“Hey, you’ve discovered a new way to fetch water for the elders!” Hazeltail put in.

Her pelt itching with frustration, Hollyleaf tried again to wrench her tongue free, only getting another stab of pain for her efforts. “It hurt-th! Do thomething!”

She pictured herself crouched on the hard ground with her tongue stretched out, and suddenly she felt laughter bubbling up inside her. I guess I do look pretty funny. She couldn’t remember the last time she had found anything to laugh at.

“Hollyleaf.” Brambleclaw was at her side; his amber eyes sparkled, but his voice was gentle as he touched his nose to her ear. “Breathe out hard. Your warm breath should melt the ice.”

He crouched down next to her and let out a long breath at the patch of ice where she was stuck. A trickle of warmth spread through Hollyleaf; it was good to be cared for. But the warm feeling turned to ice as Brambleclaw broke off to add, “You know, you’re just like your mother. She was always getting stuck in things, too.”

She’s not my mother!

Hollyleaf let out a fierce breath and tugged at her tongue again, gasping as it came free at last. The frozen puddle was glossy with melted water where Brambleclaw had breathed on it. But she wasn’t going to thank him. “Right,” she meowed, straightening up. “I’m okay. Let’s—”

She broke off as a low growl sounded behind her. Every cat spun around. A couple of fox-lengths away, a line of dogs was standing on the other side of the Thunderpath, blocking their way. There were five of them, all different shapes, from a small, rough-coated brown-and-white one to a huge black-and-tan brute. Vicious hatred glared out of their eyes.

Hollyleaf heard Hazeltail whisper, “Oh, no…”

“Back away.” Brambleclaw’s voice was quiet but steady. “Don’t turn and run.”

Fear froze Hollyleaf’s paws to the ground harder than the ice had trapped her tongue. She couldn’t move. It was too easy to imagine the dogs’ teeth ripping into her pelt, her blood streaming out….

She staggered as Lionblaze gave her a hard nudge. “Come on!” he hissed.

Suddenly Hollyleaf found she could move again. All her instincts were screeching at her to turn and flee, but she forced herself to retreat paw step by paw step; the line of dogs advanced, keeping the same distance between them and the cats. The big black-and-tan dog opened its jaws to show dripping yellow teeth. A drawn-out snarl came from its throat.

Not much farther, Hollyleaf told herself. Once we’re away from this Twolegplace, we can climb the trees.

Then every hair on her pelt stood on end as she heard another growl from behind. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that two more dogs had appeared, cutting off their escape route. They looked as vicious as the first dogs, with gaping jaws and lolling tongues.

“We’re fresh-kill,” Birchfall murmured.

At the same instant, the first set of dogs leaped forward.

“Run!” Brambleclaw yowled.