Ravenpaw's Farewell Read Free Page A

cliff on the other. The barn lay in the other direction, and Ravenpaw started to wonder if they would ever find their way back.
    Ravenpaw felt his legs start to slow. Beside him, Barley slowed too. “Keep going, Ravenpaw!” he panted. There was a joyful yowl behind them, as if the tabby tom could tell his prey was weakening.
    â€œWhat is going on?” The air was split with a shriek from the top of the fence, and an orange shape slammed onto the ground at Ravenpaw’s heels. He stumbled to a halt and spun around to see a she-cat arching her back and hissing, her eyes furious slits. Oh, great. Another angry kittypet.
    â€œViolet!” Barley gasped.
    Ravenpaw blinked. It’s Barley’s sister!
    â€œBarley!” cried the orange cat. In a heartbeat, she whipped around to face the cats in pursuit. “Stop right there, Madric!” she ordered.
    To Ravenpaw’s surprise, the brown tabby skidded to a stop. The two cats behind almost crashed into him. “Go away, Violet,” he snarled. “These cats were trespassing!”
    â€œNonsense!” spat Violet. “This is my brother, Barley, and his friend Ravenpaw. They are welcome anywhere, do youunderstand?” She flattened her ears at the tabby tom. “Anywhere.”
    The tabby hissed, but he flicked his tail at the cats who had kept pace with him. “Come on,” he growled. “I don’t think they’ll bother us again.” He narrowed his eyes at Ravenpaw. “You’re way out of your depth here, old cat,” he jeered. “Go back to your nest.”
    Violet stepped in front of him. “Enough,” she snapped. With a final growl, the hostile cats turned and trotted away. Violet tipped her head to one side, studying Barley and Ravenpaw. “Well, you two looked better the last time I saw you.”
    Barley shrugged. “Our bones are getting a little old for this kind of thing,” he admitted. His eyes brightened, and he rubbed his head against Violet’s cheek. “It’s been too long, sister! How are you?”
    â€œI’m well!” she declared. “And I have something to show you!” She led the way to a hole at the foot of the fence. Before squeezing through, she glanced back at Ravenpaw. “Are you okay? Did one of those cats injure you?”
    Ravenpaw shook his head, still breathless.
    They ducked through the fence and emerged into an enclosed space of smooth green grass edged with strong-smelling bushes. Ravenpaw felt his skin prickle. A Twoleg den was the last place he wanted to be.
    â€œIt’s okay,” Violet mewed as if she sensed his hesitation. “We’re not going inside, and my housefolk aren’t home anyway.”
    She bounded across the grass and jumped onto a woodenplatform that stretched along the side of the red stone den. There was a bundle of soft, brightly colored pelts at one side. As Ravenpaw drew nearer, he saw the pelts quiver, and he picked up a scent he hadn’t smelled in a long, long time . . .
    â€œI’m back, poppets!” Violet called.
    Several tiny faces burrowed out of the pelts. Kits! Ravenpaw was whisked back to memories of the nursery: the smell of milk clinging to his fur, the looming, gentle shape of his mother.
    â€œOh, wow,” breathed Barley as sturdy little bodies swarmed around him, mewling and purring and tugging at his fur with tiny sharp teeth.
    â€œThis is my brother, Barley,” Violet announced. “And his friend Ravenpaw. Be gentle, Bella!” she pleaded as a pale orange she-kit reached up and fastened her claws into Ravenpaw’s ear.
    Ravenpaw used his front paw to pry her off and placed her back on the ground. Huge green eyes stared up at him curiously. She looks just like Firestar!
    â€œDo you and Barley have kits?” she mewed.
    â€œEr, no,” Ravenpaw answered.
    She tipped her head to one side. “Where do you live? What are your housefolk like? Why