Clear Sky met his gaze stubbornly, trying to ignore the shame that burned beneath his pelt. “This wasn’t my fault,” he insisted. “I just wanted to make sure there was enough prey for every cat.”
River Ripple glanced down at Fircone’s body. “There’ll be plenty now,” he muttered dryly.
Fur brushed the ground beside Clear Sky. Gray Wing had dropped into a crouch. His breath was hoarse, thickening his mew as he spoke. “We let it go too far.”
Tall Shadow growled. “There never would have been a battle if Clear Sky hadn’t started setting borders.”
River Ripple dipped his head. “It’s done now.”
“What next?” Wind Runner lifted her chin. “I’ll fight again if that’s what it takes to make the moor safe for my kits.”
Gorse Fur looked at her, his ear twitching. “You fought well, but the moor isn’t worth it. We can take the kits somewhere else.”
“Never.” Wind Runner glared at her mate. “The moor is our home now.”
Clear Sky narrowed his eyes. “And the forest is mine,” he snapped. “I was just fighting to defend it.”
Wind Runner jerked around to stare at him. “You were fighting to take our land too. You’re greedy.”
“No.” Gray Wing blinked. “Clear Sky was never greedy. In the mountains he gave his food up for Fluttering Bird. No cat changes that much.”
Clear Sky stared at Gray Wing, surprised.
Gray Wing returned his gaze. “Why can’t we live side by side, in peace?”
As he spoke the wind lifted. The clouds cleared from the moon and starlight drenched the clearing, sparkling on the pelts of the fallen cats, turning them silver.
Clear Sky stiffened as he saw something else move on the slope. Who is it now? He strained to see over the ferns and caught sight of a pair of eyes.
His breath caught in his throat.
A cat was heading into the hollow. She stared at him, her gentle gaze so familiar that it broke his heart to return it.
It can’t be!
She padded into the clearing, her silver pelt sleek in the moonlight.
She’s dead.
Clear Sky’s fur prickled along his spine. “Storm? Is that you?”
CHAPTER 22
Gray Wing stared at his brother. How could it be Storm? I saw her die. Heart racing, he followed Clear Sky’s gaze.
It was Storm.
She stood beyond the littered bodies, her silver pelt seeming to sparkle as though the stars were woven through her fur.
He struggled to his paws, his chest tightening until it hurt to breathe.
“What’s happening?”
Gray Wing jerked back as Thunder leaped up with a wail of terror. The young tom was staring at Hawk Swoop’s limp body as a glittering, silvery shape rose from it and drifted around him.
“Hawk Swoop?” Thunder gasped, eyes wide. “Are you . . . alive?”
She purred. “No, my dear Thunder. But don’t grieve. I will never truly leave you.”
As she spoke, more spirits rose, glittering, from the other broken bodies.
Gray Wing swallowed, fear spiraling through his belly as he gasped for breath. What’s happening? He glanced down at his paws, half expecting to see his own fur sparkle with starlight. Am I dying?
Gray Wing reasoned with himself. Thunder wasn’t dying. Nor were Clear Sky and Wind Runner—he could tell by their bristling fur. Around them, Gorse Fur backed away, while River Ripple was shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts.
Tall Shadow padded forward, muzzle stretched, her nose twitching. “Rainswept Flower?”
“Hello, Tall Shadow.” The brown tabby she-cat faced her camp mate, eyes bright, as she stepped away from her body. There was no wound at her throat, and no blood matting her pelt.
The spirit-cats did not carry the wounds that had killed them. Their pelts were sleek and thick. Frost’s white pelt shone brighter than in life. Fircone, Falling Feather, and Jackdaw’s Cry gazed about themselves, as if trying to figure out where they were and what had happened to them.
“Falling Feather.” Jackdaw’s Cry stared at his sister, his round eyes glistening with grief. “I’m sorry.”
She padded forward and touched her muzzle to his. “I forgive you. I hope you forgive me, too. . . .”
Thunder picked his way past the bodies, his gaze flitting around the spirit-cats. He stopped beside Gray Wing and pressed against him, trembling. “What’s happening?”
“I don’t know,” Gray Wing whispered, unable to drag his gaze from the spirit-cats.
“Stoneteller would know,” Clear Sky whispered.
“But Stoneteller isn’t here.” Gray Wing fought panic. This didn’t make sense. He stiffened as he saw more cats appear on the slope.
Bright Stream!
Shaded Moss, Fox, and Moon Shadow padded into the clearing after her. Every cat who had died since they’d left the mountains. His mind whirled until a single thought made him gasp. “Pebble Heart’s dream!”
Thunder moved beside him. “Did he know this would happen?”
“He knew something would happen,” Gray Wing murmured. “He just couldn’t put it into words. This must be it.” As he spoke, a familiar pelt appeared from beneath the great rock. A tortoiseshell crossed the clearing toward him. His heart rose like a bird. “Turtle Tail!”
A kit scampered ahead of her.
“Emberkit?” He reached down his head to meet the tiny tom as it skidded to a halt in front of him.
“Hi, Gray Wing.” The kit glanced around the hollow. “Where’s Wind Runner?”
“I’m here!” The lithe she-cat was already bounding across the clearing. Scrambling to a stop, she stared at her kit. “You’re safe!”
The kit purred. “I have Turtle Tail.”
Wind Runner purred back, sniffing Emberkit’s starry pelt.
Turtle Tail lifted her chin. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she gazed at Gray Wing. “Aren’t you going to say hello?”
Gray Wing fumbled for words. He could hardly believe how well she looked—plump and sleek, her tortoiseshell markings more beautiful than ever. Was she really here, or was he dreaming? The tightness in his chest began to loosen. He drew in a deep gulp of air. “I never thought I’d see you again.”
Thunder pushed past him. “I’m sorry we left you in Twolegplace, Turtle Tail. We should have given you a proper burial.”
Turtle Tail dipped her head. “You left me among the petals where my kits wouldn’t see me. I could ask for no more than that.” She turned to River Ripple. “Thank you for helping them. Without you they might never have found Sparrow Fur, Owl Eyes, and Pebble Heart.” Her mew lingered on their names, her eyes glistening with loss.
Gray Wing’s heart ached—he could not imagine just how much she missed them.
River Ripple dipped his head. “Thunder would have found them,” he murmured. “It might have taken a little longer, that’s all.”
Turtle Tail swung her gaze around the living cats. “You think of River Ripple as just a rogue. But he is more than that. He has an old soul. He walked this land before the mountain cats arrived. He has seen more of life than you think—and what he hasn’t seen, he has the power to imagine.” She turned back to River Ripple. “Did you imagine our coming?”
River Ripple shook his head. “What cat could?”
Clear Sky stepped forward. “You’re a dream! You have to be.” He blinked at Gray Wing. “They can’t be real.”
Turtle Tail narrowed her eyes. “You fool, Clear Sky,” she hissed. “When did you forget where you came from?” She glanced over her shoulder at Rainswept Flower. “When did you decide it was okay to kill the cats you were raised beside?”
Clear Sky backed away, his tail low. “I only wanted to protect my own.”
Turtle Tail showed her teeth. “Killing only ever leads to more killing. Let your mistakes teach you.” She whisked her tail. “Leave us now. I must speak with Gray Wing.”
Clear Sky backed away. Th
under followed. Wind Runner guided Emberkit toward the edge of the clearing, where Gorse Fur hurried to greet him.
Gray Wing shifted his paws as Turtle Tail stepped closer. He reached out his muzzle, feeling for her warm breath and the musky smell of prey. But the air shimmering around her was cold and scentless. Anxiety stirred in his belly. “Can you stay?” he asked. “The kits will want to see you.”
“You’re not foolish enough to believe that, Gray Wing,” she told him softly.
“But how can I go on without you?” His eyes blurred but he dared not blink in case she disappeared.
Turtle Tail’s ear twitched disapprovingly. “Don’t be a mouseheart! Of course you can go on. The kits need you. Your camp mates need you.”
“But you’re here now! Can’t you stay?” He reached closer, desperate to feel the soft fur of her cheek, but his nose passed through her as though she wasn’t there. He drew back, shock sparking through his pelt. It’s too cruel! She’s here but she’s not! “It’d be better if you’d never come at all,” he growled bitterly.
Turtle Tail’s eyes narrowed. “I never thought you were a selfish cat, Gray Wing. Don’t prove me wrong. Don’t you realize I’m not here just for you? We came to tell all cats what they must know if they are to survive here.”
“What?” Gray Wing pricked his ears.
But Turtle Tail was backing away. Behind her, the spirit-cats gathered, reflecting starlight.
Storm padded forward, her gaze fixed on Clear Sky.
Clear Sky moved toward her.
“You can’t touch her,” Gray Wing warned. He didn’t want his brother to suffer as he had. He must know these cats weren’t real.
“I don’t want to,” Clear Sky called back. “I just want to hear what she has to tell us.” He faced Storm, chin high. “What message do you bring?”
Gray Wing looked back to Turtle Tail, his belly fur trembling. He wasn’t sure if he really wanted to hear what the ghost cat had to say. . . .
CHAPTER 23
Clear Sky forced his paws to stop trembling. Love ached deep in his heart as he gazed into Storm’s eyes. How had he ever let her go? She stared at him now, her face shimmering in the moonlight. Her gaze was stern.
“Is this what you planned?” She flicked her tail toward the bodies, keeping her eyes fixed on Clear Sky.
Clear Sky glanced past her. The bodies lay unmoving. Their blood glistened in the moonlight. His mouth dried as he searched for words. Did she think he’d meant for this to happen? “I—I was trying to do the right thing,” he mumbled.
“And you didn’t guess that this is how it would end?” Storm demanded.
“I followed my instincts.” The ground seemed to sway beneath his paws.
Storm narrowed her eyes. “Your instincts?” The scorn in her growl pierced his heart like claws.
“I had to protect my cats.”
“Your cats?”
“I’m their leader. I’m responsible for them.”
Storm tipped her head to one side. “And have you protected them?”
Clear Sky tried not to look again at the bodies of his camp mates, but their lifeless pelts seemed to draw his gaze like prey scent. He shuddered, guilt twisting in his belly. “I have not.”
“You’ve been greedy, Clear Sky,” Storm murmured. “You wanted power over every cat.”
“That’s not true!” Clear Sky protested. “I had to make difficult decisions. That took courage.”
Storm said nothing. She just stared at him.
“You must understand,” Clear Sky wailed.
Slowly, Storm turned and gazed at Rainswept Flower’s battered body. Blood pooled around her muzzle. “Was killing her courageous?”
Clear Sky stared desperately at Thunder and Gray Wing. They gazed back in silence, while Rainswept Flower’s spirit watched him with accusing eyes. Would no cat defend him? “I didn’t want to see any cat starve. I was scared my heart would break if I ever had to see another cat die like Fluttering Bird.”
“Fear is what drove you.” There was relief in Storm’s mew. She turned back to him, her gaze softening suddenly. “Fear is a powerful instinct that only the strongest cat can resist. But now you see there’s no need to be afraid. We have shown that death is nothing for you to fear. It’s not the end.”
Clear Sky stared at her, hope lifting in his chest. Could it be true? As he opened his mouth to beg her to tell him, paw steps thrummed toward the clearing.
Cloud Spots scrambled to a halt at the edge. He held a wad of green leaves in his mouth. He dropped them and stared across the bodies, his gaze fixing on Gray Wing. “Dappled Pelt told me you needed coltsfoot.” He spoke blankly, his eyes widening as his gaze flicked back to the bloodstained bodies, and then the starry pelts of the spirit-cats. “What’s happening?”
Storm glanced at him. “We have brought a message.”
Cloud Spots stared at her, disbelief clouding his gaze. “Message?” he echoed hoarsely.
Storm turned to Thunder. “My dear son. I could not be more proud of the cat you’ve become. Do you know why we’ve come here?”
Thunder narrowed his eyes, puzzled. “To show us that death is not the end.”
“No.” Storm rolled her eyes. “You must know that already. You’ve heard tales of Stoneteller, the cat who learned to speak to the ancients. Did you think she imagined the cats who had gone before her?”
“Then why are you here?” Thunder asked.
“Do you remember what I told you?” Storm asked gently.
Thunder frowned as though trying to remember. “That I would know when to make things right.”
Storm purred approvingly. “Now is the time.”
“Now?” Thunder lifted his muzzle. “What do I have to do?”
“Can’t you guess?” Storm glanced again at the bodies. “After all this death, don’t you know?”
“Tall Shadow!”
Clear Sky stiffened as another spirit-cat stepped forward. Tall Shadow stretched her muzzle toward it, sniffing. “Shaded Moss!” There was joy in her mew as she greeted the older cat.
Shaded Moss returned her gaze. “Did I die in vain?”
“What do you mean?” Tall Shadow frowned.
“I thought you could lead the cats when I’d gone.” The spirit tom’s star-specked gaze darkened. “But where did you lead them? To this?”
Tall Shadow backed away, hackles lifting. “I had no choice!”
Shaded Moss nodded toward Fircone’s body. “You had to kill him?”
“He was going to kill Thunder!”
“How do you know?” Shaded Moss challenged. “And who are you to decide whose life is more important?”
Tall Shadow glared at him. “I had no choice,” she repeated fiercely.
“All cats have a choice,” Shaded Moss countered. “A cat who follows only one path, never stopping to question where it leads, is as dumb as the prey she hunts.”
Fircone’s spirit shimmered closer, stopping in front of Gorse Fur. “We hunted as rogues,” he purred. “Do you remember?”
“Of course.” Gorse Fur lifted his chin.
Fircone nodded to Wind Runner. “You were always faster than us both.”
Emberkit was still at her paws. “Were you fast?” He stared up at her with round eyes.
“As the breeze,” Wind Runner told him proudly.
“But you’re happy now,” Fircone meowed. “Being part of a group.”
“Yes.” Wind Runner met his gaze. “We are stronger with allies. Our kits are safer.”
Storm purred suddenly. “Have you guessed our message yet?” As Wind Runner gazed blankly back, she turned to River Ripple. “What about you? Do you know?”
River Ripple sat down, curling his tail across his paws. “I think so,” he mewed softly.
Clear Sky watched him closely, frustration pricking in his pelt. How did he know what they didn’t? He was just a rogue!
“The fighting must end,” River Ripple mewed. “It has torn us apart an
d—”
Clear Sky thrust his muzzle toward him. “How dare you come here, acting like one of us? This has nothing to do with you. You don’t belong!”
Storm jerked around and glared at him.
Clear Sky stiffened, shocked at the fury burning in her gaze.
“Stop arguing!” she spat. “For once in your life, stop telling every cat who belongs and who doesn’t. You don’t get to decide!” Her pelt bristled. “Why do you think I left the forest?” Her gaze flashed toward Gray Wing. “You came here from the mountains and brought nothing but death. This is your chance to make amends. All of you!”
Clear Sky shifted his paws. Shame washed over him. She was right. If they’d stayed in the mountains they’d have starved. But the rogues that had died here today would still be alive. Storm would still be alive. As his thoughts began to whirl, shadows swept the clearing. Clear Sky looked up. Between the rustling branches of the oak, he saw a cloud cross the moon. Beside it, bright light flared.
A falling star!
It streaked across the crow-black night.
Hope flashed through Clear Sky’s pelt. He glanced at Gray Wing. His brother’s eyes were glowing, fixed on the falling star. Thunder was watching it too.
“It’s a sign.” Cloud Spots lifted his tail as he watched its glittering trail.
“You all live under the same stars,” Storm mewed.
Fircone tipped his head. “And a single moon shines onto all your nests.”
Shaded Moss gazed fondly at Tall Shadow. “We came to tell you only one thing,” he purred. “Unite or die.”
“Don’t let these deaths be wasted,” Storm added. “This must never happen again.”
Clear Sky gazed deep into her eyes. His heart ached with understanding. “We’ll unite,” he promised. “From now on, we live as one.”
Thunder whipped around, staring at his father. “How? Gray Wing could never live beneath trees. And you hate the moor. It’s impossible.”
“You’ll find a way.” Storm headed toward the slope, her shimmering fur fading as she neared it.
Fircone’s spirit returned to his body and curled down into it as though returning to his nest.