Sparrowsky padded at the head of the patrol, his broad shoulders swaying with each step. Sunlight dappled his scarred face through the leaves, but there was no warmth in his gaze. Flameflash followed just behind him, tail twitching with restless energy, while Batwillow brought up the rear, her dark pelt blending into the shadows.

Three bodies lay twisted in the grass, their fur matted with blood. The white and black-pelted she-cat sprawled across the center was Windfur, her once-glossy coat dulled with dirt and gore. Nearby lay a young tom, his dark pelt still, eyes glazed, looked almost old enough to leave his mother’s side. A little further off was Rainclaw, his gray pelt streaked crimson, his lifeless body half-covered by leaves that had drifted in the previous night’s breeze.

A sound drifted in from outside. A low rustle, followed by the snap of a twig. Silver pricked her ears, but before she could move, Night’s scent wafted into the clearing. She padded toward it, keeping to the shadows, until the trees thinned enough for her to see.