Honeyfern sprang backward with a screech of pain. “Help!”

CHAPTER 17

Hollyleaf pushed her way through the thorn tunnel with a vole and two mice dangling from her jaws. Her hunting patrol had done well, but her nose and paws were numb with cold as she padded over to the fresh-kill pile. The leaf-bare sun didn’t penetrate the shadows under the trees, and the ground there was still frozen.

She was dropping her prey on the pile when she heard a shriek from the base of the cliff, on the far side of the medicine cats’ den. Whirling around, she saw Lionblaze bolt into the middle of the clearing, his pelt bristling as if a whole Clan of enemies were on his tail.

“Help! Come quick!” he screeched. “Honeyfern’s been bitten by a snake!”

Icy terror coursed through Hollyleaf’s blood as she rushed across the clearing. They’d never had a snake in the hollow before! When she reached the cliff, she saw Briarkit cowering at the base of the rocks; the little kit was trembling, her eyes wide with shock. Millie bounded up and drew her away with her tail wrapped protectively around the kit.

Berrynose crouched beside Honeyfern, who was lying on her side with her paws splayed out; her breath came fast and shallow, and her eyes were full of terror. A thin line of blood on her shoulder showed where the snake had struck.

Sorreltail and Brackenfur raced across from the warriors’ den with the same look of horror in their eyes when they saw their wounded daughter. Cinderheart, Honeyfern’s littermate, was hard on their paws.

As they skidded to a halt, Sorreltail pressed her muzzle into Brackenfur’s shoulder. “No…oh, no…” she whispered. “I can’t lose another kit! Not after Molekit! Please, StarClan…”

“Where’s Poppyfrost?” Hollyleaf muttered to Lionblaze as her brother came running back. Sorreltail needed all her kits right now.

“Out on patrol,” Lionblaze replied. “She—”

He broke off as Leafpool pushed her way through the knot of cats. “Stand back and give me some room,” she ordered.

Berrynose glared at her. “I’m not leaving,” he snarled.

Ignoring him, Leafpool crouched beside Honeyfern and rested one paw on her shoulder. “Try not to move,” she meowed.

Hollyleaf waited expectantly for Leafpool to start helping Honeyfern. Surely she would know what to do? But she hadn’t brought any herbs with her, and she wasn’t doing anything more than sitting beside the trembling tabby warrior.

Leafpool looked up, her gaze sweeping over the crowd of cats and coming to rest on Cinderheart. There was a pleading look in her eyes, so desperate and hopeful that it made Hollyleaf wince. I don’t understand, she thought. What does she want from Cinderheart?

“Help me!” Honeyfern had begun to twitch and writhe in pain. “My blood is on fire! Help me, please! It hurts so much!”

Berrynose stared at Leafpool. “Do something!” he begged. His gaze swept over the cluster of cats. “One of you, do something!”