The Darkest Hour

He twitched his ears to draw Cloudtail a little way away. “I hoped you’d be here,” he meowed quietly. “I’m going to see Princess, and I thought you might want to come too.”

Cloudtail’s ears pricked. “Are you going to warn her?”

“Yes. With BloodClan on the prowl, she should know of the danger. I know she doesn’t often go into the forest, but even so…”

“I’ll be right with you,” Cloudtail meowed, padding back for a word with Brightheart.

A moment later the two cats were heading for Tallpines, Firestar calling good-bye to Graystripe as they left the hollow. The pale sunlight of leaf-bare fell on the ash that still remained from the fire. The few plants that had returned were dry and shriveled, and there was neither sound nor scent of prey. This leaf-bare would have been hard enough, Firestar reflected, without the extra trouble from BloodClan.

When they reached the Twoleg nest where Princess lived, Firestar was relieved to see the pretty tabby she-cat sitting on the garden fence. She let out a trill of welcome as he raced across the open ground at the edge of the forest and leaped up onto the fence beside her. Cloudtail followed him in a couple of heartbeats.

Fireheart!” Princess exclaimed, pressing her muzzle against his flank. “And Cloudtail! It’s so good to see you both. Are you well?”

“Yes, we’re fine,” Firestar replied.

“He’s Clan leader now,” Cloudtail put in. “You have to call him Firestar.”

“C l an leader? That’s wonderful!” Princess let out a deep, delighted purr. Firestar knew she was proud of him even though she had no real understanding of what that meant—either the grief of Bluestar’s death or the heavyweight of responsibility that went with leadership. “I’m so pleased for you,” Princess went on. “But you’re both very thin,” she added doubtfully, drawing back to inspect her brother and her son. “Are you eating properly?”

It was hard to answer that question. Firestar and all the Clan cats were used to feeling hungry in this hard leaf-bare, but Princess had no way of knowing how scarce prey was, not when her Twolegs fed her the same kittypet food every day.

“We’re doing well enough,” Cloudtail repeated impatiently, before Firestar could reply. “But we came to tell you to stay out of the forest. There are evil cats around.”

Firestar flashed an irritated look at his hoth eaded kin; he would have tried to find a gentler way of warning Princess. “Cats from Twolegplace have come into the forest,” he explained, pressing himself comfortingly against Princess’s side. “They’re fierce creatures, but they should leave you alone.”

“I’ve seen them slinking through the trees,” Princess admitted, her voice hushed. “And I’ve heard stories about them. Apparently they even kill dogs and other cats.”

The tales were true, Firestar reflected, remembering the teeth studding Scourge’s collar. And before very long, there would be more deaths to Scourge’s name.

“All good storytellers exaggerate,” he told Princess, hoping he sounded convincing. “You don’t need to worry, but it would be best if you stayed in your own garden.”

Princess held his gaze steadily, and Firestar realized that for once she wasn’t deceived by his lighthearted tone. “I’ll do that,” she promised. “And I’ll warn the other house cats.”

“Good.” Cloudtail meowed. “And don’t worry about a thing. We’ll soon get rid of BloodClan.”

“BloodClan!” Princess echoed, and a shiver passed through her. “Firestar, you’re in danger, aren’t you?”

Firestar nodded, suddenly unwilling to treat her like a soft kittypet who couldn’t cope with the truth. “Yes,” he replied. “BloodClan have given us three days to get out of the forest. We don’t intend to leave, so that means we have to fight them.”

Princess went on giving him that long, thoughtful look. The tip of her tail swept around and touched a scar on his flank, an old wound from a battle so long ago that he had forgotten which one it was. Firestar had a sudden vision of how he must appear to her: gaunt and ragged in spite of his lean muscles, his battle-marked pelt a constant reminder of the harshness of his forest life.

“I know you’ll do your best,” she mewed quietly. “The Clan couldn’t have a better leader.”

“I hope you’re right,” Firestar meowed. “This is the worst threat to the Clan that we’ve ever had to face.”

“And you’ll come through it; I know you will.” Princess rasped her tongue over his ear and pressed close against him. Firestar smelled her fear-scent, but she stayed calm, and her gentle features were unusually serious. “Come back safely, Firestar,” she whispered. “Please.”

Chapter 25

After they said good-bye to Princess, Cloudtail went off to hunt, leaving Firestar to return to the camp alone. Twilight was gathering by the time he reached the ravine, and he scented Whitestorm before he spotted the pale warrior ahead of him. Firestar caught up to him just before he reached the gorse tunnel; he had a vole clamped in his jaws, and set it down when he saw Firestar.