The First Battle Page 5

  “That’s one more than me!”

  Thunder purred, pleased to see that, even though they’d grown, Acorn Fur and Lightning Tail still felt like kin.

  Acorn Fur’s gaze flitted across Thunder’s pelt. “You look strong.” Her eyes flashed admiringly. “And sleek.”

  Heat flooded beneath Thunder’s fur. “Thanks.” He glanced self-consciously at his big paws. “You look great too.” Her dark chestnut fur was thick and short and shone in the sun. And her squashed kit’s nose had lengthened into a smooth, straight muzzle.

  Lightning Tail wove around him. “So what was it like in the forest? How was Clear Sky? Are you glad you went to live there?”

  “Stop interrogating him!” Acorn Fur flashed a stern look at her brother before softening her gaze for Thunder. “You came back because you missed us, didn’t you?”

  Thunder blinked at her gratefully. She was sparing him from explaining the real reasons he’d returned. But part of him wanted to share what he’d seen: Clear Sky’s deadly fight with Misty, the kittens needlessly made orphans by his father’s greed for territory, Frost’s heartless banishment.

  Acorn Fur’s amber gaze darkened. “Is everything okay, Thunder?”

  I never want you to see any of the things I’ve witnessed. “Everything’s fine,” he lied.

  “We’re not kits anymore.” Lightning Tail must have seen his pelt pricking. “You don’t have to protect us.”

  But I do. Thunder shook out his fur.

  “We hear what the other cats are saying about Clear Sky,” Acorn Fur told him.

  Lightning Tail leaned closer. “Are we going to go to battle?”

  Thunder gazed past them, past the heather, across the rising moor. Would they have to fight to keep all this?

  “Are we?” Acorn Fur’s gaze sharpened.

  “I hope not,” he breathed.

  “Lightning Tail!” Wind Runner’s mew sounded across the camp.

  Lightning Tail turned.

  The rogue she-cat was striding across the clearing, Gorse Fur and Jackdaw’s Cry at her heels. “You and Acorn Fur can come and practice battle moves with us.”

  “Battle moves?” Lightning Tail stared at her.

  “We only know how to hunt,” Acorn Fur chipped in.

  “Then it’s time you learned some fighting skills.” Wind Runner stopped at the edge of the clearing while Gorse Fur and Jackdaw’s Cry took up positions in front of her.

  Thunder stiffened. It wasn’t just Jagged Peak! All the cats were preparing to fight. Did they believe battle was unavoidable?

  Lightning Tail padded toward them. “I suppose we could adapt some hunting moves,” he suggested.

  Acorn Fur followed. “We could turn a hunting crouch into an attack crouch.”

  A chill ran along Thunder’s spine. This was the sort of thing Clear Sky would do. Not the moor cats. He scanned the clearing. Where was Gray Wing? Had he approved this? There was no sign of the gray tom. His nest was empty.

  Tall Shadow was lying on the flat rock. She was watching the cats, her eyes round with interest.

  Gray Wing wouldn’t want this. Thunder hurried after Acorn Fur. “Wait. There’s no need to practice fighting. Gray Wing’s going to speak with Clear—”

  Wind Runner darted forward and blocked his way. “Did I ask you to join us?”

  Jackdaw’s Cry and Gorse Fur backed away. Acorn Fur and Lightning Tail turned and gazed uneasily at Thunder. Wind Runner was glaring at him challengingly.

  Thunder halted. “I’m just saying you don’t need to practice battle moves yet.”

  Wind Runner narrowed her eyes and padded slowly toward him, her plump belly swinging. “You’ve just arrived. Don’t start telling us what to do.”

  I was only trying to help. “Why don’t we just forget the fighting,” he urged. “At least until after Gray Wing’s met with Clear Sky. You might find you’ve got nothing to fight about.”

  Wind Runner curled her lip. “Are you really that dumb?”

  Anger flashed beneath Thunder’s pelt. “It’s not dumb to try and avoid battle!” he spat. “But what do you know? Last time I was here you were called plain Wind—nothing but a rogue with a rogue’s name.”

  Wind Runner glanced triumphantly over her shoulder at Gorse Fur. “See? He’s only come back to cause trouble. Just like his father.”

  “Leave him alone!” Acorn Fur pushed between them.

  “Why?” Wind Runner flattened an ear. “No one wants him here.”

  Thunder glanced around at the moor cats. Lightning Tail’s eyes were clouded with worry. Acorn Fur’s tail was twitching anxiously. Gorse Fur and Jackdaw’s Cry stared at him coldly. Finally, Thunder looked to Tall Shadow.

  She sat up on the flat rock, her gaze giving nothing away. “Wind Runner.”

  Hope pricked in Thunder’s paws. Was she going to stand up for him?

  Tall Shadow’s eyes were shining. “I’ve decided that today is the day to formally welcome you into our camp. You too, Gorse Fur! You are one of us now.”

  Thunder swallowed. So Tall Shadow was aligning herself with Wind Runner—a rogue who was training the moor cats to fight! What about Gray Wing’s decision to find a peaceful solution? Had Tall Shadow—had every cat—decided that battle couldn’t be avoided?

  “Thunder.” Turtle Tail’s mew sounded softly in his ear.

  He spun around.

  She was gazing at him gently. “Follow me.” Beckoning him with a flick of her tail, she led him to a patch of warm grass beside the tunnel entrance where she and Gray Wing made their nest. The moss still smelled of the kits. Its warm scent drifted over his muzzle and he let his hackles fall.

  “I know you’re angry,” she began.

  “They just want to fight!” He glanced back at Wind Runner and Gorse Fur as their camp mates wove around them murmuring congratulations. “Jagged Peak was training the kits!” He searched her gaze, waiting to see shock, but she looked back steadily, her pelt unruffled.

  “I know,” she admitted. “But we’re worried. We don’t know what Clear Sky will do next and we want to be ready.” Her gaze flicked toward Sparrow Fur and Owl Eyes. “You know I’d never let them fight. But I want them to be able to defend themselves if they have to.”

  “You think Clear Sky will attack kits?” Thunder’s breath quickened. How could she believe that? Even Clear Sky wouldn’t be that cruel.

  “We’ll know more once Gray Wing’s spoken to him.”

  “Why can’t they wait before they start practicing?”

  “Do you really think they should?” She leaned closer. “Our home is at stake.”

  Thunder narrowed his eyes.

  Turtle Tail pressed on. “What if Gray Wing can’t persuade Clear Sky to stop expanding his borders?”

  I couldn’t. Thunder’s belly tightened as he remembered trying to reason with his father. Clear Sky had turned on him. He hadn’t even tried to listen. He met Turtle Tail’s gaze. “Then they’ll have to fight.”

  Turtle Tail nodded. “It’s better we’re prepared for the worst.”

  Thunder dipped his head. “Okay,” he conceded grimly. “If we must prepare for battle, then I’ll help.” If they had to fight, he was going to make sure they knew how to fight properly.

  CHAPTER 4

  Gray Wing slid through a gap in the heather, shaking soil from his paws. He blinked as he saw Jackdaw’s Cry, Shattered Ice, and Dappled Pelt heading for the flat rock where Hawk Swoop, Turtle Tail, and the others were already gathered.

  What’s going on? He pricked his ears.

  Tall Shadow was standing on the rock, tail high.

  Only Thunder hung back in the clearing, his gaze dark.

  “Gray Wing! There you are!” Tall Shadow leaped from the rock and padded past the young tom. “I’m making Wind Runner and Gorse Fur part of our group, like we agreed.”

  Pleased, Gray Wing flicked his tail. “It’s about time,” he purred. “They already feel like they belong here.” Behind Tall Shadow,
he could see Thunder’s pelt pricking. Something was wrong. He dipped his head. “I’ll join you on the rock in a moment.” He waited for Tall Shadow to leave, then crossed the sandy earth to Thunder. “Is something wrong?”

  Thunder was frowning. “Wind Runner wants to teach the kits battle moves.”

  “So?” Gray Wing tipped his head, confused. “She’s a natural leader. I trust her judgment. It’s one of the reasons we want her to join us. She knows that we must be prepared.”

  Thunder dropped his gaze. “That’s what Turtle Tail said.”

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  “No one seems to believe we can find a peaceful solution,” Thunder muttered. “I thought talking to Clear Sky would be enough.”

  “Hopefully, it will be.” Gray Wing felt a surge of affection for the young cat. He might be clear-sighted about his father’s ambition, but he still had faith enough to believe that all would be well if only they could reason with Clear Sky. Life is never so simple, he thought with a pang. “I’ll do my best but, if talking doesn’t work, we may have to fight to keep what’s ours.”

  “Gray Wing.” Tall Shadow called from the far side of the clearing, a few tail-lengths from the flat rock. Wind Runner paced at her side while Gorse Fur watched anxiously. “We must talk.”

  Gray Wing touched Thunder’s cheek with his nose. “Join the others.” He nodded toward the cats gathered beside the rock. They were murmuring, heads bowed, casting curious glances at Tall Shadow, Wind Runner, and Gorse Fur.

  “What’s the delay?” Rainswept Flower called.

  Tall Shadow’s gaze grew more urgent. “Gray Wing!”

  He bounded toward her. “Is something wrong?” he asked as he stopped at her side. Wind Runner and Gorse Fur were exchanging nervous glances. Had they changed their mind about joining the moor cats?

  Tall Shadow frowned. “Wind Runner and Gorse Fur are expecting kits.”

  “Kits?” Gray Wing blinked. Joy warmed his pelt. “That’s great news.”

  “Is it?” Wind Runner moved closer to her mate. “Kits will mean extra mouths to feed.” She glanced at the moor cats. “Our kits will be safer if they’re raised in the camp. But it’ll be a burden for every cat.” She held her chin high. “They should know what they’re taking on before we join the group.”

  Gorse Fur puffed out his chest. “We don’t want the mountain cats to resent them.”

  Gray Wing’s ear twitched. “Why would they do that?” Pebble Heart, Sparrow Fur, and Owl Eyes were always hungry and always getting underpaw, but no one resented them. “New life brings hope and joy.”

  “And extra hunting,” Wind Runner reminded him.

  Gray Wing swept his tail toward the distant horizon. “There’s enough prey out there for us all.”

  He suddenly realized that Tall Shadow’s gaze was lingering on Wind Runner’s bulging flank.

  “It’s a bad time for kits to be born,” the black she-cat muttered. “Clear Sky’s spoiling for a fight. Wind Runner won’t be able to join in the battle and we’ll have more kits to defend.”

  Gray Wing met her gaze. “If it comes to battle, more kits will make us fight harder. We’ll have more to fight for.”

  Tall Shadow looked unconvinced.

  “We should leave,” Wind Runner growled.

  “No!” Gray Wing stepped forward. Memory swept him back to Storm’s den. He’d fought through dust and rubble to try to save her and her kits. She’d tried to raise them alone and it had killed her and two of her kits. Only Thunder had survived. “It’s our duty to help Wind Runner and Gorse Fur raise their litter,” he told Tall Shadow firmly.

  The black she-cat dipped her head. “I guess they have earned their place with us,” she conceded.

  “Many times.” Gray Wing nodded to Wind Runner. “Your kits will be raised as though they are our own.” A purr escaped him. Suddenly he could picture tiny kits hurtling across the clearing after Pebble Heart, Sparrow Fur, and Owl Eyes. For a moment, all his fears of battle disappeared. These kits would grow up safe in their moorland home.

  He strode across the clearing, pushing between Jackdaw’s Cry and Rainswept Flower, and leaped onto the flat rock. Tall Shadow jumped up beside him. He beckoned Wind Runner and Gorse Fur forward with a flick of his tail.

  Hawk Swoop and Shattered Ice moved to let them pass. Jackdaw’s Cry and Rainswept Flower backed away to open a circle for the two rogues to stand in. Cloud Spots slid out from the gorse where Frost peeked out, his white face half-hidden in shadow. Dappled Pelt stepped aside to let the black-and-white tom in next to her. Pebble Heart, Sparrow Fur, and Owl Eyes lined up beside Turtle Tail, as neat as owlets on a branch. Jagged Peak stood beside them, eyes shining.

  Where’s Thunder? Gray Wing’s heart lurched as he scanned the cats for the young tom. He must show support for Wind Runner and Gorse Fur if he was to be accepted fully back into the camp. Didn’t he realize how much they’d grown to be part of the group while he’d been in the forest with Clear Sky? This was an important moment; it was the first time the mountain cats had formally accepted new cats into their ranks. Every cat had to approve if they were to stay united. Relief flooded him as he spotted Thunder’s orange-and-white pelt, half hidden between Acorn Fur and Lightning Tail. He caught the young tom’s eyes. Thunder stared back, his gaze unreadable.

  Tall Shadow began. “Wind and Gorse welcomed us to the moor when we first arrived.”

  Purrs rumbled around the circle.

  “They have been loyal allies as we’ve adjusted from mountain life to moor life,” she went on. “It is an honor to invite them to make their home with us permanently.”

  Wind Runner looked up at the black she-cat, her eyes questioning. Gray Wing guessed what the expectant queen was thinking. Is Tall Shadow going to mention the kits?

  He stepped forward. This needed to be spoken now. If there were objections, they must be heard. “Wind Runner is expecting kits.” He gazed around the moor cats. Warmth glowed in Hawk Swoop’s eyes. Jagged Peak purred loudly.

  “Congratulations!” Rainswept Flower darted forward and touched noses with Wind Runner.

  Jackdaw’s Cry’s tail twitched uneasily. “Can we feed extra mouths?”

  Acorn Fur stared at him. “Of course we can!”

  Lightning Tail pricked his ears. “Our hunting skills get better every season.”

  Murmurs of agreement rippled around him.

  “What about when the cold season comes?” Cloud Spots reasoned. “Prey will go to ground.”

  Shattered Ice raised his voice. “Then we’ll hunt in the tunnels that Wind Runner and Gorse Fur showed us when we arrived.”

  Tall Shadow stepped to the edge of the rock. Gray Wing saw with relief that her eyes were shining, all doubt gone.

  “Wind Runner and Gorse Fur have done so much for us,” she called. “They have earned prey for their kits, and their kits’ kits!”

  Jagged Peak nodded enthusiastically. “They rescued me from a collapsed tunnel,” he reminded them. “When every other cat thought I was dead, Wind Runner cleared my nose and throat so I could breathe.”

  “When we were kits, Gorse Fur taught me and Acorn Fur how to stalk rabbits,” Lightning Tail chimed in. “He spent a whole afternoon showing us how to lie flat and still and let the rabbit come to us.”

  Acorn Fur purred loudly. “He was so patient, even when we got bored and started stalking his tail instead!”

  Turtle Tail stepped forward. “Wind Runner showed me the best places to hunt after I returned from Twolegplace.”

  Gray Wing swallowed back a purr. Turtle Tail had often complained that Wind Runner was too bossy, holding her responsible for turning Bumble away from the camp. He was relieved to see that she had accepted the rogue at last.

  He stiffened as Jackdaw’s Cry flicked his tail. Was he still worried there wasn’t enough prey to share?

  “We would never have dared explore the tunnels if Wind Runner and Gorse Fur hadn’t showed us how.” The black tom
glanced at them approvingly. “Now we have shelter in the worst of the cold season.”

  “And escape routes from dogs!” Dappled Pelt added.

  Happily, Gray Wing kneaded the rock. “We are lucky to have such strong, loyal cats join us.” He gazed at Wind Runner. She stared back unblinking. How long before she was the one up here, leading the moor cats while he and Tall Shadow watched from below? He welcomed the thought. It was tough having to know all the answers. Wind Runner seemed to relish the challenge of decision making far more than he ever would.

  Tall Shadow’s mew jerked his thoughts back to the moment. “Wind and Gorse took new names to be like us and it is with these new names that we shall welcome them.” She jumped from the rock and touched noses with Wind Runner. “Welcome, Wind Runner.”

  Gray Wing felt the expectant gaze of the moor cats and jumped down beside her. “Welcome, Gorse Fur.” He touched noses with the gray tabby tom.

  “Gorse Fur!”

  “Wind Runner!”

  The moor cats lifted their voices to the sky as, chanting the names of their new denmates, they welcomed them warmly.

  Jagged Peak broke from the circle and hopped around Wind Runner, his eyes bright with excitement. Gray Wing lifted his tail happily. The young cat had always admired the rogue. He must be delighted she’d been made part of the group.

  Tall Shadow padded to the prey heap. “Let’s celebrate with a feast.” She tossed a mouse toward Gorse Fur. “We will eat this meal like mountain cats.” She carried a thrush to Wind Runner and dropped it. Then she bent and took a bite and pushed it toward the brown she-cat. Wind Runner dipped her head in thanks and took a bite, then nudged it toward Gorse Fur. Purring, he tore off a mouthful and passed it to Jagged Peak.

  Gray Wing padded to the prey heap, waiting for Shattered Ice to take a mouse before grabbing a small rabbit. Joy flooded beneath his pelt. The moor cats settled and shared prey, mewing contentedly. We are one. The thought sent hope surging through him. Whatever happened when he visited Clear Sky’s camp, the moor cats would survive. They were united, and together they could weather any storm. He glanced at Wind Runner, chewing contentedly as she lay between Tall Shadow and Gorse Fur. With her on our side, we’ll be strong for a long time.