“Nettle, I beg you,” Rowanclaw began, taking a pace or two down into the hollow. “I know I was a weak leader . . . I let Darktail and his Kin destroy my Clan, and I alone should bear their suffering. I deserve everything you can do to me.”

His head was drooping submissively and his tail trailed on the ground. He was the exact image of a weak and defeated cat. Violetshine could see the contempt and anticipation in Nettle’s and Sleekwhisker’s eyes.

“Grab the kits! Run!”

Rowanclaw’s yowl split the quiet air. At the same moment, he exploded upward in a massive leap that brought him down on top of Nettle, thrusting him away from the kits. Nettle let out a screech, and the two cats rolled across the hollow in a tight knot of slashing claws and teeth. Sleekwhisker dived in and attacked Rowanclaw from behind.

At the same moment Yarrowleaf snatched up Hopkit by the scruff, while Tawnypelt leaped across the pool to grab Flaxkit. Together the two she-cats raced up the side of the hollow and vanished into the undergrowth.

Raven and the tabby kittypet streaked in pursuit, but Violetshine sprang in front of them, with Macgyver at her side.

“This is for Needletail!” Violetshine hissed as she flung herself at Raven, digging her claws into the black she-cat’s shoulders. Raven’s paws skidded under her onslaught, and the two of them slid back down the slope. Violetshine’s breath was driven out of her as she landed hard on a rock that jutted out of the ground.

Raven’s eyes gleamed close to her own. “Darktail should have killed you when he had the chance,” she snarled.

In answer, Violetshine lashed out with one forepaw and felt her claws rake across Raven’s shoulder. The black she-cat let out a shriek of pain and jerked her head forward, her teeth snapping at Violetshine’s throat.

Violetshine thrust herself back, bringing up her hind paws to batter Raven in the belly. She felt a surge of triumph as her enemy scrabbled at the ground to get away. She was starting to rise to her paws to chase Raven off when something struck her hard from behind and a heavy weight landed on her, blotting out the light as she fell to the ground.

The huge tom’s voice spoke in her ear. “Get ready to die, flea-pelt!”

Violetshine squirmed helplessly under his weight. She had a mouthful of fur and couldn’t breathe. Sharp pain clawed through her hindquarters. Darkness welled up around her as if she were being whirled downward into a bottomless pool.

Suddenly the weight vanished. Gasping, spitting out fur, Violetshine tottered to her paws to see Tawnypelt fighting with the black-and-white kittypet.

She came back! Violetshine realized with relief.