In the middle of the hollow, he could hear Brambleclaw’s voice raised as he gave out the instructions for the first patrols of the day. “Graystripe, you can lead the dawn patrol. Take Squirrelflight, Birchfall, and Brightheart.”

“We’re on our way,” Graystripe responded.

“Keep an eye on the ShadowClan border,” Brambleclaw warned him. “We don’t want any more trouble.” As Graystripe’s patrol moved off, the deputy continued, “Thornclaw, you can take a hunting patrol along the stream that borders WindClan. There might still be some prey sheltering along the bank.”

“Okay, Brambleclaw. Which cats should I take with me?”

The deputy hesitated for a heartbeat, then meowed, “Blossomfall, Berrynose, and Lionblaze. Cinderheart, you lead another patrol down toward the lake….”

As soon as Jayfeather heard his brother’s name mentioned, he stopped listening to Brambleclaw and headed across the camp to intercept Lionblaze before he reached the thorns. “Lionblaze, wait! We have to go to the mountains!”

“What?” Lionblaze radiated shock and impatience. “Jayfeather, I’m headed out on patrol. You can’t spring something like that on me now.”

Jayfeather flicked his tail dismissively. “I had a dream,” he insisted. “Our destiny lies there!”

He could tell that he had aroused his brother’s interest. “Was it a dream from StarClan?” Lionblaze queried.

“No, from a cat even older than that. I think he knows where the prophecy comes from. Lionblaze, we have to go!”

CHAPTER 5

Ivypool thought her paws might drop off as she stumbled into her den and flopped down on her nest of moss and bracken. “I’m glad that’s over! I could sleep for a moon.”

“But it was worth it,” Dovewing mewed as she curled herself around her sister. “We’re warriors!” As Ivypool pressed gratefully into her warm pelt, she added softly, “Don’t go to the Dark Forest tonight. You need to rest.”

I wish I had the choice, Ivypool thought wearily. Didn’t Dovewing understand that she couldn’t control her visits to the Place of No Stars? I’d give anything not to have to wake up there ever again. But she didn’t speak the words aloud. She didn’t want to make Dovewing even more worried about her safety.

Warmed by her sister’s fur, Ivypool drifted into sleep. When she opened her eyes she hoped for a heartbeat that she would see her familiar den around her, with sunlight filtering in through the grasses that overhung the entrance. Instead, she found herself surrounded by the pale, sickly light of the Dark Forest. She was crouching in the shadow of a clump of bracken, the dead gray fronds arching over her head. A narrow path wound through the undergrowth a tail-length in front of her paws.

Ivypool let out a sigh. I should have known.

Before she could move, she heard approaching meows and the sound of several cats brushing through undergrowth. Ivypool waited as the first of them burst into the open.

“Did you see the move Thistleclaw taught me?” Breezepelt boasted. “Wait till I get the chance to try it out on one of those ThunderClan mange-pelts!”