Squirrelflight's Hope
Erin Hunter
Dedication
Special thanks to Kate Cary
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Allegiances
Maps
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Exclusive Manga Adventure
Excerpt from Bravelands #1: Broken Pride
About the Author
Books by Erin Hunter
Back Ads
Copyright
About the Publisher
Allegiances
THUNDERCLAN
LEADER BRAMBLESTAR—dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
DEPUTY SQUIRRELFLIGHT—dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and one white paw
MEDICINE CATS LEAFPOOL—light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, white paws and chest
JAYFEATHER—gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes
ALDERHEART—dark ginger tom with amber eyes
WARRIORS (toms and she-cats without kits)
THORNCLAW—golden-brown tabby tom
WHITEWING—white she-cat with green eyes
BIRCHFALL—light brown tabby tom
BERRYNOSE—cream-colored tom with a stump for a tail
MOUSEWHISKER—gray-and-white tom
POPPYFROST—pale tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat
LIONBLAZE—golden tabby tom with amber eyes
ROSEPETAL—dark cream she-cat
APPRENTICE, BRISTLEPAW (pale gray she-cat)
LILYHEART—small, dark tabby she-cat with white patches and blue eyes
BUMBLESTRIPE—very pale gray tom with black stripes
CHERRYFALL—ginger she-cat
MOLEWHISKER—brown-and-cream tom
CINDERHEART—gray tabby she-cat
BLOSSOMFALL—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with petal-shaped white patches
IVYPOOL—silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes
STEMLEAF—white-and-orange tom
EAGLEWING—ginger she-cat
DEWNOSE—gray-and-white tom
APPRENTICE, THRIFTPAW (dark gray she-cat)
STORMCLOUD—gray tabby tom
HOLLYTUFT—black she-cat
APPRENTICE, FLIPPAW (tabby tom)
FERNSONG—yellow tabby tom
LEAFSHADE—tortoiseshell she-cat
SPOTFUR—spotted tabby she-cat
LARKSONG—black tom
HONEYFUR—white she-cat with yellow splotches
SPARKPELT—orange tabby she-cat
TWIGBRANCH—gray she-cat with green eyes
FINLEAP—brown tom
SNAPPTOOTH—golden tabby tom
FLYWHISKER—striped gray tabby she-cat
SHELLFUR—tortoiseshell tom
PLUMSTONE—black-and-ginger she-cat
QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)
DAISY—cream long-furred cat from the horseplace
SORRELSTRIPE—dark brown she-cat (mother to Baykit, a golden tabby kit with white splotches and Myrtlekit, a pale brown she-kit)
ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)
GRAYSTRIPE—long-haired gray tom
MILLIE—striped silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes
BRACKENFUR—golden-brown tabby tom
CLOUDTAIL—long-haired white tom with blue eyes
BRIGHTHEART—white she-cat with ginger patches
SHADOWCLAN
LEADER TIGERSTAR—dark brown tabby tom
DEPUTY CLOVERFOOT—gray tabby she-cat
MEDICINE CAT PUDDLESHINE—brown tom with white splotches
APPRENTICE, SHADOWPAW (gray tabby tom)
WARRIORS TAWNYPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes
DOVEWING—pale gray she-cat with green eyes
STRIKESTONE—brown tabby tom
STONEWING—white tom
APPRENTICE, LIGHTPAW (brown tabby she-cat)
SCORCHFUR—dark gray tom with slashed ears
APPRENTICE, FLAXPAW (brown tabby tom)
SPARROWTAIL—large brown tabby tom
SNOWBIRD—pure white she-cat with green eyes
APPRENTICE, POUNCEPAW (gray she-cat)
YARROWLEAF—ginger she-cat with yellow eyes
APPRENTICE, SPIREPAW (black-and-white tom)
BERRYHEART—black-and-white she-cat
GRASSHEART—pale brown tabby she-cat
APPRENTICE, HOLLOWPAW (black tom)
WHORLPELT—gray-and-white tom
APPRENTICE, HOPPAW (calico she-cat)
ANTFUR—tom with a brown-and-black splotched pelt
BLAZEFIRE—white-and-ginger tom
CINNAMONTAIL—brown tabby she-cat with white paws
FLOWERSTEM—silver she-cat
SNAKETOOTH—honey-colored tabby she-cat
APPRENTICE, SUNPAW (brown-and-white tabby she-cat)
SLATEFUR—sleek gray tom
CONEFOOT—white-and-gray tom
FRONDWHISKER—gray tabby she-cat
GULLSWOOP—white she-cat
ELDERS OAKFUR—small brown tom
RATSCAR—scarred, skinny dark brown tom
SKYCLAN
LEADER LEAFSTAR—brown-and-cream tabby she-cat with amber eyes
DEPUTY HAWKWING—dark gray tom with yellow eyes
MEDICINE CATS FRECKLEWISH—mottled light brown tabby she-cat with spotted legs
FIDGETFLAKE—black-and-white tom
MEDIATOR TREE—yellow tom with amber eyes
WARRIORS SPARROWPELT—dark brown tabby tom
MACGYVER—black-and-white tom
DEWSPRING—sturdy gray tom
PLUMWILLOW—dark gray she-cat
SAGENOSE—pale gray tom
HARRYBROOK—gray tom
BLOSSOMHEART—ginger-and-white she-cat
SANDYNOSE—stocky light brown tom with ginger legs
RABBITLEAP—brown tom
MINTFUR—gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes
NETTLESPLASH—pale brown tom
TINYCLOUD—small white she-cat
BELLALEAF—pale orange she-cat with green eyes
PALESKY—black-and-white she-cat
NECTARSONG—brown she-cat
QUAILFEATHER—white tom with crow-black ears
PIGEONFOOT—gray-and-white she-cat
FRINGEWHISKER—white she-cat with brown splotches
GRAVELNOSE—tan tom
SUNNYPELT—ginger she-cat
QUEENS REEDCLAW—small pale tabby she-cat (mother to Kitekit, a reddish-brown tom, and Turtlekit, a tortoiseshell she-kit)
VIOLETSHINE—black-and-white she-cat with yellow eyes (mother to Rootkit, a yellow tom, and Needlekit, a black-and-white she-kit)
ELDERS FALLOWFERN—pale brown she-cat who has lost her hearing
WINDCLAN
LEADER HARESTAR—brown-and-white tom
DEPUTY CROWFEATHER—dark gray tom
MEDICINE CAT KESTRELFLIGHT—mottled gray tom with white splotches like kestrel feathers
WARRIORS NIGHTCLOUD—black
she-cat
BRINDLEWING—mottled brown she-cat
GORSETAIL—very pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes
LEAFTAIL—dark tabby tom with amber eyes
EMBERFOOT—gray tom with two dark paws
SMOKEHAZE—gray she-cat
BREEZEPELT—black tom with amber eyes
CROUCHFOOT—ginger tom
LARKWING—pale brown tabby she-cat
SEDGEWHISKER—light brown tabby she-cat
SLIGHTFOOT—black tom with white flash on his chest
OATCLAW—pale brown tabby tom
HOOTWHISKER—dark gray tom
HEATHERTAIL—light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes
FERNSTRIPE—gray tabby she-cat
QUEENS FEATHERPELT—gray tabby she-cat
ELDERS WHISKERNOSE—light brown tom
RIVERCLAN
LEADER MISTYSTAR—gray she-cat with blue eyes
DEPUTY REEDWHISKER—black tom
MEDICINE CATS MOTHWING—dappled golden she-cat
WILLOWSHINE—gray tabby she-cat
WARRIORS DUSKFUR—brown tabby she-cat
MINNOWTAIL—dark gray-and-white she-cat
MALLOWNOSE—light brown tabby tom
CURLFEATHER—pale brown she-cat
PODLIGHT—gray-and-white tom
SHIMMERPELT—silver she-cat
LIZARDTAIL—light brown tom
HAVENPELT—black-and-white she-cat
SNEEZECLOUD—gray-and-white tom
BRACKENPELT—tortoiseshell she-cat
JAYCLAW—gray tom
OWLNOSE—brown tabby tom
ICEWING—white she-cat with blue eyes
NIGHTSKY—dark gray she-cat with blue eyes
SOFTPELT—gray she-cat
DAPPLETUFT—gray-and-white tom
BREEZEHEART—brown-and-white she-cat
HARELIGHT—white tom
GORSECLAW—white tom with gray ears
ELDERS MOSSPELT—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat
Maps
PROLOGUE
Squirrelpaw tasted the air. A soft breeze was spiraling into the sandy ravine, thick with the scent of moss and prey. Her paws pricked with excitement. She was about to explore her Clan’s territory, something she’d only smelled until now, for the first time. Hurry up, Dustpelt. On the other side of the clearing, her new mentor lingered beside Firestar while Cinderpelt and Sandstorm chatted next to them. She blinked at Leafpaw. “Couldn’t they have done their talking before the ceremony?” she mewed. “I want to explore the forest.”
“Me too!” Leafpaw’s fur was fluffed with excitement. “Cinderpelt promised to show me where coltsfoot and burdock grow. I’m going to make my first poultice this afternoon.” Her amber eyes sparkled. “Wasn’t the ceremony great? Everyone was looking at us like we were real warriors already and not kits anymore.”
“We’re not kits anymore!” Squirrelpaw remembered with a shiver of pleasure how Firestar had said her apprentice name for the first time. He’d looked so proud. She began to pace in front of Leafpaw, unable to keep still. “And we’ll be a real warrior and a real medicine cat soon. I hope I don’t have to train for too long. I want to be a warrior by leaf-bare. Then I can lead patrols.” Her thoughts were racing. “I wonder what my warrior name will be!”
“Slow down! You only just got your apprentice name.” Leafpool nudged her with her muzzle.
“But everyone gets to be a ’paw. I want a name that’s all my own.”
“I can call you Squirrelface if you like,” Leafpaw purred.
“Very funny.” Squirrelpaw glanced at her sister. “Do you think Firestar will name me Squirreltail? I hope not. I’d rather be called Squirrelflame or Squirreldash.” Her thoughts sped ahead. “But I won’t care what my warrior name is as long as I can be Squirrelstar someday.” She stopped and looked earnestly at Leafpaw. “Do you think I’ll be leader one day?”
Leafpaw whisked her tail. “Of course!”
Squirrelpaw felt a rush of pleasure. “I’ll be leader and I’ll have kits and they’ll rule the whole forest.”
Leafpaw nodded eagerly. “And I’ll be the best medicine cat and I’ll share prophecies with StarClan every day, and together we will be the most powerful cats who ever lived.”
Squirrelpaw paused. “Did StarClan tell you that?” she mewed hopefully.
“No.” Leafpaw glanced at her paws shyly. “But it’s obviously true.”
Across the clearing, Firestar turned away from Dustpelt. Squirrelpaw’s heart leaped. “They’re done talking!” She looked eagerly toward Dustpelt and Cinderpelt. Disappointment dropped like a stone in her belly as they began talking. “What else is left to say?”
But Firestar and Sandstorm were headed across the clearing.
“How does it feel to be an apprentice?” Firestar meowed happily as he neared.
“Great!” Leafpaw hurried to meet them.
Sandstorm swished her tail. “Do you feel different now that you’re ’paws?”
“Of course!” Leafpaw wove around her mother. “Squirrelpaw’s already planning her warrior name.”
Squirrelpaw fluffed out her pelt. “I’ve been planning my warrior name for moons!” She looked earnestly at Firestar. “You won’t name me Squirreltail, will you?”
“One step at a time,” Firestar purred, his eyes shining with pride. “First you must finish your apprentice training.”
“That’ll be easy!” Squirrelpaw’s tail shivered with excitement.
Leafpaw frowned. “It’ll be easy for you. You don’t have to remember the name of every herb in the forest.”
“But I have to remember every prey-scent and paw print,” Squirrelpaw pointed out.
Sandstorm blinked at them fondly. “I know you’ll both make us proud.”
“What if Leafpaw gets her medicine-cat name before I get my warrior name?” Squirrelpaw fretted. “That would be embarrassing.”
“It won’t matter,” Firestar assured her. “You each have your own path to tread.”
Sandstorm stretched her muzzle forward and touched her nose to Squirrelpaw’s and then to Leafpaw’s. “As long as you have each other, you’ll both stand tall.”
Squirrelpaw’s fur prickled with happiness. She looked at her sister. “Leafpaw and I will always stick together.” She meant it with every hair on her pelt.
Leafpaw twined her tail around Squirrelpaw’s. “And we’ll always help each other,” she vowed. “Nothing will ever drive us apart.”
CHAPTER 1
Greenleaf was giving way to leaf-fall, and shriveled leaves were already drifting along the forest trails. Ahead, a stream babbled, tumbling its way toward the lake, and beyond it the moor rose against a blue afternoon sky. Squirrelflight padded from beneath the trees and tasted the air. She could smell heather, dusty and browning.
Eaglewing, Plumstone, and Bumblestripe fanned out beside her.
“It’s quiet,” Eaglewing murmured.
Plumstone gazed at the heather stretching ahead. “It’s perfect hunting weather.”
Eaglewing stared at the trees as though he might see through them. “We’d best be on our guard.”
Squirrelflight nodded, knowing that the young warrior was probably thinking of Ambermoon, his former mentor, who had been attacked by an owl a moon before on a day very much like this. She had died. It’s good to remember, Squirrelflight thought, that even the clearest days hold their dangers.
Squirrelflight narrowed her eyes, straining to make out a dark shape near the top of the moor. She was leading the border patrol and had promised to report back on their neighbors. It had been nearly three moons since the Clans had redrawn their borders to make room for SkyClan, and the new scent lines had remained unchallenged. Bramblestar was happy—the new peace suited him—but he’d confided in her that he was worried that it was too good to be true.
The dark shape dipped beneath the heather. Another darted after it. “Is that a WindClan patrol?” Squirrelflight wondered.
&nb
sp; Bumblestripe followed her gaze. “I think so.”
“They’re heading away.” Plumstone narrowed her eyes.
Squirrelflight shifted her paws. “We’d better check the border to make sure it hasn’t been crossed.”
Eaglewing padded forward and sniffed the edge of the stream. Plumstone headed along the bank.
Squirrelflight flicked her tail toward the stretch of prickly gorse beyond. “The border’s been moved,” she reminded them.
“Yeah, but the stream is where the forest ends.” Eaglewing blinked at her.
“We have to get used to our new borders, too.” Squirrelflight glanced at the ginger she-cat, surprised that a young warrior should already be so rooted in Clan traditions. Did her sister, Plumstone, feel the same way? “Have you ever marked the new border?”
“Thornclaw said there was no point,” Plumstone told her. “He says ThunderClan cats don’t hunt on moorland. We hunt in the forest.”
Squirrelflight widened her eyes, surprised. A strong Clan should adapt to change, not ignore it. Bramblestar would have to speak to his senior warriors. Has the peace only held because the Clans haven’t been trying to enforce our new borders? She padded downstream to where stones jutted out of the water, and hopped onto the first one. “ThunderClan cats hunt on ThunderClan land,” she called back to her Clanmates. “From now on we mark all our borders.” She scrambled onto the next stone, uncurling her claws as her pads slipped on the wet rock. Then she leaped onto the far shore. The air tasted peaty here and stringent with gorse scents. She was surprised that it could be so different only a few paces from the tree line. But the moor wind was brisk, always carrying fresh smells. In the calm of the forest, scents hung longer in the air.
Behind her, Eaglewing and Bumblestripe looked distrustfully at the crossing stones.
“Are you coming?” Squirrelflight whisked her tail impatiently.
Plumstone brushed past her sister and leaped onto the first stone. “Come on!” She pricked her ears. “We’ve never been on WindClan land before.”
“It’s ThunderClan territory now,” Squirrelflight corrected her. The stretch of moorland had clearly been left unhunted. The grass was untrampled, and no prey-scent sweetened the air. And yet ThunderClan hadn’t gone hungry since the border changes. It had been a good greenleaf. Prey had been plentiful. But when leaf-bare drove prey underground, they’d need this precious hunting territory. They had, after all, given a good swath of their forest to SkyClan.
Plumstone hopped onto the bank and stopped beside Squirrelflight. “It smells like WindClan here.”
