“The light’s better out here now that the sun’s up,” Leafpool meowed. “Besides, I think they like to see us.”

He knew she meant Daisy and the kits. Millie was organizing them on Highledge.

“Now, who can remember what we do if strangers come into the camp?” Millie prompted.

“Take Millie’s kits to the back of Firestar’s cave,” Rosekit squeaked.

“Then what?” Millie was drilling them carefully.

“We stay with them inside in case strangers come in,” Toadkit mewed.

“Where will I be?”

“Just outside the cave, keeping guard with Daisy,” Rosekit mewed.

Mousefur’s pelt brushed the rock beside Millie. “Longtail and I will be defending the top of the rocks, to stop any cat from getting onto Highledge.”

“And I’ll be at the bottom!” Brightheart called up from the clearing.

Graystripe and Whitewing were still on guard outside the thorn tunnel. Icepaw had come inside the camp to practice battle moves with Cinderpaw and Ferncloud.

“You will be careful of your leg, won’t you?” Leafpool warned Cinderpaw. “No heroics.”

“No heroics,” Cinderpaw promised. “But if we’re invaded, I’m not hiding inside the medicine den!”

Fear flashed from Leafpool’s pelt. “We won’t be invaded, I’m sure.”

Would the ThunderClan patrols really be able to hold WindClan and RiverClan at bay?

“Don’t forget ShadowClan are helping us now!” Mousewhisker meowed. “I was fighting beside one of their apprentices when Tawnypelt dragged me away. They’re pretty good fighters. We were about to overpower a WindClan warrior.” His tail swished over the ground.

“Sit still,” Leafpool chided.

Mousewhisker was obviously itching to get back into battle. Didn’t he understand how serious this was? All four Clans fighting. No warning from StarClan. No clear reason for the battle.

Jaypaw headed for the medicine cats’ den to soak more leaves for Sorreltail’s dressing, but as he neared the entrance, the air grew chilly around him. His fur fluffed, prickling along his spine.

“Why is it getting dark?” Rosekit’s mew echoed around the hollow from above his head.

Was a storm coming?

Graystripe and Whitewing were hurrying through the tunnel.

“What’s happening?” Graystripe called.

“Why’s the camp getting dark?” Daisy’s mew trembled. “The sky’s still light.”

“The sun’s disappearing!” Brightheart’s terrified wail made Jaypaw stiffen. This couldn’t just be a cloud passing over the sun. The birds in the forest had fallen silent. Even the fighting had stopped. What was going on?

He darted back to Leafpool. “What does she mean?”

“Something’s swallowing the sun!” Leafpool whispered.

Millie’s kits started mewling, their cries muffled as their mother gathered them to her.

Leafpool pressed against Jaypaw. “We have to stay calm.” Her body was shaking but her mew was steady. “It’s probably a message from StarClan. It will pass.”

“What message?” Ferncloud demanded.

Graystripe leaned closer. “Are they trying to stop us from fighting?”