Эрин Хантер - Moth Flight’s Vision

Moth Flight stared at the River Clan medicine cat. She wasn’t even trembling. How does she stay so calm?

Pine Needle hurried to his mother’s side and pressed against her flank. “She wanted to see if she could catch her own fish.

But she disappeared under the water,” he mewed shakily. “I called Night when she didn’t come up again.”

“She needs to learn to swim before she catches a fish.” River Ripple brushed past Moth Flight.

She spun, her heart lurching at the sight of the RiverClan leader. She hadn’t heard his paw steps.

He touched his muzzle to Dawn Mist’s cheek. “Start teaching them as soon as Drizzle has recovered.”

Dawn Mist met his gaze, her eyes glistening. “I wanted to wait until they were stronger.”

“Fish swim the moment they are born,” River Ripple murmured. “It’s never too soon for a RiverClan kit to learn.”

Drizzle pushed herself uncertainly to her paws.

Dawn Mist leaned down and lapped her cheek. “Let’s get you into my nest and warm you up.” She nosed the kit toward the clearing.

River Ripple ran his tail along Pine Needle’s spiked fur.

“You did well to fetch help.”

“I only called to Night.”

“That was the right thing to do,” River Ripple told him.

Pine Needle stared at him uncertainly. “I shouldn’t have let her go into the water.”

River Ripple touched his muzzle to the kit’s head.

“Sometimes we can’t stop others from making mistakes. But we can help them when they do. And that’s what you did.” He nosed the kit after his mother, who was lifting Drizzle into a reed nest on the far side of the clearing.

Dappled Pelt watched her leader as he guided Pine Needle away. “He’s so good with the kits,” she murmured. “It’s a shame he doesn’t have any of his own.”

Moth Flight hardly heard her. “How did you know what to do?”

“River Ripple taught me,” she explained. “He’s lived near the water all his life and he knows that you can push water out of a cat’s chest as easily as a cat can suck it in.”

Micah swished his tail through the air. “You were fantastic! I thought Drizzle was dead.”

Dappled Pelt gazed at the river as it swirled past. “It’s a trick every RiverClan cat should know.”

Admiration surged beneath Moth Flight’s pelt. I hope I’m as calm and skilled as Dappled Pelt one day! How must it feel to save another cat’s life? She wondered if Half Moon had been watching. I’ll try to become as good as she is, she promised silently.

Clouds hid the setting sun. A thin drizzle misted the river and a breeze rustled the reeds around camp.

Moth Flight shifted closer to Micah as the damp wind licked her pelt. She eyed Night, who was watching them warily from the other side of the clearing. Dawn Mist was still curled in her nest, tucked among the rushes. River Ripple had gone hunting for shrews in the reed beds with Dawn Mist’s mate, Swift. “Are you sure we should stay the night?” Moth Flight whispered.

“Of course!” Micah looked up from washing his belly.

“Look how much we learned today! Tomorrow we’ll learn even more.”

Moth Flight was glad he was with her. She liked the RiverClan cats, but it felt strange to be away from the hollow.

After she’d returned from the valley, she thought she’d never leave her Clanmates again. “Do you think River Ripple will catch a shrew?” she mewed hopefully.

Dappled Pelt had slipped into the river as the sun began to sink, promising to bring them back a juicy trout.

Micah blinked at her. “Don’t you want to taste fish?”

Moth Flight wrinkled her nose. She’d smelled nothing but fish and herbs all afternoon. She was looking forward to tasting the sweet, familiar flesh of prey with legs. Before she could answer, water splashed behind them and Dappled Pelt waded out from the river.

Moth Flight’s heart sank as she saw a fish between the tortoiseshell’s jaws. It thrashed as she padded onto land, its scales glittering through the rain. Dappled Pelt stopped in front of them and dropped it on the ground.

Moth Flight hopped backward as it wriggled, spattering mud onto her paws.

Purring with amusement, Dappled Pelt stilled it with a forepaw and leaned to give a killing bite. “At least you know it’s fresh,” she meowed, looking up.

Micah glanced at Moth Flight. “Do you want the first taste?”

She flattened her ears and sniffed uneasily at the fish. “Is this a trout?”

Dappled Pelt’s eyes flashed. “It’s called a chub.”

Moth Flight stifled a shiver. “Does it taste anything like toad?”

“No!” Dappled Pelt snorted. “Who eats toads ?”

“They taste like mud!” Micah spluttered.

Heat spread beneath Moth Flight’s pelt. There was no way she was going to tell Micah and Dappled Pelt that she’d shared one with Spotted Fur. She touched the chub gingerly with a paw.

Micah caught her eye. “Do you want to wait and see if River Ripple brings back a shrew?”

“No.” Moth Flight lifted her chin. She wasn’t a coward.

Besides, it would be rude to refuse Dappled Pelt’s gift. “I want to taste fish.” She leaned down and sank her teeth into the soft flank of the chub, delighted to find the texture meatier than the rubbery toad flesh. As she tore away a chunk, the flavor sang on her tongue. She blinked at Dappled Pelt in surprise. “It’s nice !”

Chewing, she relished the soft flesh. It tasted of fresh water.

“It’s delicious !”

“Don’t tell Wind Runner you like RiverClan food,” Micah joked. He took a mouthful, his eyes brightening as he chewed.

“Oh, you’re right! It’s great!”

As he spoke, River Ripple nosed his way through the reed wall of the camp, a water vole dangling from his jaws. Swift followed him, carrying a shrew. They stopped when they saw

Moth Flight and Micah.

River Ripple dropped the vole. “You’re eating fish!”

“It’s tasty!” Moth Flight ripped off another mouthful.

River Ripple nodded toward the shrew dangling from Swift’s jaws. “You might as well share that with the kits.”

The dark brown tom dipped his head and carried his catch toward the nest where Dawn Mist was curled with Drizzle and Pine Needle. Placing it beside the tightly woven bundle of reeds, he stuck his nose in and nudged Dawn Mist’s pelt.

She jerked her head up, blinking.

“How’s Drizzle?” Swift asked.

“I’m fine!” Drizzle sat up, ears pricked.

“I smell vole !” Pine Needle clambered onto his mother’s back and peered from the nest. Nose twitching, his gaze flashed toward River Ripple’s catch. He scrambled out of the nest and raced toward it. “Can I taste it?” He glanced at the RiverClan leader.

“Of course.” As River Ripple pushed the vole toward Pine

Needle, Drizzle leaped from the nest and hurried to her brother’s side.

“I want to taste it too!”

River Ripple purred. “It’s good to see you looking better.”

Drizzle stuck her tail up indignantly. “I wasn’t sick. I only went for a swim!”

River Ripple’s whiskers twitched. Water beaded along them as the rain grew heavier. He glanced up at the darkening sky.

“I’m going to my nest.” He headed toward a den, woven among the roots of another tree stump.

Moth Flight felt rain seeping through her pelt. “Where should we sleep?” she called after the RiverClan leader.

He paused and nodded toward Dappled Pelt’s den. “Is there room enough there?”

Dappled Leaf nodded. “They can share the spare nest.”

As River Ripple disappeared inside his den, Moth Flight glanced shyly at Micah. She’d only shared a nest with her brother before. Dust Muzzle had always teased her that it was like sleeping next to a badger. “I’m afraid I snore.”