Squirrelflight's Hope

by Erin Hunter

  “You want us to leave the lake,” Leafstar growled.

  “No!” Squirrelflight thrust her muzzle forward. “You must never leave the lake. You belong here. But the territory beyond the abandoned Twolegplace might be a great home for you. If it is, this quarrel over land will be ended before it starts.”

  Leafstar didn’t move. “If it’s so important,” she meowed icily, “why are you here and not your leader?”

  Squirrelflight felt the sting of her words but didn’t react. Leafstar was right to be angry. “Bramblestar doesn’t know I’m here,” she admitted. If she was going to win the SkyClan leader’s trust, she needed to be honest. “He thinks you shouldn’t move. But if he could see what a great piece of territory you’d be moving to, he’d have to admit that it’s the best plan we have.”

  “You’re going behind his back?” Leafstar looked surprised.

  “I’m trying to find a way to convince him.” Squirrelflight blinked at the SkyClan leader earnestly.

  Hawkwing narrowed his eyes. “And you want us to help you?”

  “It’ll help SkyClan too. It’ll help all the Clans.” Squirrelflight stared at the SkyClan deputy. Surely he could see that! “Why should five Clans try to live on four Clans’ land when there’s plenty to spare on our borders?”

  “We don’t know it’s to spare,” Leafstar grunted. “It might be home to rogues or foxes, or Twolegs.”

  “That’s why we need to go there.” She gazed at Leafstar. “You and me. We could take a look at it; then you can decide. If it’s not safe for SkyClan, no one will make you move.”

  Hawkwing’s pelt ruffled along his spine. “You can’t explore unknown territory,” he told Leafstar. “It’s too dangerous. Let me send a warrior patrol—”

  “No.” Leafstar cut him off. “The Clan mustn’t know that we’re even thinking about this until I know it’s a real possibility.”

  Hope flashed in Squirrelflight’s heart. “So you’ll come with me to look at the territory?” She searched Leafstar’s gaze, relieved when she saw curiosity there.

  “I don’t like that you’re deceiving Bramblestar,” Leafstar meowed. “But that’s your issue, not mine.” Squirrelflight ignored the worry sparking at the edge of her thoughts. She was too excited to hear Leafstar go on. “I’ll come with you and see this land for myself and, if it’s not suitable, SkyClan will not move and we’ll never speak of it again.”

  “I understand.” Squirrelflight whisked her tail. “And I agree. SkyClan should only live where you can thrive.”

  Leafstar nodded to Hawkwing. “Tell the Clan that I’m escorting Squirrelflight to the border. I’ll return as soon as I can.”

  “You may not be back for a while,” Squirrelflight warned her. “It’s a long way, and we’ll need to investigate the territory thoroughly before you come to a decision.”

  “If I’m not back tonight,” Leafstar told Hawkwing, “cover for me.”

  “What do I tell them?” Hawkwing mewed, his pelt bristling anxiously.

  Leafstar narrowed her eyes, clearly thinking. After a moment she spoke. “Tell them I’m visiting each of the Clan leaders to get to know them better.”

  Hawkwing flicked his tail. “I don’t like this. You’re putting yourself in danger. Let me come with you, at least.”

  Leafstar shook her head. “I need you here to take care of the Clan.”

  “Then let me send Sagenose with you, or Plumwillow.”

  “No.” Leafstar was firm. “There’s no point starting rumors in the Clan. And if there are any dangers to be faced, I have more lives to spare than my warriors.”

  Respect swelled in Squirrelflight’s chest. Leafstar was ready to sacrifice her own lives to protect her Clan. She dipped her head as the SkyClan leader padded past her and slid out of the den. “I’ll take care of her,” she promised Hawkwing.

  Hawkwing’s eyes were dark. “I hope you’ll take care of each other. I don’t like the thought of telling Bramblestar that something bad has happened to you.”

  Squirrelflight hesitated. Would Bramblestar forgive her if she never came back? Would he care? She padded from the den. Rain was pounding the camp. The kits were gone, the clearing empty. The SkyClan cats had retreated to their dens. She could see eyes flashing from the shadowy entrances as they watched her. Leafstar was already heading toward the bramble tunnel, and she hurried to catch up.

  Outside the camp, the scents of moss and prey pressed around her, sharpened by the rain. The smell would be washed away soon, but for now it hung tantalizingly in the air. For a moment, Squirrelflight was tugged back to the day she was made an apprentice. She remembered standing beside Leafpaw as forest scents spiraled into the camp. Her heart seemed to shiver with excitement. She’d dreamed of being leader as a kit, and now she was thinking like one. She puffed out her chest. Once again, she was heading into unknown territory.

  Squirrelflight’s excitement ebbed as she and Leafstar crossed into ThunderClan land and made for the distant border. Rain dripped through the canopy and seeped deeper into her fur. But the rain wasn’t making her shiver. She wanted to see the new territory, but she knew she was being deceitful. She was sneaking out, knowing that Bramblestar would not approve. What if a Clanmate saw her? How would she explain what she was doing leading Leafstar through their territory? Guilt pricked at her belly and quickened her paw steps as she led Leafstar along the rise, which curved toward the abandoned Twoleg nest.

  “Mousewhisker says that rogues and foxes rarely cross the border from the new territory,” Squirrelflight told Leafstar.

  “That doesn’t mean there aren’t any beyond it.” Leafstar narrowed her eyes against the rain.

  Squirrelflight tried to gauge Leafstar’s mood. Was the SkyClan leader keeping an open mind about the land? Or would she find any excuse to object to it? “You’ll be closer to the mountains,” she encouraged. “There’ll be plenty of prey.”

  “And more hawks to compete with.” Leafstar ducked under a trailing branch. “I hope it’s not too exposed.”

  Squirrelflight hopped over the branch. “It might be good to be away from the dampness of the lake.”

  The stone walls of the crumbling Twolegplace showed among the trees. She veered along a trail that would take them around it, instinctively wary of anything that had once attracted Twolegs. As she leaped across an old streambed, she heard voices. Stiffening, she tasted the air. Through the rain she smelled ThunderClan. A patrol? Her paws tingling guiltily, she looked at Leafstar. “Someone’s coming,” she hissed. “Hide!”

  Leafstar’s eyes rounded. She ducked quickly behind an oak, snatching her wet tail from view as Squirrelflight turned to meet her Clanmates. Her heart quickened as she smelled Sparkpelt’s scent.

  Orange fur flashed through the undergrowth, and Sparkpelt slid from between the dripping ferns, Larksong at her heels. The young warrior clearly hadn’t smelled her mother’s scent. “Lionblaze said that Harestar is causing trouble.” Sparkpelt’s voice echoed between the trees.

  “That’s a refreshing change,” Larksong answered. “It’s usually Tigerstar who starts arguments among the Clans. Did he say what it was about?”

  “He said it was best not to start rumors,” Sparkpelt told him. “In which case, why say anything at all?”

  Squirrelflight wondered whether to hide beside Leafstar. It would be easier if they weren’t seen. But what if Sparkpelt or Larksong spotted them? What if they picked up their scent? It would be uncomfortable to be caught hiding, especially from her own daughter. Best to face them head on. “Hi!” She lifted her tail and hurried through the rain to meet Sparkpelt, whose ears pricked with surprise.

  “Squirrelflight! What are you doing here?”

  Squirrelflight wondered what to tell them. “I’m checking on something.” Larksong scanned the forest warily. Squirrelflight could see him tasting the air. “Why are you two this far from camp?”

  “We’re hunting,” Larksong told her. “It’s been a while since anyone hunt
ed this part of the forest. We thought we might find some juicy prey.”

  Sparkpelt was eyeing her mother curiously. “What are you checking on?”

  Squirrelflight shifted her paws, hoping that the rain had slicked down her ruffled fur. “I came to look at the border.”

  “Which border?” Sparkpelt glanced around. They were deep in ThunderClan territory.

  “The far edge of our land,” Squirrelflight explained.

  “Why?” Sparkpelt frowned.

  Squirrelflight hesitated. It felt wrong to go behind Bramblestar’s back, and worse to lie to her own daughter. Her tail drooped. She couldn’t do it. “I want Leafstar to see the land outside,” she confessed. She jerked her nose toward the tree where Leafstar was hiding. “She’s here with me.”

  Leafstar padded out, her gaze wary.

  “I knew I smelled SkyClan!” Larksong’s hackles lifted.

  Sparkpelt looked puzzled. “What’s going on? Why does Leafstar need to see the land beyond our border?”

  Squirrelflight lifted her chin. “I had an idea at the leaders’ meeting. I wanted to stop the Clans from fighting over land again, so I suggested SkyClan move to new territory.” She looked toward the border. “The land there is unclaimed. It might make a good home for SkyClan, but we’re going to check it out first. We need to make sure it’s not overrun with rogues or Twolegs.”

  Larksong frowned. “Wouldn’t it be safer to send a patrol?”

  Squirrelflight hesitated. “Bramblestar isn’t sure about the plan,” she explained at last, deciding to stretch the truth a bit, “so I brought Leafstar to see it. If she likes it, she can confirm to Bramblestar that she wants to move SkyClan there.”

  “I haven’t agreed to anything yet,” Leafstar grunted.

  “No,” Squirrelflight mewed quickly. “Which is why I don’t want any cat to know about this.”

  “Not even Bramblestar?” Sparkpelt asked.

  “Not even him,” Squirrelflight answered, glancing awkwardly at Leafstar to gauge her reaction. The SkyClan leader was just watching her, clear-eyed. “If the Clans find out what we’re doing, it could create expectations that might never be met. I don’t want Leafstar to feel forced into anything.”

  “But what if something happens to you?” Sparkpelt’s eyes glittered with worry.

  “We’ll be careful,” Squirrelflight promised, leaning forward to rub her cheek against Sparkpelt’s. “Don’t worry. I’ll be home soon.”

  “When, exactly?” Larksong gazed doubtfully toward the border.

  Squirrelflight shifted her paws. It seemed unlikely that they’d be able to explore the new territory before dark, and the thought of spending the night in a strange forest, far from her Clan, made her nervous. But she had to see this through. “Tomorrow,” she mewed decisively.

  “Tomorrow?” Sparkpelt looked alarmed. “But Bramblestar will be worried if you don’t come home tonight. I can’t act like I don’t know anything.”

  “You have to.” Squirrelflight looked at her urgently. “One night of worry to keep peace among the Clans. Surely you see that it’s worth it?”

  Sparkpelt’s ears twitched nervously. “I guess.”

  “I’ll be home as soon as possible,” Squirrelflight told her. “But we have to do this properly. We need to cover as much of the land as we can.”

  Leafstar was watching, her eyes dark. “I won’t ask SkyClan to move unless I’m sure about where we’re going.”

  Sparkpelt looked at them both, then nodded. “Okay,” she meowed. “We’ll keep your secret . . . for now.”

  Relief washed over Squirrelflight’s pelt. “Thank you.” She nuzzled Sparkpelt’s ear gratefully. “I promise I’ll be careful.” She fluffed her fur against the rain and turned toward the border. Glancing at Leafstar, she lifted her tail. “Ready?”

  “Yes.” Leafstar looked determined, her pelt spiked with raindrops.

  “See you soon.” With a quick nod to Sparkpelt and Larksong, Squirrelflight struck out past the Twoleg nest.

  The forest grew thicker as they crossed the border, the slope beyond steepening sharply until they found themselves scrambling between rocks. The earth had turned to mud here and was slippery underpaw, but the rain was easing. Squirrelflight sniffed the air. The musky odor of Clan markers faded and disappeared behind them. Fresh prey-scents mingled with the smell of bark and earth. Pines clustered around them, blocking out the sun. Out of breath, Squirrelflight paused and looked up the slope, disappointed when she saw that trees hid the top.

  Leafstar pushed past her, her ears flat with determination. Squirrelflight hurried at her heels as the SkyClan leader zigzagged between the rocks. At last, the slope began to flatten once more. The trees thinned, and they broke from the forest and found themselves on an open hilltop. As they paused at the peak, sunshine beamed through the clouds and lit the landscape ahead.

  Squirrelflight caught her breath. Mounds rose before them, giving way to rocky mountain slopes in the distance. Forest sprouted here and there, opening into swaths of land where grass covered the rolling hills like a pelt. Squirrelflight could see streams cutting through the valleys like claw marks. Cascades of boulders clustered in ravines. “That looks like a good hunting ground.” Squirrelflight nodded toward a sunny hillside. “I think I can see rabbit holes.”

  Leafstar didn’t comment. She was staring at the view, her nose twitching. Fresh mountain scent mingled with forest and water, and the smell of prey hung heavy in the air. Squirrelflight scanned the hillsides for signs of Twolegs, but there were no stone nests here. A Thunderpath cut its way along one edge, heading for the mountain, but no monsters patrolled it.

  Hope welled in Squirrelflight’s chest. It seemed like good territory. She glanced at Leafstar, trying to hide her excitement. This had to be Leafstar’s decision.

  Leafstar narrowed her eyes. “Let’s take a closer look.” The SkyClan leader crossed the hilltop and headed into the valley below. Brambles rose around them, cut by sandy tracks and growing thicker as they neared the bottom. Had Leafstar noticed the prey trails? What else could have carved those pathways? Squirrelflight fell in behind her as she veered onto a steep path down. At the bottom a stream chattered over a stony bed. Beyond it, woodland reached the bank. The stream was shallow enough to wade across, and Leafstar led the way.

  Cold water swirled around Squirrelflight’s paws. She was glad to hop out the other side and follow Leafstar into the woods. There were wider tracks through the undergrowth here, and Squirrelflight’s fur bristled nervously as she smelled a familiar scent. Other cats had been here. Loners or rogues? She tasted the air. The scent was faint, almost washed away now, and there was no sign of movement between the trees. She glanced at Leafstar. The SkyClan leader’s pelt was slick from the rain, ruffled along her spine. Had Leafstar smelled the cat-scent too?

  Leafstar slowed as they headed deeper into the new territory, her whiskers twitching. Squirrelflight sensed her caution and moved closer to her, scanning the trees as they skirted a hillside and followed the woodland down into another valley. As they neared the bottom, the forest opened. Shrubs clustered on the far side, sheltering a wide stretch of grass that covered the valley floor. Squirrelflight felt sunshine break through the clouds to warm her pelt and shook out her fur, relieved that she’d be dry soon. “This would make a good place for a camp,” she murmured.

  “Look.” Leafstar nodded toward moss piled at the foot of a bush. Beside it, earth was scraped from beneath the branches to form a hollow around the trunk.

  Squirrelflight stiffened. “It looks like someone’s made a camp already.” She jerked her muzzle around, noticing gaps between branches and patches of flattened grass. Her pelt spiking, she sniffed the ground. Cats! She couldn’t tell how many. The scent was no more than a trace; the rain had washed the place clean. “It smells like it’s been abandoned.”

  Leafstar’s tail twitched. She looked around warily. “Why would they abandon this place?” she mewed. “They’ve taken a lo
t of trouble to make it their home.”

  Squirrelflight uncurled her claws, hoping Leafstar was wrong. Her heart quickened as a breeze whisked into the valley. It carried fresh cat-scents.

  Leafstar moved beside her, pelt bushing. “Some cat’s coming.”

  “I know.” Squirrelflight’s breath caught in her throat. She suddenly felt a long way from home.

  “Let’s get out of here.” Leafstar turned and froze.

  Squirrelflight followed her gaze. A huge she-cat was staring at them from beside a dogwood. The cat’s long, fine gray fur was bushed out, and her eyes glittered with hostility. Squirrelflight’s heart raced as the cat stalked toward them, growling.

  “We’re going to have to fight our way out,” she whispered to Leafstar.

  “I don’t know if we can.” Leafstar nodded to the brambles at the side of the valley as three more cats, each as large as the first, padded out. Four cats followed the gray cat from the dogwood, and three more slid from beneath a juniper bush on the other side of the valley. “We’re surrounded.”

  CHAPTER 4

  The gray cat narrowed its eyes. “Why are you here?”

  The other cats moved closer, pelts bushed, eyes flashing menacingly.

  “We’re exploring. We didn’t realize . . .” Squirrelflight’s mew trailed away as she saw that the gray cat’s belly was round. She was expecting kits!

  Leafstar shifted beside her. “We thought the camp was abandoned.”

  “The rain had washed away your scent,” Squirrelflight mewed quickly.

  The gray queen exchanged glances with a young white she-cat near the brambles. As the white she-cat flicked her tail, her gaze flashed back to Squirrelflight. “You must have seen our tracks and our dens.”

  “Yes.” Leafstar leaned forward. “And we were just going to leave.”

  “But you said you thought this would be a good place to make camp.” The queen was still glaring at Squirrelflight. “Why?”