Path Оf А Warrior

Chapter One

“I think you should wait and see what happens,” Shadowstar told Skystar. Her old friend, the SkyClan leader, stood next to her, watching the last of the ShadowClan cats begin the walk home from Fourtrees. “It’s hard to know what Twolegs will do… .”

Distracted, she trailed off as her medicine cat, Pebble Heart, glanced back at her and at ShadowClan’s deputy, Sun Shadow. Shadowstar twitched her ears, signaling that he should lead the Clan back to their camp. She and Sun Shadow would stay behind to calm Skystar down.

Skystar bristled, his tail slashing through the air. “It’s quite clear to me what these Twolegs are doing,” he mewed bitterly, “even if the other leaders don’t seem convinced. Every day, my patrols report the same Twolegs on our land, looking around as if they’re marking territory. I think they’re drawing their own borders.”

“I know you do,” Shadowstar replied patiently. Skystar had spent much of tonight’s full-moon Gathering explaining his concerns about the Twolegs. “But why would Twolegs want your territory? They have their own places.”

Skystar sighed, his shoulders drooping. “You don’t understand. You would feel differently if it were ShadowClan’s territory at risk. At least promise me that if the Twolegs keep patrolling on SkyClan’s territory, you’ll stand with me at the next Gathering. We’ll need to convince all five Clans to act together.”

“Of course I will,” Shadowstar promised, touching her nose to his. But I’m sure I won’t have to. What could Twolegs want in the forest?

She and Sun Shadow at last said good-bye to Skystar and headed out of Fourtrees toward their own camp. The full moon hung high overhead, lighting their path through the darkness, and Shadowstar matched her pace to her deputy’s, both running lightly through the night. In the moonlight, Sun Shadow’s slender, dark-furred shape reminded Shadowstar so much of her brother, Moon Shadow.

Shadowstar sighed. Lately she’d been thinking of her littermate, Sun Shadow’s father, so often. Moon Shadow had been the cat she’d felt closest to, and he’d died—horribly, in a fire—not long after they had traveled from the mountains to the forest, many seasons ago. Part of me died with him, she thought now.

She wished that Moon Shadow had lived to see the life she and the other cats from the mountains had built here: their five thriving Clans, the peace between them, and the fine hunting around their territories, so different from the starvation they’d fled. They’d found the future they’d been hoping for when they left the mountains, but her brother had not been with them to enjoy it.

Sun Shadow, who’d arrived from the mountains long after Moon Shadow’s death, had never known his father. But he had Moon Shadow’s determination and pride. He’ll be a brave leader one day, Shadowstar thought. When she lost her final life—far in the future, she hoped—he’d guide ShadowClan well.

They’d crossed the Thunderpath onto ShadowClan land and were surrounded by pine trees when Sun Shadow suddenly stopped, sniffing the breeze.

“What is it?” Shadowstar asked, halting beside him. Before her deputy could answer, she scented it herself. “Dogs!” The thick, meaty scent made her wrinkle her nose in disgust, even as her chest constricted with tension. What are dogs doing on our territory?

“Do you think our Clanmates could have run into them heading back to camp?” Sun Shadow asked, his mew sounding much younger and less sure of himself than usual.

Shadowstar tasted the air. She could scent that several dogs had been here very recently, and ShadowClan would have passed this way on their way home. “There’s no fear-scent,” she said hesitantly, “no blood or anger. I don’t think our Clanmates met the dogs.”

“Thank StarClan,” Sun Shadow said. Then a rough bark sounded in the distance—not distant enough, Shadowstar thought—and he stiffened. More barks and howls joined in. Sun Shadow’s eyes rounded with fear. “They’re coming this way. What should we do?”

Shadowstar thought quickly. No dogs should be taken lightly, but those barks are deep enough to come from large dogs. We have to lead them away from ShadowClan’s camp. “Let’s head back toward the Thunderpath,” she decided. “Maybe they won’t be able to track our scents over the Thunderpath stink.”

Together, they hurried back toward the edge of ShadowClan’s territory. The full moon was beginning to move down the sky, throwing long shadows across the ground. As she crossed beneath the low-hanging branches of a pine tree, Shadowstar’s pelt prickled and the fur on her back rose. It felt like unfriendly eyes were watching her. Hesitating, she looked up into the tree, her steps slowing.

The branches above her were empty. The smell of the dogs was stronger than ever, and a howl sounded close behind them.

“What is it?” Sun Shadow hissed.

“This way,” Shadowstar told him, turning to run parallel to the Thunderpath. “Let’s put some distance between us and our camp.” Flicking her tail, she dismissed the odd feeling of being watched. Who could it be? There had been peace between the five Clans for many moons now, and no rogue or loner would dare attack a Clan cat on their own territory.

The snarls and howls were louder now, the dogs eagerly following their scent. They’re going to catch up with us, she thought. Flattening her ears, she ran faster, Sun Shadow by her side.

Four dogs burst out of the trees behind them, barking. Shadowstar’s heart pounded, and her breath was quick and shallow. We should have climbed up onto a branch, she thought, but there was no time now, and they were away from the trees, the hard surface of the Thunderpath beneath their paws. She stretched her legs and ran her fastest; they were almost to the Twoleg bridge. Maybe they won’t chase us far.

A fifth dog, a shaggy brown one even bigger than the rest, stepped out of the shadows to block their path. It snarled, showing sharp white teeth. Shadowstar and Sun Shadow skidded to a stop, their claws scraping the Thunderpath. Panting, they started to double back—but the dogs who had been chasing them were too close now, their jaws gaping and their tails waving. Their scent was overwhelming. Where are they coming from?

The warriors pressed together, craning their necks to watch all five dogs. Crouching low, Sun Shadow hissed, and an answering growl came from the dogs. Two were black, both almost as big as the shaggy brown one. One was medium-sized, close-furred, and brown, and one was smaller and white with curling fur, its pink tongue dangling as it panted eagerly.

She could feel Sun Shadow trembling.

“Let’s take on the smallest one together,” Shadowstar murmured quickly. “Then we’ll head for the trees. Once we’re up a tree, they won’t be able to reach us.” The largest dog was coming closer, growling gutturally.

Sun Shadow nodded and took a deep breath. “I’m ready,” he mewed, his voice quiet.

Shadowstar tensed her hindquarters. “Now!” she yowled, and dashed toward the white dog, Sun Shadow a blur of motion beside her.

Shadowstar swiped her claws across the white dog’s face, and it flinched backward, blood running from the scratch. Sun Shadow launched himself at the dog’s side, clawing at its shoulder, and it turned, yelping, to face the new threat.

“Go!” Shadowstar jumped onto the dog’s back and dug in her claws. It howled, twisting and snapping, trying to reach her, and Sun Shadow dived between its legs and came out behind it, dashing toward the trees. The other dogs were barking in confusion and rage.

Balanced on the dog’s back, Shadowstar looked toward the trees, gauging how far she’d have to run. For a moment, she thought she saw amber eyes—cat eyes—blinking at her from the shadowed branches. Was help coming? But the eyes didn’t move. They just watched. Shadowstar leaped from the dog’s back, heading for safety.

In midair, she was suddenly jerked back, a sharp pain shooting through her hindquarters. One of the larger black dogs had caught her in its jaws as she jumped. Like prey, she thought, horrified, and twisted to claw at its muzzle. Her vision clouded with agony.

The dog snarled, shaking her as she tried desperately to run, her forepaws churning. Through her shock, Shadowstar could see Sun Shadow near the tree line, looking back in horror.

Run, she thought desperately, run! ShadowClan needs you.

Sun Shadow turned and began to run—back, toward the dogs, toward Shadowstar.

No! she thought, and then everything went dark.

The sun was warm on Shadowstar’s back. The pain was gone. She lay still for a moment, her eyes closed, breathing in the rich scents of prey and growing plants all around her.

She knew where she was.

Those dogs killed me, she thought, outraged. Now I have only one life left.

When Windstar’s daughter Moth Flight had told the Clans’ leaders that StarClan had given them each nine lives, guaranteeing they would be able to take the risks a leader must and still have all the moons they’d need to guide their Clans, Shadowstar had been dubious. How could a cat die more than one death? But then she had died—after an attack by a badger—and gone to StarClan and woken again, healed, with a memory of this warm, green place.

She had died eight times: from the badger’s attack, a miserable coughing illness, a Twoleg monster on the Thunderpath, and a fight with a rogue before the Clans had fully established their rights to the forest. She’d fallen from a tree while hunting, she’d been swept away by the river—she’d saved a kit from drowning, so it had been worth it—and she’d had an infected wound that even Pebble Heart hadn’t been able to treat. And now these mangy dogs.

Only one more life.

It would be fine, Shadowstar reasoned. Most cats—all cats who weren’t Clan leaders—had only one life. All through the long struggle to find territory and establish her Clan, those terrible moons when all the cats seemed to turn their claws against one another, she’d had only one life.

Still, she now felt vulnerable. As if a great owl were hovering above her, its talons outstretched.

Most cats have only one life, she reminded herself again.

Most cats. Shadowstar’s heart gave a sickening thud. Please, StarClan, please let Sun Shadow have gotten away.

But when she opened her eyes, her heart sank. Sun Shadow was on his feet beside her, blinking nervously at two cats who stood before him. The dogs killed him, too. “Gray Wing?” he asked tentatively. “But you’re …” He turned to face the other cat, a black tom. “And I don’t know you.”

Shadowstar climbed to her paws and pressed her shoulder against his. “This is your father,” she mewed gently, taking in her beloved brother’s outline, now glittering with faint stars. “Hello, Moon Shadow. It’s been a while. Hello, Gray Wing.”

Both StarClan toms dipped their heads to her, their eyes warm with affection. Shadowstar turned to face Sun Shadow, and now she noticed the stars shining in his fur, too. “I’m so sorry,” she told him. Guilt flooded through her. I should have protected him.

“It’s not your fault. You told me to run. But I couldn’t leave you to fight them off alone.” Sun Shadow’s amber eyes were wide. “But … I’m dead? I don’t remember exactly… .”

Moon Shadow stepped forward and brushed his cheek against his son’s. “I’ve been watching you since you came to the forest,” he meowed gently. “I’m so proud of you. This is where you belong now.”

“It is?” Sun Shadow looked at Shadowstar anxiously, his ears twitching. “But what about ShadowClan?”

“We will watch over them together,” Moon Shadow told him with a purr. “Come with me.”

Hesitantly, Sun Shadow stepped toward him. In a moment, they were gone, leaving a trail of starry paw prints in the grass. Shadowstar looked after them, aching inside. Whatever Sun Shadow said, she should have been able to prevent his death. She was his leader. What would she do without her deputy?

In the grass at some distance, she could see a faint black shape. Herself, stars glimmering in her fur. Each time she came here, the shape was a little clearer, a little firmer. Next time, it would be her.

She brushed her tail against Gray Wing’s. “I only have one more life,” she mewed.

“I hope it’ll be enough.” Gray Wing’s expression was grim.

Alarm stirred inside Shadowstar. “What do you mean?” she asked.

Gray Wing shook his head. “I don’t know what it will mean for ShadowClan, or for any of the Clans, when you die,” he told her, his gaze steady. “None of us do. A leader’s never lost all nine lives before. I hope that ShadowClan will be strong enough to survive your loss. If ShadowClan falls apart, it could destroy all the Clans.”

Shadowstar shuddered, suddenly chilled. She’d founded ShadowClan. She’d brought all those cats together and built their life in the pine forest. Would they stay together without her? The feeling of vulnerability was back, stronger than before. One life was such a fragile, temporary thing.

And it wasn’t just her own life that was at stake. It was also the life of her Clan.