A Forest Divided (16 page)

Clear Sky snorted. “I'm your father. You can't tell me who I can take as a mate any more than you can tell me how to lead my group.”

“That's the problem, Clear Sky.” Thunder lashed his tail. “I can't tell you
anything
. You think you know it all. But you don't! You can't tell good from bad. You never could. But you're so determined to be ‘right,' you'll twist everything to prove it. If you mistook a fox for a rabbit, you'd keep calling it a rabbit while it tore out your throat, just because you'd rather die than admit that you were wrong.”

“That's not true!” Clear Sky snapped. “If Star Flower had chosen you instead of me, you wouldn't be leaving. You're blinded by jealousy.”

Thunder lowered his voice to a hiss. “But Star Flower would
never
choose me.
I'm
not enough like One Eye.” He turned, his
tail whipping past Clear Sky's muzzle, and leaped back to the clearing.

Clear Sky's chest tightened.
He thinks I'm like One Eye?
Stiff with shock, he watched Leaf, Pink Eyes, Cloud Spots, Owl Eyes, and Lightning Tail gather eagerly around his son. With a flick of his tail, Thunder led them out of camp.

Grief dragged at his bones, as heavy as water.
I just wanted my kin near me.
Jagged Peak and Gray Wing were in the pine forest. Thunder was leaving. His eyes misted.
I'm sorry, Fluttering Bird. I've failed you, and now I'm alone again. Somehow, I always end up alone.

A familiar scent touched his nose. “Star Flower?”

Paws scuffed the earth beside him, and he turned to see her green eyes shining through the darkness.

Her soft gaze met his. “It's been a tough day.” She reached forward and brushed her cheek with her muzzle. “But don't be sad. A few troublemakers have left, that's all. This is your chance to build the loyal, strong group you always wanted. Let Thunder go if he wants. His only ambition is to fill his belly. He will never be the leader that you are.”

Clear Sky let her words lull him. She wove around him, her thick pelt warming his. Icy weather was coming. He could smell it on the wind. Let Thunder find a new camp as leaf-bare tightened its grip. He still had a loyal band of cats. He rubbed his muzzle into the soft fur of Star Flower's neck.

At last, he had a mate worthy of him.

Thunder padded stiffly from the camp.
He was acutely aware of the cats following at his heels. He was responsible for them now—all of them. His heart pounded in his chest.
Am I doing the right thing?

His father's words rang in his ears.
If Star Flower had chosen you instead of me, you wouldn't be leaving. You're blinded by jealousy.

Was that true?

No!
It was far more than that. He couldn't live where he wasn't listened to—and he couldn't watch Clear Sky let cats go hungry. Did his father truly believe that their prey would not last through leaf-bare, or was he just flexing his claws because he enjoyed ordering cats around?

Lightning Tail fell in beside Thunder as he headed for the gully. “Why didn't you tell me you were planning to leave?”

Thunder avoided his gaze. “It was a quick decision.” Numbly, he slithered into the gully. Rain had washed through it and the earth was soft. Mud seeped around his paws.

Lightning Tail landed behind him. “Where are we going?”

Thunder felt the cold night air pierce his fur. “I'm not sure.” He glanced over his shoulder. Leaf, Cloud Spots, and
Pink Eyes were following, Owl Eyes on their tail. His heart pounded harder.
Gray Wing believed in me,
he reminded himself.
I can do this.

The gully wound toward the sycamore slope, and he leaped up it, following the path he had carried prey along earlier that day. The forest was dark, the moon hidden behind clouds. As they climbed the slope, he stretched his eyes wide, picking out shapes among the shadows. An owl screeched in the distance, and Lightning Tail pricked his ears.

“There must be prey around,” the black tom murmured.

“We can hunt in the morning,” Thunder told him. “We have to find somewhere safe to sleep.” If owls were looking for prey, foxes would be too.

“Thunder!” Owl Eyes called from behind.

Thunder heard fear in his mew and stopped. “What's wrong?”

Owl Eyes was staring back down the slope, his pelt bristling. “We're being followed.”

Thunder stiffened. Had Clear Sky sent a patrol after them? He dashed past Leaf and Cloud Spots and stopped beside the young gray tom. “Can you see anything?”

Owl Eyes shook his head. “I heard voices.”

Thunder tasted the air. There were no strange smells. Just the scents of the camp drifting through the damp forest. “You're imagining it.” He began to head back to Lightning Tail.

A hiss sounded from shadows below. A twig cracked.

“Who's there?” Thunder unsheathed his claws.

“I'll take a look.” Leaf barged past him, ears flat. Growling, the black-and-white tom raced for the gully.

Thunder watched him go, his ears twitching uneasily.

Cloud Spots's pelt brushed his. “Has Clear Sky come after us?”

“Why would he?” Lightning Tail paced around them. “He said we could go if we wanted.”

Cloud Spots snorted. “But he's
Clear Sky
, remember? He can't be trusted.”

Pink Eyes was staring silently into the darkness. The half-blind cat's mouth was open as he tasted for scents.

Thunder saw his ears twitch. “What—”

“Hush!” Pink Eyes leaned forward, his pelt bristling.

Thunder's belly tightened.

“Stop him!” Pink Eyes growled sharply.

“Stop who?”

“Leaf!” Pink Eyes raced forward, bounding down the slope.

Alarm flashed through Thunder. He sped after the white tom. A shriek exploded from the shadows ahead. A long, low yowl sounded in reply.

Thunder leaped past Pink Eyes as they reached the gully, and jumped down into the muddy ditch. He smelled fear-scent as he spotted Leaf's black-and-white fur. The tom was hissing at a she-cat. Two small shapes huddled at her side.

Milkweed!

As Thunder pushed past Leaf, the queen bared her teeth.

“What are you doing here?” Surprise rippled through Thunder's fur.

Milkweed crouched in the gully, Thistle and Clover on either side. She eyed Leaf accusingly. “We want to come with you, but
he
told us to go back.”

Leaf bristled beside Thunder. “They can't hunt, and she's
sick
! Let Clear Sky look after them.”

“How dare you!” Milkweed lashed out with a forepaw and sliced her claws over Leaf's muzzle.

The tom hissed, eyes flashing with rage in the darkness.

Thunder pushed between them. “Milkweed and her kits can come with us if they want to,” he growled.

“They'll make us weak.” Leaf's tail whisked over the mud.

“I want to come with you so I can
help
!” Milkweed snapped. “Clear Sky kept promising I could hunt, but he never sent me out with a patrol.”

Thunder gazed at her sympathetically. “Are you strong enough to hunt?”

“Of course I am!” Milkweed snapped. Her ribs still showed through her pelt. “I've got kits to feed.
Their
hunger will drive me even harder than my own.” She flashed a look at Leaf. “
He
only wants to fill his
own
belly. He doesn't belong in a group!”

Leaf bristled. “That's not true!”

“Your only loyalty is to yourself,” Milkweed hissed.

“Be quiet! Both of you.” Thunder looked from one to the other, and then at the kits. Thistle was watching with narrowed eyes. Clover was growling, teeth bared. “Leaf proved his loyalty when he chose to come with me,” he told Milkweed. He turned to Leaf. “And Milkweed's right—she has kits to raise, which means she has more to fight for than any of us.”

Leaf shifted his paws. “She's been coughing since sunup, and she's skinnier than a leaf-bare rabbit,” he grunted. “I bet she can't even run.”

Milkweed hopped out of the gully and leaned back to grab Thistle by his scuff.

He mewed indignantly as she hauled him out.

Clover scrambled up by herself. “We'll be able to hunt soon!” she hissed at Leaf. “One day you'll be old and stiff and grateful for the food we bring you.”

Thunder felt a flash of pride in the feisty young kit. “Come on.” He jumped up the slope and beckoned to the kits with his tail. “We need to find somewhere to sleep.”

Leaf pulled himself out of the gully and stalked up the slope. “We should have just carried on walking,” he grumbled as he passed Pink Eyes.

The white tom ignored him, his gaze on the kits. “Hurry up, Thistle.” He whisked his tail encouragingly.

Thistle galloped toward him, Clover at his heels.

Thunder fell in beside Milkweed as they followed the kits up the slope. He glanced sideways at her. “I thought you were happy with Clear Sky.”

“I'm grateful he took us in,” she answered. “But I never liked depending on other cats to feed my kits. I want to hunt.”

“You will,” Thunder promised. He fluffed his fur against the chill. Finding enough prey to last through leaf-bare was going to be their biggest challenge—but first they had to find somewhere to make camp.

They caught up with Owl Eyes, Cloud Spots, and Lightning
Tail. Leaf was already heading past the sycamore while the kits scampered after Pink Eyes.

Lightning Tail blinked in surprise at Milkweed as she padded past him wordlessly, following her kits.

Thunder caught his friend's eye. “I thought I was going to be spending the night alone in the forest.”

“Tough,” Lightning Tail purred. “You're stuck with us.”

Thunder felt a surge of affection for his friend. He'd been relieved when the black tom had stepped forward and offered to go with him. He fell in beside him now, and together they headed up the slope.

As the night deepened, the air grew colder.

“My paws ache,” Owl Eyes muttered as they began to climb yet another slope.

Above, the clouds had cleared to reveal a star-speckled sky, and Thunder could feel frost settling over the woods. He'd lost track of how far they'd come. This part of the forest was unfamiliar: small, bare clearings followed by woodland brambled so thickly that it was hard to find a trail through. Where could they rest? The clearings were too exposed, the brambles too sharp to burrow beneath.

“Thunder!” Leaf's call sounded from ahead.

Thunder bounded forward, skidding around Cloud Spots and Milkweed as they nudged the weary kits on.

“Careful!” Leaf cautioned as Thunder neared. “It's a steep drop.”

Thunder scrambled to a halt, sending a shower of grit spraying ahead of him. He heard it rattle over stone and land
far below. Leaf was staring down into shadow, and Thunder followed his gaze. The land dropped away into a small ravine. Moonlight pooled at the bottom, lighting a clearing ringed by bracken and trees.

Leaf lifted his chin. “Do you think we could get down there?”

Thunder surveyed the cliff. It was rocky, but there were enough ledges and jutting boulders for them all to jump down. “With a little help, even the kits could make it,” he meowed.

Lightning Tail caught them up and gazed into the ravine. “It looks like there's plenty of shelter.”

Thunder jumped down onto the nearest ledge, relieved to find it solid beneath his paws. Excitement fizzed in his belly. “Tell the others to hurry,” he called up. They could rest here for the night and explore the area more in the morning.
And hunt.
His belly rumbled at the thought. The undergrowth was so thick below, there had to be prey.

He led the way down, jumping from ledge to ledge, checking that the others were following each time he stopped. Before long, he landed on soft earth. A wall of prickly gorse blocked his way, and he sniffed along the base as Lightning Tail and Leaf guided Pink Eyes, Cloud Spots, Milkweed, and her kits down the cliff.

Owl Eyes landed clumsily beside him. “This is great!” His round eyes shone in the moonlight.

“It
would
be if I could find a way past this gorse,” Thunder muttered.

“Here!”

Thunder looked up. Owl Eyes was already squeezing under a gap in the spiny bush. Thunder followed, the thorns scraping his spine. He wriggled out the other side and gazed ahead. Grass circled a bare earth clearing where a large boulder stood, glittering with frost. Brambles and bracken crowded the edge, and trees stood like guards against the forest beyond.

Hope flared in Thunder's belly. Could this be their new home?

Lightning Tail squeezed from under the gorse. “We can rest for the night over there!” He nodded toward a thick clump of bracken. He crossed the clearing and began to trample the stems until he'd hollowed out a den.

Thistle and Clover burst from beneath the gorse and raced toward the black tom.

“Is this where we're sleeping?” Clover looked at him with round eyes.

“I want to sleep near the edge so I can listen for foxes,” Thistle announced.

Milkweed nosed her way into the clearing, Cloud Spots and Leaf on her tail.

Pink Eyes followed, tasting the air. “No cat scents here,” he murmured. “Do you think Clear Sky knows about this place?”

“Let's hope not.” Thunder felt a prickle of worry. In the morning, they would mark new borders and organize hunting patrols. The scent of damp bracken filled his nose. Suddenly he felt tired, his paws like stone.

Leaf was already circling in the den. The black-and-white
tom flopped down wearily while Thistle and Clover huddled on the far side, eyeing him suspiciously.

Milkweed slid in beside them and lay down, curling her tail protectively around them.

Pink Eyes sniffed the edge of the den before settling, while Cloud Spots crouched next to Milkweed, his mouth open to taste the scents of their new home.

“Come on!” Lightning Tail nodded to Thunder from the edge of the den. “You must be exhausted.”

Thunder nodded and followed Pink Eyes across the clearing. He waited for the white tom to pad into the bracken before settling down beside Lightning Tail. His paws were sore from walking, his belly hollow with hunger. His eyes stung with tiredness.