Эрин Хантер - Thunder Rising

“Big kit now,” the tiny she-cat agreed, sniffing at the squirrel mush and then starting to suck it down.

Thunder was amazed to see the kind and loving look in Petal’s eyes as she gazed down at the kits. Petal—the toughest she-cat you could wish to meet! “Have you given them names yet?” he asked.

“Yes,” Petal replied. “The little tom is Birch and the she-cat is Alder.”

“Those are good names,” Thunder mewed.

Most of Clear Sky’s other cats were lazing in the clearing, enjoying the after-sunhigh warmth. Quick Water was curled up drowsing in a patch of sunlight, while Falling Feather was giving her white pelt a thorough wash. Frost was licking the wound that he had gotten in the fire; it still refused to heal.

Everything’s peaceful now , Thunder told himself. Maybe Clear Sky will be satisfied with this new territory .

But he couldn’t convince himself that was true. Clear Sky was the only restless cat in the camp, pacing backward and forward and occasionally stopping to stare into the trees, though Thunder had no idea what he was staring at. He’s been weird ever since he got back yesterday… reeking of blood and fox. Something happened that he’s not telling any cat .

Thunder headed for his nest, but before he reached it he was intercepted by Fircone and Nettle, two young rogues who had joined Clear Sky’s group a half-moon before.

“Did you want something?” Thunder asked.

“There’s something we have to say… ,” Fircone began, in a low voice and with a furtive glance at Clear Sky to make sure the leader wasn’t within earshot. “Can we find somewhere that’s a bit more private?”

“Private?” Uneasiness stabbed at Thunder like a thorn. “Why does it have to be private?”

“Just come over here and we’ll tell you,” Nettle mewed nervously, beckoning Thunder to a sheltered spot beneath the roots of a fallen tree.

Thunder hesitated, then followed the two toms. If something’s going on, it’s best if I know what it is .

“It’s like this,” Fircone went on when all three cats were settled among the roots. “When we came to join your group, we weren’t really sure what we were getting into. And we’re not sure we like it.”

Thunder wondered what they expected him to do. “You don’t have to stay,” he pointed out.

“Mostly it’s good here,” Nettle mewed. “We like having the support of a group. But some of this stuff… chasing cats off—”

“Killing cats,” Fircone added. “We thought—”

He broke off as Leaf padded past, heading for his nest with a bundle of fresh ferns in his jaws. He halted, giving the three cats a curious glance.

“Clear off, we’re not talking to you,” Nettle snarled.

Leaf let the ferns drop. “Are you looking for a clawed ear?” he demanded, beginning to bristle.

“Sorry, Leaf,” Thunder meowed hastily. “They’re okay, they just don’t know how to behave in a group yet.”

“They won’t get the chance to learn if they don’t shape up,” Leaf snapped, picking up his bedding and padding off with a final glare at Nettle.

“That really wasn’t a good idea, antagonizing the older cats,” Thunder muttered. “Anyway, what do you expect me to do about the way Clear Sky runs his group? I don’t enjoy the way things are, any more than you do.”

“We wondered if you would have a talk with your father,” Nettle suggested. “If he realized that his cats aren’t happy…”

“We’re worried about where all this is leading,” Fircone added. “Soon, Clear Sky won’t listen to what anyone has to say, and we won’t have any choice about what he asks us to do.”

“And he might ask us to do anything ,” Nettle finished.

Thunder couldn’t help thinking that the young cats were optimistic if they thought that a talk from him would turn Clear Sky aside from anything he wanted.

“I suppose you have a point,” he sighed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Thunder could feel his belly shaking with apprehension as he realized what he was getting into. I might be the one with a clawed ear—or worse! Reluctantly he snagged a piece of rabbit from the prey the hunting patrols had brought in, and carried it over to Clear Sky.

“What can I do for you?” Clear Sky asked, not looking at him.

“I wanted you to have this.” Thunder set down the rabbit at his father’s paws. “You haven’t eaten today.”

“I’ll eat when I’m ready. I’m not hungry now.” Clear Sky turned an intense blue gaze on Thunder. “I saw you talking to those young rogues. Why have they sent you over here?”

Thunder hesitated, clearing his throat. So much for being private … He realized that other cats were looking interested, too, beginning to edge closer to hear the conversation. Frost in particular was watching with ears pricked, and Falling Feather had halted her grooming with one paw in the air.

“Nothing really… ,” Thunder began, trying not to cringe under his father’s scrutiny. “We were just saying how green the forest was looking. When I was out hunting just now I saw that green shoots are springing up in the places the fire damaged. Soon no cat will know that there was a fire here. And have you seen the number of bugs and small prey that are returning? There isn’t any reason for a cat to go hungry at all. No reason to extend our territory any farther, don’t you think…?”

His voice trailed off as Clear Sky narrowed his eyes, then glanced around at the other cats. Frost stiffened as that blue gaze flicked over him. Thunder realized that most of them were listening, thoroughly awake now; Nettle and Fircone had hopeful expressions on their faces.

“Does Thunder speak for all of you?” Clear Sky asked. “Is this what you think too—that what we’re doing here is a waste of time?”

Silence fell as the other cats glanced at each other but didn’t reply. Am I the only one brave enough to say all this? Thunder thought in frustration. He didn’t know whether to think that the other cats had betrayed him, or to feel a thrill of exhilaration.

“Can’t we agree to look after what we have?” Thunder plunged on. “Can’t we forget about expanding our territory?”

Clear Sky took a pace forward to loom over Thunder. “It’s too late to stop what’s begun,” he meowed. Thunder thought that he could make out a flicker of regret in his father’s face. “Tell me, this forest fire… ,” Clear Sky went on. “If it meant so little, why are there places where the land is still scarred? I’ve seen patches of earth where no grass has returned, and pools still choked with ash. No cat could drink that water.”

“But they won’t always be like that,” Thunder protested. “There’s fresh growth too—we’ve all seen it.” Looking at his father’s implacable expression, he began to wonder if he should have started this conversation. But it was too late now, and he realized he meant every single word. I’m not just saying this because some other cats asked me to . Thunder had felt the same himself for a long time, and it hadn’t helped when his father had returned broody and mysterious after his solitary walk. Whatever’s started, it has to stop. For the camp, for Clear Sky—and for myself. I didn’t leave Gray Wing to live in fear. I’m sure this can’t be what my father truly wants . “I’m only trying to help,” he continued. “I just thought—”

Clear Sky silenced him with a wave of his tail. “Frost, come here,” he mewed.

The big white tom looked up from where he was still licking his wound, then rose to his paws and limped painfully to Clear Sky’s side. Thunder thought that he was moving more slowly than the last time they had been on patrol together.