The Blazing Star

  Clear Sky spotted Thunder cringing at the young she-cat’s eager words. That wasn’t what we needed to hear right now, he thought. “That’s enough,” he told Acorn Fur sternly. “Gray Wing has a perfectly good home of his own.”

  As silence fell, Clear Sky realized that Tom and the big tabby were still facing each other, glaring aggressively, their neck fur standing on end.

  “Calm yourself, Mouse Ear,” Thunder hissed at the tabby as he stepped between the two of them.

  The tabby obediently backed off, and Thunder turned to Tom. “I think we’ve met before,” he mewed.

  Clear Sky spotted a flash of anger in Tom’s eyes, before it turned to amusement. “I believe we have,” he agreed. “In fact, I believe you stole my kits from me. How are they? I hope they don’t wake up in the night crying for their dead mother?”

  “That’s enough,” Clear Sky snapped at Tom, shocked by the kittypet’s cruel words. He turned to the other cats and added with a glance at Mouse Ear, “We’re all bringing new cats into our groups. Let’s just accept this is the way things have to be for now. Thunder, Tom may have been a kittypet, but you should trust that your father knows a good fighter when he meets one.”

  “Fighter?” Thunder’s tone was sharp. “What do you need a fighter for?”

  “It would be a foolish cat who wasn’t prepared to defend himself,” Clear Sky replied. “Dogs, badgers, rogue cats, Twolegs . . . Who knows where the next danger will come from? And there is always a next danger,” he continued, pleased to see that Thunder couldn’t hold his gaze. “Isn’t that why the spirit-cats came back, to advise us on how to survive? You train your cats in fighting techniques, right?”

  Thunder’s gaze was fixed on his paws. “We train cats in hunting techniques. We don’t need anything else.”

  Gray Wing padded closer to his young kin, standing beside him. “Any cat has the instincts to use claws in a fight,” he told his brother. “But hunting . . . Now, that takes patience and learning. Thunder is doing the right thing.”

  He turned, and with Thunder at his side headed toward the moors. After one last glare in Tom’s direction, Mouse Ear followed.

  “Good-bye!” Clear Sky called out uncertainly.

  Mouse Ear was the only cat to look back. “You’re a fool,” he meowed to Clear Sky. “I’ve known One Eye for a long time—and he’s not to be trusted. You’ll live to regret taking him in.”

  Clear Sky didn’t respond. Stiffly he turned away, signaling with a wave of his tail for his cats to follow him on the way back to their camp. He had to make a conscious effort to keep his shoulder fur lying flat.

  No ex-rogue is going to tell me what to do!

  CHAPTER 7

  On the way back to camp with Gray Wing and Mouse Ear, Thunder pondered whether they could trust Clear Sky. He was worried by the importance his father put on training to fight. He can talk about dogs and badgers until his fur falls off, Thunder thought. But I can’t shake the feeling that he intends to fight other cats.

  When he arrived back at the camp, he saw Owl Eyes, Sparrow Fur, and Pebble Heart batting a ball of moss to one another at the edge of the hollow. From her place on the rock, Tall Shadow kept watch over them.

  I don’t think I could ever have Tall Shadow’s patience, Thunder thought. But maybe that’s why we make a good team. He didn’t always agree with the black she-cat, but he valued her wisdom and experience. And Wind Runner has stopped pushing herself forward since she had her kits. That makes life a lot easier. All the same, he wished that Gray Wing had never wanted to give up the leadership.

  “I wonder if Tall Shadow has spotted Tom or One Eye while she’s been up on that rock,” Gray Wing muttered, as if he had sensed some of what was going through Thunder’s mind.

  “We’ve got to tell every cat that One Eye has joined up with Clear Sky,” Mouse Ear put in. “Mud Paws and Holly know him too, and they’ll certainly have something to say!”

  While the tabby tom was speaking, Pebble Heart broke away from his littermates and raced over to Thunder and the others. “Is everything all right?” he asked anxiously.

  Has he picked up that we’re worried? Thunder wondered.

  “Everything is fine, little one,” Gray Wing mewed reassuringly.

  Though he said nothing, Thunder asked himself whether they ought to be more open with Pebble Heart. It was clear that he had talents that were beyond most cats—maybe they should encourage him to use them.

  Gray Wing bounded across the hollow and leaped up onto Tall Shadow’s rock, leaning close to whisper in her ear.

  “Let all cats gather together beside the rock!” she called out immediately.

  Thunder and Mouse Ear collected Owl Eyes, Sparrow Fur, and Pebble Heart and headed down into the camp, finding a place to sit close to the rock. Lightning Tail joined them; Cloud Spots and Dappled Pelt settled nearby, while Jagged Peak limped up with Holly and Mud Paws. Wind Runner and Gorse Fur sat at the entrance to their den while their kits wrestled happily in front of them.

  Gray Wing’s glance traveled across the camp as the rest of the cats gathered around. “Clear Sky has some new cats in his group,” he announced.

  “So what?” Jagged Peak asked with a dismissive flick of his tail. “We’ve got three new cats ourselves.”

  Mouse Ear rose to his paws and dipped his head respectfully to Gray Wing and Tall Shadow. “The problem is,” he explained, “that Clear Sky’s new cats are a rogue and a kittypet. And the rogue in particular is an old enemy of ours. . . .”

  Holly sprang to her paws, her spiky fur seeming even more bristly than usual. “Not One Eye?” she snarled.

  Mouse Ear nodded.

  “I thought he lived on the other side of the Thunderpath,” Mud Paws meowed. “What’s he doing over here?”

  “It can’t be anything good. That cat is bad news,” Holly hissed. “He’s a dreadful bully—a thief, a scavenger. He manipulates other cats and stirs up trouble. Has Clear Sky gone mad?”

  Thunder noticed that Jagged Peak was shifting closer to Holly, his eyes shining with admiration. “I think you must be a very wise cat,” Jagged Peak murmured, “to have such insight.”

  Holly gave him a swift glance, surprised and pleased. Thunder had to stifle a mrrow of laughter. She’s certainly brave, he thought. Maybe that’s what Jagged Peak likes about her.

  On top of the rock, Tall Shadow turned to look at Gray Wing. “Clear Sky is your brother,” she meowed. “What do you think about this development?”

  Thunder knew what he thought: that Clear Sky must have bees in his brain to introduce troublemakers into his group. But he stayed silent to listen to what Gray Wing would say.

  As Gray Wing stepped forward, Thunder heard the quiet rattle of his breathing. His health is still poor, he thought anxiously. And fighting in that huge battle can’t have helped. He knew that Pebble Heart had worked hard with Dappled Pelt and Cloud Spots to heal their denmates’ injuries, but Thunder didn’t think there was anything that any cat could do to heal the injury to his lungs that Gray Wing had suffered in the forest fire.

  “I’m sure Clear Sky thinks he’s doing the right thing,” Gray Wing began.

  Tall Shadow let out a derisive snort. “Clear Sky always thinks he’s doing the right thing,” she pointed out. “He thought he was doing the right thing when he started guarding his borders, and look where that got us.”

  Thunder couldn’t hide his surprise that Tall Shadow had interrupted so quickly after inviting Gray Wing to speak. But the black she-cat herself seemed to realize that she had made a mistake.

  “I’m sorry,” she mewed, dipping her head to Gray Wing. “I haven’t been myself since our last visit to the four trees. I can’t stop thinking about the Blazing Star and what the spirit-cats’ message might mean.” She shook her head impatiently. “It’s keeping me awake at night.”

  Gray Wing touched Tall Shadow lightly on the shoulder with the tip of his tail. “That’s okay,” he reassured her. “It worries me, t
oo. As for Clear Sky, I’m sure he knows he did wrong leading up to the battle, and he’s full of regret. He won’t want to stir up trouble again, but we have to be realistic. Clear Sky is a cat who will always try to protect his home, and he’ll go to great lengths to do that. He’s taken on some pretty unpleasant cats: One Eye . . . and Tom, who stole Turtle Tail’s kits—”

  He broke off as yowls of protest broke out from the cats sitting around. Thunder felt a huge bubble of anger swelling inside him. He couldn’t control it; leaping to his paws, he glared around him, his neck fur bristling and his tail lashing as the words seemed to explode from him:

  “We need to start fight training!” Thunder declared. “Clear Sky’s cats are doing just that, and so should we—especially with dangerous cats like Tom and One Eye to deal with.”

  Several other cats yowled their agreement, but Thunder noticed that Sparrow Fur and Owl Eyes were exchanging looks of distress.

  “Do they mean our father?” Sparrow Fur asked indignantly. “I don’t know if he’s dangerous, but I’m sure he’s not evil.”

  Thunder wasn’t surprised that the kits should feel curiosity about their father, and maybe even a trace of loyalty. But he didn’t have time to speak to them; as the yowling died away, Gray Wing had begun to respond.

  “Harmony and peace are good,” he meowed. “But I’ve been thinking this over, and I’m afraid we’re being stupid to ignore what might happen. We don’t intend to attack any cat, but we should be prepared. Even if the threat doesn’t come from One Eye and Tom, there are other dangers out there.”

  “Dogs, foxes . . .” Jagged Peak interrupted.

  “Exactly,” Gray Wing responded. “Leaf-fall is here, and before we know it, leaf-bare will be upon us. And with leaf-bare come desperate, hungry animals. So is it agreed? We will live in peace, but we train for battle—battle we hope we never see.”

  The cats’ angry yowling gave way to murmurs of excitement. Lightning Tail sprang up beside Thunder, his whiskers twitching eagerly. “I’ll help you with the training, Thunder,” he promised.

  “I’ll help, too,” Holly put in. “I know a few moves that can deal with cats like One Eye.”

  “Will you train me too?” Jagged Peak asked, limping forward hopefully.

  Thunder was about to protest that Jagged Peak’s damaged leg would hinder him, but Holly spoke before he could.

  “Of course I’ll train you,” she responded smoothly. “Every cat has it in them to become a fighter.”

  Owl Eyes and Sparrow Fur exchanged an excited glance. “Even kits?” Sparrow Fur asked.

  “Especially kits,” Holly replied. “Suppose enemies attacked the camp? You would need to be able to defend yourselves. There’s no time to lose.”

  Together with Holly and Lightning Tail, Thunder led all the cats who were willing to fight out of the hollow, where he found a clear space for training. He felt a thrill of hope. Yes, Clear Sky is taking in some untrustworthy cats. But the need to train has united us here in the hollow, and that’s got to be a good thing. The spirit-cats told us to unite or die. Whatever dangers await us, we will be ready!

  As he waited for all the cats to arrive, Thunder heard Sparrow Fur speaking just behind him, her voice full of anxiety. “Why do all the cats think that Tom is our enemy?”

  Glancing over his shoulder, Thunder saw that all three kits were clustered around Gray Wing, who seemed stumped for a reply.

  “Well . . .” he began.

  “He’s our father!” Owl Eyes interrupted. “And if they don’t want him around, then maybe they don’t want us, either.”

  “There’s no need to worry about that,” Gray Wing meowed. “All three of you have a lot to contribute to our group. It doesn’t matter what your father did.”

  “But we don’t know what he did,” Sparrow Fur objected. In a lower voice she added, “One day, I’m going to find him, and learn the truth for myself.”

  Holly moved into the center of the training area, and the rest of the cats formed a ragged circle around her. Gray Wing looked relieved as the kits stopped questioning him.

  “I’m going to show you how to fool your attacker by rolling out of the way,” Holly announced. “Look, throw yourself to one side like this.” She demonstrated the move, letting her legs skid out from under her and ending up on her back with her paws in the air. “Lie on your back and let them see your belly.”

  “But . . . doesn’t that put you in danger?” Owl Eyes asked. He glanced around nervously as he realized that all the older cats were listening to him. “Gray Wing told us you should never expose your soft belly to an attacker.”

  “True,” Holly meowed, her eyes gleaming. “But the point is to make your opponent think that’s what you’re doing. As they launch into an attack, you kick out with your back legs and stun them—like this.” She let fly with a powerful kick from her back legs.

  “Wow!” exclaimed Shattered Ice. “That’s great! What do you do next?”

  “Leap to your paws,” Holly replied, doing so. “Then pounce on their back. They won’t know what’s happening, and you can rake your claws down their side and bite their tail at the same time. I’ve defeated cats in moments with this move.”

  Thunder’s pelt prickled with excitement from ears to tail-tip. He slid out his claws, imagining himself sinking them into One Eye or Tom. Then he winced as he remembered the reek of blood and the shrieks of the cats who died in the battle at the four trees.

  “Even Jagged Peak could do this,” Holly continued. “Actually, especially Jagged Peak. With his limp, attacking cats will think he’s vulnerable. If he lies on his back and shows his belly, it will make them overconfident. But you can still leap, even with three legs—can’t you, Jagged Peak?”

  Jagged Peak gave a vigorous nod, his eyes glowing with pleasure at Holly’s confidence in him.

  “Come on, then,” Holly mewed. “Let’s practice together. The rest of you, divide into pairs and do the same. But, remember—no claws!”

  Thunder watched as Shattered Ice padded up to Owl Eyes. “Come on, young one,” the gray-and-white tom meowed. “See if you can trick me.”

  Owl Eyes flung himself enthusiastically into the exercise, though Thunder was glad to see that Shattered Ice was being gentle with his smaller opponent.

  Feeling a touch on his shoulder, Thunder turned to see Lightning Tail. “Get out of our camp, filthy invader!” his friend snarled, though his eyes were sparkling with amusement.

  “Who’re you calling filthy?” Thunder retorted.

  Lightning Tail batted at him with his claws sheathed, and Thunder immediately fell to the ground and rolled over. “Got you!” Lightning Tail exclaimed. “You must find it so hard, being so big and all. Don’t you trip over those massive paws?”

  “Try me!” Thunder meowed.

  As Lightning Tail leaped at him, Thunder brought up his hind legs as Holly had shown them, and gave Lightning Tail a hard blow in his chest, throwing him to the ground. While Lightning Tail was struggling to get up, Thunder launched himself onto his back. “See?” he growled into his friend’s ear. “I can move as fast as any cat.”

  He leaped away, and Lightning Tail gave his pelt a shake, panting hard and scattering the bits of debris that had clung to his fur. While he was recovering, Thunder glanced around to see that Gray Wing was sparring with Tall Shadow, and Mouse Ear was training with Pebble Heart.

  Mouse Ear is trying too hard not to hurt him, Thunder thought. They’ll never get the move right that way.

  Before he could make any suggestions, Pebble Heart let out a wail of distress. Mouse Ear sprang back, his eyes wide with alarm. “I didn’t touch him!” he exclaimed as all the cats raced over to see what was happening.

  Then Thunder noticed Mud Paws. He had been standing nearby, watching the other cats train, but now he was crouched over something small on the ground, his whiskers trembling. Curious, Thunder padded up to him and saw that he was staring at the body of a mouse.

  Owl Eyes
padded up, then halted, clawing at the ground with anxiety. “Pebble Heart—do you know what’s wrong?” he asked.

  Pebble Heart crept up, his pelt fluffed up with apprehension, and Thunder realized that the small cat had sensed something amiss before any cat had spotted the mouse. He gave the body a quick sniff, then backed away again, his eyes wide and scared.

  Thunder peered over Pebble Heart’s shoulder, examining the body closely for the first time. The mouse’s belly was horribly swollen and there were flecks of white foam around its mouth. Its eyes, open wide in death, were oozing pus, and there was an open sore on its tail.

  “Get back, all of you!” Thunder ordered.

  “Sickness,” Pebble Heart murmured, looking up at him. “Sickness too powerful for healing herbs.”

  Thunder nodded. “Go back to the hollow,” he told the other cats, who had retreated a few paw steps and stood waiting with bristling fur and quivering whiskers. “Gray Wing and I will dispose of the mouse. And warn the others not to eat any prey that looks like this,” he called after them as they turned to go.

  “Have you ever seen this sort of thing before?” Thunder asked with a questioning glance at Gray Wing.

  Gray Wing shook his head. “Never—not even in the mountains,” he replied. “We need to get rid of this prey to make sure no cat eats it. No—don’t touch it!” he added as Thunder stretched out a paw.

  Together the two cats collected fallen leaves from the thorn trees and wrapped them around the mouse, careful not to let their paws come into contact with its corpse. Then, still with the greatest care, they rolled it toward a pile of rocks.

  Thunder wrinkled his nose at the faint stench that rose from the dead animal. “What is that?” he muttered. “It’s worse than the smell of death.”

  At last Thunder and Gray Wing managed to shove the mouse’s body into a crack between two rocks, and piled more and more pebbles on top of it until the stench was gone.

  “Done!” Gray Wing exclaimed, settling back on his haunches. “And now we’d better find a stream to wash our paws . . . just in case.” He let out a long sigh. “This is not a good sign.”