“Run!” he croaked feebly.

But the cats barely had time to struggle to their paws before the snow was upon them. Jayfeather lost his balance, tumbling over and over. The mass of snow thundered around him as it swept him down the mountain. The bird had vanished; he lost sight of the other cats. Nothing was left but a storm of white, roaring louder and louder until it blotted out everything.

What’s happening? Jayfeather yowled silently. Is this the end?

CHAPTER 16

“Come on, move your tail, Mousewhisker! We haven’t got all day!”

Ivypool’s ears flicked up at the sound of Brambleclaw’s cheerful yowl. She was crouching among the ferns at the entrance to the apprentices’ den, watching as a soft milky light strengthened in the sky above the hollow, and the warriors began to emerge for the dawn patrols.

The ThunderClan deputy shoved Mousewhisker in front of him as they slid out of their den between the beech branches; the younger cat spun around and playfully swiped at him, his paw missing Brambleclaw’s nose by a mouse-length. Ivypool sighed as she listened to the happy buzz of waking cats. The day was cool and gray and damp, but the air was full of the scent of leaves and growing things. In the last few days the sun had shone, buds on the trees had begun to unfold, and new shoots had poked through the earth. The fresh-kill pile was well stocked for the first time in moons.

But Ivypool couldn’t share her Clanmates’ excitement about the arrival of the new season. Since Dovewing left for the mountains, her sleep had been broken; she couldn’t get used to being alone in the den, and uneasiness prickled in her pelt like a whole nest of ants.

Heaving a sigh, Ivypool padded out into the clearing, where Brambleclaw was assigning the cats to patrols. Cloudtail was emerging from the warriors’ den, his jaws stretched wide in an enormous yawn, while Dustpelt slid out more quickly and arched his back in a long stretch. Whitewing and Brackenfur were stalking around each other, looking as if they were maneuvering for a mock fight. Sorreltail watched them, licking one paw and drawing it over her ears.

Ivypool’s gaze flicked around the clearing, but she couldn’t spot Blossomfall. Where is she? Did she go to the Dark Forest last night? Ivypool dug her claws into the earth floor of the clearing. With so little sleep, she hadn’t visited the Dark Forest for the last couple of nights, but she was sure that the bitter and bloody training sessions were still continuing. So far, she hadn’t had the chance to talk to Blossomfall about what she was doing there.

Perhaps today I should.

“Hey, Ivypool!” Lionblaze called. “Cinderheart and I are doing a border patrol. Do you want to come with us?”

“Great. Thanks.”

“We’re going along the ShadowClan border—” Lionblaze began, but Ivypool’s attention was distracted as she spotted Blossomfall stumbling out of the warriors’ den with Bumblestripe at her side. The young she-cat looked ruffled and exhausted, and she was trying not to limp.