Clear Sky’s eyes narrowed. “Your destiny has nothing to do with me.” He barged past Gray Wing and thrust his muzzle into Thunder’s face. “You betrayed Gray Wing and you betrayed me!” He drew back, teeth glinting. “Isn’t that right, brother?” He glared at Gray Wing.
“Leaving the moor wasn’t a betrayal,” Gray Wing protested. “He thought he was doing the right thing.”
Clear Sky snorted. “He can’t be trusted.” His gaze swung back to Thunder.
Thunder backed away, his paws trembling. He knew he’d come to despise Clear Sky… but he didn’t realize his father hated him.
“I know what you’ve been doing on the moor,” Clear Sky accused, leaning close to Thunder again. “You’ve been training cats for battle—”
“I haven’t!” Thunder defended himself. “I’ve been trying to persuade them not to fight!”
Clear Sky wasn’t listening. “You’ve been seen. Telling them how to turn hunting crouches into fighting moves! But don’t forget, you mean nothing to any cat, no matter how much you try to prove yourself. No cat trusts you anymore!”
Sudden darkness shrouded the hollow. Thunder jerked his gaze up. Past the towering oaks, he searched for the moon, but clouds had swallowed it and hidden the stars.
Clear Sky’s mew dropped to a whisper. “You may as well not exist.” His breath stirred Thunder’s ear fur.
Thunder gasped, shock pulsing through him as he saw coldness harden his father’s gaze.
Clear Sky turned his head toward the cats below. “Attack!” He reared and hooked his claws into Tall Shadow’s pelt and hauled her over the edge of the rock.
Yowls of excitement erupted as she landed among the forest cats.
“Tall Shadow!” Thunder stared in horror as they turned on her, claws flashing in the moonlight.
Jackdaw’s Cry plunged into the sea of writhing pelts, snaking his way to Tall Shadow’s side. Back to back, they reared and hit out at their attackers.
Petal hurled herself at Tall Shadow, hissing. Snake lunged low, nipping at her paws. With a hefty blow, Nettle caught Tall Shadow’s cheek. Tall Shadow staggered, unbalancing Jackdaw’s Cry. He teetered forward and Fircone grabbed his scruff and dragged him onto the ground.
“We have to help them.” Gray Wing’s panicked mew sounded in his ear.
“Let’s get them up here. It’ll be easier to defend ourselves,” Thunder hissed back.
“Then what?” Gray Wing’s gaze flashed with fear.
I don’t know! Thunder froze, staring down at the forest cats as Tall Shadow and Jackdaw’s Cry disappeared beneath them.
Clear Sky pushed past him. “That’s right,” he hissed. “Stay up here and watch your friends die.” He leaped down from the rock.
“Quick!” Thunder slithered after him. Gray Wing landed heavily beside him. They exchanged glances, then Thunder hurled himself into the battle. He grabbed Petal, digging his claws deep into her pelt, and dragged her backward. She yowled and turned, lips drawn back. Thunder ducked as she snapped at his muzzle, feeling a fierce tug at his whiskers as her jaws slammed shut dangerously close to his cheek. He dodged forward, thrusting himself beneath Nettle’s belly. Pushing up, he heaved the tom off his paws and sent him sprawling.
“Thunder!” Jackdaw’s Cry exclaimed. The tom’s gaze lit with hope.
“Get to the rock!” Thunder ordered.
Tall Shadow jerked her head around, catching Thunder’s eye.
“Watch out!” Thunder’s heart lurched as he saw Fircone lunge for her.
Tall Shadow spun and met the tom’s attack with an outstretched paw. She raked his muzzle, then threw her full weight against him, sending him staggering back against Quick Water and Leaf.
Pain seared Thunder’s flank. He turned as Snake sunk his claws deep. Fury rose in his belly. He dragged himself free and snapped at the rogue’s throat. Snake dodged away. Thunder leaped after him, grabbed his scruff between his teeth and shook him hard.
Claws hooked his shoulders and dragged him backward.
“Did you really think this battle could be avoided?” Clear Sky hissed in his ear.
“This isn’t a battle!” Thunder grunted with pain as Clear Sky pinned him to the ground with outstretched claws. “It’s slaughter.” Thrashing desperately, he spotted Gray Wing dragging Jackdaw’s Cry free of Fircone and pushing him toward the rock.
“Use the ledge to jump to the top!” Gray Wing ordered. He turned back for Tall Shadow.
Thunder writhed in Clear Sky’s grip. “We’re not going to make it easy!” As fast as a rabbit, he tucked his hind paws under his father’s belly and thrust him backward. Clear Sky’s eyes lit in surprise as he staggered backward and tripped over Snake.
Thunder leaped to his paws.
Tall Shadow streaked past him.
Gray Wing was on her tail. “Come on.” He paused to nose Thunder toward the rock.
Thunder ran, following Tall Shadow as she leaped onto the ledge. He scrambled to the top of the great rock a moment after her. Jackdaw’s Cry was trembling at the top. Gray Wing landed beside him.
“Now what?” Tall Shadow’s eyes were wide.
A hiss sounded from the ledge. Thunder looked down and saw Snake, halfway up. The rogue jumped. But Thunder was quick. He lashed out and sent him sprawling to the ground. Scrambling to his paws, Snake threw a menacing look to the top of the rock. Around him, the forest cats circled, low growls rumbling in their throats.
“We’re trapped!” Jackdaw’s Cry blinked at Gray Wing.
“They can’t keep us here forever,” Gray Wing reasoned.
Clear Sky padded to the center of the clearing and called up. “What’s your plan now, Gray Wing?” he snarled triumphantly. “Are you going to let us watch you starve up there? Or are you going to come down and fight like real cats?”
Thunder glanced up at the oak branch swaying a tail-length above their heads. “We need help,” he said.
Jackdaw’s Cry followed his gaze. “Do you think the birds are going to come and teach us to fly away?”
“If I could just get back to camp, I could fetch more cats.” Thunder murmured.
“You’ll never get past them.” Tall Shadow nodded toward the cats below.
Gray Wing narrowed his eyes. “Are you thinking about climbing out of here?”
Thunder met his gaze. “If I could get into the tree and climb along that branch.” He nodded toward a bough stretching toward the slope. The moor rose beyond. “I might make it to the camp for help.”
“It’s dangerous.” Tall Shadow’s eyes darkened. “They’ll try and stop you.”
“We’ll distract them,” Gray Wing promised.
Thunder peered down at the circling cats. “Stay up here,” he warned. “I want you safe when I return with the others.”
“Will they come?” Jackdaw’s Cry stared at him anxiously.
Thunder straightened. “Do you think Acorn Fur, Lightning Tail, and Hawk Swoop would leave you here?”
Jackdaw’s Cry lifted his tail. “Never!”
“Be careful,” Tall Shadow warned, her eyes glistening with fear.
Thunder dipped his head. “I’ll do my best.”
Gray Wing padded to the edge of the rock and called down to the forest cats. “Look at your leader,” he growled. Clear Sky was in the middle of the clearing, his eyes gleaming. “Does he make you proud? Watching while you fight his battle for him.”
“How dare you?” Clear Sky lashed his tail.
As every cat’s gaze flicked toward Clear Sky, Thunder leaped for the branch. He hooked it with his forepaws, his hind paws churning the air desperately. Panic flashed though him. He had to make it before the cats noticed. Leaves showered around him as the branch shook under his weight. Swinging his haunches, he hooked a hind paw onto a jutting twig. Growling under his breath, he heaved himself upward, gasping as he dragged himself onto the branch.