“Firestar’s sending extra patrols to the WindClan border to check for invaders,” she explained.

At last! Lionpaw felt a dark thrill at the thought of confronting the prey-thieves.

“We’d better get some sleep,” Hollypaw advised. “We have to be at the border by dawn.”

Lionpaw closed his eyes, relieved that at last he could be useful to his Clan in the only way that made sense.

“Lionpaw!” Tigerstar’s deep yowl roused him. He blinked open his eyes to find himself lying on bare ground, surrounded by close, whispering pine trees.

He was dreaming.

Scanning the gloomy forest, he spotted his nighttime mentor padding from the trees. Hawkfrost was already sitting in the needle-strewn hollow, his amber eyes glowing in the half-light.

“I hope you’re ready,” Tigerstar warned. “I’m going to teach you how to knock any warrior off his paws, no matter how big.” He beckoned Hawkfrost forward with a flick of his striped tail.

Lionpaw stretched his claws. “What do I do?”

“You don’t have the weight yet to overpower every cat,” Firestar told him. “That will come in time. Until it does, use your size to your advantage. You’ll have to be fast. Dart underneath your enemy’s belly, slashing the back of their forepaws as you go. They’ll twist, expecting you on one side, but you’ll be at the other to catch them off balance.”

“How do I get to the other side before they slash me?” Lionpaw wondered.

“I told you. Be fast!” Tigerstar padded around Hawkfrost. “Try it on him.”

Lionpaw dropped into a crouch as Tigerstar stepped out of the way. He focused on the gap beneath Hawkfrost’s white-furred belly, letting energy build in his muscles. Then he shot forward. Darting underneath the long-legged warrior, he drew a paw, claws sheathed, across his forepaws, as Tigerstar had instructed. He felt Hawkfrost twist above him. The warrior was rearing, ready to crash down on him as soon as he emerged. But Lionpaw backed sharply, pulling out the way he had come, like a rabbit backing out of its hole. He hooked his claws into Hawkfrost’s fur, careful not to prick the skin, and dragged Hawkfrost, now unbalanced, down onto the ground.

“Excellent,” Tigerstar purred.

Hawkfrost scrambled to his paws, shaking pine needles from his fur.

Lionpaw lifted his chin and gazed proudly at Tigerstar. “Not bad, huh?”

Paws slammed into his side, knocking him to the ground. Lionpaw struggled, gasping in surprise, but Hawkfrost held him down, his massive paws pressing hard into Lionpaw’s flank.

“Never assume you’ve won until your enemy is dead!” Tigerstar called.

Hawkfrost leaned in close. “Found out any more about that prophecy?” he sneered.

“I don’t think about it anymore,” Lionpaw lied.

Hawkfrost gave him a pitying look. “Haven’t StarClan made you leader of the forest yet?”

Pain seared his side. Hawkfrost’s claws tore his flesh, then let go.