Tallstar's Revenge (22 page)

Dawnstripe backed away. “If you're sure.”

“I'm sure.”

She turned and headed for Heatherstar's den.

Woollytail stopped beside him. “Do you really mean this?”

Tallpaw nodded. “Completely.”

“Don't do this for your father's sake.” Woollytail lowered his voice. “Sandgorse would never want that. He was tough on you, I know. But tunnelers
have
to be tough. It doesn't mean he didn't understand. He was proud to see you fight for what you truly wanted, even if that wasn't what he'd hoped for. He'd have been proud to see you as a moor runner, you know.”

“Don't talk him out of it!” Plumclaw shouldered her denmate aside. “Sandgorse would have been so happy! We need more paws.”

Tallpaw met her eager gaze. “Tunneling is in my blood, Plumclaw. I just never realized it before.”

C
HAPTER
20

“Is it true?” Barkpaw lifted his
head from the spring that bubbled just outside the camp wall. “You're becoming a tunneler?”

Tallpaw padded down the slope and stopped beside him. “Dawnstripe's asking Heatherstar right now.” He crouched at the water's edge. Finding Barkpaw here had surprised him. Tallpaw had grown used to the medicine apprentice avoiding him whenever he could. They'd hardly spoken in the quarter moon since Sandgorse's death. Tallpaw wasn't sure if it was because they were both lost in grief, or because Barkpaw blamed him for Brackenwing's death. He didn't dare ask.

Barkpaw hauled a dripping wad of moss from the spring. “You don't have to do this, you know.”

“I want to.” Tallpaw dipped his head and began lapping at the cool, fresh water.

Barkpaw sat down, letting the moss drain beside him. “Why?”

Tallpaw flicked his tail. “I don't expect you to understand.”

“You were doing so well with your training.” Barkpaw tipped his head on one side. “And you loved being a moor runner.”

“I'll love tunneling, too.” Tallpaw sat up, water dripping from his chin.

“Even Shrewpaw was impressed by your hunting skill.” Barkpaw didn't seem to be listening to anything Tallpaw said. “Though he'd never admit it.”

“This is something I have to do.” Tallpaw licked his lips. “For my father's sake.”

“But you're not Sandgorse!” Barkpaw leaned forward. “You don't have to live his life for him just because he's dead.”

“That's not what I'm doing,” Tallpaw growled under his breath.

Barkpaw's gaze burned into Tallpaw's. “You think you'll feel better if you follow his wishes, don't you?”

Tallpaw looked away first. “The Clan needs tunnelers more than ever. It's my duty to follow in Sandgorse's paw steps.”

“It's your duty to be the best warrior you can, for your Clan,” Barkpaw argued. “And you could have been the best moor runner ever.”

“I can be the best tunneler ever.” Tallpaw turned and bounded up the bank.

“This won't bring Sandgorse back, you know!” Barkpaw called after him.

“I know that! This is about
me
, not him!” Tallpaw marched back to camp, pelt twitching.
Why can't Barkpaw try to understand?

“Hey, Wormpaw!” Shrewpaw was waiting inside the camp entrance. “I hear you're going to train where you belong, at last.”

Tallpaw shrugged. “Relieved that you don't have competition anymore,
weasel
paw?”

Reena trotted across the clearing. “Arguing again, Tallpaw?”

“He started it!” Tallpaw bristled.

Shrewpaw glanced at Reena. “Tallpaw would argue with his reflection in the spring,” he sniffed. “I can't wait to train without him snarling at me.”

Tallpaw unsheathed his claws.

“Let all cats old enough to catch prey gather beneath Tallrock.” Heatherstar's call made Tallpaw spin around. Was she going to announce his new mentor? Excitement rippled through his pelt. Would she choose Woollytail? Sandgorse would be pleased to see his old friend training Tallpaw. Tallpaw raced for the Meeting Hollow, leaping down onto the sandy earth as his Clanmates streamed across the clearing to join him. Tallpaw watched Dawnstripe sheathe and unsheathe her claws as she sat opposite him, her eyes round with worry.

Don't be upset.
Tallpaw felt a prick of guilt.
Please understand that I have to do this.

Heatherstar stepped to the edge of the rock. “Meadowslip's kits have brought new life to WindClan. Let us pray that Hopkit, Sorrelkit, and Pigeonkit grow into strong, healthy warriors.”

Murmurs of approval rippled though the Clan. Tallpaw lifted his chin.
Me next.
The WindClan leader caught his eye, her shoulders stiffening. Tallpaw paused.
Is she angry about my change of heart?

“WindClan,” Heatherstar began, “you have known for some time that I have had doubts about our tunneling.”

“What is she talking about?” Plumclaw hissed.

“Hush.” Hickorynose stared up at their leader.

“Tallpaw has asked to train as a tunneler,” Heatherstar went on. “I can only admire his loyalty to the memory of his father. Sandgorse's death shook us all. We will grieve him for many moons to come.” She glanced sympathetically at Palebird. “Tallpaw's wish to learn the skills that led to his father's death shows true courage.”

Tallpaw padded forward expectantly.

“However.” The sharpening of Heatherstar's mew made him stop. “I have thought long and hard,” the WindClan leader went on. “And I've decided that there will be no more tunneling for WindClan.”

Tallpaw blinked.
What?

“This is not a decision I take lightly, but I hope that many of you will support me.”

Reedfeather, at the base of the rock, nodded solemnly. Aspenfall and Cloudrunner exchanged approving looks.

“We do not need the tunnels,” Heatherstar explained. “Prey has run aboveground for many leaf-bares. We have improved our hunting skills, learned to work in teams. Even in the harshest weather, we have been able to catch prey aboveground.”

Plumclaw's tail whipped over the sandy earth.

Heatherstar pressed on. “WindClan's tunneling skills have served us well for countless moons, but a new dawn is coming. Our moor-running skills are more important. We have enemies to fight aboveground. And we
must
fight them. We can't hide in our tunnels and hope they will go away. We must train hard and become warriors to equal any Clan.” She lifted her muzzle. “It will take time and effort, but we will become stronger than WindClan has ever been. In moons to come, the other Clans will fear us.”

“They fear us already!” Plumclaw yowled.

“You saw Stonetooth when ShadowClan attacked.” Heatherstar's gaze fixed on the dark gray tunneler. “He spoke as though we were vermin to be cleared from the moor.”

“They think of us as rabbits!” Redclaw growled.

Aspenfall clawed the earth. “We must prove that we are warriors!”

“What about our tunneling skills?” Woollytail growled.

“They won't be forgotten,” Heatherstar promised. “Our tunnelers won't have to retrain as moor runners. Their duty now will be to block all the tunnels, making them safe for future generations of WindClan cats.”

“
Block
them?” Plumclaw stared at her in amazement. “What about all our hard work digging them?”

“I don't want to lose another cat in those tunnels,” Heatherstar insisted. “And no more cats will train as tunnelers. Ever.”

Rage surged through Tallpaw. How could she deny him his entire future? “Then Sandgorse died for nothing?” he hissed.

Hickorynose padded forward and smoothed Tallpaw's bristling pelt with his tail. “Not for nothing, Tallpaw,” he meowed gently. “His death will be the last death in the tunnels.”

Tallpaw stared at him. “You sound like you
want
to stop tunneling!”

Hickorynose glanced at the nursery. “I don't want my kits to die like Sandgorse.” He dropped his gaze. “Or Leafshine,” he added, remembering the tunneler who'd died in the same accident that had crippled Lilywhisker. “But I'll tell them of my days in the tunnels and make sure that WindClan will always remember what we achieved.”

Mistmouse nodded. “Stagleap, Doespring, and Ryestalk are happy as moor runners. Our young deserve to run with the wind in their tails.”

“Our days of hiding are over,” Cloudrunner declared.

“Hiding?” Disbelief flooded Woollytail's gaze.

“Cloudrunner only meant that it's time we faced the world with our heads held high
.
”
Larksplash paced around him. “Once every cat in WindClan has battle skills, we'll be the strongest Clan of all.” She glanced up at the sky. The thick bank of cloud had reached the sun. Rays spilled over the edge for a moment before the cloud swallowed them. “We live closest to StarClan. We will make our ancestors proud!”

“WindClan!” Shrewpaw began to cheer.

“WindClan!” Aspenfall joined in.

“WindClan!”

“WindClan!”

Tallpaw stared in shock as his Clanmates cheered for the end of the tunnels. Woollytail backed away from them. From the rim of the hollow, the rogues watched, their pelts pricking in surprise. Sparrow's eyes were thin, yellow slits. Tallpaw showed his teeth.
You started this when you killed Sandgorse.
You've spoiled everything.

“Tallpaw.” Palebird's mew startled him. He jerked around and met her gaze, a muzzle-length from his. “I'm glad you can't become a tunneler.”

“But it's what Sandgorse would have wanted!”

“He wouldn't have wanted you to die as he did.” Palebird reached forward and touched her nose to his cheek. “And I couldn't bear to lose another cat I love.”

Tallpaw stared at his mother in confusion. He couldn't remember the last time Palebird had told him that she loved him. He should have been ecstatic. But Heatherstar had snatched away his dream. And all around him his Clan were cheering. Had
everyone
gone mad? He scrambled out of the Meeting Hollow and raced out of the camp, crashing through the heather.
No one can stop me from being what I was born to be!
He pelted upslope to the warren where Woollytail had helped them catch a rabbit. Sheep were grazing the moor beyond.
They haven't blocked the tunnels yet!
The rising wind ripped at Tallpaw's fur. Rain began to spray his muzzle. It hardened as he climbed, lashing his pelt by the time he reached the warren.
I'll teach myself to tunnel, like Shattered Ice!

Tallpaw stopped at the first rabbit hole he reached and stared into the darkness. A worm of fear stirred in his belly, and his breath quickened as he remembered the suffocating closeness of the walls and the roar of the river chasing him. Every hair on his pelt bristled.
Don't go down there!
He pushed back the thought.
I will be a tunneler! I'll make Sandgorse proud of me!
He dove into the tunnel, scrabbling to push himself through the narrow gap.

“Oh no, you don't!”

Teeth clamped around his tail and hauled him backward. Dawnstripe dragged him from the rabbit hole, her eyes blazing. “Those tunnels are out of bounds!” she spat. “Didn't you hear Heatherstar?”

“I don't care!” Rain battered his ears.

“You're going to be a moor runner!” Dawnstripe yowled over the rising wind. “And I'm going to be your mentor until you get your warrior name.”

Tallpaw glimpsed two pelts streaking toward them. “Is he okay?” Hareflight called through the rain. Shrewpaw raced past his mentor and skidded to a stop on the grass in front of Tallpaw.

“Poor Tallpaw,” he snorted. “Won't Heatherstar let you become a wormpaw?” He nodded toward the entrance. “Why not go down there anyway? You know you were born to live underground.”

“Shrewpaw!” Dawnstripe glared at the apprentice. “Show some respect to your Clanmate.”

Hareflight joined them. “Stop teasing him, Shrewpaw!”

“This has gone beyond teasing!” Dawnstripe snapped. “If Shrewpaw were my apprentice, I'd claw his ears.”

Shrewpaw flung a scorching look at Dawnstripe. “Why are you siding with a tunneler?”

Hareflight paced around Tallpaw. “You shouldn't have run out in the middle of a Clan meeting,” he fretted. “You worried everyone.”

Tallpaw flattened his ears. “No one's worried about me. I killed Brackenwing.” He thrust his nose toward Shrewpaw. “Remember?”

A growl rumbled in Shrewpaw's throat.

“The visitors will think we can't control our apprentices,” Hareflight went on.

Tallpaw turned on him. “Who cares what that bunch of rogues thinks?” he hissed. “If they had any sense of honor, they'd have left after they killed Sandgorse.”