A Forest Divided (26 page)

Clear Sky and Jagged Peak were heading for her body. They nosed it onto their shoulders and brought it to the graveside. Thunder stepped away as they let her tumble into the hole.

Pebble Heart hopped in after her. Carefully, he eased her muzzle onto her forepaws and wrapped her tail across her nose so that she looked as though she were curled in sleep. Then he scrambled out and got a bracken frond to place over her.

Touched by the young tom's kindness, Thunder padded to
the bracken and bit through a brittle stem. He dragged it back and laid it with Pebble Heart's. Sun Shadow got another, and then Gray Wing. Together they heaped a thick layer of golden leaves over her.

“We should replace the stone,” Thunder murmured. “To protect her from scavengers.”

Tall Shadow gave a small nod. “But first we must pay our respects.” She looked at Gray Wing.

The gray tom gazed down at the golden stalks. “Quiet Rain,” he whispered. “Thank you for loving us enough to let us go.”

“Thank you for holding Fluttering Bird next to your belly for as long as she lived.” Clear Sky's mew was thick with grief.

“Thank you for traveling so far to spend your last moments with us.” Jagged Peak's eyes clouded as he stared into the hole.

Thunder lifted his muzzle and tasted the air. As he did, a drop of water splashed his nose. Then another. A moment later, rain pattered like countless paw steps over the frozen forest floor.

River Ripple put his paws to the stone and began to push. Thunder hurried to help. Clear Sky, Tall Shadow, and Sun Shadow joined him, while Star Flower hung back and watched, and together they rolled it back into place.

“We should go home,” Tall Shadow called through the rain.

“Not yet.” Sun Shadow was trembling. He crouched beside the rock, pressing his nose to the crack between stone and earth as though breathing in the last scents of his friend. With eyes closed, he grew still.

“He'll freeze!” Gray Wing looked in alarm at Pebble Heart.

“Let him grieve a while longer.” Pebble Heart's mew sounded distracted. His gaze was drifting across the clearing, narrowing as though he saw something that intrigued him.

The rain fell harder. Thunder's pelt clung to his body, and yet he did not feel cold. Familiar scents were filling the hollow. He squinted as he saw shapes in the rain, ghostly outlines moving around the clearing.

The spirit cats!

His heart soared as he recognized Hawk Swoop. Shaded Moss stood beside her, and together they dipped their heads to a new spirit.

Quiet Rain!

The old she-cat's ghostly form moved with ease across the clearing. She reached out her muzzle to greet her old friends, her pelt sleek and her eyes as bright as though she'd never known pain.

Hawk Swoop wove around her. “Welcome, dear friend.”

“Do you see now?” A mew rang across the clearing.

Thunder blinked as he saw a brown-and-white tabby she-cat calling to them.
Who is she?

Clear Sky brushed him and hurried to meet the tabby she-cat. “Bright Stream!” Joy filled his mew.

His first mate.
Thunder glanced toward Star Flower. Could she see the cat who had been carrying Clear Sky's kits when an eagle had killed her?

But Star Flower was oblivious to the spirit cats moving in
the clearing. She was watching Sun Shadow, her eyes filled with pity.

Bright Stream spoke again. “The past is the past. The future is fresh. You must forget all you have known, no matter how much you loved it, and choose paths that will carry you to a new dawn.”

Clear Sky leaned forward to touch her muzzle, but the ghostly shapes were disappearing already.

Thunder jerked his nose toward River Ripple. “Did you see them?”

River Ripple purred. “Of course.”

“What did she mean?”

Clear Sky turned on Thunder, his eyes glittering. “She meant what the spirit cats have always meant. We should be together. We must unite!”

Pebble Heart shook his head. “That's not what she said, Clear Sky,” he mewed softly.

Gray Wing padded to the young tom's side. “He's right, Clear Sky. We must choose a
new
beginning.”

“But . . .” Clear Sky's eyes were shining with a mixture of hope and grief. “Surely that means every cat should join together. . . .”

Thunder felt a twinge of pity.
Will he ever let this go?
“I have my own camp now, and my own cats,” he told his father. “My future lies with them, not with you.” His paws pricked guiltily at the flash of grief in Clear Sky's blue eyes. The hope was gone. Thunder dropped his gaze. “You will always be my
father,” he went on softly. “But you have to let us all be the cats we want to be. I can't come and live with you. I must find my own path.” Hesitantly, he looked up at Clear Sky, surprised to find that his father's gaze was calmer now. Star Flower had crossed the clearing to stand beside him.

“Your father knows this, Thunder.” She glanced at Clear Sky. “It is hard for him, but he understands.”

Clear Sky nodded, his eyes brimming with emotion.

Throat tightening, Thunder dipped his head. “Take care of each other.” As he turned to leave, he glanced at Quiet Rain's grave. Sun Shadow still lay beside it, his eyes closed. Had he even been aware of the ghostly cats in the clearing?

Thunder nodded to Gray Wing and Tall Shadow, then headed for the slope. It was time he went home. “Thanks for coming,” he meowed to River Ripple as he passed.

He bounded up through the bracken, veering at the top to head into the forest. An owl called through the rain that pounded the trees. A wind was whipping their high branches, and they clattered as he passed. He raced on, certain of the path home, following the scents of the forest until he heard mews echoing up from the ravine. He halted at the top and gazed down into the camp. Shadows swallowed the bushes and dens. Rain glinted on the stones. He jumped down them, claws stretched to keep a grip on the slippery surface. At the bottom, he squeezed under the gorse, happiness surging through his fur as he smelled the familiar scents of his friends.

“Thunder!” Lightning Tail hurried to greet him, his black
pelt slick with rain. “We were just deciding whether to send out a search party.”

“Not in this weather, I hope.” Thunder stopped in the clearing. Lightning Tail was the only cat he could see. “Where is everyone?”

“In their dens!” Lightning Tail purred. “Haven't you noticed? It's raining!” He beckoned Thunder with a nod of his head and led him toward a large bush a few paces from the rock that towered at the end of the clearing. He ducked underneath and Thunder followed.

Beneath the low-spreading branches, paws had hollowed out the earth to make two nests. The rain pattered above them, but it was dry under here.

“Look.” Lightning Tail nodded toward the gap they'd slid through. There was a clear view to the gorse entrance. “I thought this would make a good place to sleep. It's dry and we can keep an eye on who comes and goes.”

Thunder purred. “Which nest is mine?” Only one of the hollowed dips was lined with moss.

Lightning Tail nodded toward it. “You can have mine tonight,” he offered. “You must be tired. Tomorrow we can find fresh moss to line yours.”

Outside, the gorse rattled. Thunder stiffened, peering at the gap beneath the spiny branches. Milkweed was squeezing her way through, a mouse hanging from her jaws. Leaf followed her into the camp, carrying a vole in his.

“Night hunting?” Thunder blinked at Lightning Tail.

Lightning Tail purred. “They left Pink Eyes in charge of the kits and slipped out at dusk.”

“Together?”

“They haven't been apart since you left.”

Thunder's heart swelled until he thought it would burst. Above him, rain battered the bare branches. But he was dry, and his campmates were content. Tomorrow he would roam the forest with Lightning Tail and bring back fresh-kill for
his
cats.

Gray Wing touched his nose to
the rock that covered Quiet Rain's grave.

Behind him, Tall Shadow was saying good-bye to River Ripple. “Tell Shattered Ice and Dappled Pelt they are missed, but we are glad they're happy in their new home.”

River Ripple swished his tail. “It's hard to believe I once lived alone on the island. I can't imagine life without my campmates now.”

Gray Wing's pelt pricked along his spine.
Who are
my
campmates
? Tall Shadow and Jagged Peak? He had lived with them so long, it would seem strange to live without them. But the thought of returning to the dark pine forest filled him with gloom. Perhaps it was just the lingering grief of Quiet Rain's death. A bright morning, with sunlight piercing the canopy and pooling on the needle-strewn floor, might cheer him up. And Pebble Heart would be there, his determined gaze a comforting reminder of Turtle Tail.

“We should go.” Clear Sky's mew called Gray Wing from his thoughts. His brother stood beside Star Flower, their pelts touching. “Come and visit often,” he told Gray Wing.
“Especially when the kits come.” His gaze flicked toward Star Flower, glowing as she returned it.

One Eye's daughter had shown such courage and loyalty to her mate. A pang of sorrow pricked Gray Wing's belly. Turtle Tail had once stood beside him like that.

You shouldn't spend the rest of your life mourning. You should have a mate and kits of your own.
His mother's words rang in his ears.

“You will come to see the kits, won't you?” Star Flower leaned toward Gray Wing.

“Of course,” Gray Wing answered distractedly.

He watched as Clear Sky and Star Flower padded side by side toward the forest.

Tall Shadow was nudging Sun Shadow to his paws. “Come with us,” she murmured. “You'll catch a chill if you stay here in the rain.”

Sun Shadow heaved himself to his paws, his eyes downcast.

Pebble Heart fell in beside the black tom, pressing his shoulder against his flank and guiding him toward the edge of the hollow. Jagged Peak followed, casting a final glance back at Quiet Rain's grave.

Tall Shadow fell in behind them. “Are you coming, Gray Wing?”

Gray Wing felt rain soaking through his pelt. It dripped from his whiskers and pooled at his paws.

“Gray Wing?” Tall Shadow's eyes narrowed.

“I'm coming.”

A fresh wind sprayed fine rain into his face as he crested the top of the slope. It carried the scent of the moor, and he
breathed it in, his heart aching.

You should have a mate and kits of your own.

Pebble Heart was guiding Sun Shadow along the edge of the hollow, following the slope down toward the pine forest.

His paws suddenly heavy, Gray Wing stopped. “I can't come with you.”

Tall Shadow jerked around, her eyes wide. “What?”

Guilt rippled through Gray Wing's fur, but he had to speak the truth. “I can't live among the pines.”

“But that's what you chose!”

“I chose it because I wanted to help you build a new home.” He gazed solemnly at Tall Shadow. “But you're settled now. You don't need my help.”

“Is this because I accused you of trying to take over?” Tall Shadow's tail twitched uneasily.

Jagged Peak stared at him. “We
need
you, Gray Wing.”

“No, you don't.” Gray Wing turned his head and gazed across the moor. “I can hardly breathe there. You were right. While I'm among the pines, I'm not as fast as I used to be, but up here the wind seems to rush through me, and I can run without losing my breath.”

“Won't you be lonely?” Tall Shadow looked worried.

Gray Wing's chest tightened as he pictured Slate. “I hope not.”

Pebble Heart's eyes shone through the darkness. He peeled away from Sun Shadow and faced Gray Wing. “You must follow the path you choose,” he murmured softly.

“Do you mind?” Gray Wing searched his gaze, knowing
he would not leave Pebble Heart if the young tom still needed him.

“I want you to be happy,” Pebble Heart mewed. “And I'll know where to find you if I need you.”

“Where will you go?” Tall Shadow frowned. “Back to the old hollow?”

Pebble Heart didn't shift his gaze from Gray Wing. “He's going to Wind Runner's camp.”

Gray Wing stared wordlessly back.

Tall Shadow glanced at Jagged Peak. “Of course.” She dipped her head to Gray Wing. “We will miss you.”

Jagged Peak padded forward and nudged Gray Wing's shoulder with his muzzle. “Come and visit the kits,” he meowed. “They'll miss you.”

Gray Wing nodded. “Take care of Fern.” Guilt pricked his belly. He'd invited her to join him, and now he was leaving. But she'd be safe in Tall Shadow's camp—safer than she'd been with Slash. His belly tightened. “Be careful,” he cautioned.

Jagged Peak frowned. “Of what?”

“Don't forget, the pines are still new territory. You don't know what other cats might claim it as their own.” Should he warn them about Slash?
No.
Fern would know if the rogue had returned. She'd tell them all they needed to know. There was no need to worry them now.

Tall Shadow turned away, swishing her tail. “It's our territory now, and we'll fight for it if we have to.” She padded toward Sun Shadow, nudging him forward. Raindrops glistened on her pelt.

Jagged Peak followed, and Gray Wing touched his muzzle to Pebble Heart's head. “I'm proud of you.”

“I know.” Pebble Heart ducked away and headed after his campmates.

Gray Wing turned toward the moor. He could see the clouds clearing, far beyond the moortop. Excitement rising in his belly, he broke into a run. Racing over the rain-slicked grass, he ducked into a swath of heather, enjoying the twisting path that sent him turning this way and that before it seemed to burst into an open stretch of moorside. He hardly felt the pain in his injured leg as he pounded on, smelling the scents of Wind Runner and her kits as he neared the camp. The rain had eased here on the moortop, and he shook the wetness from his pelt, relishing the wind that streamed through it. He was almost dry by the time he ducked into the heather tunnel that led to the camp.

Padding quietly into the clearing, he glanced around.

Shadows hid the edges. No cat stirred.
They must already be in their nests.
Should he head back to the moor and find a hollow to sleep in for the night?

“Intruder!” A shriek sent surprise flashing through his chest. Claws raked his cheek, then pierced his pelt as a cat leaped onto his back.

“Dust Muzzle! It's me!” He recognized the kit's scent and shook him off, wincing as the kit tore a lump of fur from his pelt.

“Gray Wing?” Dust Muzzle stared at him through the darkness. “What are you doing here?”

Heather rustled around him, and paw steps scuffed the grass.

“Gray Wing?” Wind Runner crossed the clearing.

Gorse Fur pushed past her. “Is everything okay?”

Minnow and Reed hung back in the shadows, their eyes glinting in the gloom.

“Everything's fine,” Gray Wing told them. “But I can't live in the pine forest anymore. I can hardly breathe there, and I need to feel the wind in my fur again.” He gazed hopefully at Wind Runner. Was she ready to take an old campmate into her new home?

“Then you are welcome here.” Wind Runner purred loudly.

Moth Flight bounded from her nest. “Is Gray Wing coming to live with us?” She bounced around him, her eyes shining.

“Yes, I am.” Gray Wing cuffed the kit playfully with his paw.

A warm smell touched his nose, making his heart speed up.

“Gray Wing?” Slate slid from the heather and met his gaze. “Are you really coming to stay for good?” She padded closer until he could feel her breath on his muzzle.

“Yes.”

Dust Muzzle pushed between them. “Can you give me a badger ride?”

Wind Runner rolled her eyes. “It's time to sleep!” Starlight was glittering above them as the clouds eased away.

“Oh,
please
!” Moth Flight stared desperately at her mother.

“Let me take them out onto the moor.” Gray Wing blinked
at Wind Runner. “The heather always smells best after rain.”

Gorse Fur purred. “I wouldn't waste your time arguing.” He nudged Wind Runner's cheek with his nose. “Let's go back to our nests and let them go roaming if they want to. The kits will be safe with Gray Wing.”

“They're too big for badger rides,” Wind Runner commented.

“That's Gray Wing's problem.” Gorse Fur padded across the clearing.

“I'll come with you,” Slate offered.

Gray Wing grunted as Dust Muzzle scrambled onto his back. Wind Runner was right. The kit was as heavy as a fat rabbit.

“What about me?” Moth Flight mewed.

Slate padded toward her. “You can climb on my back, but I can't promise to carry you for long.” She swayed as the kit clambered up.

“Take us as far as the moortop,” Moth Flight pleaded.

Gray Wing ducked through the tunnel. Dust Muzzle pressed himself low as the heather swept over their heads. Out on the moor, Gray Wing headed upslope. He wanted to see the view from the top.

His injured paw ached as he carried Dust Muzzle, but he didn't care. Slate caught up to him, Moth Flight balancing precariously on her back. She was frowning with the effort of carrying the young she-cat.

“Get off now, you two.” Gray Wing shook Dust Muzzle
from his shoulders. “You can run to the top of the moor.”

Dust Muzzle sprang onto the grass. “Come on, Moth Flight! I'll race you.”

Gray Wing watched the two young cats streak away. He fell in beside Slate. “Are you glad I came back?” he asked, his mouth dry.

Slate shot him a teasing look. “What do
you
think?”