Graystar wakes to see the den floor washed by the pale light of sunrise. Beside him, Sandstorm still sleeps, the moss stirred by her breathing. Careful not to wake her, he rises, stretches, and pads out into the chilly morning.
The clearing is deserted, but almost at once Longtail appears from the warriors' den.
"I've sent out the dawn patrol," he reports. "Brackenfur, Mousefur, and Thornbranch. I told them to do a quick sweep up the Shadowclan border and report back to us."
"Good," mews Graystar. "It would be just like Tigerstar to arrange a meeting at Fourtrees and then mount a raid somewhere else. That's why I'm leaving you in charge of the camp, with as many warriors as I can spare."
"Take all the strength you need to face that fox-heart," Longtail meows. "And we'll be fine. Brightspirit has been shaping up to be a really useful fighter ever since she started training with Cloudtail. And the elders can still raise a few claws, if they're pushed, same with Willowpelt."
"They'll be pushed, before all this is over," Graystar predicts. "Thanks, Longtail. I know I can rely on you."
The pale warrior nods, and disappears into the den again.
Graystar watches him go, then pads across the clearing to the fern tunnel that leads to Cinderpelt's den. When he reaches the Medicine cat's den, he can hear her voice coming from the cleft in the rock.
"Juniper berries, marigold leaves, poppy seeds…"
Looking inside, he sees the small gray she-cat checking the heaps of healing herbs and berries ranged alongside the wall of the den.
"Hi, Cinderpelt," he mews. "Everything in order?"
The Medicine cat turns to him with a grave look in her blue eyes.
"As much as it'll ever be."
"You think there will definitely be a battle?" Graytar asks her. "Have StarClan spoken to you?"
Cinderpelt comes to join him at the mouth of the den.
"No, not a word," she replies. "But common sense says there'll be a battle, Graystar. I don't need an omen from Starclan to tell me that."
She is right, he knows, and yet her words chill him. With such a momentous meeting ahead, why has there been no sign from StarClan? Had their warrior ancestors abandoned them in their time of greatest need? Then he remembers the prophecy from his nine lives ceremony.
"Perhaps the prophecy I received from my ceremony is warning enough. Most of the pieces have aligned, with Tallstar yesterday saying that we'd be like a lion chasing out a tiger that prowls our territory."
Cinderpelt nods, "You could be right, Graystar."
.
.
.
.
A stiff breeze is blowing as Graystar leads his warriors up the slope to Fourtrees, rippling the grass and carrying the scent of many cats. Each gust brings a sting of rain from the gray clouds that push each other across the sky.
At the top of the slope, Graystar pauses, crouching in the shelter of the bushes to look down into the clearing. Almost at once Cloudtail appears at his side. \
"Why are we standing about?" he demands. "Let's get on with it."
"Not until I know what's going on," Graystar tells him. "For all we know, we could be walking into an ambush."
Facing his warriors, he raises his voice so that they can all hear him.
"You all know why we're here," he begins. "Tigerstar wants us to join him and form Tigerclan, and he won't take no for an answer. I'd like to believe we can get out of this without a fight, but I can't be sure."
As he finishes speaking, Cloudtail flicks Graystar on the shoulder with his tail and then points to the other side of the hollow. Turning, Graystar sees Tallstar approaching from Windclan territory, followed by his warriors.
"Good, WindClan are here," he mews. "Let's go and meet them."
Graystar leads the way along the lip of the hollow until he comes face-to-face with the long-tailed blackand-white tom. The Windclan leader dips his head in greeting.
"Well met, Graystar. This is a black day for the forest."
"It is indeed," Graystar agrees. "But our clans will stand for what is right by the warrior code, whatever happens."
He is surprised at how many have come with Tallstar. Remembering the wounded and devastated cats in the WindClan camp the day before, he had expected only a small group to come to Fourtrees. Instead practically every warrior must be here. They still showed the scars of the raid on their camp, but their eyes are bright and determined.
"A wise sentiment Graystar."
Turning around he sees the Riverclan leader and her warriors all alongside her. Stonefur is beside her, and Mistyfoot beside him.
"Thanks."
"We outnumber Shadowclan, however I will not be surprised if he enlisted help for this, forcing us to join together into one clan." Leopardstar mews.
"I agree. My warriors are ready to fight." Tallstar states.
Graystar nods in agreement and taking a deep breath, he meows, "Let's go."
Tallstar and Leopardstar dip their heads. "Lead on, Graystar." mews Tallstar.
Startled at being given such an honor by the two older and more experienced leaders, Graystar waves his tail to signal to the two united clans—Lionclan, he thinks with a rush of pride.
This is his destiny.
He stalks down the slope through the bushes, all his senses alert for attack. But he hears nothing except for the rustle of his own warriors following him. The scent of Shadowclan is still some way off.
As Graystar leads his cats into the clearing beneath the great oaks, the bushes on the opposite side part and Tigerstar steps out to face him.
Blackfoot and Darkstripe flank him like vengeful shadows. The massive tabby's eyes gleam as he spots Graystar, and the young Thunderclan leader realizes that this war is personal for him too.
Tigerstar wants nothing more than to sink his claws and teeth into Graystar's pelt and rip him to pieces. Instead of making Graystar afraid, the knowledge exhilarates him. Let him try! he thinks.
"Greetings, Tigerstar," he meows coolly.
Tigerstar replies, "Greeting, Graystar, Tallstar, and Leopardstar."
The other clan leaders do not reply, and as they wait for Tigerstar to start the meeting more of his followers appear through the bushes. They are a formidable group, Graystar realizes, though some of them bear wounds and claw marks from the raid on Windclan the previous day.
His heart begins to thump painfully as he realizes that the battle he has feared for so long might be unleashed any moment.
Tigerstar takes a pace forward, his head raised challengingly.
"Have you thought about my offer? I'm giving you the choice: Join with me now and accept my leadership, or be destroyed."
Graystar exchanged a single glance with Tallstar and Leopardstar. There is no need for words. They have already decided what their response must be.
Graystar speaks for all of them. "We reject your offer. The forest was never meant to be ruled by one clan, especially not one led by a dishonorable murderer."
"But it will be." Tigerstar's voice is soft; he didn't even try to defend himself against Graytar's comment.
"With you or without you, Graystar, it will be. By sunset today, the time of four clans will be over."
"The answer is still no," Graystar meows. "Thunderclan will never submit."
"Nor will Riverclan."
"Nor will WindClan," adds Tallstar last.
"Then your courage is matched only by your stupidity," growls Tigerstar.
He pauses, his gaze raking the warriors of Windclan and Thunderclan. Graystar hears snarls from the Shadowclan warriors behind their leader and forces himself not to flinch away from their glittering eyes and bristling fur.
For a few heartbeats not a cat moves, and Firestar braces himself for Tigerstar's order to attack. He waits for his enemy to launch the attack, convinced that battle is upon them. Instead, to his surprise, Blackfoot raises his tail in a signal. The bushes on the opposite slope rustle, and Graystar's eyes widen in shock as more cats emerge into the clearing.
He has never seen any of them before. They are skinny, their fur ragged, but he senses strength in their wiry limbs. The stench of crowfood and the Thunderpath roll off them.
These are no forest cats. The warriors of Thunderclan, Riverclan and Windclan stare in disbelief as more and more of the strangers pad into the clearing. They fan out into a semicircle around Shadowclan, row after row of them, more cats than Graystar can remember seeing all together in the forest, even at a Gathering.
"Well?" Tigerstar demands silkily. "Are you still sure that you want to stand and fight?"