Chapter 9

Cracked Bark's head rose from the nest as the badger neared. He yelped in horror.

"I'm coming!" But the badger had the size advantage. It reached the sick tom in a few heartbeats, raising its claws for the killing blow. "No!" Moorheart lunged in front of the badger before it could hurt Cracked Bark.

Pain shot up Moorheart's leg as the badger delivered the swipe. She stumbled, falling hard on the grass of the hollow. The badger gripped her leg in its jaws and flung her into the middle of camp.

The lead badger was on top of her soon enough. "Foolish cat." He mocked. "The Mountain Hawks were foolish, and so are you."

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Stormstar leaped on the badger's back, digging his teeth into its neck. The badger yowled in pain.

Seeing her chance, Moorheart lashed her claws at its neck. The badger crashed down on her, its eyes rolling inside its head.

"Help!" Moorheart tried to push out from underneath the badger. Stormstar lifted its head so she could get free.

The rest of the badgers had disappeared. Moorheart guessed they had retreated after seeing their leader dead. Cracked Bark sat up, unharmed, in Moorheart's nest.

"It's over." Tumbling Wind was scanning the clearing. She turned to Moorheart. "You saved us."

Moorheart rose to her paws, dragging her leg behind her.

SunClan began to file back into the camp, looking at the destruction. The badgers had managed to smash the warriors' den and scatter herbs in the main clearing.

"Moorheart!"

"Moorheart!"

As the cats praised her, Moorheart leaned on Tumbling Wind and followed her into the medicine den. Where there was space, Moorheart flopped on the ground.

"I left ScarClan without a medicine cat." Moorheart realized. "I have to go back."

Tumbling Wind shook her head. "The camp's pretty destroyed anyway."

"Are you saying-"

"Yes." Tumbling Wind's gaze was hard. "It's time for SunClan to return to the other Clans."

# # #

Moorheart looked up at Stormstar, who was reciting the words used for seasons upon seasons by the Clan leaders.

"Moorheart, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Moorheart glanced at Cracked Bark. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your full name as a warrior. Moorheart, in honor of your parents, I give you the name Moor Frost. StarClan honors your loyalty and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SunClan."

As the Clan called Moor Frost by her new name, she remembered what got her to this moment. Tumbling Wind and Moor Frost had went to Stormstar to tell him that they should journey to the Valley. The SunClan leader told them that they would wait until newleaf to travel, but he had also said that Moor Frost had earned her place among SunClan's warriors.

Cracked Bark met her in the crowd, licking her on the cheek. Everything's going to be fine.