Outcast
Erin Hunter
Warriors Power of Three Outcast
Erin Hunter
To Jessica
Special thanks to Cherith Baldry
Contents
Allegiances
Map
Prologue
“Prey-stealers! This is our territory.” A gray tomcat spat out…
Chapter 1
Jaypaw stretched, feeling the sun beat down on his fur.
Chapter 2
Lionpaw pushed his way through clumps of long grass wet…
Chapter 3
Hollypaw pushed through the brambles into the nursery and set…
Chapter 4
Hollypaw slipped out under the brambles that sheltered the apprentice…
Chapter 5
Cool night air whispered through Jaypaw’s fur. Up above, he…
Chapter 6
Poppypaw dived forward; Lionpaw could see she was trying to…
Chapter 7
“I’ve got a plan,” Hollypaw announced. She and Cinderpaw had…
Chapter 8
Jaypaw stiffened at the sound of screeching from the entrance…
Chapter 9
“Jaypaw! Hey, Jaypaw!” Jaypaw felt a sharp nudge in his…
Chapter 10
Every hair on Lionpaw’s pelt prickled with excitement. The moment…
Chapter 11
Wind whipped through Lionpaw’s pelt as he raced toward the…
Chapter 12
Hollypaw stood on the bank of the stream that formed…
Chapter 13
Jaypaw shivered in the dawn chill. The sharp scent of…
Chapter 14
Jaypaw could feel dappled sunlight and shade on his pelt…
Chapter 15
Lionpaw stood beside his sister, gazing down at the lake…
Chapter 16
Hollypaw turned to stare at her mother. “You know this…
Chapter 17
“We’ve got to get out!” The WindClan apprentice abandoned the…
Chapter 18
Jaypaw tried to sink his claws into the bare rock.
Chapter 19
Hollypaw slid out her claws, muscles tensed to spring into…
Chapter 20
Lionpaw followed Talon as he picked his way down the…
Chapter 21
Lionpaw stared in disbelief. Stoneteller didn’t want them here? Was…
Chapter 22
Jaypaw heard his brother’s sigh and felt disappointment rolling off…
Chapter 23
Lionpaw watched as the Tribe cats broke up into small,…
Chapter 24
Hollypaw led the to-bes out of the cave in time…
Chapter 25
Jaypaw lay in the moss-lined nest beside Lionpaw and Hollypaw,…
Chapter 26
Once the injured cats had been treated and were resting…
Chapter 27
Horror slashed through Hollypaw like the claws of fighting cats.
Chapter 28
Beneath the full moon the mountains were washed with silver,…
Chapter 29
Jaypaw lay in the sleeping hollow where the scents of…
About the Author
Other Books by Erin Hunter
Credits
Copyright
About the Publisher
ALLEGIANCES
THUNDERCLAN
LEADER
FIRESTAR—ginger tom with a flame-colored pelt
DEPUTY
BRAMBLECLAW—dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
APPRENTICE, BERRYPAW
MEDICINE CAT
LEAFPOOL—light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes
APPRENTICE, JAYPAW
WARRIORS
(toms, and she-cats without kits)
SQUIRRELFLIGHT—dark ginger she-cat with green eyes
DUSTPELT—dark brown tabby tom
APPRENTICE, HAZELPAW
SANDSTORM—pale ginger she-cat
APPRENTICE, HONEYPAW
CLOUDTAIL—long-haired white tom
APPRENTICE, CINDERPAW
BRACKENFUR—golden brown tabby tom
APPRENTICE, HOLLYPAW
SORRELTAIL—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes
THORNCLAW—golden brown tabby tom
APPRENTICE, POPPYPAW
BRIGHTHEART—white she-cat with ginger patches
ASHFUR—pale gray (with darker flecks) tom, dark blue eyes
APPRENTICE, LIONPAW
SPIDERLEG—long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes
APPRENTICE, MOUSEPAW
BROOK WHERE SMALL FISH SWIM
(BROOK)—brown tabby she-cat, formerly of the Tribe of Rushing Water
STORMFUR—dark gray tom with amber eyes, formerly of RiverClan
WHITEWING—white she-cat with green eyes
BIRCHFALL—light brown tabby tom
GRAYSTRIPE—long-haired gray tom
APPRENTICES
(more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)
BERRYPAW—cream-colored tom
HAZELPAW—small gray-and-white she-cat
MOUSEPAW—gray-and-white tom
CINDERPAW—gray tabby she-cat
HONEYPAW—light brown tabby she-cat
POPPYPAW—tortoiseshell she-cat
LIONPAW—golden tabby tom
HOLLYPAW—black she-cat
JAYPAW—gray tabby tom
QUEENS
(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)
FERNCLOUD—pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat, green eyes, mother of Dustpelt’s kits: Icekit (white she-cat) and Foxkit (reddish tabby tom)
DAISY—cream long-furred cat from the horseplace, mother of Spiderleg’s kits: Rosekit (dark cream she-cat) and Toadkit (black-and-white tom)
MILLIE—striped gray tabby she-cat, former kittypet
ELDERS
(former warriors and queens, now retired)
LONGTAIL—pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, retired early due to failing sight
MOUSEFUR—small dusky brown she-cat
SHADOWCLAN
LEADER
BLACKSTAR—large white tom with huge jet-black paws
DEPUTY
RUSSETFUR—dark ginger she-cat
MEDICINE CAT
LITTLECLOUD—very small tabby tom
WARRIORS
OAKFUR—small brown tom
ROWANCLAW—ginger tom
SMOKEFOOT—black tom
APPRENTICE, OWLPAW
IVYTAIL—black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat
TOADFOOT—dark brown tom
QUEENS
TAWNYPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes
SNOWBIRD—pure white she-cat
ELDERS
CEDARHEART—dark gray tom
TALLPOPPY—long-legged light brown tabby she-cat
WINDCLAN
LEADER
ONESTAR—brown tabby tom
DEPUTY
ASHFOOT—gray she-cat
MEDICINE CAT
BARKFACE—short-tailed brown tom
APPRENTICE, KESTRELPAW
WARRIORS
TORNEAR—tabby tom
CROWFEATHER—dark gray tom
APPRENTICE, HEATHERPAW (light brown tabby, blue eyes)
OWLWHISKER—light brown tabby tom
WHITETAIL—small white she-cat
APPRENTICE, BREEZEPAW (black, amber eyes)
NIGHTCLOUD—black she-cat
WEASELFUR—ginger tom with white paws
HARESPRING—brown-and-white tom
QUEENS
GORSETAIL—very pale gray-and-white cat with blue eyes, mother of Thistlekit, Sedgekit, and Swallowkit
ELDERS
MORNINGFLOWER�
��very old tortoiseshell queen
WEBFOOT—dark gray tabby tom
RIVERCLAN
LEADER
LEOPARDSTAR—unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat
DEPUTY
MISTYFOOT—gray she-cat with blue eyes
MEDICINE CAT
MOTHWING—dappled golden she-cat
APPRENTICE, WILLOWPAW
WARRIORS
BLACKCLAW—smoky-black tom
VOLETOOTH—small brown tabby tom
APPRENTICE, MINNOWPAW
REEDWHISKER—black tom
MOSSPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes
APPRENTICE, PEBBLEPAW
BEECHFUR—light brown tom
RIPPLETAIL—dark gray tabby tom
DAWNFLOWER—pale gray she-cat
DAPPLENOSE—mottled gray she-cat
POUNCETAIL—ginger-and-white tom
QUEENS
GRAYMIST—pale gray tabby, mother of Sneezekit and Mallowkit
ICEWING—white cat with green eyes, mother of Beetlekit, Pricklekit, Petalkit, and Grasskit
ELDERS
HEAVYSTEP—thickset tabby tom
SWALLOWTAIL—dark tabby she-cat
STONESTREAM—gray tom
THE TRIBE OF RUSHING WATER
TRIBE-HEALER
TELLER OF THE POINTED STONES
(STONETELLER)—brown tabby tom with amber eyes
PREY-HUNTERS
(toms and she-cats responsible for providing food)
GRAY SKY BEFORE DAWN (GRAY)—pale gray tabby tom
WING SHADOW OVER WATER (WING)—gray-and-white she-cat
STORM CLOUDS AT DUSK (STORM)—dark gray tom
CAVE-GUARDS
(toms and she-cats responsible for guarding the cave)
TALON OF SWOOPING EAGLE
(TALON)—dark brown tabby tom
JAGGED ROCK WHERE HERON SITS
(JAG)—dark gray tom
BIRD THAT RIDES THE WIND (BIRD)—gray-brown she-cat
CRAG WHERE EAGLES NEST (CRAG)—dark gray tom (Brook’s brother)
SHEER PATH BESIDE WATERFALL
(SHEER)—dark brown tabby tom
NIGHT OF NO STARS (NIGHT)—black she-cat
MOSS THAT GROWS BY RIVER
(MOSS)—light brown she-cat
KIT-MOTHERS
(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)
FLIGHT OF STARTLED HERON
(FLIGHT)—brown tabby she-cat (has three very young kits)
SWOOP OF CHESTNUT HAWK
(SWOOP)—dark ginger she-cat (has two older kits)
TO-BES
(tribe apprentices)
SCREECH OF ANGRY OWL
(SCREECH)—black tom (prey-hunter)
SPLASH WHEN FISH LEAPS
(SPLASH)—light brown tabby she-cat (prey-hunter)
PEBBLE THAT ROLLS DOWN MOUNTAIN
(PEBBLE)—gray she-cat (cave-guard)
ELDERS
(former prey-hunters and cave-guards, now retired)
CLOUD WITH STORM IN BELLY
(CLOUD)—white she-cat
RAIN THAT RATTLES ON STONES
(RAIN)—speckled brown tom
CATS OUTSIDE CLANS
STRIPES—large silver tabby tom with dark stripes and amber eyes
FLICK—skinny light brown tom with large pointed ears
FLORA—dark-brown-and-white she-cat with green eyes
TWIST—young tortoiseshell she-cat with white stripes on her face
PURDY—elderly, plump tabby loner with a gray muzzle
Map
PROLOGUE
“Prey-stealers! This is our territory.” A gray tomcat spat out the words. His neck fur bristled and his lips were drawn back in a snarl. His gaze raked over the group of cats who crouched below him on the steep path. Their claws were unsheathed and their eyes were bright and hungry. One of them had a limp rabbit dangling from her jaws. “Our territory and our prey.”
A silver tabby tom gave him an insolent stare. “If it’s your territory, why are there no border markings? The prey here belongs to every cat.”
“That’s not true and you know it.” A black she-cat stood close to the gray tom’s shoulder, her tail lashing. “Get out now!” From the side of her mouth she added in a low mutter, “Crag, we can’t fight them. Remember what happened last time.”
“I know, Night,” the gray tom replied. “But what else can we do?”
On Crag’s other side a huge brown tabby tom thrust his way forward, letting out a hiss of fury. “Take one more paw step and we’ll rip your fur off,” he growled.
Crag touched him on the shoulder with the tip of his tail. “Steady, Talon,” he warned. “Let’s get out of this without ripping fur if we can.”
More cats appeared around a curve in the path, filling the narrow space behind the silver tabby.
“Sheer.” Crag summoned a small tabby tom with a flick of his ears. “Get back to the cave, quickly. Tell them the invaders are back.”
“But—” Sheer was obviously reluctant to leave his friends when they were already outnumbered.
“Now!” Crag snapped.
Sheer turned and fled up the path.
The sun was going down. Rocks cast long shadows over the rough ground, stained red as blood. The faint sound of tumbling water broke the silence, and from the sky came the harsh cry of a hawk.
“This is as far as you go,” Crag meowed. “Turn back and find somewhere else to hunt.”
“Who’s going to make us?” the silver tabby sneered.
“Try staying here, and you’ll see,” Talon hissed.
Crag’s patrol pressed up beside him, blocking the path. But the intruders began fanning out, scrambling onto the boulders on either side. Crag crouched, tensing his muscles. He would fight if he had to, in spite of what had happened last time.
“Stop!”
A brown tabby tom shouldered his way through Crag’s patrol to stand in front of the invaders. Though his muzzle was gray with age, his muscles were still wiry and powerful and he held his head high.
“I am Stoneteller, Tribe-Healer of the Tribe of Rushing Water,” he announced, his voice echoing hoarsely off the rocks. “This is our territory, and you are not welcome here.”
“Territory only belongs to cats who can defend it,” the silver tabby retorted.
“Remember how we drove you out, before the time of frozen water?” Stoneteller growled. “We will do the same again, unless you leave now.”
The silver tabby narrowed his eyes. “Drove us out? That’s not how I remember it.”
“We chose to leave,” a brown-and-white she-cat added from where she crouched on top of a boulder. “We found a better place to spend leaf-bare, with more prey.”
“And now we choose to come back.” The tabby tom lashed his tail. “A few scrawny, flea-ridden excuses for cats aren’t going to stop us.” He flexed his claws, scraping the stones.
“The Tribe of Rushing Water has always made its home in these mountains,” Stoneteller meowed. “We—”
His words were lost in a yowl of fury as the brown-and-white she-cat launched herself from the boulder and fastened her claws in Night’s shoulder. The tabby tom let out a fearsome screech and hurled himself at Crag. As Crag rolled over and over, clawing at his attacker, the air filled with the shrieks of battling cats.
Far above, the Tribe of Endless Hunting looked on helplessly.
CHAPTER 1
Jaypaw stretched, feeling the sun beat down on his fur. A warm breeze whispered around him, full of the scents of green, growing things. Somewhere above his head a bird was trilling, and he could hear the muffled slap of lake water on the shore.
“Jaypaw!”
Light paw steps ruffled the sound of the waves. Jaypaw pictured his mentor, Leafpool, splashing through the shallow water at the edge of the lake.
“Jaypaw!” she repeated, her voice sounding closer. “Come join me. The cool water feels wonderful.”
“No, thanks,” Jaypaw mut
tered.
For him, water was more than the gentle lapping of the lake against his paws. Instead, the sound of the waves brought back memories of cold water surging around him, the weight of soaked fur dragging him down, water filling his mouth and nose and choking the life out of him. He had drowned once in his dreams, lost in the underground tunnels with the ancient warrior Fallen Leaves, and had almost drowned for real when he and his Clanmates rescued the missing WindClan kits.
I’ve had enough water to last for the rest of my life.
“Okay.” Leafpool’s paw steps retreated, faster now as if she was bounding through the shallows, carefree as a kit.
Jaypaw padded on along the shoreline. He was supposed to be looking for mallow, but when he tasted the breeze he couldn’t pick up any of the familiar pungent scent. As soon as the sound of Leafpool’s paw steps faded, he veered away from the water and scrambled up the bank. He had something more important than herbs to find. He prowled forward, nose close to the ground as he sniffed his way through clumps of grass and around shrubs until he came to the gnarled roots of a tree.
Here it is!
He dug his teeth into one end of the stick and pulled it out from behind the root that held it fast to the bank, away from the hungry waves. Crouching beside it, he ran his paw over the scratches, finding the group of five long and three short that stood for the five apprentices and three kits who had been trapped in the tunnels as the waters rose. All of them were scored through: Every cat had made it out alive. Jaypaw remembered making the scratches with Rock’s scent wreathing around him; he had almost felt as though the hairless paw of the ancient spirit was guiding his claws.
But Jaypaw could also feel the single unscored scratch. Fallen Leaves, the ancient cat who had guided them, still walked the tunnels alone.
He closed his eyes and listened for the voices that used to whisper to him, but he could hear nothing except the wind in the trees and the ripple of the lake. “Fallen Leaves? Rock?” he murmured. “Where are you? Why won’t you talk to me anymore?”
