Erin Hunter - Path of Stars

Violet brushed against him as he fell in beside her. “I was beginning to think that Lightning Tail would have to ask for you.”

Thunder purred, and they walked for a while in silence. This time it felt comfortable, and Thunder’s thoughts strayed to Lightning Tail. I was beginning to think that Lightning Tail would have to ask for you. Lightning Tail probably would have. He was a good, kind friend, and Thunder hoped Violet would come to value his friendship as much as he did.

“Do you like Lightning Tail?” he asked tentatively.

“Of course,” she answered. “He’s so loyal to you. And he’s turned Clover into a great hunter and fighter.”

“He’ll be a leader one day,” Thunder murmured.

Violet halted. “Is he going to start his own group?” Alarm glittered in her gaze.

“No.” Thunder reassured her. “But if something happens to me, he’ll be the next leader. He’s the only one who would be able keep the group together. He always knows what to do in a crisis, and he puts his campmates before himself.”

Violet stared at him. “Why should something happen to you?” Fear edged her mew.

“It won’t,” Thunder promised quickly. “But just in case—”

“I won’t let anything happen to you!” Violet snapped. “You’re going to be father to my kits one day. I need you.” She held his gaze.

Thunder saw love in her eyes. His heart seemed to flutter like a bird in his chest. “I need you, too,” he whispered.

As he leaned forward to touch her cheek with his nose, water splashed beside them. He jerked his head around as River Ripple waded from the river, holding a gleaming fish between his jaws.

“Hungry?” The river cat dropped the fish at their paws.

Thunder wrinkled his nose. “I prefer mouse, thanks.”

River Ripple shrugged. “Is the prey running better in the forest?”

Thunder nodded. “And Clover and Thistle are growing into fine hunters. They help fill the prey pile.”

“Milkweed must be proud,” River Ripple purred.

“We all are.” Thunder’s gaze drifted across the water, toward the river camp. “How are the rogues settling in?”

River Ripple followed his gaze. “Dawn and Moss are enjoying it here,” he meowed warmly.

“Come. I’ll show you.”

He picked up the fish between his jaws and hurried to the stepping-stones. Hopping over them, he crossed the river easily.

Thunder followed, Violet at his heels. He shivered as icy water splashed his paws. How did River Ripple swim in there? He followed the river cat along the winding trail that led through the reed beds until the rushes opened onto the camp.

Pine and Drizzle were wading in the shallows where the clearing dipped into the river. Shattered Ice stood beside them, watching them pick their way between the tufts of grass sticking out of the water.

As River Ripple crossed the clearing toward them, Drizzle blinked at him happily. “Look!” She flicked her tail toward the water. Three heads bobbed above the surface. “Moss and Dawn are swimming!”

Thunder felt Violet’s fur prickle against his as he followed River Ripple to the water’s edge.

Shattered Ice nodded toward the swimming cats.

Dappled Pelt darted between Dawn and Moss. “Keep your paws churning!” she called.

Moss was moving frantically through the water, panic shining in his eyes.

Dawn glided more easily among the ripples. Water dripped from her ears, and her back showed above the surface, as slick as an otter’s.

River Ripple purred. “They’ll be diving for fish soon.”

Violet stopped beside Thunder. “Won’t they freeze in there?” she asked, wonder in her mew.

“Not if they keep moving,” River Ripple told her.

“But how do they dry off?” Thunder asked, shivering at the thought of being so wet.

“A quick shake and a run through the reed beds,” River Ripple told him. He poked the fish he had dropped. “ And a good meal.”

Dappled Pelt began to head for the shore.

Dawn followed, Moss trailing after. Relief showed in the rogue tom’s gaze as he padded from the water, his pelt dripping.

Pine raced to meet him. “You did really well!” he mewed excitedly. “You didn’t sink like last time.”

Drizzle splashed around her mother. “Shake out your pelt!” she pleaded, eyes shining with excitement.

Dawn shook out her fur, spraying the kit with drops of water. Drizzle squealed with delight.

River Ripple purred. “They’re natural river cats.”

Drizzle blinked at Thunder. “ I’m going to learn to swim next.”

Shattered Ice frowned. “Not until you’re bigger. The currents are strong.”

Moss shook himself, his pelt dripping.

Pine lifted his tail. “I’ll race you through the reeds!” Before Moss could answer, the black tom-kit hared away. Drizzle chased after him, Moss at her heels.

“Wait for me!” Dawn followed, her wet paws pattering the ground. Dappled Pelt raced after them.

As they disappeared into the reeds, Thunder blinked at River Ripple. “They seem happy here.”

River Ripple shrugged. “Why wouldn’t they be? They have the river and fish and warm, dry nests at night.”

Thunder gazed across the water. If only Ember felt the same way about living in the forest.

River Ripple flicked his tail. “You look worried,” he mewed.

“I suppose you’ve heard Gorse Fur’s news.” Shattered Ice twitched his ears. “Is that why you came? To see if we were having trouble with our rogues?”

“Yes,” Thunder confessed.

River Ripple glanced at Violet. “You look happy to be a forest cat.”

Violet moved closer to Thunder. “I’ve never been happier,” she purred.

“What about Ember?” Shattered Ice’s gaze stayed on Thunder. “Has he settled in?”

Thunder’s pelt pricked uneasily. “He still hunts alone.”

He felt Violet stiffen beside him. “He’ll be okay,” she mewed quickly. But even she didn’t sound convinced.

Shattered Ice snorted. “I wouldn’t trust any cat who wouldn’t hunt with me.”

River Ripple met Thunder’s gaze solemnly. “If Ember can’t hunt beside his campmates, perhaps he shouldn’t be part of a group.”

“Don’t say that!” Violet sounded startled.

Thunder swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. He didn’t want to upset Violet, but he saw sense in River Ripple’s words. If I ask him to leave, where will he go? Would I be giving Slash another ally?

Thunder fluffed out his pelt against the cold. Snow drifted at the edges of the camp. It sparkled in the moonlight, crusted by a thick frost.

Thistle and Clover bounded across the clearing, their pelts bristling with excitement.

Thistle slid to a halt in front of Thunder and stared at him eagerly. “Are all the cats going to be there?”

“From every group?” Clover thumped into her brother’s side, her paws slithering on the snowy ground.

“Most of them.” Thunder purred. The young cats’ training had made them great hunters, always eager to share the duties of their campmates. That morning they had gathered fresh bracken for Pink

Eyes’s nest and returned to the clearing, their pelts dusted with snow and a bundle of stems between their jaws. But tonight they were as excited as kits on their first time out of their den.

Milkweed hopped over the snow that drifted beside the bramble, and hurried across the clearing.

She began lapping Thistle’s tufted fur.