Lionpaw twitched1 in his sleep. Hewas dreaming.
Standing2 on a craggy peak, he felt the mountain breeze tug3 at his fur. Above, a starless sky stretched black as a raven’s wing to the distant horizon. In front of him ridge4 upon ridge lay like ripples5 on a wind-ruffled lake. Though no moon shone, the mountaintops glowed like moonstone. All this is mine!Exhilarated, Lionpaw bounded forward, his powerful hind6 paws sending stones cracking into the shadowy valleys below. He cleared the gorge8 in one easy jump, landing on the ridge beyond. His claws scraped the rock, holding his paws firm. He leaped again, light as air, the breath hardly stirring in his chest. His tail seemed to brush the pelt9-soft sky and, with the blood rushing in his ears, he lifted his chin and yowled, his voice echoing like thunder around the empty mountains. I have the power of the stars in my paws!
“Lionpaw!” Ashfur’s call jolted10 Lionpaw awake. “Hunting patrol!”
Lionpaw blinked open his eyes. Sunshine pierced the branches of the den11, yellow sunbeams spearing straight downward. The other nests were empty. It’s sunhigh already!Lionpaw clambered groggily12 to his paws. And then he remembered: They hadn’t reached camp until well past moonhigh. Surely Ashfur wouldn’t be angry with him for sleeping late today?
Arching his back in a trembling stretch, he yawned. His paws still ached from the long trek13 from the mountains, and he licked gingerly at a forepaw to check whether the grazing had begun to heal. No taste of blood. The scabs were hard. The soft forest floor would be no problem.
“Lionpaw!” Ashfur called again, more sharply. Lionpaw stumbled out of the den. Surely he deserved some rest! Heavy-pawed, he padded into the clearing, narrowing his eyes against the greenleaf sun. It flooded the camp and warmed his pelt. A light breeze stirred the trees encircling the top of the hollow. In the mountains, the only shelter from the wind had been in the damp and chilly15 cave behind the waterfall. How in the name of StarClan did the Tribe survive leaf-bare? Greenleaf had been cold enough!
“Awake at last!” Ashfur greeted him. “The prey17’s probably grown old and died while we’ve been waiting for you.”
“Then it’ll be easier to catch,” Lionpaw grumbled18.
“I know you’re tired,” Ashfur conceded. “But Icepaw is itching20 to get out into the forest, and I promised Whitewing we’d go with them.”
Lionpaw noticed Icepaw for the first time. The young apprentice21 was bouncing around the clearing like a newleaf hare, leaping and twisting as she darted22 at invisible prey. Her prey might have been invisible, but Icepaw, with her sleek23 white pelt and bright blue eyes, certainly wasn’t. Perhaps that was why Firestar had made Whitewing her mentor24. The white she-cat knew what it was like to stand out like snow in greenleaf. She’d be able to teach Icepaw a few special stalking techniques. And she clearly needed to learn. As he watched Icepaw darting25 clumsily about, Lionpaw stifled26 a purr, remembering how excited he had been when he had started his training.
Whitewing padded across the clearing, one eye on her apprentice. “Can we go now?”
Lionpaw noticed her tail tip twitching27. Icepaw was Whitewing’s first apprentice. Was she worried how to manage such a bundle of energy? Or did she think their matching snow-colored pelts28 would scare away all the prey as soon as they set foot under the trees?
“Where do you want to start?” Ashfur asked.
Whitewing eyed Icepaw thoughtfully as the little white cat hurled29 herself awkwardly at a pile of leaves, sending them scattering30 in all directions. “Do you think Icepaw would do better by the Ancient Oak or the Old Thunderpath?”
Lionpaw’s belly31 rumbled19. He gazed at the fresh-kill pile; a plump mouse was lying on top. But the Clan16 had to be fed before he could eat. It was the first rule apprentices32 had to learn, and the hardest. “There’s usually more prey around the Oak,” he suggested.
Ignoring Lionpaw, Ashfur dipped his head to Whitewing. “It’s your decision.”
Lionpaw felt a prickle of annoyance33. Why bother waking him up at all? They clearly weren’t interested in his opinion. And neither of them had asked about his journey to the mountains. He stared angrily around the camp. No cat seemed the slightest bit interested in his return. Mousefur was sunning herself outside the elders’ nest. Ferncloud and Sorreltail were sharing a pigeon beneath Highledge, their hunting clearly finished for the day. Leafpool was disappearing into the nursery, holding leaves between her jaws34. Weren’t any of them curious about the mountains or his adventure?
“Hey, Lionpaw!” Icepaw called to him. “Am I doing this right?” She was creeping forward in a hunting crouch35, her tail lashing36.
“Yeah,” Lionpaw mewed absently. Doesn’t anyone care about me?
“You need to keep your tail still, Icepaw,” Ashfur advised.
Lionpaw looked at his mentor in surprise. I thought you weren’t interested in apprentices.
Ashfur met his gaze, eyes narrowed, then turned pointedly38 back to Icepaw. “If you stir up the leaves, the prey will know you’re coming.” Clearly he thought that Lionpaw should have pointed37 out Icepaw’s mistake.
Lionpaw’s fur bristled39. Why did Ashfur expect him to mentor another cat’s apprentice? That was Whitewing’s duty. Then, with a flash of remorse40, he remembered how grateful he’d been when Stormfur or Graystripe had gently pointed out his mistakes.
He padded over to the younger cat. “I’ll show you what he means.” He crouched41 beside her. “Keep your back down like this. The flatter you are, the less visible you’ll be.”
“Like this?” Icepaw squashed herself against the ground.
“Exactly.”
Icepaw blinked up at him, her eyes like pools of sky. “Thanks, Lionpaw. I’m very nervous about hunting, actually.”
Lionpaw brushed the tip of his tail over her back. “You’ll be fine,” he promised. “Just copy our mentors42, and don’t expect to make a catch on your first try. It took me ages to get it right,” he added. Icepaw nodded, looking very earnest, and Lionpaw gave her ear a lick. Was this how it felt being a mentor? He liked the idea of teaching a young cat everything he knew about hunting and fighting, and watching them grow from a tumbling kit43 to a strong, quick-pawed warrior44.
But what if the prophecy took him on a path away from being a normal warrior, mentoring45 apprentices and carrying out regular Clan duties? Looking down at Icepaw’s glowing eyes, Lionpaw felt as if he were being asked to give up an entire way of life—and one that suited him very well.
“Can we hunt here?” Icepaw asked again. She’d wanted to hunt in every small clearing they’d passed on their way to the Ancient Oak. Now the great tree towered above them, the ground beneath littered with leaves and acorn46 cups. At the edge of the glade47, ferns clustered together in pools of light filtering through the branches.
Whitewing glanced at Ashfur. “Should we keep going to the lake?” she asked. “There might be prey near the shore.”
Ashfur gazed back at her, but didn’t reply.
Why isn’t he helping48 her?Lionpaw tried to catch his mentor’s eye.
Whitewing scanned the clearing. “Here is fine,” she decided49. “Perhaps that clump50 of ferns?”
Lionpaw noticed her tail twitching again. If Ashfur wasn’t going to help her, perhaps he could. “There’s a bramble—” His suggestion was silenced by Ashfur’s tail flicking51 across his mouth. The warrior nodded at Whitewing. “Trust your instinct.”
“Ferns.” Whitewing led her apprentice toward a leafy thicket52.
Ashfur murmured into Lionpaw’s ear, “I know you’re trying to help, but Whitewing needs to build her confidence on her own.” They watched as Whitewing nudged Icepaw into a crouch and adjusted her stance with a touch of her muzzle53. “She’s doing fine.”
The ferns quivered. The pale green stems trembled from the roots rather than the tips; it couldn’t be the wind stirring them. Icepaw crouched and began to waggle her hindquarters, kneading the ground with her paws. Gently, Whitewing laid her tail over the apprentice’s back until Icepaw grew still. Leaning forward, she whispered into Icepaw’s ear, then sat back. It was up to Icepaw now.
Lionpaw watched as Icepaw darted forward and flung herself into the ferns.
A squeal54 from behind the fronds55 was quickly silenced, and Icepaw bounced out, a small vole dangling56 from her teeth. Her eyes shone with happiness.
Ashfur padded forward. “Well done!”
Whitewing fluffed out her chest proudly. “That was great, Icepaw!”
“Nice kill,” Ashfur added.
So much excitement over a tiny vole! It was probably too young to run away even if it wanted to. Lionpaw’s thoughts flicked57 back to the battle in the mountains. He was glad Icepaw had made her first kill so quickly, but what would they have said if they’d seen him fighting the mountain cats? Catching58 a bite of prey didn’t compare to defeating a whole Clan single-pawed.
“Thrush!”
Hearing Ashfur’s whispered alert, Lionpaw glanced over his shoulder, following his mentor’s gaze. A fat thrush was pecking among the leaves beyond the wide trunk of the oak. Silent as a snake, Lionpaw slithered around until he was behind it. Crouching59 onto his belly, he began to steal toward the thrush, tail lifted slightly so it didn’t stir the leaves. The thrush was searching for insects, unaware60 of the danger. Lionpaw felt a glimmer61 of satisfaction. Such a dumb bird deserved to be fresh-kill. He paused, judged the distance, then jumped. His massive leap cleared the tree roots and carried him three foxtails across the forest floor. The thrush spread its wings in panic, struggling to take flight, but it was too late. Lionpaw landed with deadly precision, flattening62 the bird with its wings outstretched, and killed it with a sharp nip to the spine63.
“That was fantastic!” Icepaw was staring at him from the other side of the tree, her eyes wide with awe14.
Whitewing’s ears were pressed back in surprise.
Lionpaw felt something tickling64 his nose. One of the thrush’s soft feathers had stuck to his muzzle. He swiped it away, feeling self-conscious.
Ashfur nodded. “Impressive.”
“That was a huge leap!” Whitewing meowed. “You could have easily missed.”
No, I couldn’t.Lionpaw bit back the thought. Considering the surprise still lingering in his Clanmates’ eyes, he decided it might be better to let them think it had been a lucky strike. Perhaps Jaypaw was right: They might not be too happy to know the truth behind his powerful kill.
As they headed back to camp, Lionpaw’s nostrils65 filled with the mouthwatering aroma66 of the thrush. It bounced against his chest, its wings dredging leaves. Icepaw padded beside him, her small catch tripping her as she tried to match his pace.
“I wish my legs weren’t so short,” she complained, her words muffled67 by vole fur.
“They’ll grow,” Lionpaw promised.
Whitewing and Ashfur walked ahead, each carrying a catch of their own. This late in greenleaf, all prey was welcome. The Clan needed to gorge itself if it was to make it through leaf-bare. At least, that was what the older cats kept saying. Lionpaw couldn’t remember leaf-bare, other than something beyond the nursery walls—a menace that worried the older cats and made the branches of the den rattle68.
“That was such a great catch,” Icepaw mewed.
Lionpaw grunted69 his thanks. He didn’t want to swallow a feather and spend the rest of the day coughing.
“Why did you jump so soon?” Icepaw persisted. “Did you think it might hear you if you’d gone closer?”
“I just thought I’d try.” Lionpaw was sure he could have padded right up to the thrush if he’d wanted. But why waste time tiptoeing about?
“You’re such a great hunter,” Icepaw went on out of the corner of her mouth. “I thought Hollypaw was good, but you’re amazing. Where did you learn to jump like that? Do you do extra practice to get so strong? Do you think I ought to be doing more training?”
“I’m sure Whitewing will give you all the training you need.”
“I just hope she trains me as well as Ashfur trained you.”
Lionpaw watched his mentor disappear behind a bramble spilling over the track ahead. Ashfur had taught him well. He had never wished for any other teacher. But Ashfur had not been his only mentor. Tigerstar had trained him, too. And he had been born with powers Icepaw could never dream of, even if she trained day and night every moon of her life.
As the path dipped down toward the hollow and home, Lionpaw felt a pang70 of loneliness. It was almost as though he belonged to a Clan of his own, distanced by the prophecy from the familiar faces waiting in camp to see what they’d brought back from their hunt.
Icepaw darted ahead of him and followed Whitewing and Ashfur through the barrier of thorns that sealed the camp from the forest. Lionpaw padded after, emerging into the clearing in time to see Icepaw drop her vole onto the fresh-kill pile and turn toward her denmates.
Cinderpaw, Honeypaw, and Poppypaw were sunning themselves outside the apprentices’ den. Icepaw trotted71 over to them.
“Your first catch?” Honeypaw called.
Icepaw lifted her chin. “I got it first try!”
Lionpaw felt a pang of envy. He would never again feel so carefree, never again be thrilled by such a small success.
“Is Foxpaw back yet?” Icepaw asked, clearly eager to show off her catch to her brother.
“Squirrelflight took him on border patrol,” Cinderpaw informed her. “They should be back soon.”
As Lionpaw padded to the fresh-kill pile and dropped his catch, a pelt brushed his. He turned to see his sister.
“Nice catch.” Hollypaw’s mew was flat, as though she had something else on her mind. She was staring at the apprentices outside their den. Cinderpaw and Poppypaw were rolling a ball of moss72 to each other while Honeypaw leaped to try to catch it.
“Aren’t you going to join in?” Lionpaw mewed.
Hollypaw blinked. “I don’t feel like it.”
That wasn’t like Hollypaw. Especially if Cinderpaw was playing. “Something wrong?” Lionpaw asked.
“I’m just not in the mood.”
Lionpaw searched her green gaze. Was Hollypaw feeling isolated73, too? “It feels odd, doesn’t it?” he ventured.
Hollypaw looked at him. “What?”
“Being different.”
“We’re not different on the outside.”
“You know what I mean.” Lionpaw felt a surge of impatience74. He needed to talk to someone. All day he’d been clutching their secret like prey struggling to escape. Hollypaw didn’t have to make it so hard. “Knowing something as huge as we do and not being able to tell anyone.”
The fur on Hollypaw’s shoulders bristled with alarm. “You’re not thinking of telling, are you?”
“No, I—”
Hollypaw cut him off. “No cat must know! Not when we don’t know exactly what the prophecy means.” She lowered her voice, her gaze darting around the clearing. “We need to figure out what we’re meant to do with our powers.”
Lionpaw flexed75 his claws. “I wasn’t planning on telling!” he snapped. Why did she have to be so bossy76? He wasn’t a mouse-brain! And why did she have to try to figure everything out all the time? The prophecy was simple: They were going to be more powerful than any cat. They just had to be ready to use their powers when they were needed. He turned and padded to the halfrock.
With the sun sliding toward the treetops, the Clan was beginning to take food from the fresh-kill pile. Cinderpaw snatched up Lionpaw’s thrush and carried it to the nursery, where Millie, Daisy, and her kits77 would be growing hungry.
Poppypaw picked up a mouse and placed it outside the elders’ den. “Fresh-kill!” she called.
Longtail emerged from the tangle78 of honeysuckle, nose twitching, and stood at the entrance, while Mousefur followed him stiffly out. The old she-cat grew more frail79 with each passing moon. Longtail waited until she had settled down next to the mouse, then sat beside her.
“You don’t have to watch over me like I’m a helpless kit!” Mousefur snapped at him.
Longtail’s whiskers twitched with amusement. “It’s a shame your tongue’s not as worn-out as the rest of you,” he purred.
Mousefur swiped at him with her tail, catching him behind the ear. “Do you want some of this?” She nosed the mouse toward him.
“You can have this if you want!” Icepaw was trotting80 from the fresh-kill pile with her little vole swinging from her jaws. She dropped it at Longtail’s paws. “I caught it myself!”
“Your first catch?” Mousefur’s eyes glowed.
Longtail bent81 to sniff82 the small creature. “It smells delicious.”
The brambles at the entrance to the medicine cat den twitched as Jaypaw slid out, a ball of moss held gingerly between his teeth. He padded over to Mousefur and Longtail and placed the moss on the ground. Turning his blind blue eyes on Icepaw, he mewed, “I’ve heard you’ve been busy today. You should get something to eat.”
“I am pretty hungry,” Icepaw admitted.
“Thanks for the vole!” Longtail called after the apprentice as she padded back to the fresh-kill pile.
Icepaw mewed happily over her shoulder, “Anytime!”
“Do you mind if I check for ticks while you eat?” Jaypaw asked Mousefur.
“If you must,” Mousefur grumbled. “Though I don’t know why you had to wait until I was eating to bring that foul83 stuff over.” She nodded at the moss. Lionpaw guessed that it was soaked in mouse bile.
“I thought you might be sleeping earlier, and I didn’t want to wake you.” Patiently, Jaypaw began to nuzzle through Mousefur’s pelt. He paused to tear some moss from the ball and pressed it into the fur near the base of her tail.
Lionpaw watched his brother. He seemed completely different from the resentful young cat who had never wanted to be a medicine cat’s apprentice. And yet he’s more powerful than any of his Clanmates.Lionpaw climbed onto the halfrock and lay down, pressing his belly against the sun-warmed stone. Perhaps knowing he’s so powerful makes boring tasks easier to bear. He wondered how many moons it had been since Jaypaw had crept into Firestar’s dream and overheard the stranger predicting the birth of three kits with the power of the stars in their paws. Would the frustration84 gnawing85 in his own belly ease with time, once he’d gotten used to the prophecy, as Jaypaw had done?
He glanced up at Highledge as Firestar picked his way down the tumble of rocks, Sandstorm following. The ThunderClan leader had never given any clue that he knew of the prophecy. He had only ever treated Lionpaw, Hollypaw, and Jaypaw as if they were three ordinary apprentices. Lionpaw watched as Firestar picked a mouse from the pile and passed it to Sandstorm before taking a sparrow for himself. What does he really feel?Lionpaw suddenly wished he had Jaypaw’s powers to see into Firestar’s mind. Was he proud to have them as his kin7? Pleased that his Clan would be safe forever, guarded by such powerful cats? Or was he anxious, as Jaypaw feared, about having cats more powerful than himself in the Clan?
The thorn barrier shivered as Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw padded through, followed by Foxpaw and Berrynose.
“The borders are quiet,” Brambleclaw called to his leader. “But the sunset patrol should check the WindClan border closely. By the smell of it, they’ve been hunting in the woods on their side.”
Firestar was settling down beneath Highledge, Sandstorm at his side. “It looks like they’ve developed a taste for squirrel,” he remarked.
Cinderpaw, sharing a pigeon with Honeypaw, looked up eagerly. “Can I go out on sunset patrol?” Now that her injured leg was recovered enough to return to apprentice duties, she seemed keen to take on any task, as though making up for lost time.
“Yes.” Brambleclaw nodded. “I was going to ask Graystripe to lead it.”
“Did someone mention Graystripe?” Millie padded from the nursery, blinking sleep from her eyes.
Graystripe was repairing a tear in the nursery wall where winds had unraveled the carefully threaded brambles. “Are you okay?” He looked closely at Millie. She was fat with her kits, which were expected any day now.
“Fine.” Millie picked up two mice from the fresh-kill pile. “I’d just rather share a meal outside with you.” She carried the meal to where Firestar and Sandstorm lay. Graystripe tucked in a final tendril with his paws and hurried to join her.
A thrush thudded onto the ground beside the halfrock, surprising Lionpaw. Hollypaw stood over it, staring at him.
“I thought you might want to share,” she mewed. Was this her way of apologizing? Lionpaw doubted it. He suspected that his sister didn’t realize how bossy she could be. But he was grateful anyway. However alone he felt, knowing about the prophecy, he had to remember that Hollypaw and Jaypaw shared it too. As long as he had his littermates, he would never truly be alone.
“Thanks,” he purred, settling down to eat.
Birchfall and Whitewing were sharing prey with Brackenfur, while Thornclaw and Spiderleg stretched out nearby, their meals already finished. This was the first time since the journey to the mountains that the Clan had eaten together, and Lionpaw began to feel more at ease. Nothing had really changed, he told himself hopefully.
“So how were the Tribe?” Firestar asked Brambleclaw.
The ThunderClan deputy swallowed a mouthful of fresh-kill. “They’ve a hard leaf-bare ahead of them,” he meowed. “But I think they’re going to be okay.” Lionpaw narrowed his eyes. Was his father as confident as he sounded?
“Do you think they’ll be able to defend the borders you made?” Thornclaw asked.
Squirrelflight shrugged86. “We trained them as well as we could.”
“Which will be very well, if I know you,” Graystripe chipped in.
“They stand more of a chance now than they did when we first got there,” Brambleclaw meowed. “It was hard for them to get used to the idea of marking such distinct borders around a portion of where they hunted before, but I hope they understand how important it is for them to fight for what they have.”
“And we certainly taught the invaders87 that they can’t help themselves to anything they want,” Squirrelflight added.
“Were many cats injured in the battle?” Sandstorm asked.
“Nothing serious,” Brambleclaw informed her. “But it was a hard fight.”
Which you would never have won without me.Lionpaw waited for his father to tell the Clan how well he had done.
“All the apprentices fought like true warriors88.” Brambleclaw glanced at Lionpaw. “They were a credit to our Clan.”
Lionpaw’s pads pricked89 with his frustration. “Isn’t he going to mention how Ifought?” he hissed90 under his breath.
“Shh!” Hollypaw warned him. “It’s best if they don’t know. We mustn’t draw attention to ourselves.”
Lionpaw bit angrily into the thrush. What’s the point of being so powerful if no cat ever knows?He found himself half wishing for another battle this moon, so he could show his Clanmates just what sort of warrior he was going to be. The other Clans91 had better watch out then,he thought darkly.
Paws weary, muscles still aching from the journey, Lionpaw crept into his nest. Just one long sleep and he’d feel more like his old self. He spiraled down into the clean, dry moss and closed his eyes.
“You’re not going straight to sleep, are you?” Poppypaw called across the den.
“Don’t you want to hear what Sandstorm said to me while we were training?” Honeypaw prompted.
“I’m tired,” Lionpaw murmured. He wasn’t in the mood to share Clan gossip with his denmates.
“Suit yourself,” Poppypaw mewed.
Suddenly two small paws landed on his back, digging into his ribs92.
“Sorry!” Foxpaw backed away as Lionpaw’s head shot up.
Lionpaw glared at the young apprentice. “Watch out!”
“I was just showing Icepaw how I was going to catch a fox and earn my warrior name,” Foxpaw mewed. “I want to be called Foxcatcher!”
“Well, you’ve proved you can catch a sleeping cat!” Honeypaw teased.
Icepaw jumped to her brother’s defense93. “He’ll catch a real fox one day!”
“Yeah, right.” Poppypaw tossed a wad of moss at the white apprentice.
Foxpaw leaped and caught the moss before it reached his sister, batting it back toward Poppypaw. “I will catch one; you just wait!”
“You couldn’t catch greencough!” Poppypaw taunted94 him.
“Yes, I could!” Foxpaw argued.
The other apprentices purred with amusement.
“I mean I could catch anything I want,” Foxpaw backtracked quickly. “If only Squirrelflight would stop fussing over me all the time.”
“She might stop fussing if you stopped wandering off,” Honeypaw pointed out. “We had to wait for ages while she went to look for you today. The squirrel I’d been tracking was in ShadowClan territory by the time she brought you back!”
“I was exploring!” Foxpaw protested.
“Well, come explore this.” Cinderpaw had squeezed into the den. Lionpaw could smell honey, but he stayed where he was while the other apprentices scrambled95 from their nests to see what Cinderpaw had brought.
“Where’d you find it?” Icepaw gasped96.
“Cloudtail found a hive in a hollow trunk while we were patrolling near the abandoned Twolegplace,” Cinderpaw explained. “He managed to get his paw in and grab a chunk97 of the honeycomb.”
“Did he get stung?” Foxpaw mewed.
“Only once.”
“I haven’t had honey for moons.” Poppypaw sighed.
“Cloudtail gave most of it to Leafpool for her stores, but he said I could have this bit,” Cinderpaw mewed.
“Can I have a lick?” Icepaw begged.
“Go on then, but not too much,” Cinderpaw offered. “It’s for everyone to share.”
Icepaw closed her eyes as she swallowed, then blinked them open, surprised. “It doesn’t taste of anything!”
Poppypaw purred. “Every cat knows that, mouse-brain.” She licked at the honeycomb and sighed. “I like the way it soothes98 my throat and feels all warm in my belly. It reminds me of milk.”
Lionpaw buried his nose under his paws, trying to block out the purrs of contentment as his denmates dug into the precious honeycomb. How easily pleased they were. One day all the honey in the forest would be his. He wasn’t like them—pleased by any small treat. The pang of isolation99 returned, stronger than ever.
A warm body brushed against him. Hollypaw had crept into the den and was settling down beside him.
“Not joining in with the honey feast?” Lionpaw whispered.
“Let themenjoy it,” she whispered back.
Suddenly feeling less alone, Lionpaw closed his eyes and slipped into sleep.
Dreaming, Lionpaw felt the forest floor cold beneath his paws, prickly with pine needles. A thin mist cloaked the ground and swirled100 around the lines of straight, bare trunks that stretched away into darkness.
“It’s about time you came back to us,” Tigerstar’s low growl101 echoed from the shadows. Lionpaw saw the outline of massive shoulders as the warrior padded out from the trees.
Hawkfrost followed at his heels. “You need all the training we can give you.”
Lionpaw bristled. “But didn’t you see me fight in the mountains?” How much more training did he need? He was already a better fighter than any of his Clanmates. He had proved it!
“We’re not concerned with past battles,” Tigerstar meowed briskly. “Only the battles to come.”
Lionpaw narrowed his eyes. That sounded like an excuse.
They couldn’t see me in the mountains!Even Tigerstar’s powers had their limits.
“Let’s see if you can use your brains as well as your strength.” Tigerstar padded behind Lionpaw and nudged him toward Hawkfrost. “Try attacking Hawkfrost from his weaker side.”
“But don’t you want to hear about the mountain cats?”
Tigerstar lashed102 his tail. “They’re no concern of mine.”
He’s not interested!Lionpaw stared at his ghostly mentor. Didn’t he think Lionpaw could have learned something from going on the long journey and battling against different cats? Did Tigerstar really believe he knew everything about fighting? Well, he certainly didn’t know everything about Lionpaw. Maybe it was about time he did.
“What are you waiting for?” Tigerstar snapped. “Attack Hawkfrost!”
Anger surged in Lionpaw’s belly. He leaped for Hawkfrost and, unsheathing his claws, raked the striped warrior’s flank so fiercely he felt the skin burst and blood spatter his paw.
Yowling in fury, Hawkfrost jumped away from him, hackles raised.
Lionpaw swung around to face Tigerstar. “Will you listen to me now? I’ve got something important to tell you. There’s a prophecy! About me! That’s why I can fight the way I can.”
Tigerstar’s eyes flashed. “What do you mean, a prophecy?”
“An old cat told Firestar in a dream: ‘There will be three, kin of your kin, who will hold the power of the stars in their paws.’” Lionpaw recited the words just as Jaypaw had told him. “Don’t you see? It must be about us, because Squirrelflight is Firestar’s kin.”
Tigerstar snorted in disgust. “Firestar!”
“But it’s true!” Lionpaw insisted. “If you’d seen me fight in the mountains you’d know. I defeated every cat who faced me. I felt like I could’ve fought forever and still defeated them all!”
“Only because I’vetrained you,” Tigerstar growled103.
“It’s more than that!” Lionpaw argued. “I’ve got the power of the stars in my paws!”
“And Firestar told you this, did he?” Tigerstar sneered104.
“No.” Lionpaw dug his claws into the cold earth. “Jaypaw walked in one of Firestar’s dreams. He overheard it.”
Tigerstar’s eyes suddenly glittered with amusement. “I see,” he mocked. “A cat has a dream and that means you’re the most powerful creature who ever lived.”
Why wasn’t Tigerstar taking this seriously? Wasn’t he proud to have kin who might eventually rule the forest? Wasn’t that what he wanted? Lionpaw felt a growl rising in his throat. Perhaps Tigerstar wanted that only for himself. “Don’t laugh at me.”
Hawkfrost’s whiskers twitched. “Look at the little warrior! Pretending he’s Firestar. All big and brave.”
“How do you explain the battle in the mountains, then?” Lionpaw demanded. “I wasn’t even hurt!”
“You beat a bunch of half-starved, untrained rogues,” Hawkfrost taunted him. “Wow. That’s a real sign of a great warrior!”
Lionpaw blinked. The ground suddenly felt colder under his paws. What if they were right? The mountain cats hadn’t exactly been a Clan of highly skilled warriors. The Tribe could have beaten them with any of the Clan cats’ help; they didn’t need the most powerful cat ever to win the battle. What if the prophecy wasjust a dream?
“Not so sure now, are you?” Tigerstar flicked his tail. “I know it must be nice to believe you’re the greatest warrior that ever lived, but would Firestar really have sent three such important cats to the mountains, where they might have been killed?”
Lionpaw’s belly fluttered with doubt. Firestar had never said anything about the prophecy. If he really believed they were special he wouldn’t have risked their lives. He would have kept them safe in camp, where they could take care of their Clan.
Tigerstar leaned forward, his breath stirring Lionpaw’s whiskers. “There’s only one path to power,” he hissed. “Training. Practice your battle skills, practice hard, and one day you may well be the most powerful cat in the forest.” He drew back, his voice hardening. “Now, repeat the battle move! But this time keep your claws sheathed105. Unless Isay otherwise!”
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1
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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2
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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3
tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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4
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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5
ripples
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| 逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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6
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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7
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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8
gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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9
pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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10
jolted
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| （使）摇动， （使）震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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12
groggily
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| adv.酒醉地；东倒西歪地 | |
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13
trek
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| vi.作长途艰辛的旅行；n.长途艰苦的旅行 | |
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14
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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15
chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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16
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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17
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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18
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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19
rumbled
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| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
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20
itching
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| adj.贪得的，痒的，渴望的v.发痒( itch的现在分词 ) | |
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21
apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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22
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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23
sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
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24
mentor
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| n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导 | |
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25
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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26
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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27
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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28
pelts
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| n. 皮毛，投掷, 疾行 vt. 剥去皮毛，（连续）投掷 vi. 猛击，大步走 | |
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29
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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30
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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31
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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33
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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34
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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35
crouch
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| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
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36
lashing
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| n.鞭打；痛斥；大量；许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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37
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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38
pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 | |
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39
bristled
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| adj. 直立的，多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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40
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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41
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
mentors
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| n.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的名词复数 )v.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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43
kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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44
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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45
mentoring
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| n.mentoring是一种工作关系。mentor通常是处在比mentee更高工作职位上的有影响力的人。他/她有比‘mentee’更丰富的工作经验和知识，并用心支持mentee的职业（发展）。v.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的现在分词 ) | |
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46
acorn
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| n.橡实，橡子 | |
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47
glade
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| n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地 | |
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48
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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49
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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50
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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51
flicking
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| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的现在分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
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52
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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53
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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54
squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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55
fronds
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| n.蕨类或棕榈类植物的叶子( frond的名词复数 ) | |
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56
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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57
flicked
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| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
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58
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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59
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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60
unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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61
glimmer
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| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
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62
flattening
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| n. 修平 动词flatten的现在分词 | |
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63
spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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64
tickling
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| 反馈，回授，自旋挠痒法 | |
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65
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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66
aroma
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| n.香气，芬芳，芳香 | |
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67
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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68
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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69
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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70
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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71
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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72
moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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73
isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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74
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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75
flexed
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| adj.[医]曲折的，屈曲v.屈曲( flex的过去式和过去分词 )；弯曲；（为准备大干而）显示实力；摩拳擦掌 | |
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76
bossy
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| adj.爱发号施令的，作威作福的 | |
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77
kits
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| 衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件 | |
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78
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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79
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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80
trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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81
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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82
sniff
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| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
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83
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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84
frustration
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| n.挫折，失败，失效，落空 | |
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85
gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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86
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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87
invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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88
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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89
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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90
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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91
clans
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| 宗族( clan的名词复数 )； 氏族； 庞大的家族； 宗派 | |
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92
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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93
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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94
taunted
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| 嘲讽( taunt的过去式和过去分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落 | |
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95
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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96
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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97
chunk
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| n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量） | |
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98
soothes
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| v.安慰( soothe的第三人称单数 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦 | |
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99
isolation
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| n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离 | |
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100
swirled
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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101
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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102
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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103
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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104
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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105
sheathed
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| adj.雕塑像下半身包在鞘中的；覆盖的；铠装的；装鞘了的v.将（刀、剑等）插入鞘( sheathe的过去式和过去分词 )；包，覆盖 | |
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