CODE OF HONOR Bravelands2 txt_des3_cc15.indd 1 11/29/17 11:52 AM Book One: Broken Pride Book Two: Code of Honor ALSO BY ERIN HUNTER THE NEW PR OPHECY THE PROPHECIES BEGIN OMEN OF THE STARS Book One: Into the Wild Book One: The Fourth Apprentice Book Two: Fire and Ice Book Two: Fading Echoes Book Three: Forest of Secrets Book Three: Night Whispers Book Four: Rising Storm Book Four: Sign of the Moon Book Five: A Dangerous Path Book Five: The Forgotten Warrior Book Six: The Darkest Hour Book Six: The Last Hope THE NEW PROPHECY DAWN OF THE CLANS Book One: Midnight Book One: The Sun Trail Book Two: Moonrise Book Two: Thunder Rising Book Three: Dawn Book Three: The First Battle Book Four: Starlight Book Four: The Blazing Star Book Five: Twilight Book Five: A Forest Divided Book Six: Sunset Book Six: Path of Stars POWER OF THREE A VISION OF SHADOWS Book One: The Sight Book One: The Apprentice’s Quest Book Two: Dark River Book Two: Thunder and Shadow Book Three: Outcast Book Three: Shattered Sky Book Four: Eclipse Book Four: Darkest Night Book Five: Long Shadows Book Six: Sunrise Bravelands2 txt_des3_cc15.indd 2 11/29/17 11:52 AM THE NEW PR OPHECY Firestar’s Quest Bluestar’s Prophecy SkyClan’s Destiny Crookedstar’s Promise Yellowfang’s Secret Tallstar’s Revenge Bramblestar’s Storm Moth Flight’s Vision Hawkwing’s Journey Tigerheart’s Shadow EX PLORE THE THE NEW PR OPHECY WORLD FIELD GUIDES NOVELLA Secrets of the Clans COLLECTIONS Cats of the Clans The Untold Stories Code of the Clans Tales from the Clans Battles of the Clans Shadows of the Clans Enter the Clans Legends of the Clans The Ultimate Guide MANGA NOVELLAS The Lost Warrior Hollyleaf ’s Story Warrior’s Refuge Mistystar’s Omen Warrior’s Return Cloudstar’s Journey The Rise of Scourge Tigerclaw’s Fury Tigerstar and Sasha #1: Into the Woods Leafpool’s Wish Tigerstar and Sasha #2: Escape from the Forest Dovewing’s Silence Tigerstar and Sasha #3: Return to the Clans Mapleshade’s Vengeance Ravenpaw’s Path #1: Shattered Peace Goosefeather’s Curse Ravenpaw’s Path #2: A Clan in Need Ravenpaw’s Farewell Ravenpaw’s Path #3: The Heart of a Warrior Spottedleaf ’s Heart SkyClan and the Stranger #1: The Rescue Pinestar’s Choice SkyClan and the Stranger #2: Beyond the Code Thunderstar’s Echo SkyClan and the Stranger #3: After the Flood Bravelands2 txt_des3_cc15.indd 3 11/29/17 11:52 AM Book One: The Quest Begins RETURN TO THE WILD Book Two: Great Bear Lake Book One: Island of Shadows Book Three: Smoke Mountain Book Two: The Melting Sea Book Four: The Last Wilderness Book Three: River of Lost Bears Book Five: Fire in the Sky Book Four: Forest of Wolves Book Six: Spirits in the Stars Book Five: The Burning Horizon Book Six: The Longest Day MANGA Toklo’s Story Kallik’s Adventure Book One: The Empty City Book Two: A Hidden Enemy Book Three: Darkness Falls Book Four: The Broken Path Book Five: The Endless Lake Book Six: Storm of Dogs THE GATHERING DARKNESS Book One: A Pack Divided Book Two: Dead of Night Book Three: Into the Shadows Book Four: Red Moon Rising Survivors: Tales from the Packs NOVELLAS Alpha’s Tale Sweet’s Journey Moon’s Choice Bravelands2 txt_des3_cc15.indd 4 11/29/17 11:52 AM CODE OF HONOR ERIN HUNTER Bravelands2 txt_des3_cc15.indd 5 11/29/17 11:52 AM Special thanks to Clarissa Hutton and Gillian Philip Bravelands: Code of Honor Copyright © 2018 by Working Partners Limited Series created by Working Partners Limited Endpaper map art © 2018 by Virginia Allyn Interior art © 2018 by Owen Richardson All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007. www.harpercollinschildrens.com ISBN 978-0-06-264206-6 (trade bdg.) — ISBN 978-0-06-264207-3 (lib. bdg.) Typography by Ellice M. Lee 18 19 20 21 22 CG/LSCH 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ❖ First Edition Bravelands2 txt_des3_cc15.indd 6 11/29/17 11:52 AM CODE OF HONOR Bravelands2 txt_des3_cc15.indd 7 11/29/17 11:52 AM Bravelands2 txt_des3_cc15.indd 8 11/29/17 11:52 AM PROLOGUE A thin golden glow edged the horizon to the east, bringing the first daylight to the savannah and revealing the flat-topped acacias that dotted the grassland. Another beautiful day, thought Babble the oxpecker: another delicious breakfast. He stretched, preened under a wing, then pecked a fat tick from the hide of the rhino he rode. This rhinoceros was a talker. He had been arguing with the other members of his crash since before dawn broke. Babble couldn’t understand a word of their strange, ground-plodder language, but the conversation sounded urgent, agitated, and more than a little aggressive. Babble raised his head and blinked. “Chatter?” “Wait,” came a muffled voice. All that was visible of Chatter was his tail; the rest of him was deep in the rhino’s flickering ear. His tail wagged, and he popped out, gulping 1 Bravelands2 txt_des3_cc15.indd 1 11/29/17 11:52 AM 2 BRAVELANDS #2: CODE OF HONOR down whatever parasite he’d been digging for. “What is it?” “I just wondered where you were,” Babble replied. “Is there anything else tasty in that ear? What do you think these rhi- nos are talking about?” “No idea. I don’t speak Grasstongue any more than you do.” Chatter fluttered down the rhino’s broad neck. “I think I got the last tick, but you’re bound to find something in his other ear.” Babble hopped past him, up to the rhino’s head. “I wish they’d stop all the horn-tossing and head-shaking,” he com- plained. “It’s not very calming. Or easy.” “It’s a nuisance, but you know what old Prattle says,” Chat- ter told him, poking under a flap of leathery skin. “Don’t worry about today, because tomorrow there’ll still be insects.” “Well, I wish Prattle would have a word with these rhinos,” sighed Babble. “They seem very wound up about something. They could learn a thing or two from us oxpeckers.” “They certainly—oh!” Chatter peered up as the call of a gray crowned crane echoed above them. The bird soared on vast white-and-black wings, shrieking in penetrating Skytongue: “Great Flock! Great Flock!” He angled his head, staring down at the two friends. “Great Flock!” As the oxpeckers gazed up in awe, the crane circled and flapped away in the direction of the sunrise. Distantly, they heard him calling the same words over and over, to other birds on the ground and in the trees. “Great Flock!” chirped Babble in delight. Chatter blinked his round yellow eyes. “I’ve never been Bravelands2 txt_des3_cc15.indd 2 11/29/17 11:52 AM BRAVELANDS #2: CODE OF HONOR 3 summoned to a Great Flock before. This is exciting!” “Me neither,” said Babble. “I’ve been hearing stories about Great Flocks since I came out of the egg, but I’ve never been to one.” “Let’s go, then!” Chatter darted his red beak at a last insect and took off. Babble fluttered after him. The sun was rising above the horizon now, a half circle of dazzling gold, and the sky was a cool, clear blue that was filling with birds. Crows took off caw- ing from their rot-flesh feasts, egrets rose in a white-winged mass, and a flock of blue starlings erupted from a thorn tree. A pair of bright green-and-yellow bee-eaters zipped past Bab- ble, almost touching his wing. “Hey, watch where you’re going!” he chirruped, but he was too excited to be cross. The sky was growing dark with birds; many more were silhouetted against the glow of the rising sun. “I wonder why a Great Flock’s been called?” exclaimed Chatter. A shadow raced over them from high above. A great white- backed vulture circled there; the gathered birds rose to swoop and flap around her, their cries hushed to an expectant twit- tering. A whole flock of vultures flew in the huge bird’s wake, soaring on vast black wings. “Isn’t that Windrider?” whispered Babble. “The old vul- ture who speaks with Great Mother?” “I think so.” Chatter fluttered, watching her in awe. The strange quietness was pierced by Windrider’s harsh, eerie cry. Bravelands2 txt_des3_cc15.indd 3 11/29/17 11:52 AM 4 BRAVELANDS #2: CODE OF HONOR “I bring terrible news, birds of Bravelands. Great Mother is dead.” Screeches and chirrups of horror rose throughout the sky. Crows gave rasping caws of shock, and the mournful hooting of cranes mingled with a burst of disbelieving chittering from the starlings. “No!” Chatter cried at Babble’s side. “This is terrible news!” Babble was stunned. “No wonder the rhinos were upset. They must have known already!” “Follow me.” Windrider’s command silenced the hubbub once more. No bird argued; the flocks swooped and fluttered into a rough formation behind the vulture, and together the vast horde soared over the savannah, the sun gleaming and glint- ing on thousands of wings. The riot of colors dazzled Babble. I wish the Great Flock could have been called for a happier reason, he thought.