“Maybe Leaf,” Frost suggested. “He’s a good hunter.”
“You think?” Petal twitched her whiskers dismissively. “I think he couldn’t catch a squirrel if it leaped into his paws.”
“Yeah, and if it comes to a fight I can beat him, no problem,” Frost meowed. “You know, if Clear Sky is going to pick some cat, you and I have a good chance, better than those useless furballs.”
Thunder couldn’t stand this any longer. “Is that really the way you talk about your denmates?” he asked, shocked.
Frost and Petal both halted and gazed at Thunder with surprise in their eyes.
“Where have you been living for the last two moons?” Frost asked. “Hasn’t your father taught you anything? Every cat knows that we all have our place in the camp, and that place depends on how much Clear Sky likes us. He made it quite clear from when he first moved into the forest—his opinion is final.”
Thunder shook his head, completely bewildered. “I thought—”
“He doesn’t need to understand all that,” Petal interrupted with a spiteful note in her voice. “As Clear Sky’s own son, he goes straight to the top.”
When she finished speaking, there was a flicker of movement just ahead, and a mouse appeared from the shelter of a dead leaf. Without waiting for Thunder to respond, Petal hurtled off to chase it.
Which cat named her “Petal”? Thunder wondered. There’s nothing soft about her. Coming to the end of the patrol, the cats set out back toward the camp. Thunder brought up the rear, not wanting to listen to Frost and Petal talking anymore. He had only taken a few paw steps when he heard a faint rustle behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted yellow eyes peering out from under a bush. A heartbeat later the cat emerged: a she-cat with a wiry brown pelt who crossed the border without hesitation and stood with her ears pricked and her jaws open as if she was searching for prey.
Wind!
Thunder realized that the she-cat hadn’t noticed him; he was partly screened from her by the edge of a bramble thicket. He knew that he ought to chase her off, but he remembered how friendly and helpful she had been to the moorland cats. He didn’t want to turn her into an enemy.
Hesitating with one paw frozen in midair, Thunder hoped that Wind would just stroll away again, and there would be no reason for a scene.
Frost and Petal won’t take her trespassing as lightly as they did Bumble’s. And she won’t be as easy to scare off.
Before Thunder could make his mind up, Frost dashed ahead, shouldering him out of the way, and confronted Wind. “Get out of here!” he snarled.
For all his bravado, Thunder could see that Frost was wincing from the pain of his wound. He’d do better to be kinder to other cats, he thought. He’s not exactly ready for a fight.
Wind didn’t budge a single paw, but gave Frost a disdainful stare.
“You’ve crossed our boundary, flea-pelt,” Frost snarled. “Get off our territory!”
The other cat widened her eyes and gazed around her with an elaborate pretense of confusion. “My name is Wind Runner,” she meowed. “And I lived here long before any of you newcomers showed up. I think you should be the one to get out of my way.”
Her cool tones clearly infuriated Frost. With a growl of rage he flung himself on top of Wind Runner, and the two cats rolled over and over on the forest floor in a hissing, clawing tangle of fur.
Thunder started forward a couple of paw steps and stopped, not sure what he wanted to do. He saw that Petal had come up, too, and was watching the fight with steady green eyes. Thunder guessed she would join in if Frost seemed to be getting the worst of it.
But there was no need for Petal to intervene. Frost, who was bigger and more powerful, soon had Wind Runner pinned down underneath his body. Thunder tried to hide his surprise. Frost’s injuries hadn’t stopped him from being a formidable fighter.
Wind Runner’s eyes rolled in her head. As she gazed at Thunder, who stood watching helplessly, he had no doubt what message she was trying to send.
Help me!
But Thunder was conscious of Petal watching him across the fighting cats’ bodies, and knew that she would report any betrayal to Clear Sky.
Wind Runner saved him from having to decide. Twisting her neck, she sank her teeth into the big white tom’s paw. With a hiss of shock at the unexpected pain, Frost pulled away, giving Wind Runner the chance to wriggle free. Petal started forward, but within a heartbeat Wind Runner had vanished down a nearby rabbit hole.
Thunder let relief wash over him. She’ll escape through the tunnels. She’ll be fine.
But the feeling didn’t last long. Both Frost and Petal rounded on him, standing shoulder to shoulder.
“You saw that cat!” Frost accused him. “Why didn’t you attack sooner?”
“Yeah, why are you even out on patrol if you won’t guard the borders?” Petal demanded.
Thunder didn’t try to defend himself. He could easily imagine a fight developing, and he didn’t want an account of the incident getting back to Clear Sky. Maybe if I let it go, they won’t say anything…
Petal and Frost glared at him for a moment longer, then Petal gave a snort of disgust. “Come on, let’s get back. We don’t want to miss Clear Sky’s announcement.” She turned and padded off with Frost beside her.
Feeling thoroughly depressed, Thunder followed.
Darkness had fallen over the camp. Thunder sat unobtrusively in the shelter of a bramble thicket while the rest of Clear Sky’s group, fluid shadows in the black night, gathered around the pool in the center of the clearing. The air tingled with excitement as the cats murmured together, speculating about the reason for the meeting.
At last, when Thunder thought he couldn’t endure the waiting a heartbeat longer, Clear Sky leaped onto the tree stump from which he usually addressed the group and surveyed his cats. His eyes glittered in the moonlight and his gray pelt shone with a silvery gleam. Thunder drew in a sharp breath, in awe of his father, who stood above every cat with such authority.
Clear Sky waited until the murmuring voices had sunk into silence. “Greetings, everyone,” he began. “I have called you here tonight because I have decided it is time to adjust our territory lines.”
Thunder heard a few cats gasp with surprise. His belly stirred uneasily. What does he mean by that?
“The forest fire has made hunting harder than ever,” Clear Sky continued. “It’s my duty as your leader to make sure that no cat goes hungry.” A pained look crossed his face as he added, “I would never forgive myself.”
Thunder heard one or two cats let out mews of sympathy. Frost raised his head and called out, “You have nothing to forgive yourself for, Clear Sky. Tell us what to do!”
Clear Sky dipped his head in acknowledgment. “Thank you, Frost. Your loyalty means a great deal to me.”
Thunder was feeling even more uneasy, as if ants were crawling all through his pelt. He talks about adjusting the borders, but I know he means to expand them. Thunder blinked unhappily. Why am I doubting him? He’s my father!
Thunder glanced around at the other cats to see if any of them shared his discomfort. The gaze of every cat was fixed on their leader; only Quick Water met Thunder’s glance and then quickly looked away.