He had to get there first. He backed out from the ferns as quietly as he could and darted along a fox trail. He knew it led directly to the border stream. For once he was grateful for the stench of fox; it made it easy to follow the trail and would hide his own scent. The sound of battle grew louder. Jaypaw smelled blood and sensed fear and pain flooding the forest. He slowed as he heard scuffling ahead and tasted the air.

Lionpaw.

The scent of his brother was strong.

He pricked his ears. Lionpaw was fighting two WindClan warriors single-pawed. Jaypaw unsheathed his claws, wishing he could help. But Lionpaw sounded as though he was doing okay by himself. One of the WindClan warriors was already hopping on three legs, and the other was scrabbling on the ground, backing away in a hurry.

“Run home, cowards!” Lionpaw sneered as the bushes beside Jaypaw exploded and the two WindClan warriors pelted past him.

“Lionpaw?” Jaypaw hissed.

“Jaypaw? Is that you?” Lionpaw darted toward him. “Are you okay?” He was breathing hard, and his pelt smelled of blood. Energy was pulsing from him as though a fire raged in his belly, and Jaypaw could sense that his mind was caught in a whirl of exhilaration.

“Four RiverClan cats are heading this way to help WindClan,” Jaypaw warned.

“RiverClan?” Lionpaw sounded shocked for a moment. Then his mew hardened. “I’ll sort them out.” He hurried away, leaving Jaypaw blinking in surprise.

“You can’t tackle them on your own!” Jaypaw called after him.

But Lionpaw had vanished among the trees.

“Jaypaw?” Firestar’s mew sounded close to his ear. “What are you doing here?”

“RiverClan have joined WindClan in the battle.”

Firestar drew in a sharp breath. Fear flickered from his pelt for an instant. “Go tell Brambleclaw.” The ThunderClan leader’s mew was grim. “Can you find the way?”

Jaypaw nodded.

“We’re outnumbered here,” Firestar went on. “We may need to retreat to the hollow and defend ourselves there.”

Jaypaw’s heart lurched. That would give WindClan control of the rest of the territory. It would no longer be a question of protecting their borders. They would be fighting for their lives. He longed for Firestar to tell him it would be all right, but the ThunderClan leader had plunged away, back into battle.

Jaypaw lifted his muzzle, finding his bearings. The lake breeze was blowing from behind him. The sound of Brambleclaw’s patrol screeched somewhere ahead. He pushed on through the undergrowth, heading for the noise, whiskers twitching, paws feeling gingerly ahead with each step. He couldn’t risk tripping and hurting himself. He had to warn the Clan deputy about WindClan’s RiverClan allies.

Birds were stirring in the trees, chattering anxiously as the sound of battle unsettled the forest. The air began to taste warm. Dawn must be on its way.