Erin Hunter - Path of Stars

Fur brushed his flank. He jerked around, bristling.

River Ripple stopped beside him. “Don’t let him rile you,” the silver-furred tom murmured. “He wants to cloud your thoughts, but you need to keep a clear head.”

Clear Sky took in River Ripple’s soothing gaze. He felt his breathing ease and his heart slow as the silver tom’s calmness seemed to seep into him. Steadying his paws, he turned back to Slash. “You promised to return Star Flower if I brought the other leaders here.”

Slash tipped his head. “If I gave you Star Flower now, what incentive would you have to honor the agreement we will make tonight?”

Clear Sky dug his claws into the cold earth. “No one will agree to anything until Star Flower is safely returned.”

Slash flattened his ears and peered over the edge of the rock. “I’m afraid that isn’t something you get to decide. If you want to see your mate or your kits alive, you will meet my demands.”

Cold fear seeped beneath Clear Sky’s pelt. Words dried in his mouth.

“What are your demands, exactly?” Thunder’s steady mew sounded behind him.

“For every five pieces of prey you catch, I want one,” Slash told him simply. “My rogues will visit you each day to collect our share.”

Wind Runner glared at the rogue. “We’ll starve!”

Thunder growled. “We’re not going hungry to feed you!”

Slash narrowed his eyes. “Why should you grow fat on prey from our land?”

“No one will grow fat this leaf-bare,” Tall Shadow spat. “There’s hardly enough prey for ourselves. There’s certainly not enough to share with you.”

“That’s not my problem,” Slash answered back. “If you want to live on our land, then you must share what you catch there.”

“It’s not your land!” Thunder hissed.

“It’s not your land either. You took it without asking,” Slash snapped. “You force us to roam the edges and live off your scraps.”

“You’ve always roamed the edges of other cats’ land,” Wind Runner snarled. “You know no other way. Your kind has been bullying others to hunt for them since I was a kit.”

Clear Sky’s thoughts whirled. Why were they arguing over land ? This meeting was about Star

Flower. Why weren’t the other leaders trying to save her?

River Ripple eyed Slash coldly. “Why do you stay? The moor, the river, and the forest mean nothing to you. New lands stretch as far as the horizon. Why not go and hunt somewhere else?”

“Why should we bother when we have you to hunt for us?” Slash began to pace the edge of the rock, his rogues moving back to let him pass. “You pride yourself on your hunting skills. Isn’t this a perfect chance to show them off? And I think I’ve given you enough incentive… Remember, if you don’t share your prey, Star Flower will die.”

No! Clear Sky’s breath caught in his throat. “What if we gave you one piece of prey in ten?” he blurted.

Slash’s ears twitched. “That’s not very generous.”

“One in seven?” Clear Sky’s mew was husky with desperation. He glanced over his shoulder at the other leaders, silently pleading for them to back him up. “One in seven isn’t much to ask,” he rasped. “It’ll be newleaf before we know it, and the land will be prey-rich again.”

Thunder avoided meeting his eyes. Tall Shadow blinked at him apologetically. Wind Runner’s gaze was too narrow to read.

River Ripple stepped closer to the great rock and stared up at Slash. “Our campmates will not go hungry to feed yours.”

Clear Sky felt sick. Didn’t they care if Star Flower died? He broke from River Ripple’s side and hurried to Thunder. “You can’t do this!” He snapped his gaze to Wind Runner. “You have to help save her!” Tall Shadow backed away as he glared at her. “You promised that you’d help me!”

A low growl sounded in Slash’s throat. Clear Sky turned to face him. The rogues paced menacingly around their leader.

“Give me a chance to persuade them,” Clear Sky begged.

Slash scowled. “Clearly your friends don’t care if Star Flower dies,” he snarled. “But don’t worry. You won’t be the only one to pay for this.” His claws scraped the stone. “None of you realize the danger you face. My rogues outnumber you. They are more savage than any of you can imagine. If you value your prey more than the lives of your kits and your campmates, then you are free to refuse me.”

Thunder lifted his chin. “You’re bluffing.”

Tall Shadow hissed at Slash. “Why should we believe a word you say?”

“For all we know,” Wind Runner added, “every one of your campmates is beside you right now.”

“Are you willing to take that chance?” Slash eyed her menacingly.

She didn’t flinch. “Yes.”

“Yes.” Thunder stepped forward.

“Yes.” Tall Shadow lashed her tail.

“No!” Clear Sky looked desperately at River Ripple. Surely he wouldn’t let this happen. “Don’t you understand? He’s going to kill Star Flower!”

River Ripple’s eyes rounded with sympathy. “We can’t give in to this bully,” he meowed softly.

“He will only return with more demands until we all starve.”

“So you’re going to sacrifice my mate?” Clear Sky could hardly believe his ears. “The mother of my kits?”

“Very well.” Slash’s mew was hard with rage. “If that is your decision.”

“No!” Clear Sky looked up at him pleadingly. “ I’ll hunt for you! You can have all my prey. Just give me Star Flower!”

Slash’s gaze flashed with contempt. Then he turned and disappeared down the back of the great rock. His rogues filed after him. Clear Sky stood, motionless as rock, as he listened to them swish away through the bracken. Star Flower!

Grief tore at his heart. Paws trembling, he stumbled and slumped onto his side. A sob choked his mew. Horror closed in around him so that he hardly heard the paw steps moving around him.

“Clear Sky.” River Ripple’s soft mew sounded in his ear.

“You’ve killed her. And my kits.” He buried his nose beneath his paw. “Leave me alone!”

Everyone has betrayed me. Even my own son! “I never want to see any of you ever again.”

Sharp claws raked his ears. “Clear Sky!” Wind Runner’s breath billowed over his face. “Sit up and stop acting like a kit.”

Shocked, Clear Sky jerked up his head. Wind Runner, River Ripple, Thunder, and Tall Shadow were gathered around him, their eyes bright. “Don’t you understand?” he pleaded. “Star Flower’s going to die!”

“You fool,” Wind Runner hissed. “Do you think we have no hearts?”

Thunder leaned down and nudged Clear Sky’s shoulder with his muzzle. “Get up.”

“Why?” Bewildered, Clear Sky let Thunder help him to his paws.

Tall Shadow lifted her tail. “Come with us,” she told him. “We have something to show you.”

Gray Wing peered through the shadowy pines. Scrubland stretched ahead of him, bathed in moonlight. In the distance, he could hear the rumbling of the Thunderpath. Beyond the scrub, the carrion place rose against the star-specked sky. Gray Wing shuddered as the stench of the mountain of Twoleg trash touched his nose. Was Slash really keeping Star Flower so close to such a filthy place?

Lightning Tail shifted beside him. The forest cat’s musky scent seemed strange to Gray Wing now.

Leaf and Reed fidgeted in the shadows behind them.