“She’s tasting the air.” Hollypaw’s breath tickled Jaypaw’s ear fur. “She must have caught a scent. She’s on the move.”

“Come on,” Lionpaw hissed. “Let’s follow her.” He began crawling out from under the bush.

Jaypaw followed, his brother’s tail brushing his nose. Out in the open, he soon recognized the ground beneath his paws; they were following the bottom of the slope. Keeping close to Lionpaw’s tail, and with Hollypaw’s fur brushing his flank, he found it easy to keep up with Cinderpaw as she began to pick up speed.

“She looks confident!” Hollypaw mewed. “Her tail is up.”

Lionpaw stopped without warning. “She’s turning around!” he hissed.

Jaypaw skidded to a halt just before he crashed into his brother. He felt Hollypaw’s teeth grasp his tail and drag him backward; then Lionpaw bundled him sideways and the three of them tumbled through a wall of ferns in time to hear Cinderpaw’s paw steps thrumming past.

“That was close!” Lionpaw panted.

In the distance, a screech split the air and Jaypaw heard the fluttering of wings.

“Mouse dung!” An angry mew rang through the trees.

“Sounds like Honeypaw’s missed her first catch,” Lionpaw guessed.

“Never mind Honeypaw,” Hollypaw mewed. “Cinderpaw’s getting away!” She pushed her way out of the ferns and began to give chase. Lionpaw nudged Jaypaw after her, and they were once more hurrying through the forest after the apprentice.

Jaypaw recognized a scent. “Squirrel!”

Cinderpaw’s footsteps grew quicker.

“She’s following it,” Lionpaw mewed.

“I can see her!” Hollypaw whispered. “She’s definitely stalking it. She’s keeping lower than a snake.”

“Has the squirrel seen her?” Jaypaw asked.

“It’s fleeing,” Lionpaw answered. “But it’s still on the ground. I think it knows something’s up, but it’s not climbing yet.”

“It’s trying to escape,” Hollypaw hissed to Jaypaw. “Cinderpaw’s going to have to make her move soon.”

“It’s running along a fallen tree,” Lionpaw mewed, “heading for an oak. Cinderpaw’s got to attack now or she’ll lose it.”

“There she goes!” Hollypaw mewed triumphantly. “What a leap—” Her voice broke off.

“What’s the matter?” Jaypaw felt a flash of alarm. Through the bushes, he heard a scraping sound, followed by a dull thud.

“She mistimed the jump!” Lionpaw gasped.

“She’s crashed on top of the fallen tree!” Hollypaw yelped.

The air was suddenly thick with pain.

“She’s hurt!” Hollypaw screeched. But Jaypaw was already racing for Cinderpaw, praying nothing would trip him up.

Hollypaw pelted past him and leaped up to her friend, who was helpless and moaning with pain on the trunk. Jaypaw clawed his way up the trunk, the rotting bark splintering beneath his paws. Panting, he crouched beside Cinderpaw.

Cloudtail exploded from the bushes. “Is she hurt?”