Free Ravenpaw's Farewell by Erin Hunter Page A

in his belly.
    Ravenpaw noticed her watching him with concern. “I’m getting old!” he joked.
    Silverstream just looked at him with huge blue eyes.
    Ravenpaw felt a chill creep over his pelt. “I . . . I’m not going to see my home again, am I?”
    â€œNo,” Silverstream admitted. “But you must not be afraid of dying somewhere else.” There was a catch in her voice. “All that matters is that you are not alone, and that you know youare loved.”
    Ravenpaw felt a painful lump rise in his throat. “I’m afraid for Barley,” he whispered.
    â€œBarley knows that you don’t want to leave him. He understands, and he will not love you less if he cannot see you.”
    Two more cats approached the edge of the pool: one dark gray tom with glowing blue eyes, the other a broad-shouldered tom with gray-and-white fur. Silverstream stood up and nodded to them, then padded away up the spiraling path.
    The dark gray tom spoke first. “My name is Skywatcher,” he meowed. “I was the last of the SkyClan warriors, until Firestar and Sandstorm came to save my Clan. There is a place for Riley and Bella in SkyClan, I promise. Be patient and you will help them find it.”
    â€œAnd I am Cloudstar, leader of SkyClan when we first came to the gorge,” rasped the gray and white cat. “And before, when we lived in the forest with the other Clans.”
    Ravenpaw dipped his head. “I am honored to meet you both.”
    â€œI made the same journey as Firestar and Sandstorm, and now you and your friends,” Cloudstar meowed. “I am grateful to you for bringing new warriors to my Clan.”
    â€œBut they don’t want them!” Ravenpaw burst out. “Leafstar wouldn’t even let us cross the border!”
    â€œGive them a chance to see what these cats can bring to the Clan,” Cloudstar countered. “SkyClan needs your help. You saw that tonight.”
    Ravenpaw lashed his tail. “But SkyClan has its own strongwarriors! Leafstar was quick to make that clear. What can we do that they can’t?”
    Without speaking, Skywatcher moved to the edge of the pool and flicked a pebble into the water. It landed with a splash and sent starry ripples out in circles, rolling all the way to the sides of the hollow.
    â€œLook,” Skywatcher ordered. “The stone reaches much farther than you might expect. Do you see?”
    Ravenpaw watched the trembling waves and pictured SkyClan, scared and defensive inside the gorge, waiting for the kittypets to storm across the empty ground and invade their camp again. His mind cleared and he nodded. “I see,” he replied.
    Cloudstar rested his muzzle on top of Ravenpaw’s head. “Please help us,” he murmured. “In the name of the Clans, and the warrior code.”
    â€œI will,” Ravenpaw promised.
    He woke as the first gray light of dawn spilled into the cave. Outside, the air was cool and scented with leaves. Ravenpaw nudged Barley. “Wake up!”
    â€œIs it time to go home?” Bella mewed sleepily. Beside her, Riley yawned.
    â€œWe’re not going home,” Ravenpaw announced. “We’re going back to SkyClan.”
    Barley stopped mid-stretch. “What? They wouldn’t even let us across the border yesterday.” He narrowed his eyes. “And you need to get back to the barn for some rest.”
    â€œI’m okay,” Ravenpaw told him. “I dreamed of StarClan last night, and I saw something that can help deal with the kittypets.”
    â€œLet’s go!” mewed Riley, running to the mouth of the cave. “Those fox-brained kittypets need to respect SkyClan!”
    Ravenpaw felt a flash of pride at Riley’s loyalty to a Clan that had treated him like a trespasser.
    Bella nodded. “If there’s anything we can do to help, then we have to go back.”
    Barley sighed. “I can see I’m