Tallstar's Revenge by Erin Hunter Page A

tail-tip flicked with excitement. Hawkheart and Reedfeather sat still as stone at the foot of Tallrock while the moor runners filled up the rest of the hollow.
    â€œSit down and stop fidgeting.” Cloudrunner beckoned Stagpaw with a flick of his tail. Doepaw was already waiting between Aspenfall and Ryepaw.
    The elders clambered stiffly into the hollow, Flamepelt leading the way. Whiteberry pressed close to Lilywhisker as she dragged her leg behind her. Flailfoot followed. “This is the ceremony I’ve been looking forward to,” he rasped.
    Tallkit’s heart leaped like a rabbit in his chest.
    Sandgorse stood beside him. “Are you ready?”
    â€œYes.” Tallkit glanced at Palebird. Her round eyes, which had been dull for so long, were bright and focused.
    She leaned forward and began lapping the fur on Tallkit’s shoulders. “I want you looking your best,” she purred.
    Brown fur flashed at the entrance to the medicine den as Barkpaw hurried out. The young apprentice scrambled into the hollow and took his place beside Hawkheart. The medicine cat flashed him a reproachful look.
    â€œSorry, Hawkheart.” Tallkit heard Barkpaw’s hushed apology. “I was sorting the comfrey leaves.”
    Shrewpaw caught Tallkit’s eye. He was sitting beside his mentor, Hareflight. Tallkit could guess what he was thinking. You’re going to be Worm paw now. Tallkit looked away. I’ll be an apprentice, he told himself. It doesn’t matter whether I’m a tunneler or a moor runner.
    Heatherstar leaped down from Tallrock and crossed the hollow. She stopped in the middle and surveyed her Clan until her gaze rested on Tallkit. His pelt burned. “Tallkit!” Heatherstar called.
    Palebird nudged him forward. Paws slipping on the dry sand, Tallkit scrambled down into the hollow and stopped in front of Heatherstar.
    â€œIt is rare that I give an apprentice name to only one cat.” Heatherstar’s blue eyes bored into him. “Let us remember your littermate, Finchkit.” She glanced up at Palebird. “WindClan mourns the loss of one so young, but she is at peace, safe with StarClan.”
    Tallkit wondered if his littermate was watching his ceremony. Would she be jealous that she never got the chance to have her apprentice name? Perhaps StarClan would grant her one.
    â€œTallpaw.” Heatherstar’s mew jerked his thoughts back. “I have thought long and hard about who should mentor you.”
    Tallpaw heard murmurs of excitement from the tunnelers. “She’ll choose Woollytail, surely?” Plumclaw’s whisper hissed across the hollow.
    Heatherstar’s gaze didn’t waver. “I have chosen Dawnstripe.” She turned her head toward the moor runners. “Come forward, Dawnstripe.”
    Tallpaw gripped the earth as the ground seemed to sway beneath him. But I’m supposed to be a tunneler. He looked at Sandgorse, sitting above the hollow. His father’s eyes glittered with outrage.
    Tallpaw swallowed as Dawnstripe padded toward him. I’m not going underground. Relief fluttered deep in his belly.
    â€œHeatherstar!” Woollytail’s sharp mew cut across the hollow. “You promised us a tunneler!”
    Paws thumped onto the earth behind Tallpaw. He spun around, heart lurching. Sandgorse had jumped into the clearing. “You’ve made a mistake, Heatherstar.”
    Heatherstar shook her head. “No, I haven’t, Sandgorse.”
    â€œBut I’m a tunneler. Palebird’s a tunneler. We want Tallpaw to follow in our paw steps.”
    Heatherstar dipped her head. “I know,” she meowed quietly. “But I have watched Tallpaw. He doesn’t have a tunneler’s nature or physique.”
    â€œThat’s not true!” Sandgorse snapped. “Look at this tail. It’s easily long enough to pull him out of a cave-in. And he has strong paws and short fur, to keep the sand