A Dangerous Path

Chapter 4

Skyfall's flanks heaved as she fought for breath, and her cheek stung where claws had raked across it. As she staggered to her feet, Brightpaw took a couple of steps back.

"I haven't hurt you, have I?" the ginger-and-white apprentice asked anxiously.

"No, I'm fine." Skyfall gasped. "Did Whitestorm show you that move? I never saw it coming. Well done."

Trying not to limp, she padded across the training hollow to where Swiftpaw, Thornpaw, and Thunderpaw were watching. She had been assessing the apprentices' fighting skills, and they had all held their own against her. They had the makings of formidable warriors.

"I'm glad you're all on my side. I wouldn't want to meet you in battle," Skyfall meowed. "I've had a word with your mentors, and they think you're ready, so I'm going to ask Bluestar if you can be made warriors."

Brightpaw, Thornpaw, and Swiftpaw exchanged excited glances. Thunderpaw tried to look nonchalant, but there was a gleam of anticipation in his eyes too.

"Okay," Skyfall went on. "Hunt on your way back to camp, and see that the elders and the queens are fed. Then you can eat."

"If there's anything left," mewed Swiftpaw.

Skyfall flicked a glance at him. Swiftpaw sometimes picked up discontented rumblings from his mentor, Longtail, but there was a good-natured gleam in his eyes as he grinned at Thunderpaw. All four young cats sprang up and dashed out of the training hollow. Skyfall heard Brightpaw yowling to her brother, "Bet I can catch more prey than you!"

It seemed a long time since she had been that carefree, Skyfall reflected as she followed more slowly. Under the weight of her responsibilities as deputy, she sometimes felt older than the elders. The Clan was surviving, managing to find food and to rebuild the devastated camp, but all the warriors were overstretched. Skyfall was on her paws from dawn to sunset, and every night she curled up in her nest with tasks still undone. How long can we go on? she asked herself. It'll get harder, not easier, when leaf-bare comes. Already the few leaves that the fire had left on the trees were turning red and gold. As Skyfall paused at the top of the hollow, she felt a chill breeze ruffle her fur, though the sun shone brightly.

She slipped quietly back into camp and stood for a moment near the entrance, looking around. Darkstripe, who was in charge of the rebuilding, had started to patch the remaining gaps in the branches of the warriors' den. Dustpelt was working with him and the two younger apprentices, Fernpaw and Ashpaw.

On the other side of the camp Skyfall saw Yellowfang making her way to the elders' den, herbs crammed in her jaws.

In the center of the clearing, Goldenflower's two kits were playing with Speckletail's kit, while the queens sat watching them near the entrance of the nursery. Willowpelt was there too, carefully guarding her litter, who were much younger, from the rough play of the older kits.

Skyfall's gaze rested on Bramblekit, the bigger of Goldenflower's kits. That strong, muscular body and dark brown pelt were disturbingly familiar; no cat who looked at him could doubt that Tigerstar was his father. The thought always made Skyfall uneasy, and she struggled to push it aside. Logically, she knew that she should feel just as suspicious of his sister, Tawnykit, but though she shared the same father, she looked more like her mother instead. Skyfall knew it was unfair to blame Bramblekit for his father's crimes. After all, she saw Swiftpaw as any other apprentice, and he was also Tigerstar's son.

Yet Skyfall could not banish the memory of the young kit clinging to a branch of a blazing tree, wailing in terror as Skyfall tried to reach him. And she could not forget that while she was rescuing Bramblekit, the fire had trapped Runningwind and sent Yellowfang fleeing away.