Jaypaw took a deep breath. “I know that you want Cinderpaw to become a warrior as soon as possible. You don’t want her to suffer the same fate as Cinderpelt.”

“What’s wrong with that?” Leafpool demanded. “Not being able to become a warrior broke Cinderpelt’s heart.”

There are worse fates. “You’re obsessed with the past,” Jaypaw warned her. “You want to make sure everything turns out the way you think it should.”

“I just want to do what’s right.”

“You can’t always do the right thing. No matter how much you want to.”

“I know.” Grief pulsed from his mentor, sharper and deeper than Jaypaw expected. “But I’ll always try.”

CHAPTER 6

Hollypaw watched the dawn sky lighten. Was it too early to visit Cinderpaw? Leafpool had shooed her away the night before; her patient had been sleeping.

The thorn barrier rustled. The dawn patrol was returning.

Graystripe and Dustpelt padded into the camp, followed by Whitewing and Icepaw. Whitewing was trying to persuade her apprentice to be quiet. “You’ve been chattering nonstop since we left,” she scolded. “We’re home now, and your Clanmates are still sleeping.”

“But I was only asking Graystripe if I could go with him to tell Firestar.” It had been Icepaw’s first dawn patrol, and the young apprentice was fizzing with energy.

“This is serious news.” Graystripe flicked Icepaw’s ear gently with his tail. “I’m not sure Firestar will want you bouncing around his den while he hears it.”

Hollypaw pricked her ears. “What news?” She padded forward.

“You’ll know soon enough,” Graystripe called as he followed Dustpelt up the rocks to Highledge.

Disappointed, Hollypaw turned away and stared at the medicine cat’s den. I’ll just peek in and see if anyone’s awake. She padded to the cave and nosed her way through the brambles that covered the entrance. Blinking to adjust to the half-light, she saw Leafpool mixing herbs by a cleft in the rock.

Hollypaw entered the den. “Is that for Cinderpaw?” she whispered.

Leafpool nodded without looking up. “Yes, it is.”

“I’ve come to see her,” Hollypaw explained. “Is she awake?”

A croaking mew sounded from a nest in the shadows. “I’ve been awake for ages.” Cinderpaw sounded in pain. Hollypaw hurried over to her friend’s nest. The gray apprentice lay awkwardly on the moss, her injured leg sticking out, her eyes dull.

Leafpool padded across the cave and dropped a mouthful of leaves beside the nest.

Hollypaw gazed anxiously at the medicine cat. “Is she okay?”

“She’s wrenched the muscles in her leg.”

“In that case, she just needs to start using it,” Hollypaw mewed brightly. “To build up her strength.”

“Easy for you to say,” Cinderpaw grumbled.

“Come on, try stretching it,” Hollypaw encouraged.

Trembling, Cinderpaw strained to move her leg. “I can’t!”

Hollypaw’s heart lurched. Cinderpaw had never sounded so miserable.