Hazeltail backed away, her eyes wide and scared, then whipped around and plunged away into the bracken.

After the hunting patrol returned, Hollyleaf was too disturbed to stay in the camp. She didn’t want to talk anymore, especially not to Lionblaze or Jayfeather. Instead she headed out alone, down to the lake and then along the WindClan border until she reached the ridge and could look out across the rolling moorland.

Somewhere out there was the WindClan camp and the cat who was her father. His WindClan blood ran in her veins. But I don’t feel half-WindClan!

Hollyleaf knew her home was under the trees, hunting mice and squirrels. The WindClan rabbits looked scrawny and tasteless from running across the hills. She hated the open spaces and the unrelenting wind.

Gazing out across her father’s territory, she yowled silently, No! No! No!

As shadows fell across the stone hollow, Firestar called together the cats who were going to the Gathering. Hollyleaf padded up to join Jayfeather and Lionblaze, deliberately not looking at Squirrelflight and Leafpool a few paces away. Graystripe, Brambleclaw, and Sandstorm bounded up, followed by Cinderheart, Poppyfrost, and Berrynose.

“Let’s go,” Firestar meowed. “And the less we say about Sol, the better, okay?”

He led them down to the lake and along the edge of the water, splashing through the border stream. Hollyleaf felt every hair on her pelt prickle with disgust as she set paw on WindClan territory. I don’t belong here! I want nothing to do with WindClan!

More rain had fallen earlier in the day, but now the clouds had cleared away, leaving the full moon to shine brightly. Hollyleaf stopped and stared up at it. Do you approve of what I’m going to do, StarClan?

With every paw step she was alert for the sight or scent of WindClan cats. She wondered if Crowfeather had been chosen to go to the Gathering. Why should it matter? she thought fiercely. He’s nothing to me. Nothing!

Just ahead of her, Firestar was flanked by Graystripe and Sandstorm. “You know, I still miss Fourtrees,” Sandstorm murmured. “The moon seemed brighter there, somehow.”

Firestar gave her an affectionate nudge. “You sound like an elder!”

Sandstorm swatted at him with her tail. “You wait. I’ll be the crankiest elder the Clans have ever seen. Mousefur will seem sweet and gentle next to me!”

“And hedgehogs will fly,” Graystripe meowed. “But I miss the old forest, too,” he added. “It’s the place we were born. These younger cats will feel just the same about the lake. Isn’t that right?” He glanced over his shoulder at Lionblaze and Hollyleaf.

Lionblaze managed a brief nod, but Hollyleaf couldn’t reply at all. Sheer envy surged over her, jealousy of these cats who knew where they belonged, who had good memories of living by the warrior code, season after season.

They don’t know it’s all a lie!

The horseplace was dark and silent when the ThunderClan cats padded past. There was still no sign of WindClan; Hollyleaf assumed they had already made their way to the island.