Ravenpaw's Farewell

by Erin Hunter

  Ravenpaw shook his head. “No, no, I’m not a warrior.”

  Riley glared. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be! You could train us, Ravenpaw! We’d work really hard, I promise!”

  Bella nodded. “We’d do everything you said, practice all the battle tactics and the hunting moves. I wouldn’t even mind doing dawn patrols!”

  Ravenpaw blinked. “Wow. Smudge has told you a lot.”

  “Oh, yes,” mewed Riley. “He said we could be warriors just like Firestar.”

  “Except that ThunderClan is gone,” Violet put in. “Smudge has no right to encourage these silly daydreams. I don’t mind you practicing your hunting and fighting with each other, as long as no one gets hurt. But you’re going to find good homes and be kittypets, just like me, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

  But there is! Ravenpaw found himself wanting to reply. Why would any cat want to be a kittypet when they could live outside, hunting for themselves, keeping themselves safe, seeing so much more than the confines of a Twoleg den?

  Barley was tugging pieces of loose hay into piles. “Come on, you should eat while the mouse is still warm. Then you can sleep here with us tonight.”

  “We’ll leave at dawn,” Violet meowed firmly. “We need to get home before our housefolk think we’ve gone forever.”

  “But we don’t want to go home,” whispered Bella.

  “It’s your home, not ours,” Riley muttered. “We want to be warriors!”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Ravenpaw and Barley traveled as far as the Thunderpath with Violet and the kits. Riley and Bella dragged their paws, insisting on stopping to sniff every stalk of grass and every rabbit hole. “Come on, you two!” Violet meowed. “If you don’t hurry up, I’ll leave you behind!”

  “I wish you would,” Riley muttered.

  “Don’t say that,” Ravenpaw chided. “She’s your mother and she loves you very much. Of course she wants you to go home with her.”

  The young tom fixed his clear blue gaze on Ravenpaw. “There’s nothing wrong with being a kittypet. But Bella and I were born to be warriors. Please help us, Ravenpaw! You’re the only warrior left in the forest!”

  “I’m not a warrior, and I don’t live in the forest,” Ravenpaw mewed. “My home is with Barley now.”

  “But you could train us! We could start our own Clan!” Bella pleaded.

  Violet bounded over to them and licked the top of Bella’s head. “Stop pestering Ravenpaw. Look, we’ve reached the tunnel. We need to let Ravenpaw and Barley go home now.” She ushered them away.

  Bella glanced back at Ravenpaw. “Please!” she begged. “Just think about it!”

  Then she ducked into the tunnel and vanished behind her brother. Violet followed, her orange tail whisking out of sight.

  “Think about what?” Barley mewed in Ravenpaw’s ear.

  “Oh, nothing. Just their crazy idea about becoming warriors. They think I could train them.”

  Barley let out a huff of amusement. “Ah, kits. Did we have such mouse-brained ideas at that age?”

  “Well, I certainly wanted to be a warrior,” Ravenpaw commented.

  “That’s different. You were born in ThunderClan.” Barley pushed his way through the hedge and waited for Ravenpaw to join him. “Should we hunt out here?” He sniffed the air. “I think it’s going to rain later.” Before Ravenpaw could reply, he bounded along the edge of the field, his black-and-white tail sticking up in the air.

  Ravenpaw watched him, his head whirling. Was it really such a crazy idea, that he should train Riley and Bella to be warriors? His memories had never seemed more vivid than they were now. Returning to the ravine before leaf-bare had brought back so much of his former life: hunting techniques, the best way to tackle an enemy in battle, how to mark out a territory. And last night he had found himself thanking StarClan after catching that mouse. Were his warrior ancestors watching over him even now? Surely they would have followed the four Clans to their new home.

  Ravenpaw shivered, suddenly feeling very alone. His Clanmates had vanished, and he wasn’t a warrior anymore. Yet he remembered so much about hunting and fighting and going on patrol. He was happy with Barley—happier than he had ever been in the forest—but he didn’t regret being Clanborn for a moment. Who was he to tell Riley and Bella that they shouldn’t dream of becoming warriors?

  Ravenpaw slept badly that night. His belly hurt, and he had only just dropped off when he was woken by an owl hooting. He wriggled deeper into the hay, burying his muzzle in Barley’s soft fur. But sleep seemed far out of reach, and instead his mind spun with thoughts of Riley and Bella. From what he had seen, Ravenpaw thought that any Clan would be fortunate to have them. They were brave, quick, and eager to learn. He wished he could send them to ThunderClan, but he had no idea where his former Clanmates were.

  “You’re right,” breathed a voice in his ear. “They are too far away now.”

  Ravenpaw sat bolt upright. “Who’s there?”

  A sweet, slightly watery scent wreathed around him. “Don’t be alarmed. It’s Silverstream.”

  “Silverstream?” Ravenpaw whipped his head around. A silver tabby she-cat sat beside him, her tail curled neatly over her paws. Her blue eyes gleamed in the half-light. “From RiverClan?”

  “Yes, a long time ago,” came the reply.

  Ravenpaw glanced down at Barley. He was still sleeping, his flank rising and falling evenly.

  “You are dreaming. We won’t disturb him.”

  Ravenpaw strained to see the she-cat more clearly, but her pelt shimmered against the hay behind her, and he felt that if he tried to touch her, his paw would slip right through. “Why are you in my dream?” he asked.

  “Because StarClan has not forgotten you. Not all of us left the forest. I have been watching you with Riley and Bella, and I can see that they would make good warriors. But they need your help, Ravenpaw.”

  “You really think so?”

  The she-cat blinked at him, her eyes like shining blue moons. “Of course. You changed the course of your life once. There is no better cat to help Riley and Bella follow their hearts. Every cat deserves to choose their own path.”

  “But what can I do? There are no Clans left in the forest.”

  Silverstream paused and stared into the shadows at the edge of the barn. “There is another Clan close by. Do you remember Firestar telling you about it?”

  “SkyClan!” Ravenpaw nodded. “He and Sandstorm went there after the battle with BloodClan. But I don’t know where it is, only that they followed the river past Highstones. I don’t even know if SkyClan has survived this long.”

  “They have survived, and they can help these young cats find their destiny. Go with them, Ravenpaw. Show them that they can become warriors.”

  “What if SkyClan doesn’t want any more warriors?” Ravenpaw argued. “What if we get lost? I’m not the right cat for something like this.”

  “A true warrior will do anything for his Clanmates.” Silverstream was growing fainter now, little more than a wash of glittering light against the shadows.

  “I’m not a warrior!” Ravenpaw protested. But it was too late. Silverstream had vanished.

  Barley stirred. “Wha’s wrong?” he mumbled.

  “Go back to sleep,” Ravenpaw whispered, stroking his paw along Barley’s flank. “All is well.” He lay down and closed his eyes. “I am not a warrior,” he repeated under his breath.

  The newleaf sun was so strong the following morning that the barn felt hot and stuffy. The cats made their way outside to a sheltered spot on top of a stack of logs. Barley stretched out flat on his side, the tip of his tail twitching as a fly buzzed around him.

  Ravenpaw couldn’t settle. His mind was too full of his dream, of Riley and Bella, of the possibility of finding SkyClan somewhere upriver.

  “Stop fidgeting!” Barley grunted. “Or go do something useful and fetch me a thrush. I’m bored of eating mice.”

  Ravenpaw ran his paw over a p
iece of bark. “I want to take Riley and Bella to SkyClan.”

  “Huh? What are you talking about?”

  “Do you remember me telling you about the Clan that Firestar and Sandstorm found upriver? It was driven out of the forest a long time ago, but StarClan sent them to restore it and teach the cats how to live like warriors again.”

  “SkyClan. I remember.”

  “Well, I think that’s Riley’s and Bella’s best chance of becoming warriors.”

  Barley sat up. “But you’ve never been to SkyClan.”

  “I know where it is,” Ravenpaw argued. “Roughly. And there’s something else about SkyClan. Firestar told me that they have warriors who are also kittypets, who spend half their time in a Twolegplace. Don’t you think that might make them more welcoming to Riley and Bella?”

  Barley stared at him. “Have you got dandelion fluff in your brain? You want to go on a journey who-knows-where because my sister’s kits have decided they don’t want to be kittypets? You’re joking, right?”

  Ravenpaw felt his heart beat faster. “I’m not joking. I . . . I have to do this. For Riley and Bella, and for myself. I owe it to ThunderClan.”

  Barley flattened his ears. “You owe ThunderClan nothing. ThunderClan has nothing to do with Riley and Bella! Anyway, Violet will never agree to it.”

  “I don’t think it’s Violet’s decision to make,” Ravenpaw meowed.

  “Good luck changing her mind,” Barley grunted. “Look, I like those youngsters as much as you do. But they’re not forestborn; they’re kittypets. It’s not fair to encourage them in these crazy ideas.”

  “It’s not a crazy idea.”

  Barley stood up and narrowed his eyes. “It’s far too dangerous. Riley and Bella know nothing about surviving outside their Twoleg den. And your shoulder has only just healed!”

  “My shoulder is fine,” Ravenpaw hissed.

  “But I thought you were happy here,” Barley whispered.

  The hurt in his old friend’s eyes was too much for Ravenpaw to bear. He looked away. “I am happy. I have been since the moment I first arrived. But by taking me in, you gave me the chance to make a choice, don’t you see? Riley and Bella want to choose their own paths, too. I am the only cat who can help them. I . . . I hoped you’d come with us.”

  Barley walked to the edge of the woodpile. “I think you’re a fool,” he growled. “You’re putting all three of you in danger because of some stupid kits’ dreams. I won’t come with you, and I don’t want to hear another word about it.”

  He jumped down into the long grass, leaving Ravenpaw staring after him in dismay.

  “We’re going to be warriors!” Bella squeaked. “Thank you, Ravenpaw!” She flung herself at him, almost knocking him off the wooden platform. Riley bounced on his paws, purring loudly.

  Behind them, Violet’s eyes were wide with horror. “What do you mean, you know of a Clan that will take them? I thought you didn’t know where the Clans had gone.”

  “This is a different Clan,” Ravenpaw explained. “One that’s much closer, and friendlier to kittypets.” His pelt burned under the force of Violet’s gaze. “It will be up to SkyClan to decide if they want to train Riley and Bella as warriors. If they don’t, then I’ll bring them home again.”

  It sounded so simple, but Ravenpaw couldn’t help wondering if Barley was right and his brain had turned to fluff. He winced when he thought of his old friend. They had hardly spoken since their quarrel on the woodpile, and at night Barley had even made a separate nest to sleep in. Ravenpaw hadn’t imagined he could feel so much pain without being physically wounded.

  He dragged his thoughts back to Violet. He had to convince her that this was the best thing for her kits. Silverstream would never have visited him if she didn’t believe it, too.

  “You and Barley have lived in the wild,” Ravenpaw reminded her. “There is a part of you that knows what it is to be free, to hunt for yourself, to find your own shelter. Why shouldn’t Bella and Riley know that too?”

  “Because I want to keep them safe!”

  “Wait!” Ravenpaw and Violet turned to see Bella staring at them, her green eyes huge. “Riley and I will never be happy as kittypets. You know that. Please, let us go.”

  Riley nodded. “It’s what we want.”

  Violet’s tail drooped. “Oh, my precious kits,” she murmured. She rested her chin on Bella’s head and met Ravenpaw’s gaze. “You’re right. I chose to be a kittypet having known the alternative. How can I deny the same choice to my kits?”

  “You mean we can go?” Bella gasped.

  Violet nodded. “I will think of you every day, my loves. Be the best warriors you can. And if you ever come by this way again, please remember me.”

  “We’ll never forget you!” Bella’s voice trembled. “You’re the best mother a cat could ever have! I . . . I don’t want to go if I’ll never see you again.”

  Violet stepped back. “Courage, little one!” Ravenpaw saw the sadness in her eyes and marveled at how strong her voice sounded. “Partings are always hard, but endings are just the start of something else!” She looked at Ravenpaw. “I’m not a fool. I have seen how they hunt and play fight. I know that, with training, they could be great warriors. But please, until then, keep them safe.”

  “I will,” Ravenpaw promised. He curled his tail at Riley and Bella. “Come on. We have a long journey ahead of us.”

  He jumped down onto the short green grass. Bella followed, but Riley paused, looking back at his mother. “I will think of you every day,” he meowed.

  “And I of you,” Violet replied. Her eyes were liquid with sadness. “Go well, my darlings. Make me proud.”

  “We will!” Bella called.

  They trotted across the grass and squeezed through the hole in the fence. A gust of wind struck their faces on the other side, flattening their fur and filling their muzzles with the scent of monsters, trees, and distant hills. For a moment Ravenpaw was tempted to push the kits back through the hole. What was he doing, taking them on a journey to an unknown Clan?

  Then Riley raced ahead, shouting, “We’re going to be warriors!” Bella sprinted after him, and Ravenpaw followed. These young cats had chosen their destiny, and he had promised Silverstream he’d help them.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “You’re really not coming with us?” Ravenpaw spoke quietly so that he wouldn’t disturb Riley and Bella, who were still sleeping. Tendrils of dawn light pierced the walls of the barn, and the air was already warm.

  Barley shook his head. “We’ve been over this already,” he mewed. “I think you’re making a massive mistake.”

  “And I thought you trusted me!” Ravenpaw retorted. “I’ll come straight back, as soon as I’ve delivered Riley and Bella to SkyClan. Firestar and Sandstorm made this journey safely. There’s no reason I won’t, too.”

  “They were warriors,” Barley hissed. He sounded angry, but Ravenpaw could hear the pain beneath his words. “Is that what this is all about? You want to prove that you’re as good as a Clan cat, even though you were only ever an apprentice?”

  Ravenpaw flinched. “What are you talking about?”

  “I don’t believe you’re doing this for Riley and Bella. I think you’re doing it for yourself, because you want to be in a Clan again.”

  “You’re wrong!” Ravenpaw gasped.

  “Am I? Ever since we went back to the forest, you haven’t stopped going on about what it was like when you lived there. I bet you wish you’d never left!”

  Ravenpaw felt his shoulders sag. “You’re being ridiculous. Is this really how it’s going to end, Barley? With us at each other’s throats?”

  “You’re the one who’s leaving,” Barley growled.

  “Well, you’re making it easier!”

  “Is it time to go?”

  Both cats spun around. A small orange face was looking down at them from the top of the stack of hay. Bella was quickly joined by her brother, who had a wisp of dried grass stuck to one
ear.

  “We’re awake!” Riley announced. He bounced down the hay and landed beside Ravenpaw. “Should we hunt first?”

  Barley twitched his ears. “No need,” he meowed gruffly. “I caught extra for you last night.” He moved a pile of hay to reveal two mice and a young pigeon.

  Ravenpaw blinked at him. “Thanks.”

  “I didn’t do it for you. I did it for them.” Raising his voice, Barley added, “I’m going for a walk. If you’re not here when I get back, well, I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

  Bella looked up, her cheeks bulging with pigeon. “Aren’t you going to see us off?” she mumbled.

  “Ravenpaw knows the way out,” Barley replied. The tip of his tail twitched. “Don’t do anything stupid. Make your mother proud.” He stalked out of the barn with a final sideways glare at Ravenpaw.

  “Eat as much as you want,” Ravenpaw told the young cats, forcing himself to sound cheerful. I can’t believe he didn’t say good-bye. “But not so much that it’s uncomfortable to walk. We have a long way to go”—the thought struck him yet again that he had no idea how long—“so we’ll be able to stop and hunt on the way.”

  His belly was churning too much to leave room for food, but he munched down a few bites of mouse. He wished he could remember the traveling herbs that Spottedleaf had given him before the journey to the Moonstone, but it was too long ago, and he could only remember curling his lip at the bitter taste.

  They finished eating and pushed the rest of the prey back under the hay. Ravenpaw looked at the cats in front of him, so similar to his old friends Firestar and Graystripe. But these cats know nothing about living in the wild, he reminded himself. You will have to teach them everything.

  Riley and Bella stared back at him expectantly, pelts groomed, eyes dazzling bright. They had made their choice, and they couldn’t imagine that anything might go wrong.

  Ravenpaw lifted his head. “Come on, you two. Let’s go find SkyClan!”

  He led them through the fields—one covered in lush grass, the other filled with springy green cornstalks—until they reached the river. It was broad and lazy here, flowing idly toward the gorge at the edge of the moor. Riley and Bella opened their eyes wide when they saw the water.