Эрин Хантер - A Forest Divided

Clear Sky let her words lull him. She wove around him, her thick pelt warming his. Icy weather was coming. He could smell it on the wind. Let Thunder find a new camp as leaf-bare tightened its grip. He still had a loyal band of cats. He rubbed his muzzle into the soft fur of Star Flower’s neck.

At last, he had a mate worthy of him.

Thunder padded stiffly from the camp. He was acutely aware of the cats following at his heels. He was responsible for them now—all of them. His heart pounded in his chest. Am I doing the right thing?

His father’s words rang in his ears. If Star Flower had chosen you instead of me, you wouldn’t be leaving. You’re blinded by jealousy.

Was that true?

No! It was far more than that. He couldn’t live where he wasn’t listened to—and he couldn’t watch Clear Sky let cats go hungry. Did his father truly believe that their prey would not last through leaf-bare, or was he just flexing his claws because he enjoyed ordering cats around?

Lightning Tail fell in beside Thunder as he headed for the gully. “Why didn’t you tell me you were planning to leave?”

Thunder avoided his gaze. “It was a quick decision.” Numbly, he slithered into the gully. Rain had washed through it and the earth was soft. Mud seeped around his paws.

Lightning Tail landed behind him. “Where are we going?”

Thunder felt the cold night air pierce his fur. “I’m not sure.” He glanced over his shoulder. Leaf, Cloud Spots, and Pink Eyes were following, Owl Eyes on their tail. His heart pounded harder. Gray Wing believed in me, he reminded himself. I can do this.

The gully wound toward the sycamore slope, and he leaped up it, following the path he had carried prey along earlier that day. The forest was dark, the moon hidden behind clouds. As they climbed the slope, he stretched his eyes wide, picking out shapes among the shadows. An owl screeched in the distance, and Lightning Tail pricked his ears.

“There must be prey around,” the black tom murmured.

“We can hunt in the morning,” Thunder told him. “We have to find somewhere safe to sleep.” If owls were looking for prey, foxes would be too.

“Thunder!” Owl Eyes called from behind.

Thunder heard fear in his mew and stopped. “What’s wrong?”

Owl Eyes was staring back down the slope, his pelt bristling. “We’re being followed.”

Thunder stiffened. Had Clear Sky sent a patrol after them? He dashed past Leaf and Cloud Spots and stopped beside the young gray tom. “Can you see anything?”

Owl Eyes shook his head. “I heard voices.”

Thunder tasted the air. There were no strange smells. Just the scents of the camp drifting through the damp forest. “You’re imagining it.” He began to head back to Lightning Tail.

A hiss sounded from shadows below. A twig cracked.

“Who’s there?” Thunder unsheathed his claws.

“I’ll take a look.” Leaf barged past him, ears flat. Growling, the black-and-white tom raced for the gully.

Thunder watched him go, his ears twitching uneasily.

Cloud Spots’s pelt brushed his. “Has Clear Sky come after us?”

“Why would he?” Lightning Tail paced around them. “He said we could go if we wanted.”

Cloud Spots snorted. “But he’s Clear Sky , remember? He can’t be trusted.”

Pink Eyes was staring silently into the darkness. The half-blind cat’s mouth was open as he tasted for scents.

Thunder saw his ears twitch. “What—”

“Hush!” Pink Eyes leaned forward, his pelt bristling.

Thunder’s belly tightened.

“Stop him!” Pink Eyes growled sharply.

“Stop who?”

“Leaf!” Pink Eyes raced forward, bounding down the slope.

Alarm flashed through Thunder. He sped after the white tom. A shriek exploded from the shadows ahead. A long, low yowl sounded in reply.

Thunder leaped past Pink Eyes as they reached the gully, and jumped down into the muddy ditch.

He smelled fear-scent as he spotted Leaf’s black-and-white fur. The tom was hissing at a she-cat.

Two small shapes huddled at her side.

Milkweed!

As Thunder pushed past Leaf, the queen bared her teeth.

“What are you doing here?” Surprise rippled through Thunder’s fur.

Milkweed crouched in the gully, Thistle and Clover on either side. She eyed Leaf accusingly.

“We want to come with you, but he told us to go back.”

Leaf bristled beside Thunder. “They can’t hunt, and she’s sick ! Let Clear Sky look after them.”

“How dare you!” Milkweed lashed out with a forepaw and sliced her claws over Leaf’s muzzle.

The tom hissed, eyes flashing with rage in the darkness.

Thunder pushed between them. “Milkweed and her kits can come with us if they want to,” he growled.

“They’ll make us weak.” Leaf’s tail whisked over the mud.

“I want to come with you so I can help !” Milkweed snapped. “Clear Sky kept promising I could hunt, but he never sent me out with a patrol.”

Thunder gazed at her sympathetically. “Are you strong enough to hunt?”

“Of course I am!” Milkweed snapped. Her ribs still showed through her pelt. “I’ve got kits to feed. Their hunger will drive me even harder than my own.” She flashed a look at Leaf. “ He only wants to fill his own belly. He doesn’t belong in a group!”

Leaf bristled. “That’s not true!”

“Your only loyalty is to yourself,” Milkweed hissed.

“Be quiet! Both of you.” Thunder looked from one to the other, and then at the kits. Thistle was watching with narrowed eyes. Clover was growling, teeth bared. “Leaf proved his loyalty when he chose to come with me,” he told Milkweed. He turned to Leaf. “And Milkweed’s right—she has kits to raise, which means she has more to fight for than any of us.”

Leaf shifted his paws. “She’s been coughing since sunup, and she’s skinnier than a leaf-bare rabbit,” he grunted. “I bet she can’t even run.”

Milkweed hopped out of the gully and leaned back to grab Thistle by his scuff.

He mewed indignantly as she hauled him out.

Clover scrambled up by herself. “We’ll be able to hunt soon!” she hissed at Leaf. “One day you’ll be old and stiff and grateful for the food we bring you.”

Thunder felt a flash of pride in the feisty young kit. “Come on.” He jumped up the slope and beckoned to the kits with his tail. “We need to find somewhere to sleep.”

Leaf pulled himself out of the gully and stalked up the slope. “We should have just carried on walking,” he grumbled as he passed Pink Eyes.

The white tom ignored him, his gaze on the kits. “Hurry up, Thistle.” He whisked his tail encouragingly.

Thistle galloped toward him, Clover at his heels.

Thunder fell in beside Milkweed as they followed the kits up the slope. He glanced sideways at her. “I thought you were happy with Clear Sky.”

“I’m grateful he took us in,” she answered. “But I never liked depending on other cats to feed my kits. I want to hunt.”

“You will,” Thunder promised. He fluffed his fur against the chill. Finding enough prey to last through leaf-bare was going to be their biggest challenge—but first they had to find somewhere to make camp.

They caught up with Owl Eyes, Cloud Spots, and Lightning Tail. Leaf was already heading past the sycamore while the kits scampered after Pink Eyes.

Lightning Tail blinked in surprise at Milkweed as she padded past him wordlessly, following her kits.