He looked back at the entrance to the nest to see Sol standing there; his glowing amber gaze swept across them. “You are not ready to listen to me yet,” he mewed. “When you are, come again. I’ll be here, waiting for you.”

CHAPTER 24

Hollyleaf’s pelt prickled with frustration as she and her brothers headed back toward their own territory. They had been so close to discovering who their father was! But Sol had enjoyed holding his knowledge out of their reach, like a juicy bit of prey that he meant to keep for himself.

I could have made him tell us, if Lionblaze hadn’t interfered!

She was so angry that she was hardly aware of her surroundings; suddenly Jayfeather nudged her hard in the side, nearly knocking her off her paws. “What—?” she began.

Lionblaze slapped his tail over her mouth. “ShadowClan!” he hissed. “Hide!”

All three cats dived for cover into a bramble thicket. Hollyleaf spat in annoyance as a thorn pierced one of her pads, and she tried to lick it out as ShadowClan scent wreathed around her.

“Ivytail, Smokefoot, and Owlpaw,” Lionblaze reported, peering out through the bramble tendrils. “They’re patroling the border. I hope they didn’t scent us.”

No challenging yowls came from the patrol, and the scents gradually died away, leaving only the smell of the border markers.

“I guess it’s safe to come out now,” Lionblaze mewed after a few heartbeats. “Let’s get back into our own territory as quickly as we can.”

He took the lead, racing over the rough grass, weaving his way around hazel thickets and clumps of fern, until they flashed past their own border markers and drew to a panting halt several fox-lengths into ThunderClan territory.

“We’d better hunt on our way back,” he told them. “That way we can pretend we went out to restock the fresh-kill pile.”

Jayfeather nodded. “And I’ll look for yarrow. If I come back empty-pawed, Leafpool will want to know why.”

Though she did as Lionblaze suggested, padding softly through the undergrowth with her ears pricked and her jaws gaping for the first scent of prey, Hollyleaf’s pelt crawled with resentment. We shouldn’t have to lie and deceive like this! Why can’t we be proud of what we can do?

While stalking a squirrel, she thought about how she could make Sol tell them the name of their father. I’d do anything. Anything! she thought fiercely. She remembered how easily her jaws had met in Ashfur’s throat….

No, don’t think of that! Ashfur had to die because he would have ruined everything. He’s not important now. We’re the ones who matter!

Hollyleaf’s claws tore at the mossy ground under her paws; alerted, the squirrel started up and shot to safety in the nearest tree.

“Mouse dung!” Hollyleaf spat.

“What’s the matter with you?” Lionblaze asked, padding up with a blackbird in his jaws. “Do you expect the prey to come and throw itself onto your claws?”