Fading Echoes

Dovepaw began to scent ShadowClan markers, so strong that even the smell of Lionblaze couldn’t hide them. They mingled with the ThunderClan markers, which matched ShadowClan’s scent for scent. She wondered whether to cast her senses farther, to try to detect ShadowClan movement beyond, but yesterday’s practice had left her mind weary.

Light splashed in among the trees as they approached the edge of the forest. Dovepaw recognized the grassy space beyond, where she had charged unwittingly into a Twoleg pelt-den on the journey upriver. Fortunately the field was deserted now. Not even a Twoleg would be dumb enough to sit around in this miserable weather.

Lionblaze halted at the tree line, which was dotted with ShadowClan scent. Thornclaw and Graystripe began weaving among the undergrowth within the borderline, sniffing each bush and clump of ferns.

“Any sign?” Lionblaze called.

Graystripe shook his head, but Thornclaw had halted at a low hazel bush a few tail-lengths inside the border.

Briarpaw hurried to join him. “ShadowClan?” She sniffed the bush, the fur rippling along her spine. “They’ve been here!” she mewed in alarm.

Lionblaze and Graystripe crowded around her. Dovepaw hung back, the scent as clear in her nostrils as if she were standing beside it.

Tigerheart!

The scent pricked her memory. The young ShadowClan warrior had journeyed upstream to find the beavers with her. She knew his smell as well as any of her denmates’.

“Get back, Lionblaze,” Thornclaw ordered. “That garlic stink is tainting everything.”

That’s why he doesn’t recognize it! Dovepaw watched as Thornclaw sniffed again and found herself hoping that the warrior wouldn’t identify the scent.

Graystripe padded to the border and started pacing, lashing his tail. “Patrol!” he warned.

Four ShadowClan cats were approaching across the grass, their pelts rippling. Thornclaw and Lionblaze squared up beside Lionblaze to face them, keeping their paws on their own side of the border, but baring their teeth.

While Briarpaw hurried to join her Clanmates, Dovepaw padded to the hazel bush and sniffed. It was definitely Tigerheart. What in the name of StarClan had he been thinking, crossing the border? Was it an accident? Perhaps he’d been chasing prey and hadn’t noticed until it was too late.

“What are you doing on our border?” A black-and-white ShadowClan tom stared challengingly at the ThunderClan patrol.

Dovepaw recognized Crowfrost from the Gatherings. He had halted a few pawsteps from the ThunderClan cats. Beside him stood Ratscar, Pinepaw, and Tigerheart.

Graystripe curled his lip. “We’re checking out the ShadowClan scents inside our border.”

Crowfrost’s hackles lifted. “What?”

“There’s a hazel bush drenched in ShadowClan scent over here,” Lionblaze snarled.

Tigerheart growled, “What would we want with a load of sodden old trees?”

Graystripe dug his claws into the muddy ground. “Then why did you cross our border?”

“No ShadowClan cat has crossed your border,” Ratscar hissed.

Dovepaw was watching Tigerheart. His amber eyes gave nothing away.

Thornclaw stood aside. “Come and smell it for yourself!” he challenged.

“Don’t tell us what to do!” Pinepaw was ripping at the muddy ground, grass clumping between his claws. “Just because it was ThunderClan’s idea to go upstream to find the river doesn’t mean you’re in charge of every cat.”

“Just smell it!” Thornclaw growled.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Crowfrost spluttered. “If we cross your border then there will definitely be ShadowClan scent on your territory.”

Ratscar curled his lip. “Are you trying to trick us into a fight?”

“Why would we do that?” Lionblaze stared levelly at the ShadowClan warrior.

Tigerheart stepped forward. “Okay,” he meowed. “I’ll check it. But remember that you invited me over the border!” He trotted over the scent line, his tail straight up in the air. “Where’s this bush?”

Dovepaw narrowed her eyes. If Tigerheart checked the scent, he’d disguise his old scent with new. The evidence would be hidden. Smart! She felt a flash of admiration for his cunning. But still, he was up to something. What could it be? She stood her ground beside the hazel bush as he approached.

“Over here?” he called, shoving his nose into the brown leaves. “There’s a faint scent here, but it’s too old to tell if it’s ShadowClan or ThunderClan.” He turned, brushing his pelt against the bush, leaving strands of fur clinging to the spiky branches. “You must have bees in your brain, as usual.” Nose high, he turned back toward his Clanmates. The two patrols were still facing each other, as if they were daring their rivals to make the first move.

Dovepaw hissed as he passed her. “It was you, wasn’t it?”

Tigerheart swung his head to stare at her, his eyes startled.

“Don’t deny it!” Dovepaw whispered, one eye on her Clanmates. They were busy outglaring ShadowClan. “I recognized your scent before you crossed the border.”