“Hope for what?”
“That you’d help us do the same to Clear Sky.” Nettle stopped and stared hard at Red.
Red backed away, hackles rising. “You want me to drive Clear Sky out?”
“You only have to help us.” Nettle’s mew grew enticing. “With Clear Sky gone, there’ll be no more orders. No more night hunting. No more going hungry to feed your campmates.”
“No.” Red showed his teeth. “Clear Sky is a good leader. You’re lucky to have him. If you think he’s bad, then you’ve never met a cat like Slash.” His tail whisked ominously as he thrust his muzzle closer to Nettle’s. “I can’t believe that you’d think I’d betray him!”
Nettle half closed his eyes. “What if we made you leader?”
With a hiss, Red lashed out at the gray tom.
Nettle yowled as the rogue slashed his nose. Jumping back, he lifted his paws defensively. “Okay!
Forget I said anything.”
A growl rolled in Red’s throat. He dropped into an attack crouch. “You’re a traitor.”
Nettle backed away. “It was just an idea—”
Red leaped at him, snarling.
Heart lurching, Clear Sky sprang from his hiding place and raced for the two cats. Hooking his claws into Red’s scruff, he dragged him away from Nettle.
Red twisted free, anger blazing in his eyes. “Why did you stop me?” he glared at Clear Sky.
“He’s a traitor! He wanted me to help drive you out! He—”
Clear Sky interrupted. “I told him to.”
Red’s eyes widened. “You?” Confusion clouded his gaze. “Why?”
Before Clear Sky could explain, Red’s tail drooped. “You were testing me!” Disappointment filled his mew.
Clear Sky’s pelt rippled guiltily. “Gorse Fur brought news that Bee has gone back to Slash. She attacked Fern before she left. I had to be sure you weren’t going to do the same.” The words tumbled out as he tried to justify himself.
Red blinked at him, and Clear Sky hesitated as he waited for the rogue to react. Had he pushed him too far? Would Red leave? Clear Sky’s belly tightened. He didn’t want to lose such a loyal and honest campmate.
“The kits.” Red’s mew was husky when he spoke at last. “You saw me playing with them, and you needed to know if you could trust me.” Understanding flooded his gaze.
Clear Sky stared at the ground. “I can’t risk anything happening to them.”
Red seemed to relax. “I would protect your kits with my life,” he promised.
Clear Sky looked up and saw honesty shining in the rogue’s eyes. “I believe you would.” He nodded to Nettle. “I think it’s time we officially made Red part of the group.”
Chapter 19
Thunder stretched up onto his hind legs. The branches of the hazel bush poked his belly as he reached high and threaded bracken between the twigs.
“This one is strong.” Violet passed him another stem, and he hooked it with a claw and poked it in beside the first.
His legs ached with the effort, but it would be worth it. Snow was coming. He could smell it deep in the thick frost that had settled over the forest. The woven bracken would keep the cold wind out of the den that the cats had made inside the hazel. On the coldest nights, Milkweed, Clover, and Thistle could leave their bramble nursery and huddle for warmth with the rest of the group. Clover and Thistle were nearly old enough to move permanently into their own nests in the hazel den.
He dropped down onto four paws to rest for a moment. The stack of bracken beside Violet seemed to have grown. He blinked in surprise.
“Cloud Spots gathered more,” Violet explained. She nodded toward the black tom’s tail as it disappeared into the bracken patch beside the fallen tree. “He wants to keep us well supplied.”
Thunder glanced at the hazel bush. “We’ll need it.” Gaps still showed between every branch. It was already past sunhigh. By the end of the day he wanted every gap filled. His cats were going to sleep in warm nests tonight. He turned to Milkweed. “Have you found much moss?” Extra moss lining would keep out the cold.
Milkweed hopped down from the fallen tree where she’d been peeling moss and dropped a shred onto the pile she’d already gathered. “I’ve stripped the trunk. I’d better head up the ravine to search for more.”
Thunder glanced toward the top of the hollow. “Be careful up there by yourself.” Since Gorse Fur had brought news of Bee’s betrayal, he’d been wary of fresh attacks. Lightning Tail and Leaf were training Clover and Thistle in the clearing below the high rock. They’d abandoned hunting moves and were practicing battle moves once more.
Owl Eyes padded from the tangle of branches jutting from the fallen tree. “I’ll keep an eye on Milkweed,” he promised. “I’m going to show Pink Eyes the new route I found up the cliff.”
Pink Eyes followed Owl Eyes into the leaf-bare sunshine. “I can still manage the old route.”
“Your eyesight is getting worse, Pink Eyes,” Owl Eyes told him. “One wrong leap and you could fall. This new route is safer. The ledges are closer together.”
Pink Eyes snorted as he followed Owl Eyes through the gorse barrier. “I can see well enough to jump down a few ledges.”
Milkweed hurried after them. “I’ll stay close to the top of the ravine and call down if I see Sl—”
She paused as her eyes met Violet’s.
“Slash.” Violet guessed her next word. “It’s okay to say his name. I don’t like him any more than you do.” She hooked up a fresh stalk of bracken. “When will you realize I’m not a rogue anymore?”
Milkweed dipped her head. “Of course,” she purred. “And we’re glad to have you.”
Thunder glanced at Violet as Milkweed headed out of camp. He was pleased that his campmates had accepted her, but he wasn’t surprised. She was kind to everyone. She picked stale moss from Pink Eyes’s nest each morning. She joined every hunting patrol. And she made sure Clover and Thistle got the juiciest prey from the prey pile.
If only Ember fit into the group as easily. But the orange tom still chose to hunt alone. He left camp at dawn each morning and returned, fed and silent, with nothing for the prey pile. Last night he hadn’t come home at all.
“So?” Violet’s mew interrupted his thoughts. “Are we finishing this or are you going to stare at me all day?” There was a purr in her mew.
Heat flashed through Thunder’s pelt, and he looked away quickly. He’d forgotten he’d been gazing at her pretty face.
Violet reached up beside him and began to thread a piece of bracken through the hazel branches.
“It’s okay,” she murmured. “I like looking at you, too.” She didn’t meet his gaze but poked the bracken deeper into the bush.
Thunder fumbled for something to say. Excitement fizzed through his fur. He’d spent sleepless nights wondering if Violet felt the same way about him as he did about her. On first sight, Thunder had been amazed by her beauty. But after sharing a camp with her, he thought she was the most warm, kind, helpful cat he’d ever known. Somehow he’d never found the courage to tell her. Perhaps this was his chance.
“Violet?” He glanced at her as she stooped to grab another stem.
She paused and met his gaze. “Yes?” Interest sparkled in her amber eyes.
“Do you think we could…” Thunder’s pelt prickled nervously. What should he say next? His tongue lay like dead prey in his mouth. “Perhaps…” He started again but found himself staring at her, fear tying knots in his belly.
Clover’s call made him jump. “Thunder! Look at this.”
He spun around and saw the young cat crouching beside her brother. Lightning Tail faced them, his hackles up, while Leaf prowled behind them.