by Erin Hunter
CHAPTER 14
Brambleclaw leaned down and snarled into Crowpaw’s face. “You would rather join a dead warrior than fight to save live ones?” Squirrelpaw felt the fight drain from Crowpaw’s body, but Brambleclaw went on. “Your Clan needs you more now than ever! Use your head and follow Firestar’s orders! Squirrelpaw, you can take your claws off him now.”
Gingerly she let go, half expecting Crowpaw to dart off into the trees again, but the WindClan apprentice only stood up and shook himself.
Behind them, the elm-killing monster attacked its victim. Thorn-sharp splinters of wood shot through the air, and Squirrelpaw felt searing pain as a tiny sliver of bark stabbed into her flank.
“Now!” yowled Firestar. The cats leaped forwards just as the monster tore a branch from the elm, sending it crashing on to the forest floor where the cats had stood a heartbeat before.
Firestar stopped when they reached the bramble thicket. “Sandstorm, take Leafpaw and the rest of your patrol and get the kits and queens out,” he ordered. “Mousefur, take Tornear and Crowpaw with your patrol and find the elders.”
Squirrelpaw turned to follow her mother, but Firestar called her back. “Squirrelpaw, I need you here!” he commanded. “Thornclaw, you help the apprentices to get out. RiverClan warriors, go with him, please.” Mistyfoot nodded and darted off with the ThunderClan cat. “Dustpelt, wait at the entrance and make sure everyone escapes. Don’t let any cat block the way.”
“What about me?” Onewhisker demanded as the others charged away.
“I’ll get to you soon,” Firestar promised. He turned to Tawnypelt who was tearing at the ground with her long, hooked claws. “You know this part of the forest better than us. We can’t go back the way we came. Which way’s the quickest out of here?”
“That way!” Tawnypelt answered at once, nodding to a break in the trees. “If we’re quick, we’ll get to it before the monsters and pick up a trail that will take us to the tunnel under the Thunderpath.”
Firestar turned back to Onewhisker and Tallstar. “You two must defend our escape route,” he meowed. It was the least dangerous of all the tasks, and Squirrelpaw guessed that her father was trying to preserve the WindClan leader’s last life.
Firestar looked at Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw. “You two, let Tawnypelt take you into the camp. She’ll know which den is which. Make sure that no cat remains inside the camp. If you hear me yowl, get out at once. It’ll mean the monsters have reached the brambles.”
Brambleclaw pressed his muzzle to Squirrelpaw’s ear. “Are you OK with this?”
“Of course I am! What do you take me for—a kit who’s never left the nursery?” Squirrelpaw jerked indignantly away. He blinked at her, his eyes glittering with concern, and she realised with a jolt that he was just worried about her. “I’m fine,” she promised. “It feels like a battle, and I need to fight for the forest—even if we can’t win. We can’t let Tawnypelt down.”
She whirled round and raced for the camp entrance. Tawnypelt was already scrambling through the prickly tunnel that led into the camp. As Squirrelpaw pounded after her into the clearing, the stench of terror nearly stopped her dead in her tracks. Pelts flashed everywhere as the ShadowClan cats bolted in blind panic. Terrified yowls tore through the air as queens called for their kits, and warriors shrieked orders.
Amid the chaos, the newly arrived warriors were somehow managing to stay calm: Squirrelpaw spotted Sorreltail and Tornear flanking a group of confused ShadowClan elders to herd them across the clearing; on the far side, Leafpaw urged Runningnose, the old ShadowClan medicine cat, towards the camp entrance.
Blackstar’s white coat stood out among the shadows. A grey apprentice crouched beside him, his fur standing on end. “Don’t be afraid!” the ShadowClan leader growled, nudging the apprentice to his paws. “I won’t let you die.”
He began to push the petrified apprentice towards the tunnel. Suddenly a kit squealed from the far end of the clearing. Blackstar turned to look, and Squirrelpaw followed his gaze. The tiny scrap of dark brown fur had flattened itself on the ground and screwed its eyes tightly shut.
Blackstar glared at Squirrelpaw. “Don’t just stand there! Get Smokepaw out while I get that kit!” He shoved the apprentice towards her and headed for the kit.
Smokepaw stared at her, too stunned to speak or move. There was no time for formal introductions. Squirrelpaw grasped the scruff of his neck in her teeth and started to haul him across the ground. She pushed him into the tunnel and scanned the clearing. Blackstar had grabbed the kit and was pelting towards her. Squirrelpaw darted out of the way just in time to let the ShadowClan leader hurtle past.
She rushed over to the nursery thicket and thrust her head into the nest. Peering into the shadows, she scented the air and listened for mewling above the roaring of the monsters. The nest was empty.
“Is everyone out?” Mothwing stood beside her, pelt bristling.
As Squirrelpaw nodded, she heard Hawkfrost call to one of his Clanmates, “We’ve done enough. Get out now, before the camp is destroyed!”
“We’ll stay until every cat is out!” Mistyfoot countermanded instantly, her sharp yowl making Hawkfrost freeze in surprise.
“Stop acting like you’re in charge!” Mothwing hissed angrily to her brother.
“Maybe not now,” Hawkfrost spat back. “But one day!”
Squirrelpaw felt a shiver chill her fur, but there was no time to think about it. A tortoiseshell ShadowClan queen was struggling to carry her two kits across the clearing. She kept dropping one and dashing back to fetch the other. Squirrelpaw raced over.
“I’ll take this one!” she breathed, picking up the tiny bundle in her teeth.
The queen flashed her a grateful look, and together they made for the entrance. Dustpelt was waiting outside. Squirrelpaw thrust the kit at him and ran back down the tunnel.
The camp was emptying quickly, and the roar of the monsters was deafeningly close. Make sure that no cat remains inside the camp. Firestar’s order rang in her ears. She scoured the shadows of the camp wall for cats, terrified that any moment a monster would crash through, but only Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt, and Mothwing were left in the clearing.
“Mothwing, get outside and help Leafpaw check for injuries,” Brambleclaw hissed. “We’ll search the camp for stragglers.”
Mothwing headed for the tunnel. “Hurry!” she called over her shoulder.
Trees were tipping and falling all around the camp, their leafless branches rattling together like dried bones. But Squirrelpaw had not heard her father’s signal yet, so she had to assume it was safe to stay.
“Is everyone out?” Brambleclaw demanded.
“We need to check the dens again to make sure,” Tawnypelt panted.
“I’ve checked the nursery,” Squirrelpaw meowed. “It’s empty.”
“Did Tallpoppy and her kits get out?”
“I helped a queen and her kits to the tunnel,” Squirrelpaw told her.
Brambleclaw flicked his tail. “I’ll check the warriors’ den.” He glanced at Tawnypelt. “You check the apprentices’.”
“What about the medicine clearing?” Squirrelpaw called to Tawnypelt.
“Littlecloud’s gone already.”
“But are any sick cats there?” Squirrelpaw demanded.
Tawnypelt blinked. “I don’t know,” she admitted.
“I’ll check,” Squirrelpaw promised. “Where’s the entrance?”
“Over there!” Tawnypelt pointed with a flick of her tail to a tangle of thorns beside the warriors’ den.
Squirrelpaw squeezed her way through the narrow tunnel. It opened into a large den, sheltered from the camp and the forest by a thick covering of hawthorn branches. The den was empty, and she was about to push her way back out when she heard her father’s yowl.
“Get out! The monsters have reached the camp!”
She began to struggle through the tunnel, but the brambles clung to her pelt. She thrashed wildly and felt the t
horns dig deeper. A tree groaned overhead, its timber cracking as it began to fall. With a deafening crash it smashed into the ground so close to the camp wall that Squirrelpaw felt the ground shudder.
Wild with fear, she writhed harder, trying to pull herself free. “Brambleclaw!” she shrieked. “Help!” She expected a tree to crash down on top of her at any moment. Would she be killed trying to help ShadowClan, with no chance to see their new home?
Suddenly Squirrelpaw felt strong teeth sink into the scruff of her neck and haul her forwards. The thorns raked her flanks like claws, but she did not care. She leaped to her paws. Brambleclaw was staring at her, his sides heaving.
“Thank you!” she breathed. She pressed her muzzle against his, but they weren’t safe yet. Another tree groaned overhead, and Squirrelpaw looked up to see a shadow loom slowly over the camp. A huge sycamore was tipping towards them, its branches spreading across the sky as it began to topple.
“Where’s Tawnypelt?” she cried.
“I told her to go,” Brambleclaw meowed. “Everyone has left but us. Let’s get out of here!”
The two cats pelted towards the camp entrance and shot through, almost crashing into Dustpelt, who was waiting outside.
“You’re the last,” he yowled. “Come on!”
Looking over her shoulder, Squirrelpaw saw the sycamore crash down onto the camp, crushing everything beneath its heavy branches. Another of the Clans’ camps had been destroyed. The home that ShadowClan had lived in for uncountable moons was gone.
Dustpelt led them away through the forest. Tallstar and Onewhisker were waiting on the path, staring with wide, horrified eyes as the forest fell about them. Firestar, Leafpaw, and Tawnypelt were with them.
“Hurry!” Onewhisker urged. “The others are already heading for the Thunderpath!”
“I thought you hadn’t heard my warning!” Firestar gasped.
“I got stuck,” Squirrelpaw explained breathlessly.
“Where’s Crowpaw?” Brambleclaw asked, looking around.
“Heading for the tunnel.” Firestar flinched as another oak smashed into the ground nearby.
“Did all the queens and kits get out?” Tawnypelt demanded.
“Blackstar had a kit,” Onewhisker answered. “And there was a tortoiseshell with two kits. . . .”
“What about Tallpoppy?”
“I thought Tallpoppy was the tortoiseshell!” Squirrelpaw gasped.
“Tallpoppy’s a tabby!” Tawnypelt’s voice rose in panic. “She’s got three kits, not two!”
The cats gazed at one another in dismay.
“I thought everyone was out,” spat Dustpelt.
“The camp was definitely empty,” Squirrelpaw panted. “They must have run off into the forest!”
Squirrelpaw pricked her ears, listening for the mewling of kits.
“Over there!” Onewhisker cried. He pointed with his nose to a clearing surrounded by fragile, pale-barked saplings. They raced over, Squirrelpaw scrabbling to get a grip on the slippery leaves.
“Hurry!” Tallstar hissed behind her. She felt Brambleclaw nudging her flank. As she struggled to find her footing, a crack sounded above them and a tree smashed down on to the forest floor only tail-lengths ahead, separating them from the others. Squirrelpaw gasped and shut her eyes.
“Are you OK?” Brambleclaw demanded.
Blinking, she opened her eyes and saw the tree lying in front of them. Had Leafpaw and the others escaped? She darted forwards away from Tallstar and scrambled on to the newly fallen trunk with Brambleclaw beside her.
“They’re OK!” she yowled in relief. Tawnypelt and Leafpaw were standing in the clearing with Tallpoppy. Onewhisker was trying to round up her three kits, who were darting about in terror, their little tails stuck straight out behind them. Firestar was at the edge of the clearing, scanning the forest for the best escape route. Looking down, Squirrelpaw saw Tallstar squeezing through the branches of the fallen tree and limping quickly over to join the ThunderClan leader.
Through the trees, Squirrelpaw could see monsters on all sides, munching steadily closer. Suddenly she heard a terrifyingly familiar creaking sound. “Look out!” she shrieked.
An ancient birch tree was toppling towards the clearing.
“Save the kits!” Squirrelpaw yowled to Firestar as the tree cast a shadow across his orange pelt. Tallpoppy heard her and grabbed a kit; Tawnypelt picked up another, and, with Leafpaw and Tallstar fast behind, they pelted out of the way. But Onewhisker was still diving for the final kit, and Squirrelpaw stared in horror as the tree hurtled towards him.
Her heart seemed to stop as the moment stretched into a lifetime. Firestar leaped forwards and hurled himself against Onewhisker’s flank. Squirrelpaw just had time to see the WindClan warrior flung clear, the kit grasped safely between his jaws, before the tree hit the ground with a deafening crash.
“Firestar! No!” Squirrelpaw bounded down from the trunk and pelted over to the fallen tree. Brambleclaw kept pace with her, swerving away towards a brown tabby shape staggering at the edge of the branches.
“Got you!” he cried as he dragged the WindClan warrior and the kit out from where they were tangled in the branch tips.
Leafpaw was stumbling, dazed, from underneath a buckled sapling that had protected her when the tree fell. But there was no sign of Firestar. A Twoleg howled, and another splintering groan made the air tremble.
“Get out of here!” Brambleclaw screeched.
“I’m not leaving without Firestar,” Squirrelpaw cried.
“We’ll find him!” Brambleclaw promised. He looked at Onewhisker. “Get the others to the Thunderpath!”
The earth shuddered as another tree crashed down behind them.
“We’ll wait for you at the tunnel,” Onewhisker promised.
As the WindClan and ShadowClan cats fled, Squirrelpaw ran over to where Leafpaw was scrabbling beneath the branches.
“I can see him!” she cried, clawing desperately at the earth.
Brambleclaw pushed past her, using his head to thrust aside the tangled splinters of wood. Squirrelpaw could see her father’s orange pelt, slumped beneath a heavy branch. Brambleclaw stretched forwards and grasped Firestar in his jaws. Trembling with effort, he dragged him out and laid him on the leaf-strewn earth.
A shaft of pale sunlight sliced into the clearing and lit up the ThunderClan’s golden pelt. He lay very still with his eyes closed.
“He’s losing a life,” Leafpaw whispered.
“Firestar . . .” Squirrelpaw’s tail began to tremble. “Father!” she yowled. Around them, monsters shook the ground, their yellow eyes blazing between the trees.
“We’ve got to get him out of here!” Brambleclaw hissed.
“We can’t risk moving him,” Leafpaw warned.
Squirrelpaw pressed her belly against the earth. “I’m not leaving without him.”
An earsplitting crack exploded above them, and she screwed up her eyes as the forest suddenly went dark. Images flashed through her mind—Sandstorm, the old camp, the Tribe of Rushing Water, Feathertail . . . StarClan! Don’t let me die yet. After everything we’ve been through, I need to know that the Clan survives!
“Squirrelpaw!” Brambleclaw’s call sounded muffled under the fallen branches that covered them. “Where are you?”
Squirrelpaw opened her eyes and took a long, shaky breath. The fallen tree was lodged on the trunk of the other, forming a tiny cavern. Brambleclaw’s dark brown pelt was just visible through the twigs. She twitched her tail and flexed her paws one after the other. “I’m OK,” she called. Nothing was broken, but her pelt stung where branches had scraped against it. “Brambleclaw, are you hurt?” With a grunt, she hauled herself towards him and stretched out her head to lick his flank.
“It’s all right; I’m fine,” Brambleclaw muttered, struggling to sit up. “Can you see your sister anywhere?”
Squirrelpaw strained her eyes in the gloom. “Leafpaw?”
“I’m over here,” c
ame a voice. Squirrelpaw could make out her shape now. She was crouching over Firestar, protecting his body with her own.
“The kit . . . is it safe?”
When Squirrelpaw heard her father’s rasping mew, she wriggled upright, ducking her head under the branches until she could straighten her legs. She felt the blood pulsing though her paws, cold as ice. She forced her way through the twigs until her father’s breath wafted against her cheek. His eyes were glazed, but open.
“Did you speak with StarClan?” Leafpaw whispered to him.
“I could hardly see them,” Firestar croaked. “But I know they were there.” He lifted his head. “Did Onewhisker rescue the kit?”
“Yes, they’re both safe.” Brambleclaw squeezed through the branches to Squirrelpaw’s side.
Squirrelpaw searched Leafpaw’s gaze. “Will Firestar be OK?”
“He’ll be fine,” Leafpaw replied. She pressed her nose against Squirrelpaw’s cheek. “Don’t be scared. This was meant to happen.”
Squirrelpaw felt her heart beating in her throat. “How can we get him out of here?”
“I can walk,” Firestar mewed, hauling himself unsteadily to his paws.
Suddenly a Twoleg howled above them. It sounded so close that Squirrelpaw spun around with a snarl. She looked up. A shadow loomed over the branches that covered them.
“We must go now!” Brambleclaw hissed.
The Twoleg was peering down through the tangle of twigs. Leafpaw flattened her belly against the ground, her eyes stretched wide in terror.
“I won’t let them catch you again!” Squirrelpaw promised. She glanced at Brambleclaw. “Can you get them out if I distract the Twoleg?”
Brambleclaw blinked. “I’m not sure that’s safe . . .” he began.
“I’ll be OK,” Squirrelpaw insisted. “Come on; we don’t have much time.”
Without waiting, she struggled out from the branches. She could see the Twoleg’s hind legs in front of her. Giving a loud screech of fury she shot between them, raking the Twoleg’s pelt with her claws as she rushed past. She heard it howl and glanced back to see it lumbering after her, away from her Clanmates.
Squirrelpaw pelted over the splinter-strewn forest floor. Ahead a monster lifted its claws into the air to bring down another tree. Squirrelpaw dodged into a swath of brambles and looked back for her Clanmates. StarClan, help them! Then she glimpsed her father’s orange pelt weaving through the branches of the fallen tree, heading for the far side of the clearing. Brambleclaw ran beside him, and Leafpaw’s brown tabby fur flashed behind. As they reached the open ground, where they could be seen more easily, Squirrelpaw tipped back her head and yowled. She heard the Twoleg run over and start kicking at the brambles, trying to flush her out. Squirrelpaw crawled backwards, ducking her head, and yowled again. She had to keep the Twoleg focused on her while the others escaped.