surface of the pearl brush against her claws, but was only met with grime and whatever else was in that water. Forestpaw tried not to think too much about it.

    "Find anything?" Sparrowfeather whispered, glancing up again.

    "No," Forestpaw said, with a twinge of anxiety. What if it wasn't here? What if Viperfang moved it? Was Tarantulaclaw merely a decoy? Had it even been the Star Pearl she'd tripped over in the first place?

    "Well, well, what do we have here?"

    Forestpaw whipped around and saw four mangy rogues creep out of the shadows toward them, beginning to encircle half the lake. They were trapped. The one who had spoken was a young tom about Forestpaw's age with brilliant yellow eyes and a fluffy but scruffy gray tail. She thought his name might be Wolf, but she wasn't sure who the other cats were, though one or two looked familiar.

    "We don't mean to cause trouble," Sparrowfeather started, standing close to Forestpaw in a protective stance.

    "That's a shame," Wolf tsked. "Because you already have."