Squirrelflight's Hope полностью

“Wait for the pain,” Leafpool murmured.

Squirrelflight held her breath.

Moonlight pressed her paws harder against the earth as a spasm jerked along her flank. She lifted her head and let out a screech and pressed her hindquarters against the earth. With a shudder, the second kit slithered onto the ground behind her. Snow darted toward it and quickly lapped the membrane from its pelt.

Squirrelflight’s breath caught in her throat as silence gripped the den.

“It’s not breathing.” Snow looked desperately at the lifeless scrap of fur.

Leafpool pushed past her. “Take care of Moonlight.” As Snow crouched at Moonlight’s cheek, Leafpool stretched the kit out and hooked its mouth open with a claw. Squirrelflight flinched. What was she doing? Leafpool placed a paw on its chest and pumped with small, fierce jabs.

Hawk stared at her with wide eyes. “Be careful!”

Leafpool ignored her and nipped the kit’s scruff, then lifted the kit’s body and shook it.

The kit jerked, lifted its head, and wailed.

It’s alive! Relief surged in Squirrelflight’s belly.

Quickly, Leafpool carried it to Tempest and put it beside its littermate. “It’s another she-kit.”

“She’s a fighter, like her mother.” Tempest scooped the kit close to her belly and bent to wash her.

As Leafpool turned back to Moonlight, the queen jerked and shuddered, and a third kit slipped onto the ground. Squirrelflight held her breath as Leafpool licked the membrane clear of its muzzle.

The kit mewled, squirming at Leafpool’s paws.

“A tom.” Leafpool’s eyes shone. “He’s the last.” She lifted him between her jaws and passed him to Squirrelflight. “Put him with his littermates,” she mewed. Squirrelflight’s heart swelled as she breathed in the kit’s scent. She padded toward Tempest and placed the kit gently between his sisters. She blinked at Leafpool, who was smoothing Moonlight’s ruffled pelt with a paw while Snow touched her nose to the queen’s cheek.

Squirrelflight tensed. “Is she okay?”

“She’s tired, but she’s fine.” Leafpool sat back on her haunches.

Squirrelflight’s pelt rippled with pleasure. They had saved Moonlight and her kits. She blinked happily at Snow, a purr throbbing in her throat. Then she froze. Snow had stiffened. Ears pricked, the white she-cat stared toward the den entrance. Heart lurching, Squirrelflight followed her gaze. Outside the camp, bushes rustled. Something was pushing between them. Muted paw steps scuffed the earth.

Hawk’s eyes glittered with panic. “Are they here?”

Squirrelflight padded to the entrance and peered out. Creek, Furze, and Flurry had backed toward the center of the clearing, their hackles high. The air around them was thick with Clan scents. As the bushes around the edge of the camp shivered, alarm shrilled through Squirrelflight’s pelt. “Leafpool,” she mewed huskily. “The battle patrol is here.”

CHAPTER 23

Leafpool pushed past her and looked out. “We’ve got to stop them.”

“Don’t let them see you.” Squirrelflight nosed her away. “They mustn’t know you’re here.”

Outside, Sunrise had joined Furze, Creek, and Flurry, and they were backing toward the birthing den, backs arched, growling softly. Their gaze was fixed on the shivering dogwood at the far side of the clearing. It twitched as warriors slid out. Slowly, cats crept like shadows from the bushes, their eyes flashing in the early morning light.

Squirrelflight swallowed back panic. There was no way out. She was trapped here with the Sisters.

Tigerstar stalked into the clearing. His gaze flitted around the camp then settled on Furze. “Where’s Moonlight?”

Furze stared back wordlessly as Mistystar, Harestar, and Bramblestar fanned out around the ShadowClan leader. At the edge of the camp, their warriors bushed out their pelts menacingly. Furze flexed her claws. “You’re trespassing,” she growled.

Beside her, Flurry’s hackles lifted. “Get out of our camp.”

Harestar flicked his tail. “We’ve come to speak with your leader.” His eyes glittered with hostility.

Squirrelflight’s belly tightened. Please don’t fight! Would the Sisters try to defend Moonlight? They’d have to if the Clans didn’t back down. Moonlight couldn’t defend herself right now. She ducked away from the entrance and nodded toward the stricken queen. “We have to get her out of here.” If Moonlight was safe, the Sisters would have less reason to fight.

Moonlight lifted her head weakly. Her gaze flitted around the den. “Where are my kits?” Tempest nudged the kits toward her. With slow stumbling steps they found their mother and snuggled eagerly against her belly. Moonlight curled around them protectively. Her nose wrinkled. “What’s that stench? Have foxes broken into the camp?”

“The Clans are here.” Leafpool’s eyes were dark with fear.

Squirrelflight padded closer. “They want you to leave.”

Moonlight tried to struggle to her paws but, weak from the birth, slumped helplessly beside her kits. “They shouldn’t have come,” she growled.