Path of Stars (19 page)

“Quiet Water and Sun Shadow said they were still finding prey enough to survive.”

Gray Wing tipped his head. “Life here is more than surviving.” The wind rippled through his fur. “Even though prey has been scarce lately, we know newleaf will bring more than we ever had in the mountains, the moor and forest will grow lush once more, and the sun will warm our backs.”

“It is good to be warm,” Jagged Peak agreed. “And to raise kits knowing they won't starve.”

Gray Wing purred, imagining his own kits racing through the heather, feeling warm wind in their fur and tasting their first mouthfuls of rabbit. “You were such a courageous kit,” he told Jagged Peak. “It was your confidence that led me here. For that I will always be grateful.”

“Really?” Jagged Peak's eyes glistened softly. “Weren't you
ever angry with me for dragging you into such a dangerous journey?”

“Not once I'd chased my first rabbit,” Gray Wing reassured him. “And tasted my first grouse.” He licked his lips, a sudden ache digging deep into his heart as he remembered sharing that grouse with Turtle Tail. His chest tightened, and a cough gripped him. He crouched, helpless, as it shook his body until he was gasping for breath.

“Gray Wing?” Jagged Peak crouched beside him.

Gray Wing wheezed, trembling as his coughing eased. Drawing in a shuddering breath, he lifted his chin. Why was his breath short? He hadn't been running.
Is it getting worse?
Worry nagged in his belly. He sat up, pushing it away. “It's been an exciting day,” he rasped.

Jagged Peak was staring at him anxiously. “Right.”

Gray Wing straightened, relieved as his chest loosened.
I'm not sick,
he told himself.
I just need to take it easy for a moon or two.

“Wind Runner!” A shocked yowl rang from the moor. Gray Wing straightened. Alarm scorched through his pelt as he recognized Reed's horrified cry. “Help! Come quickly! Fern is hurt!”

Fern!
Gray Wing's heart lurched. Was
the camp under attack? “Guard the kits!” he told Jagged Peak. Dread gripped his belly. To his relief, his chest remained loose.

He raced across the clearing, glancing back toward his den.
Nothing must harm my kits.
Minnow and Spotted Fur were already haring for the camp entrance, their fur bushed. Moth Flight raced at their heels. She was carrying cobweb between her jaws. The young cat was already planning how to treat Fern's injuries!

Gray Wing burst from the camp after Minnow and Spotted Fur.

Wind Runner raced up the slope to meet them.

“Is the camp in danger?” Gray Wing skidded to a halt in front of her.

Wind Runner shook her head. “Something attacked Fern, but it's gone now. Reed's with her. He's trying to stop the bleeding.”

Spotted Fur circled the group leader while Minnow dashed back and forth, scanning the heather. “Where is she?”

“Follow the blood-scent!” Moth Flight hurtled past, her
mew muffled by the cobweb.

As Spotted Fur and Minnow followed, Gray Wing held Wind Runner's gaze. “Was it a fox?”

“She hasn't said yet.” Wind Runner bounded after the others, veering around a gorse patch. Gray Wing raced beside her as she went on. “Reed was hunting with me and Gorse Fur. We were tracking the scent of blood. We thought it must be an injured rabbit. Reed got to it first. Then he called out Fern's name. When we reached him, we saw her lying on the grass. She's badly hurt.”

Gray Wing fought back panic. What had done this to her? Were dogs roaming the moor?
My kits!
His chest tightened. Forcing his fur flat, he slowed his breathing and followed Wind Runner to a dip beyond the gorse.

Fern lay on the grass. Blood matted her black pelt, glistening in the afternoon sun and welling on her ripped muzzle. Her ear tips were bleeding. Her eyes were clouded with pain and shock as she stared blindly at the cats crowding around her.

Gray Wing's heart ached for the brave cat who'd risked so much to save Star Flower.

Spotted Fur hung back, his eyes wide.

Gray Wing pushed between Minnow and Gorse Fur to where Reed was leaning over her. “Is she going to be okay?”

“We have to stop the bleeding,” Reed told him.

Moth Flight nosed her way past Gray Wing and pressed her white paws over a gash in Fern's trembling flank. Blood seeped into her snowy fur.

Wind Runner lashed her tail angrily. “Stop getting in the way.” She tried to nose Moth Flight away.

Moth Flight stiffened, holding her paws over the wound. “Didn't you hear? We have to stop the bleeding.”

“Then go and find more cobwebs,” Wind Runner ordered.

Reed flicked his tail. “Let her help,” he snapped to Wind Runner. “Moth Flight knows what she's doing. Minnow can find cobwebs.”

Gray Wing saw surprise flash in Wind Runner's gaze. She flicked her muzzle toward Minnow. “You heard him.” But the gray-and-white she-cat was already racing downslope. She dived into the heather and disappeared.

Gorse Fur shifted his paws nervously. “What did this to her? Is there a dog loose?”

“These are cat scratches,” Reed told him darkly.

Gray Wing scanned the moor for pelts.
Slash?
Had the rogue and his allies returned to wreak revenge?

Wind Runner lifted her tail. “Gorse Fur, take Spotted Fur and search for invaders.”

“No.” Fern's mew was no more than a breath. “Not invaders.”

Gray Wing stiffened. She could speak! He dropped down beside her. Blood welled on her lip. He tried to catch her eye. “Can you tell us who did this to you?”

Her gaze flicked toward him, as though she was trying to focus.

Gray Wing leaned closer. “You're going to be okay.”
I hope.
“Reed will take care of you. But we need to know what
happened.” Was the rest of the camp in danger?

Fern moved her head. Trembling, she dragged her gaze to meet Gray Wing's. “It was Bee.”

“Bee!”
Wind Runner gasped.

Gray Wing leaned closer, his thoughts whirling. “Why?”

Fern groaned. “She said I was a traitor for enjoying being a moor cat. She said Slash would call me a mouse-heart and she was going back to join him.”

A low growl rumbled in Wind Runner's throat. “I knew we couldn't trust rogues!”

Fern flinched. “You can trust me,” she croaked.

Gray Wing touched his muzzle to her cheek, the sour scent of blood filling his nose. “Wind Runner knows she can trust you.” He ignored Wind Runner's grunt behind him. “You were a friend to us even before you joined our group. You just take it easy while Reed fixes you up.”

“Where are those cobwebs?” Reed glanced over his shoulder, relief flickering in his gaze as he saw Minnow haring toward him.

She skidded to halt and dropped wads of cobweb at his paws.

Reed scooped them up at once and passed some to Moth Flight. “Press it into the wound, as gently as you can.”

Moth Flight nodded and began to pad the gash in Fern's flank with the cobwebs while Reed pressed them across the scratches on her shoulder.

“Do you need more?” Spotted Fur asked.

“All you can find,” Reed told her.

As Minnow raced away again, Wind Runner paced the grass. She signaled to Spotted Fur and Gorse Fur with a flick of her tail. “Hunt for Bee. Bring her back to camp.”

Gray Wing straightened. “Is that a good idea?” He scanned the moor again. “What if she's already with Slash? It's too dangerous to send two cats alone.”

Wind Runner narrowed her eyes. “We have to do
something
!”

Spotted Fur shifted his paws impatiently. “Perhaps Willow knows something about this.”

Gorse Fur frowned. “She's hunting with Dust Muzzle.”

Wind Runner's pelt spiked along her spine. “That's all the more reason to find her. What if she and Bee planned this together?”

“No!” Fern grunted. “Willow's not like Bee. She likes the group.”

Gray Wing nodded. “Willow's always helped with hunting and collecting bedding and guarding the camp. I can't believe she'd wish us any harm.”

Gorse Fur's ears twitched anxiously. “Let's find Dust Muzzle anyway.”

As he spoke, pelts showed against the grass below.

“They're coming!” Relief swamped Gorse Fur's mew. He raced to meet them.

Wind Runner eyed Willow warily as the pale tabby stopped to greet Gorse Fur. “How can I trust any rogue now?”

Gray Wing glanced at Fern.
You can trust her.
But he understood Wind Runner's fear. Were any of the other rogues like
Bee? Should he warn the other groups? What if Slash's campmates had only joined the forest cats to cause trouble? As his thoughts quickened, Willow raced toward him.

As she stopped, she stared at Fern, her eyes blazing with rage. “Did Bee really do this?”

Gray Wing lowered his gaze. “She did.”

Willow's pelt bushed. Pricking her ears, she scanned the moor. “I'm going to find her,” she snarled. “How could she hurt Fern? How could she betray the cats that took her in?”

Wind Runner eyed the pale tabby suspiciously. “Don't
you
know?” she asked pointedly. “After all, you're a rogue like she is.”

Willow stared at the camp leader. “Do you think I'd keep quiet if I'd known Bee was going to do something like this?” She flicked her nose toward Fern. “I'm going to make Bee sorry she was born.” She started down the slope.

Gorse Fur blocked her way, Dust Muzzle at his heels. “It's too dangerous. We've already decided. She might have found Slash already, and they might be waiting for us to retaliate. It could be a trap.”

Wind Runner narrowed her eyes. “Let her go, if she wants. Perhaps Slash is waiting for her to join him.”

Willow turned on the moor leader, outrage flashing in her gaze. “How can I prove I'm loyal to you? If I stay, you won't trust me. If I leave, you think I'm betraying you—”

“Do you really think I'd trust you after this?” Wind Runner stared at Willow.

Willow's hackles lifted.

Gray Wing bristled. Why was Wind Runner being so harsh? Willow had hunted and patrolled as loyally as any
cat. “Of course you can trust—”

Gorse Fur padded between the two she-cats. “We need to get Fern back to camp,” he meowed firmly. “If this is the beginning of trouble, then she needs to be somewhere safe. We must post guards and be prepared for an attack. Willow and Spotted Fur can take the first watch.”

Wind Runner opened her mouth to speak. Gray Wing guessed that she was about to complain about Willow being posted as camp guard. But Gorse Fur silenced her with a look. “Willow has done nothing wrong. We must trust her. Without trust, there is no group.”

“Very well.” Wind Runner agreed tersely. She glanced at Reed. “Can we move her?”

Reed inspected the gash Moth Flight had treated, then nodded. Gray Wing stood back as Minnow, Gorse Fur, Willow, and Spotted Fur lifted Fern onto their shoulders. Carrying her carefully, they headed back to camp.

Moth Flight lingered beside Gray Wing and Dust Muzzle. Her white pelt was stained with Fern's blood.

As Wind Runner followed the others, Gray Wing glanced at Moth Flight. “Are you okay?”

Moth Flight nodded.

Dust Muzzle sniffed his sister gingerly. “You look like you've been in a fight.”

Moth Flight shook out her fur. “Poor Fern.” She stared after the wounded she-cat, eyes round with worry. “I hope she's okay.”

Gray Wing blinked at the young cat proudly. “You were very brave.”

Dust Muzzle shuddered. “Didn't touching her wounds make you feel sick?”

“No.” Moth Flight shrugged. “It seemed like the most natural thing to do.
Not
helping would have felt worse.”

“Come on.” Gray Wing shooed the two cats up the slope with a gentle flick of his tail. “If Slash is planning something, we shouldn't be caught out on the moor.”

“I thought Slash would leave us alone now.” Slate spoke in a whisper. White Tail, Silver Stripe, and Black Ear slept at her belly. The den was warm, but outside, the evening had brought a hard frost.

Gray Wing felt a twinge of pity for Gorse Fur and Minnow, who had replaced Willow and Spotted Fur as camp guards. They faced a long, cold vigil beside the heather entrance. He snuggled closer to Slate and the kits. “He might not be planning anything. Just because Bee decided to join him doesn't mean he'll attack.”

Slate's eyes glittered in the darkness. “He has five allies now.” She wrapped her tail around the dozing kits. “He might even have recruited
more
.”

“We're safe here,” he told Slate. “Gorse Fur and Minnow are guarding the camp.”
It should be me.
But Wind Runner had refused his offer to help. Reed had backed her up when Gray Wing had argued.

“But I want to guard,” he'd insisted.

“You should stay close to your kits,” Wind Runner had told him.

Reed had nodded. “A warm den is better for your breathing than cold night air.”

Gray Wing had glared angrily at the silver tom. But he hadn't argued. He knew it was true. Even here, cozy in his nest beside Slate and their kits, he felt invisible jaws tighten around his chest, as though some creature were trying to squeeze the breath from him.
It will pass,
he told himself as fear crept beneath his pelt. He leaned forward and sniffed White Tail's soft fur. The dark gray kit mewled in his sleep and rolled over. Silver Stripe stirred beside him, her tail sticking out.

Black Ear lifted his head and blinked sleepily at Gray Wing. “Is it time to wake up?”

Gray Wing lapped the black-and-white tom-kit's cheek softly. “No. Go back to sleep.”

Black Ear rested his muzzle on his sister's back and closed his eyes.

Slate's gaze met Gray Wing. “Will they ever be safe?”