Эрин Хантер - A Forest Divided

Thunder’s eyes were dark. A chill ran along Clear Sky’s spine. How had the mood in the camp turned so sour? He turned back to Leaf. “ I organize the hunting patrols.”

“Leaf-bare is here!” Leaf lashed his tail. “We’ve already had snow, and the days are still getting shorter. The sickness killed half the prey, and we’re feeding cats who can’t yet hunt for themselves.”

His gaze flashed to Birch and Alder.

Birch puffed out his chest indignantly. “We’d hunt if we got the chance!”

“Exactly!” Leaf turned back to Clear Sky. “Every cat should be out hunting, or at least learning to hunt. We shouldn’t be sitting in camp hungry while prey roams the forest.”

Clear Sky curled his lip. “Our prey is gorging on leaf-fall fruit, growing fat and strong again. If we hunt it while it’s still recovering from the sickness, we risk destroying it forever.” He looked around at his campmates.

Blossom stared at him nervously. Pink Eyes dropped his gaze. Acorn Fur and Lightning Tail exchanged glances.

Clear Sky stood up tall, looming over Leaf. “You think with your belly, not your head,” he snarled. “Which is why I’m leader and you’re not. If you’re not happy here, then leave! Go back to living as a rogue. I only want cats here who want to be here!” He backed away, his tail lashing as silence gripped the camp like a hard frost.

Thunder broke it. “You’re right.” He stepped forward, his shoulders square. “Cats should only be here if they want to be . So I should leave.”

Shock scorched through Clear Sky. Leave? He stared at his son. Numbness spread up from his paws until he could hardly feel the chill of the night settling over the camp. “Why?” he rasped.

“I can’t stay another day trapped in a camp and watching cats I care about go hungry just because you order it.”

A murmur rippled around the camp. Owl Eyes shifted his paws, while Pink Eyes nodded slowly.

Anger burned in Clear Sky’s belly. “I don’t let my cats gorge themselves into a stupor for a reason . I want the prey in this forest to last until newleaf. I want enough to share when Gray Wing and the others decide to join our group. If we hunt too much now, there’ll be nothing left. Just wait. You’ll see I’m right.”

Thunder’s eyes flashed. “That’s all you care about, isn’t it?” he snarled. “Being right ! You’d sacrifice every cat in this camp just to prove you’re the smartest cat in the forest.”

“That’s not true—”

“It is !” Leaf’s hiss surprised Clear Sky. “Thunder’s right. You don’t care about preserving the prey. You just want to look clever.”

Clear Sky dug his claws into the cold earth. How could any cat believe that, after everything he had done for them?

Thunder spoke. “I won’t disturb you, or hunt near your camp. I’ll live somewhere else in the forest—but I can’t be a part of your group anymore.”

“I’m going with him!” Leaf lashed his tail.

“Me too!” Lightning Tail stepped forward.

Clear Sky’s thoughts whirled. What was happening? He wanted to unite the cats, not drive them apart.

Owl Eyes nodded to Thunder. “Can I come too?”

“And me.” Cloud Spots glanced anxiously toward Milkweed. “I’ll leave my herbs for your cough.”

Thunder was staring at the cats gathering around him, his eyes wide with surprise. “Y-you can come if you want,” he stammered.

Owl Eyes gazed hopefully at Sparrow Fur. “Are you coming?”

Confusion sharpened the young she-cat’s amber gaze for a moment. Then she dipped her head.

“No, Owl Eyes. I made my decision to join Clear Sky and I’m sticking with it.”

“I’ll come with you.” Pink Eyes padded toward Thunder.

“You?” Clear Sky wondered if he was dreaming. “But I took you in. I fed you. I thought…” His words trailed away. I thought you were my friend. Grief stabbed his chest like gorse thorns. He struggled to steady his breathing. What was going on? I’m losing control. His heart pounded in his ears so that he hardly heard his own raspy mew. “Thunder, can we speak in private?”

Thunder nodded and padded past his campmates. Smoothly, he leaped onto the steep bank. Clear Sky scrambled after him and followed him toward the bracken where they’d shared words just this morning. How had everything changed since then?

“What are you doing, Thunder?” He desperately searched the young tom’s gaze.

Thunder’s wide, white paws glowed in the fast-fading light. “I thought, when I came here, that I could help you lead. But you’re not interested in my opinion. You always ignore my advice. It’s pointless, me being here.”

Clear Sky’s ear twitched. Thunder was whining like a spoiled kit. Help me lead? What makes him think he’s so important? “Did you think you’d get special treatment because you’re my son?”

Thunder’s eyes widened. “No! I was no cat’s son on the moor, but the cats there respected me.”

“So you’re abandoning us because you’re not getting the respect you deserve?” Clear Sky couldn’t keep scorn from his mew.

Thunder thrust his muzzle close. “I’m leaving because I don’t want to watch you make any more dumb decisions.”

“I’ve explained why I won’t let my cats hunt more prey.”

“That’s not the dumb decision I meant.” Thunder’s eyes flashed with rage.

Clear Sky drew in a sharp breath. “You mean Star Flower .”

“You should banish her from the forest,” Thunder snarled. “She’s nothing but trouble.”

“Stop acting like a kit who’s upset he can’t get first pick from the prey pile!”

“I’m not!”

Clear Sky snorted. “I’m your father. You can’t tell me who I can take as a mate any more than you can tell me how to lead my group.”

“That’s the problem, Clear Sky.” Thunder lashed his tail. “I can’t tell you anything . You think you know it all. But you don’t! You can’t tell good from bad. You never could. But you’re so determined to be ‘right,’ you’ll twist everything to prove it. If you mistook a fox for a rabbit, you’d keep calling it a rabbit while it tore out your throat, just because you’d rather die than admit that you were wrong.”

“That’s not true!” Clear Sky snapped. “If Star Flower had chosen you instead of me, you wouldn’t be leaving. You’re blinded by jealousy.”

Thunder lowered his voice to a hiss. “But Star Flower would never choose me. I’m not enough like One Eye.” He turned, his tail whipping past Clear Sky’s muzzle, and leaped back to the clearing.

Clear Sky’s chest tightened. He thinks I’m like One Eye? Stiff with shock, he watched Leaf, Pink

Eyes, Cloud Spots, Owl Eyes, and Lightning Tail gather eagerly around his son. With a flick of his tail, Thunder led them out of camp.

Grief dragged at his bones, as heavy as water. I just wanted my kin near me. Jagged Peak and Gray Wing were in the pine forest. Thunder was leaving. His eyes misted. I’m sorry, Fluttering Bird.

I’ve failed you, and now I’m alone again. Somehow, I always end up alone.

A familiar scent touched his nose. “Star Flower?”

Paws scuffed the earth beside him, and he turned to see her green eyes shining through the darkness.

Her soft gaze met his. “It’s been a tough day.” She reached forward and brushed her cheek with her muzzle. “But don’t be sad. A few troublemakers have left, that’s all. This is your chance to build the loyal, strong group you always wanted. Let Thunder go if he wants. His only ambition is to fill his belly. He will never be the leader that you are.”