He scrambled down the tree, and, after sniffing around to see if Root was nearby—he wasn’t—carefully washed his paws and ears. Should I stay or go? he wondered. If Root wasn’t coming back, there was no reason to stay here; he could continue his wander, looking for a better territory. But he wanted to see the other cat again. Earth decided he would wait until at least sunhigh.
A cool breeze ruffled his fur, and Earth hunched his shoulders, feeling cold with no cat to huddle together with. Having had another cat beside him, even for one night, would make it even harder to go back to being alone.
Earth sighed and thought of Stream. Had he really made contact with his friend that one evening in the forest? Was it Stream who had sent the pinecone rolling past his den?
Closing his eyes, he tried to focus on Stream, just as he’d done then. “Stream,” he meowed. “If you want to come to me, I’d be glad to see you and speak to you again.” He strained his senses, his ears and whiskers twitching, hoping to catch any hint of his friend. Nothing.
“Please come,” he went on, his voice shaky. “I am trying, I’ve been trying. I hate being on my own. I even went back to the Sisters,” he confessed, lowering his voice. “I know I shouldn’t have, but I was so lonely. They’ll never let me be one of them again.” A hot jolt of anger shot through him. “It’s not fair,” he meowed. “Stream, they wanted to send us away when we were too young, just because we were toms. I don’t know how to look after myself, and they don’t care. Sometimes I wish I’d never been born, if the Sisters were just going to throw me away.” Earth squeezed his eyes shut even tighter and added, bitterly. “I’ll never forgive them.”
Pausing for a breath, he heard a small noise, like a paw step nearby. Stream? With a surge of hope, Earth opened his eyes.
Stream’s spirit wasn’t there. But Root was, a fat squirrel dangling from his mouth as he stared at Earth. Hot with embarrassment, Earth stared back, not knowing what to say. How long had Root been standing there, watching Earth talk to himself with his eyes closed?
Root dropped the rabbit. Cringing, Earth waited for him to comment, but when Root spoke, it wasn’t what Earth had expected at all.
Instead Root said, in a rather hesitant voice, “Do you know a group that’s all she-cats? Big, long-haired she-cats?”
“You know the Sisters?” Earth asked, amazed. But Root’s expression darkened.
“I know them all right,” he answered angrily. “I spent a lot of time with them for a little while.”
Earth’s eyes widened. Was Root a wandering tom, an older kit of the Sisters? “What do you mean?” he asked. “When?”
“I was mated to one of the Sisters,” Root told him. “I was with her for a while, and I thought they were great, strong and fierce. My mate was expecting my kits. But then Moonlight and the others moved on without me. She said that toms don’t travel with them and that they don’t stay in one place, so she’d have to leave me behind.” He slashed his tail angrily. “She left me without a second thought.”
Earth stared at Root, feeling numb with shock. Moonlight? Root’s fur was as yellow as Earth’s, and one of his paws, Earth suddenly noticed, had six toes, just like Earth’s. Could this be my father?
He licked nervously at the fur on his chest, then said, softly, “They left me, too. I’m one of their kits, but toms can’t stay with the Sisters after they’re six moons old.”
“See?” Root meowed furiously. “They’re cold, the Sisters. They follow their rules, not their hearts.” His voice was so low that it almost seemed like he was talking to himself.
Earth took a step closer to him, his heart pounding wildly. “Moonlight was my mother,” he meowed, hoping that Root would understand what he was saying.
Root stared at him, his green eyes wide. “You said you’re six moons old.” He circled Earth, his gaze raking over him as if he was categorizing all the things Earth had noticed they had in common—his size, his paws, his yellow fur.
“Almost seven,” Earth reminded him.
Root was still staring. “You’re my son,” he realized, sounding shocked. “You must be.”
“I guess so,” Earth whispered, looking away. Suddenly, he felt too shy to meet Root’s eyes.
After a second of silence, Root snarled. Earth’s heart sank: My father hates me, too.
“They threw you out?” Root raged. “You’re not old enough to take care of yourself! Look what happened. Those dogs could have killed you!”
Earth’s eyes widened. Despite Root’s anger, a warm feeling grew in Earth’s chest. Root was angry at the Sisters for making Earth leave. He agreed that Earth was too young!
“They’re so cold,” Root growled again. “Her own kit, and she left you, just like she left me.”
“But now we’ve found each other,” Earth said eagerly, hurrying a few paw steps closer, until he was right in front of Root. “Moonlight and the sisters left both of us behind, but now we can take care of each other. It’s perfect!”
Root paused, his eyes narrowing, and Earth gulped. “Isn’t it?”
Root looked away. “I told you I was a loner,” he meowed quietly.
“But … but you’re so angry that Moonlight left me,” Earth argued. “You’re going to leave me, too?”
“It’s not the same,” Root muttered.
“It is,” Earth insisted. He let his claws out and ripped at the dirt beneath him. He’d been so happy, just for a heartbeat.
“Look,” Root told him, sounding guilty, “we’ll stick together for a moon or two. I’ll teach you to look after yourself properly. I promise, I’ll help you until you’re ready, not just throw you out like the Sisters did.”
“You will?” Earth asked, thin tendrils of hope beginning to spread through him.
“Yes,” Root promised. “I’ll teach you everything you need to know. But I’m used to being alone. Running with a friend, or kin, leads to being responsible for them. It’s too hard to rely on another cat. If you lose them, it’ll rip you apart. It’s better not to count on any cat. Moonlight showed me that,” he added bitterly.
“Okay,” Earth agreed. This was better than nothing: he’d have Root for a moon, maybe two. He’d learn how to take care of himself—Root was smart and tough and could teach him a lot. And who knew? A couple of moons was a long time. Maybe Root will change his mind and want to stick together. “Okay,” he repeated, more cheerfully. “What’s my first lesson?”
“Well,” Root meowed, his tone warmer in response to Earth’s, “there’s your name.”
“My name?” Earth asked, bewildered.
A teasing light began to shine in Root’s eyes. “Like I said, it’s a big name for a kit your size. And it’s the name the Sisters gave you. You’re not one of them anymore, are you? You can choose who you want to be.”
Earth thought. Did he still want the name Moonlight gave him? Did he want anything from her? He looked around.
Above him, the oak where he and Root had slept spread its branches. It was solid and comforting. It had taken care of them through the night. It wasn’t going anywhere.
“You’re right,” he told Root. “I don’t want to be Earth anymore. From now on, call me Tree.”
Chapter 8