It’s about time the twigs were cleared. I hated not knowing where to put my paws every time I had to go in and out.

He raised his head, whiskers quivering as he checked what was going on in the hollow.

Poppyfrost was rounding up her kits, shooing them back to their nests as the sun went down and the scant warmth of the day began to fade. Sandstorm emerged from the warriors’ den and climbed the rocks to join Firestar in his den. Near the mouth of the thorn tunnel, Lionblaze and Cinderheart were instructing their former apprentices about their night vigil.

The camp was peaceful, but Jayfeather’s paws itched to be moving. He knew exactly where he wanted to go: to check out the hole that Icecloud had fallen down. He could almost feel the earth beneath him teeming with lost cats, the ones who never made it out of the tunnels to become sharpclaws.

And Rock! Maybe Rock is there, too!

Jayfeather remembered how the ancient cat had come to him in the lake when he was trying to rescue Flametail, and told him that it wasn’t his time to die. Maybe that meant that Rock was prepared to speak to him again.

“Remember, you have to keep silent.” Lionblaze’s voice drifted across the camp to Jayfeather’s ears. “But nothing says you can’t help each other. If one of you looks sleepy, the other can prod her awake.”

“Off you go, then,” Cinderheart meowed.

Jayfeather heard the two new warriors pushing their way out through the thorn tunnel, while Cinderheart headed for the warriors’ den. As Lionblaze turned to follow her, Jayfeather rose to his paws and bounded across to intercept him.

“Take me to the hole,” he demanded.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure.” Jayfeather lashed his tail. “Why do you think I asked, mouse-brain?”

“Okay, okay.” Lionblaze huffed out his breath. “Keep your fur on. I’ll go with you.”

“Then let’s get moving.”

As Jayfeather emerged into the forest behind his brother, he picked up curiosity from both the young she-cats who were on watch by the entrance to the hollow. He guessed that they would be asking questions if they hadn’t been on silent vigil.

“We’ve got…er…stuff to do,” Lionblaze mewed to the new warriors.

Jayfeather sniffed. Sounding awkward will only make them more curious! “Medicine cat stuff,” he snapped. “And I need a warrior with me.”

He could feel the she-cats’ gazes boring into his back as he padded after Lionblaze toward the old Twoleg nest. It was a relief when the undergrowth closed around them and he knew he was out of their sight. But as Jayfeather followed his brother down the old Thunderpath and veered off to climb the slope, he felt his paws growing heavier. Too many memories were thronging into his mind. He seemed to hear Hollyleaf again as she fled into the tunnel, the underground river roaring behind her.

We couldn’t stop her. She wouldn’t listen when we tried to warn her.