Twilight

Chapter 20

Leafpool paused at the top of a ridge, trying to ignore the ache in her paws as she turned to look back. The lake and the trees were long gone; all around her stretched fold after fold of unfamiliar hills. She opened her mouth, picking up the sharp scent of moorland grass and a hint of rabbit. The sun was going now, but there was no sign of any trees or bushes where she and her group could shelter for the night.

Tawnypelt led the way while Squirrelflight and Crowfeather stuck to Leafpool's sides at the back. Hawkfrost was with Feathertail in the middle, each of them carrying a kit. Leafpool felt comforted when Squirrelflight's pelt brushed hers. This group would give her all the strength and hope she would need to settle into their new lives.

And what about everything you've left behind? a small voice mewed inside her.

Leafpool tried to imagine what was happening in her Clan. Skystar would be furious that she and Squirrelflight had abandoned them with only a message to them from Brambletuft. Cinderpelt would have to find a new apprentice. Cloudtail would miss them so much. . . A jolt of pain shook Leafpool, almost enough to make her turn her paws back toward the lake. But how could she go back now, when every cat knew what she had done?

Nothing mattered anymore. She had her sister and a strong group of warriors so no fox or badger would dare approach them. She just had to go on believing that her decision was the best one to make.

"Just a bit farther," Tawnypelt called. "We need to find somewhere to sleep before it gets dark."

"Feathertail needs to feed Rushkit and Acornkit soon," Hawkfrost meowed around Rushkit's scruff. "They're getting hungry."

Leafpool was happy to hear they'd be stopping. They spent half the day running so they couldn't be followed, and the rest of the day traveling slower for Feathertail. They'd stop ever so often so Feathertail could feed her kits before they set out again.

Suddenly Crowfeather stopped and pointed down with his tail. "Look!"

When she caught up, Leafpool saw that just head the ground fell away into a rocky hollow. A tiny pool lay at the bottom, shaded by a couple of wind-scorched thorn trees.

"Thank StarClan!" she exclaimed. "Shelter and water."

Summoning up her last scrap of energy, she bounded down with the rest of her group down the slope, paws slipping on the loose stones, until they were all crouched beside the water to lap it. The memory of her last visit to the Moonpool flooded her mind.

Never again, the inner voice told her. You're not a medicine cat anymore.

But that didn't matter either, Leafpool reminded herself. Spottedleaf had told her to follow her heart. She must be doing the right thing.

Hawkfrost was the first to lean back, peering into the water thoughtfully. "There's no fish in this one," he commented.

His words reminded Leafpool how hungry she was. The only fresh-kill they'd had all day was a few scrawny pieces of prey they all shared when they first set off, save for Feathertail who needed a whole piece to herself. It felt like moons ago now.

"We can hunt soon," Squirrelflight mewed, stretching her limbs with a wide yawn. "It'd benefit us all to rest a while."

"I'll hunt a bit for us now," Crowfeather meowed. "I'm not all that tired right now, anyway."

"I'll join you," Tawnypelt meowed.

The two cats set off while Leafpool, Squirrelflight, and Hawkfrost looked around the hollow. Feathertail laid down to feed her kits and warm them up after their long day's travel. Instead of heading back to the old forest, they all decided to head to the other side of the mountains and see what lay over there. Squirrelflight found a big patch of moss and, purring triumphantly, she pulled large clumps out and carried them over to Feathertail.