Эрин Хантер - A Forest Divided

“No.” Thunder retuned his friend’s gaze solemnly. “Clear Sky can make his own decisions. I don’t want anything to do with Star Flower.” He saw Lightning Tail’s fur smooth.

“Don’t stay out too long,” the black tom urged.

Thunder dipped his head. “I just need to clear my thoughts.”

He watched Lightning Tail head away until he was no more than a shadow moving through the wilting undergrowth. Making for the river, Thunder broke from the trees and gazed over River Ripple’s marshes. The reeds stirred and bent in the breeze. A gust whipped Thunder’s whiskers against his cheeks. As he glanced downstream to where the boulders rose above the water, a deep ache twisted his heart.

I really thought she had come back for me. But there’s only one cat Star Flower cares about, and that’s Star Flower.

The weak leaf-bare sun was sliding toward the treetops before Clear Sky returned to camp.

Thunder had been watching out for him. His pelt twitched with annoyance as his father padded across the clearing and jumped past his nest among the oak roots onto the short steep bank beyond.

He’d been trying to ignore the anger churning in his belly all afternoon, but he couldn’t push Clear Sky and Star Flower from his thoughts.

He swallowed back a growl as Thorn nudged past him.

“Sorry.” The gray she-cat dipped her head. “I’m heading for the prey pile, but the camp’s a bit crowded.”

Thunder snorted. “Is it worth the effort?” He glanced at the meager pile of fresh-kill. Three mice and a squirrel weren’t going to feed so many mouths. It was mouse-brained of Clear Sky to keep every cat in camp when there was a whole forest full of prey.

Thorn picked her way past Pink Eyes and Quick Water, who were lounging beside the holly bush.

She nodded politely to Milkweed, who sheltered beneath the yew, coughing from time to time. Cloud

Spots crouched beside the sickly queen, chewing leaves into a pulp, while Thistle and Clover scrambled through the branches above them.

Lightning Tail was sharing tongues with Acorn Fur while Birch and Alder badgered them with questions about life on the moor.

“Did you really hunt in rabbit tunnels?” Alder’s eyes were wide.

Lightning Tail shrugged. “I preferred hunting above ground.”

Acorn Fur shivered. “Not me. I liked the shelter of the tunnels—there’s no wind to ruffle your fur.”

“But how could you see what you were doing?” Birch asked.

“With our whiskers, ears, and noses, of course,” Acorn Fur told him.

“I never got a chance to hunt in the tunnels.” Sparrow Fur sprawled sleepily at the edge of the clearing while Owl Eyes paced around her. “I was too young.”

“Now we never have a chance to hunt anywhere !” Owl Eyes flashed a look at Clear Sky. He was clearly still angry that he had spent the day in camp.

Blossom wove past him. “I’m sure Clear Sky will let you hunt tomorrow.”

“Yeah, right.” Owl Eyes didn’t look convinced.

Thunder felt a flash of satisfaction. Clear Sky’s dumb hunting rules were ruffling fur among his campmates. They weren’t even effective. He glanced at the prey pile again. Nettle and Leaf were lying like guards beside the pitiful collection of fresh-kill, eyeing their campmates warily.

Clear Sky called from the bank. “Thunder! Are both hunting patrols back?”

“Can’t you tell?” Thunder snapped. The camp was overflowing with cats!

Clear Sky narrowed his eyes. “Is something wrong?”

Lightning Tail flashed Thunder a warning gaze.

It’s not the time to confront him about Star Flower, Thunder thought, puffing out his chest and heading for his father. Leaping up the muddy bank, he landed beside Clear Sky and gave a curt meow.

“It’s not working.”

“What’s not working?” Clear Sky tipped his head.

“Sending out two hunting patrols each morning and then wasting the rest of the day with everyone cooped up in camp.” Thunder felt righteous anger rising in his chest. “It’s mouse-brained.”

The fur bristled on Clear Sky’s shoulders.

“Look at that prey pile.” Thunder nodded toward it. “Most cats will go hungry tonight.”

Clear Sky padded away from the edge of the bank, moving closer to the bracken. “Keep your voice down,” he cautioned. “We’ve already discussed hunting. You know why I have to organize it so carefully.”

“Because you don’t trust us.” Thunder followed his father out of hearing of their campmates. “But that doesn’t explain why you only send out two patrols a day. I could be hunting right now. If you’re scared that I’ll eat half my catch, send Leaf and Nettle with me to keep watch.” He snorted. “It would give them something to do. And what about Owl Eyes? He’s been desperate to go hunting all day, but instead he’s had to stay here, and tonight he’ll sleep with an empty belly. I bet he’s starting to wish he’d joined Tall Shadow’s group—they probably hunt from dawn to dusk.” He stared straight into

Clear Sky’s piercing blue eyes, hoping he’d touched a nerve. How could his father be so dumb?

Dumb about hunting, and even dumber about Star Flower!

What a rabbit-brain!

Clear Sky returned his gaze steadily. “Do you want to hunt the forest dry in the first moon of leaf-bare?”

“No!” Thunder hissed. “But if you send out smaller groups and send them out regularly, we could hunt the whole territory . If we take a little from everywhere, we’d have more to eat. No cat would be stuck in camp, and the prey would last through to newleaf.”

“I see you’ve thought about this.” Clear Sky’s ears twitched irritably. “Maybe you should be leader.” There was sarcasm in his mew.

Thunder scowled at him. “On the moor, Tall Shadow and Gray Wing treated me like one of the leaders.”

“This isn’t the moor,” Clear Sky snapped. “We do things differently in the forest. This group has one leader, and that’s me. On the moor, no cat knew who was in charge. Every time there was a problem, you had to gossip like a bunch of starlings before you actually did anything about it. Here, my cats trust me to make the decisions. I don’t need your advice.”

Rage bubbled up from Thunder’s belly. “You need some cat’s advice!”

Clear Sky eyed him, suddenly cautious. “Are you really this angry about hunting patrols?”

“I saw you!” Thunder blurted. “You didn’t go on patrol—you went to meet Star Flower.”

Clear Sky’s hackles lifted. “I ordered you to stay in camp.”

“I’m not as easy to boss around as Owl Eyes.” Thunder held his gaze. “What were you doing with her?”

“It’s none of your business.” Clear Sky bristled.

“You know she can’t be trusted,” Thunder warned. “She might make promises, but they’re all lies.

She only cares about herself.” He leaned closer. “You trusted her father, and look where that got you.”

Clear Sky flinched as though Thunder had clawed his muzzle.

Thunder backed away. Had he gone too far? “I’m only warning you because I fell for her lies once before,” he meowed quickly. “I don’t want to see her betray you the way she betrayed me. I’m thinking of us all. Trusting Star Flower will not end well.”

Clear Sky’s gaze suddenly softened. “I know she hurt you, Thunder.”

Hope flashed in Thunder’s chest as he saw sympathy in his father’s eyes. “Does that mean you’ll stop seeing her?”