Gray Wing bared his teeth and snarled back. “And I’m an even bigger fox!”
Owl Eyes flattened his ears and widened his eyes. “I’m so scared!” he meowed, his voice shaking with laughter. He jumped to one side as Gray Wing pounced, landing a blow on Gray Wing’s ear before he rolled away out of range.
“Well done!” Gray Wing scrambled to his paws and shook debris from his pelt. “It’s a good thing you had your claws sheathed.”
Twigs cracking beneath his paws, he whirled to attack Sparrow Fur, but as he charged forward a sharp pain clawed through his lungs and he felt his legs crumple under him. He sank to the ground and lay on his side, chest heaving as he gasped for breath.
The three kits crowded around him, their eyes huge and anxious. Frustration welled up inside Gray Wing as their plump, furry bodies made it harder to breathe, but he knew better than to bat them out of the way.
“Get back!” Turtle Tail’s voice rang out from somewhere across the camp. “Give Gray Wing some air.”
A moment later she padded up to him, gently thrusting the kits aside. “Is it your breathing again?” she asked.
Unable to speak, Gray Wing nodded.
Pebble Heart poked his nose into his mother’s side. “I think Gray Wing needs some coltsfoot for his breathing,” he mewed quickly. “Shall I go and see if Cloud Spots has some?”
Turtle Tail turned a puzzled gaze on her son. “How do you know about coltsfoot?” she asked.
“Dappled Pelt told me,” the kit replied.
His mother twitched her whiskers in surprise, then nodded. Instantly Pebble Heart darted off toward Cloud Spots’s den.
Owl Eyes and Sparrow Fur huddled closer to Gray Wing, touching their noses to his. “Please get better,” Owl Eyes begged.
Gray Wing’s breathing was beginning to ease, enough for him to reassure the anxious kits. “Of course I will,” he croaked. “I promise.”
“We’ve never had a father like you,” Sparrow Fur added, brushing her tail along his side. “You are… like our father, aren’t you?”
Both kits fixed their gaze on Gray Wing, their eyes full of hope and love. Pain pierced Gray Wing’s heart, far more agonizing than his trouble with breathing. He opened his jaws to reply, but no words would come. He wasn’t sure if it was his illness that closed his throat, or his fear of letting his emotions overwhelm him.
Turtle Tail’s gaze met Gray Wing’s over the top of the kits’ heads. “Of course he is,” she meowed briskly. “He’s the best father any kit could hope to have.”
Pebble Heart, returning with a bunch of coltsfoot leaves in his jaws, dashed up in time to hear what his mother had said. Letting the leaves fall, he hurled himself at her in a wriggling bundle of delight.
“That’s the best thing I’ve heard ever!” he announced. “Now we really know we belong!”
Cloud Spots, padding more slowly after Pebble Heart, swept his tail around to gesture the kits away from Gray Wing. “It’s time to leave Gray Wing in peace,” he told them, dipping his head to Turtle Tail. “I’ll look after him, don’t worry.”
“Yes, it’s time for your nap,” Turtle Tail mewed, gathering the kits together. “You’ll see Gray Wing again later.”
“Yes,” he called weakly after them as Turtle Tail herded the kits toward their nest. “We’ll start training again as soon as I’m better.” He watched the kits vanish into their den before turning to Cloud Spots. “I am going to get better soon, aren’t I?” he asked. “Tell me the truth.”
Cloud Spots rolled his eyes. “You may be ill, but that’s no excuse to behave as if your brain is full of bees. Of course you’ll be better soon! You survived the mountains,” he added with a snort. “You can survive a bit of smoke in your lungs. Besides, it’s not just the kits who need you. You’re our leader now, don’t forget. You have duties to fulfill.”
A scrabbling sound interrupted his last words. Gray Wing looked up to see that Pebble Heart had come back. “Please can I help treat Gray Wing?” he begged.
Cloud Spots paused for a moment before replying, while Pebble Heart worked his claws impatiently in and out.
“Very well,” the black-and-white tom replied at last. “Collect those coltsfoot leaves and chew them up so you can dribble the juice into Gray Wing’s mouth.”
Pebble Heart obeyed eagerly, chomping on the leaves and then letting the juices trickle into Gray Wing’s gaping jaws.
“That’s enough,” Cloud Spots meowed at last. “Good job.”
Almost at once Gray Wing could feel the pain ebb away; his breathing relaxed and he was able to scramble to his paws.
Cloud Spots gave a satisfied nod. “No unnecessary exertion for the next moon,” he ordered. “After that, you’ll be as strong and energetic as one of these kits!”
Gray Wing murmured thanks, though he wasn’t sure whether he felt grateful or doubtful. But he was certain of one thing. I definitely feel hope.
Gray Wing opened his eyes and stretched his jaws in an enormous yawn. Golden sunrays slanted into his den, showing him that Turtle Tail and the kits had left. I feel as if I’ve slept for moons, he thought, rising to his paws and giving himself a long, luxurious stretch.
As he relaxed again, the sound of loud meowing and yowls of delight broke out in the camp outside the den. Curious, Gray Wing padded to the entrance and looked out.
Most of his denmates were clustered together in the middle of the camp; Wind and Gorse were there too. Apprehension prickled through Gray Wing’s pelt, but he shrugged off the feeling. Every cat seemed to be happy about something; surely they couldn’t be gathering because danger was threatening.
As Gray Wing gazed down, wondering what it was all about, Lightning Tail broke away from the group and bounded up the slope toward him. “You have to listen to this!” the young tom called out excitedly. He beckoned with his tail for Gray Wing to join him. “Cloud Spots has suggested we give the two rogues longer names like ours. If you’ll let us!”
Intrigued, Gray Wing padded down to join the others and slid into the crowd toward Turtle Tail.
This could work well, he thought to himself. If Wind and Gorse have names like us, then maybe every cat will agree that they should join us.
As the thought passed through his mind, he glanced at Tall Shadow. The former leader was sitting quietly on the top of the tall rock, keeping watch over the moor as she always did, and her expression gave away nothing of what she was thinking.
“It’s good to have you here,” Cloud Spots was telling Wind and Gorse as Gray Wing sat down with Lightning Tail beside him. “But I think we all agree your names are kind of short. You should have long names like ours if you’re going to spend time with us.”
Wind and Gorse let out identical snorts of amusement.
“Okay,” Gorse meowed. “Wind, what should we call you? Wind That Chases Rabbits Down Burrows?”
Wind batted at him with one paw. “I’d give up chasing rabbits for good, rather than call myself a mouthful like that. Why don’t you call yourself Gorse Prickle Stuck in Paw?”
Cloud Spots let out a mrrow of laughter. “Why don’t I think you’re taking this seriously?”
“Wind, I think you should call yourself Wind Runner,” Rainswept Flower meowed. “You’re really fast.”
Wind thought about that with her head cocked, then nodded. “Yes,” she decided, looking pleased. “That’s my name now. Wind Runner.”
“And what about Gorse?” Jackdaw’s Cry asked.
“Gorse Bush?” Hawk Swoop suggested. “Gorse Tail?”
“What about Gorse Fur?” Turtle Tail added. “Because the fur on top of your head sticks up a bit like gorse spines.”