Squirrelflight's Hope полностью

Squirrelflight stared at them desperately. This battle could end only in blood. She froze as a rumble sounded from the cave. A branch moved, creaking ominously as the wood began to split. She saw the roof shift. It was crumbling. Dirt showered the entrance. Stones rolled from the edges. The cave was collapsing, with Leafpool and the kits inside!

Squirrelflight hared toward the opening. “Landslide!” She barged past Creek and Thornclaw and plunged into the shadows. A branch split above her head, showering splinters of wood over her. “Leafpool!” Her shriek echoed in the darkness. Blindly, she stumbled over stones. “The roof’s caving in!”

“Over here!” Leafpool’s mew echoed from the back of the cave as pebbles showered onto Squirrelflight’s back. Squirrelflight blinked, desperately trying to adjust her eyes to the dark. She could just make out Leafpool. “Where are the kits?”

Leafpool lifted a small bundle and hurried toward her. She thrust it at Squirrelflight. “The others are at the back.” Earth was falling like rain. Stones tumbled, thumping and cracking onto the ground. Squirrelflight grasped the kit and turned. She smelled Hawk’s fear-scent in the darkness and felt the she-cat in front of her. Hawk must have seen the roof crumbling too. She swung the kit toward her. Hawk grabbed it and Squirrelflight turned back for the next.

She could hear Leafpool scrabbling in the dirt. “I can’t find them!” Leafpool wailed.

Squirrelflight darted to her sister’s side, ears pricked as the roof rumbled ominously above them. She felt something soft against her paw. “I’ve found one.” The kit mewled pitifully, and she bent to scoop it up. Narrowing her eyes against the falling dirt, she carried it toward the entrance.

Hawk was back, silhouetted against daylight as stones fell around her. She hurried forward and took the kit from Squirrelflight.

“Leafpool’s looking for the last one,” Squirrelflight told her quickly and turned back. Her pelt bristled in panic as she peered through the darkness. She could just make out her sister’s pelt. “Have you found it?”

Leafpool didn’t reply. She was digging frantically through the earth piling against the back of the cave. Squirrelflight glanced around, trying to see through the haze of falling dirt and stones. The acrid scent of wet earth filled her nose. Had the kit managed to find its way to the entrance? Perhaps one of the Sisters had already carried it out. Blood roared in Squirrelflight’s ears. A creak sounded above her and she looked up. A thick branch that was holding back rocks shifted. Shards of wood exploded from it as it began to split. “Leafpool!” Panic jolted through her pelt. “The roof’s collapsing!”

“I’ve found it!” Leafpool hauled a small body from the earth and swung it toward Squirrelflight.

“Let’s get out of here.” Squirrelflight took it from her and darted toward the entrance. Hawk was there. Squirrelflight jerked the kit toward her, relief swamping her as Hawk took it and hared out of the cave. She turned back. “Leafpool!” Squirrelflight saw her sister’s eyes flash in the shadows as a deafening crack split the air. The branch snapped and, with a roar, dirt and rocks thundered down. Earth cascaded around her. Terror seared Squirrelflight’s belly as the falling dirt pressed her to the ground.

“Leafpool!” She strained to see through the deluge. “Where are you?”

A hard blow slammed against the back of her head and flung her into blackness.

CHAPTER 24

Squirrelflight felt soft grass beneath her. She half opened her eyes, remembering the landslide and expecting to feel pain. Hadn’t something hit her head? Sunlight dazzled her. Was she still in the Sisters’ valley? She lifted her head, surprised that she felt so well. She scrambled to her paws and blinked at the flower-dappled meadow rolling away into soft green hills. In the dip below her, a shining pond glittered in sunshine. Around it, willows draped branches toward the water. She shook out her pelt. Her head felt clear, her body strong. She glanced around. Where was everyone? Was the battle over?

Leafpool lay a tail-length away, curled into a small dip in the grass.

Squirrelflight’s chest tightened. Was she hurt? Her sister had been at the back of the cave when it had collapsed. She nudged Leafpool with her muzzle. “Are you okay?”

Leafpool lifted her head blearily and blinked open her eyes. “I think so?” She glanced around, surprise flashing in her eyes. “What are we doing here?”

“Do you know where this is?” Squirrelflight looked at her.

Leafpool looked away without answering.

She must still be groggy. Squirrelflight scanned the landscape. “The others must have carried us here,” she guessed. “It’s probably near the Sisters’ camp. It doesn’t look like Clan territory.”

Leafpool got to her paws. “It’s not,” she mewed softly.

Squirrelflight glanced at her sister. There was a faraway look in her eyes. Unease fluttered in her belly. How could Leafpool know this place?