His hind legs pumping, he headed for a narrow gap with Twoleg nests on one side and a high wooden fence on the other. Hollyleaf and the rest of her Clanmates raced after him, with the dogs yelping at their paws. Hollyleaf had never been more terrified in her life, not even when Ashfur had held them prisoner on the burning cliff top. She expected sharp yellow teeth to pierce her flank at any moment. Her paws felt as if they were on fire from running on the hard stone, and her breath tore from her chest.

Lionblaze was pelting along beside her, his fur fluffed up so he looked twice his normal size. Hollyleaf knew that he wanted to turn and face the dogs. No! They’ll tear you apart!

“Don’t leave me!” she gasped between panting breaths.

Yet more dogs appeared ahead of them, crowding down the narrow alley. Brambleclaw swerved through another gap onto a path between thick hedges; his Clanmates stayed hard on his paws, but the dogs were catching up.

Hollyleaf realized that their enemies were running steadily, not putting out all their strength, as they waited for the cats to tire so they could be picked off easily. That’s how Crowfeather taught Breezepaw to catch rabbits, when we were on the journey to the mountains, she recalled. But we’re the prey now!

Suddenly Brambleclaw halted and squeezed through a narrow gap at the foot of the hedge, his hind paws scrabbling as he forced his body through. “Come on!” he panted. “They can’t follow us through here!”

Brackenfur shoved Hazeltail through next, then Birchfall. “Hollyleaf—quick!” he meowed.

Hollyleaf didn’t want to leave her brother, but there was no time to argue. She pushed her way through the prickly bushes; Brackenfur followed and Lionblaze scrambled after him, so quickly that he left some of his golden fur behind on the thorns.

“Mangy crow-food-eaters!” he yowled back through the hedge.

Her chest heaving, Hollyleaf glanced around. She was standing on a smooth stretch of bright green grass, surrounded by low-growing bushes. At one side was a Twoleg den; all the doors and windows were shut, and there was no sign of any Twolegs.

“Maybe now we can—” Brambleclaw began.

He broke off, and Hollyleaf stared in horror as she saw that the hedge stopped near the wall of the Twoleg nest, leaving just a low wooden fence to fill the gap. The dogs were leaping effortlessly over the fence, and bounding across the grass toward the patrol. Their eyes were gleaming with hunger and scorn, and their growls had changed to joyful yelping.

They’re enjoying this! Hollyleaf realized as she turned to flee.

Suddenly the door to the den burst open. A Twoleg rushed out, screeching and shaking a long stick at the dogs. Another Twoleg followed with a yowl, something shiny in his hands. He swung it toward the dogs; water cascaded out of it, but the dogs just shook it off.

The far side of the Twoleg territory was also bordered by a wooden fence. Brambleclaw raced toward it, waving his tail for the others to follow. Breathlessly they scrambled up the slippery wood. Hazeltail started to slip back; Brackenfur gave her a shove from below, and Brambleclaw grabbed her scruff to haul her the rest of the way. Hollyleaf realized as she clambered to safety that her paws had left smears of blood on the wood.