Midnight

Chapter 14

Squirrelpaw was relieved when they finally reached the bottom of Highstones and felt grass beneath their paws again. They were alone now, a tiny band of cats in a vast, unknown territory. Ravenpaw had pointed out a path across fields divided by sharp, shiny Twoleg fences, and there were many scents of Twolegs and dogs, though none of them were fresh. Woolly-faced sheep stared at the traveling cats as they slipped past, their heads low and their ears flat, uncomfortable at being out in the open.

"You'd think they'd never seen a cat before," Stormfur grunted.

"Maybe they haven't," Tawnypelt replied. "There's no reason for cats to come here. I haven't had so much as a sniff of prey since we left the barn."

Squirrelpaw padded forward to sniff one of the sheep, pulling back with a disgusted grimace. For as fluffy as they looked, their stench could rival a Thunderpath.

Tawnypelt yawned. "Can we get on, for the love of StarClan?"

"I wonder why StarClan are sending us to the sun-drown place," Feathertail meowed, swerving to avoid a grass-cropping sheep that was too close for comfort. "Why couldn't they have told us what we need to know back in the forest? And why do we have to hear the message at midnight?"

Crowpaw snorted. "Who knows?" He narrowed his eyes and stared at Squirrelpaw. "Maybe the great ThunderClan apprentice can tell us. After all, she's the only one of us who has seen this place— or so she says."

Squirrelpaw growled. "I only know that it's a place of endless water and rocks as sharp as teeth and it's where the sun dies," she meowed. "Ravenpaw told me to trust that StarClan will make it clear in the end. Besides, you all agreed to come anyway."

"Easy enough for you to say," Crowpaw retorted.

"Leave her alone," Swiftpaw cut in. "No one knows how StarClan works, not even the medicine cats. If we are going the wrong way, then we'll be sent back. If we're doing as StarClan wants, then there's no point in complaining if our fates are already sealed."

"And what do you know about it?" Crowpaw growled. "In WindClan, apprentices know when to keep their mouths shut."

"Oh, so you'll be quiet from now on?" Squirrelpaw mewed cheekily. "Good."

With his top lip drawn back in a snarl, Crowpaw stalked ahead.

As the group set off after him, Squirrelpaw realized that her brother was the only cat to defend her. It was rather odd that only one cat got a second dream, but she didn't exactly ask for one, did she? A sudden sense of responsibility washed over her, and was settling heavier with every step she took. She knew that if one of them got hurt or killed on this journey, it would be her fault. Perhaps StarClan had gotten it wrong. Perhaps in the end, not even the faith and courage of warriors could see them through to the end.

It wasn't long after sunhigh that they came across their first Thunderpath. It was narrower than the one back in the forest, and curved so that they could not see monsters approaching until the last moment. On the opposite side, a tall hedge stretched as far as they could see in both directions.

Crowpaw approached cautiously and sniffed the hard black edge of the Thunderpath. "Ugh!" he exclaimed, wrinkling his nose. "It's foul stuff. Why do Twolegs spread it all over the place?"

"Their monsters travel on it," Stormfur told him.

"I know that!" Crowpaw snapped. "Their monsters stink, too."

Stormfur shrugged. "That's monsters for you."

"Are we going to sit here until sunset discussing the habits of Twolegs?" Tawnypelt interrupted. "Or are we going to cross this Thunderpath?"