Warriors: Omen of the Stars #6: The Last Hope by Erin Hunter Read Free Book Online Page B

and check it out,” Tigerheart offered.
    “Okay, but stay this side of the border,” Rowanclaw warned.
    Ratscar growled again. “Let me stay too. If ThunderClan cats are sniffing about I want to make sure they know—”
    “Tigerheart can check it out.” Rowanclaw cut the warrior off. “We need to meet Blackstar. You can lead a patrol back here later to re-mark the borders.”
    Dovewing drew in a long, deep breath as the ShadowClan patrol pounded away toward the lake.
    “Dovewing?” Tigerheart whispered through the thorns. “Were you looking for me?”
    “Of course not!” Relief flared to fury. He must think she was a wide-eyed kit! And a traitor! “I heard you accuse Jayfeather of murder, don’t forget!”
    Tigerheart crawled out from underneath the bush. “I had to support Dawnpelt.” He stared at her imploringly.
    “Why?” Dovewing hissed. “She was lying!”
    “She’s my littermate.” Tigerheart blinked at her. “And my Clanmate. What did you expect me to do?”
    “You could have kept your mouth shut!” Dovewing lashed her tail. “Or do you believe her?”
    Tigerheart’s ears twitched. “I couldn’t let her stand up alone. Not when she was making such a serious accusation.” He moved closer, eyes round. “You’d have done the same for Ivypool, wouldn’t you?”
    “Not if I didn’t think she was telling the truth.”
    Tigerheart narrowed his eyes. “And what if Ivypool had done something terrible? Would you abandon her?”
    Dovewing’s fur prickled. “Ivypool couldn’t do anything terrible!” Tigerheart’s tone unnerved her. “She wouldn’t !”
    “Really?” His eyes gleamed with a hint of a challenge.
    “What do you mean?” she demanded. Dovewing knew he and Ivypool both trained in the Dark Forest. Had something happened there, something Ivypool had kept secret?
    Tigerheart dropped his gaze. “Nothing.”
    Dovewing lifted her chin. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Ivypool. This is about Dawnpelt’s dumb lie!”
    “Dawnpelt believes what she said.”
    “Do you?” Dovewing arched her back.
    “I miss you, Dovewing.” Tigerheart’s amber gaze pierced her. “Why do we have to argue?”
    She flinched back in surprise as he leaned closer.
    “Why can’t we meet like we used to?” He sliced a bramble leaf with his claw and watched it flutter to the ground. “When it’s just the two of us, everything’s so much simpler.”
    Dovewing opened her mouth to argue. They were from different Clans. She shouldn’t even be thinking about him, let alone talking to him. Not like this. “I—I don’t know,” she stammered.
    “You do know!” He took a step forward until their muzzles were almost touching. “You feel the same way as I do. I can tell.”
    He trains in the Dark Forest! Dovewing tried to back away but his strength and warmth pulled her closer. For the first time in moons she felt safe, as though she could melt into him and never be afraid again. Ivypool trains there too, she reminded herself. Perhaps Tigerheart is spying for his Clan, like she is.
    His breath was soft on her cheek. Just like it had been when they’d sat together in the old Twoleg place, away from Clan territory, alone beneath the moon.
    “Tigerheart!” Ratscar’s yowl made her jerk away. The ShadowClan warrior was on the other side of the brambles.
    “Coming!” Tigerheart scrambled under the bush. “Meet me tonight!” he hissed at Dovewing. “I’ll wait for you here.”
    Trembling, Dovewing turned and ran. I can’t meet him! Her thoughts raced with her paws as she skimmed the drooping grass clumped between trees.
    But why not? I’ll just meet him once. If it still feels wrong I won’t meet him again.
    An orange pelt flashed in front of her. Skidding, Dovewing stumbled to a halt, missing Firestar by a whisker.
    He reared back, surprised. “Dovewing!” Finding his paws, he stared at her. “Sorry. I was thinking about something. I didn’t even hear you coming.”
    “I should