Tallstar's Revenge Read Online Free PDF Page A

patience.”
    Tallkit’s heart sank. Would he have to spend the whole day trying to shift this dumb rock while Shrewkit and Barkkit played Rabbit on the Hunting Stones?
    Heatherstar’s mew rang through the cold air. “Let all cats old enough to catch prey gather beneath Tallrock.”
    Tallkit jerked around. The WindClan leader stood on top of the dark stone in the middle of the Meeting Hollow.
    â€œWait here,” Sandgorse ordered. He trotted across camp and bounded into the sandy hollow.
    Flailfoot brushed past Tallkit. “Try starting with a smaller stone,” he suggested as he headed after Sandgorse.
    Tallkit sat back on his haunches and watched his Clanmates streaming toward Tallrock. Aspenfall and Cloudrunner bounded down into the snow-whitened circle, lithe and light-footed. Redclaw and Dawnstripe followed. Meadowslip and Larksplash were already staring up expectantly at Heatherstar. They shifted to let the other moor runners settle beside them.
    Sandgorse headed for the opposite end of the hollow, where the tunnelers sat, and stopped beside Woollytail and Hickorynose. Flailfoot jumped stiffly down beside them. Tail high, the old tunneler nodded to Reedfeather. The WindClan deputy, who was sitting at the foot of Tallrock, dipped his head in return.
    Barkkit bounced toward Tallkit, eyes bright. “Aren’t you coming?” Shrewkit was already scrambling away across the tussocks.
    Tallkit blinked. “But we’re not old enough to catch prey.”
    â€œHow do you know?” Barkkit shrugged. “You’ve never tried. Besides, we won’t sit with the warriors. We can watch from over there.” He pointed with his nose to where Shrewkit was threading his way through the long grass that edged the moor runners’ nests. “Come on.”
    As Tallkit scampered after Barkkit, the camp entrance shivered. Lilywhisker and Whiteberry hurried in.
    â€œHave they started?” Lilywhisker called to Flailfoot as she limped across camp.
    â€œNot yet.” Flailfoot padded to the edge of the hollow and reached up to steady Lilywhisker as she scrambled down on her three good legs. She joined the tunnelers while Whiteberry headed for the moor runners on the far side of the hollow.
    Mistmouse paced the rim, brushing past her mate, Hareflight. The brown tom stood as stiff as the trunk of a gorse bush, as though his claws had taken root. Tallkit paused beside the moor runners’ nests and watched them curiously. Mistmouse’s kits, Ryekit, Stagkit, and Doekit, were standing beside the two warriors.
    â€œIn here.” Barkkit nudged Tallkit into the grass beside Shrewkit.
    Tallkit pushed through the long stems. “What are they doing at the hollow?” He jerked his nose toward Hareflight’s kits.
    â€œI don’t know.” Barkkit burrowed deeper into the grass and peeped out.
    â€œHush!” Shrewkit hissed beside them. “I’m trying to hear.” His yellow eyes were fixed on the Meeting Hollow.
    Heatherstar sprang down from Tallrock and weaved past her Clanmates until she reached the center. Mistmouse was fiercely smoothing the fur between Stagkit’s ears. Hareflight nudged Doekit and Ryekit closer to the edge.
    â€œRyekit, Doekit, and Stagkit!” Heatherstar called.
    Tallkit felt Barkkit stiffen beside him. “It’s their apprentice ceremony!”
    Tallkit leaned forward.
    â€œWoollytail will get one of them,” Shrewkit guessed.
    â€œBut Hareflight’s a moor runner,” Barkkit reminded him.
    â€œSo?” Shrewkit whispered. “Woollytail’s been complaining for ages that WindClan needs more tunnelers. And Mistmouse will want at least one of her kits to follow in her paw steps.” He glanced at Tallkit. “I feel sorry for you. Being a tunneler must be awful.”
    Tallkit scowled at him. “Sandgorse says it’s the noblest warrior life.”
    â€œSandgorse would,” Shrewkit