Dawn

Not for the first time, Squirrelpaw wondered why the RiverClan warrior had asked her to go hunting when back in the cave the Clans were getting ready to leave. They wouldn’t be able to carry any fresh-kill with them; perhaps Stormfur wanted to catch some prey to say thank you to the Tribe for their hospitality.

“Why isn’t Brook coming hunting with us?” she panted.

The prey-hunter had seemed like Stormfur’s shadow in the past few days.

Stormfur concentrated on jumping onto a boulder, and didn’t reply.

“Have you had an argument with her?” The RiverClan warrior was clearly troubled by something. His shoulders were hunched, and he had hardly spoken since they left the cave. She scrabbled awkwardly onto the boulder next to him, her mind racing. Had Stormfur asked Brook to join the Clans, and travel with them to their new home? The thought made Squirrelpaw’s tail quiver. It wouldn’t be the first time an outsider had joined the Clans. Her own father had been raised as a kittypet. But at least Firestar had been born near the forest. Brook was a mountain cat, and Squirrelpaw knew that wherever the Clans settled, it would be nothing like this barren place.

She spotted a mouse on the ridge ahead, tiptoeing out from a crevice to find food. She hissed a warning to Stormfur, who stopped and crouched down, waiting until the mouse had wandered farther onto the trail. Though she longed to make the catch, Squirrelpaw knew Stormfur’s coat would be more easily camouflaged here, and she pressed her orange belly as close to the ground as she could, hoping that stillness would keep her hidden.

Stormfur held still for another moment, then pounced. He snapped the mouse’s spine and turned back to face Squirrelpaw, the fresh-kill hanging in his jaws.

“Is that a parting gift for Brook?” Squirrelpaw prompted gently.

Stormfur blinked.

“Look, what’s wrong?” Squirrelpaw asked, unable to bear seeing her friend so troubled.

Stormfur dropped the mouse, suddenly looking exhausted.

When he lifted his head, his eyes were shadowed with uncertainty. “I’ve decided to stay with the Tribe.”

“What?”

“I’ve lost Feathertail and Graystripe, and I never knew Silverstream. I have no kin left in the Clans. Even my mentor, Stonefur, is dead. Apart from Feathertail, he was the closest thing to kin that I had in RiverClan. I don’t even have a home anymore. It feels as though everything has been stolen from me, one thing after another.”

“But what about your Clan?” Squirrelpaw protested.

“RiverClan needs you.”

“RiverClan has good, strong warriors.” He looked into Squirrelpaw’s eyes and must have seen the wary look there.

“Even Hawkfrost,” he meowed as if he could read her mind.

“RiverClan will be safe without me.”

“But this is such a different place,” Squirrelpaw argued.

“Once we’ve found our new home, you can start again…”

“Oh, Squirrelpaw, can’t you understand? I love Brook, and I want to stay with her.”

“I thought you might ask her to join the Clans!”

Squirrelpaw blurted out.

Stormfur shook his head. “She would be lost without the mountains. But I know that I can live here. There’s water here—noisier than the river—but it’s still water. There’s plenty of fresh-kill, now that I know how to hunt like the Tribe. And my sister’s spirit is here…” He let out a long sigh.

“All the Clans have lost their homes, but I feel like I have lost more than any cat. This is the first time in many moons that I feel as if I have actually found something.”

“There’s no need to say any more,” Squirrelpaw whispered sadly. “I understand.”

As they walked back to the cave, her mind whirled. Once again, everything had changed, just when she thought there was nothing left to lose. They slipped behind the waterfall, and Stormfur carried the mouse to the fresh-kill pile, while Squirrelpaw stood at the cave entrance feeling dazed.

“Squirrelpaw!” Leafpaw rushed up to her. “Stoneteller has given us strengthening herbs to share with the Clans.”

Squirrelpaw stared at her. “Th-that’s great,” she mewed.

“Are you okay?”

“Leafpaw!” Cinderpelt was calling to her across the cave.

“I have to go,” Leafpaw breathed, turning away. “WindClan are waiting for the herbs.”

Squirrelpaw watched her go, her eyes slowly adjusting to the gloom. Another shape loomed toward her from the shadows, and her heart sank as she recognized the massive tabby shoulders. What did Hawkfrost want with her?

“Squirrelpaw?”

She blinked. It was Brambleclaw. He was looking at her quizzically. “Are you coming in?” he meowed. “We have to make sure everyone’s eaten.”

Squirrelpaw felt dizzy.

“Is something wrong?” Brambleclaw stared at her.

Squirrelpaw shook her head helplessly. Across the cave, she could see Stormfur murmuring something to Brook.

Brambleclaw followed her gaze. “Stormfur’s staying, isn’t he?”

“He wants to stay with Brook,” Squirrelpaw whispered.

There was a long pause. “You’ll miss him, won’t you?”