The world swam around Gray Wing. Paws thrummed on every side. His campmates were heading for the entrance.
Thunder’s mew sounded fiercely in his ear. “I’m going to find Black Ear,” he promised. “And I’ll bring him home safe.”
Darkness closed in as Gray Wing felt the last of his strength seep into the snowy earth.
Chapter 22
Thunder’s thoughts whirled as he watched Gray Wing collapse. He’s so ill! Black Ear’s missing!
Everything’s gone wrong! Above, the moon shone bright in the midnight sky. It was the same moon that had shone on the naming ceremony not long before. How had so much changed so fast?
His gaze darted to the entrance. Wind Runner, Moth Flight, Gorse Fur, and Willow Tail were already haring after Reed Tail and Dust Muzzle. Sparrow Fur and Owl Eyes were waiting for him, their tails flicking impatiently.
“Go!” Pebble Heart nudged Thunder with his muzzle. “I’ll make sure Gray Wing’s okay. Just find
Black Ear.”
Thunder blinked at the young tom, then bounded across the tussocks. Racing past Owl Eyes and Sparrow Fur, he led the way out of camp. Wind Runner’s brown tabby pelt showed against the snow as she headed for the oak forest. Swift Minnow charged toward the gorge.
“Can you see any tracks?” Thunder called to Sparrow Fur as the tortoiseshell caught up to him.
Had the rogues left a trail?
“Here!” Owl Eyes’s yowl sounded behind him.
Thunder spun, skidding to a halt.
Owl Eyes was sniffing churned-up snow. Tracks led over a ridge and down into a dip. Thunder hurried to Owl Eyes’s side. Sniffing the tracks, he smelled rogue stench. He scrambled clumsily to the bottom of the dip.
Sparrow Fur landed beside him. Owl Eyes tumbled after. Thunder sniffed the flattened snow.
“They stopped here,” he guessed. Paw prints circled and crossed. “Perhaps they were wondering where to go next.”
Sparrow Fur frowned. “Wouldn’t Slash have already planned where they were taking Black
Ear?”
“Look!” Owl Eyes was following a trail up the far side of the dip. “They must have gone this way.”
“But there’s a trail here as well!” Sparrow Fur was sniffing a single track of paw prints.
Thunder frowned. “Did they split up?”
Owl Eyes looked confused. “Why?”
Thunder frowned, trying to understand. “Slash and his campmates were at the gathering. They didn’t have Black Ear with them.” He stared at Sparrow Fur. “But they must have snatched him pretty soon after we all left our camps. There wasn’t enough time for them to attack after the meeting.”
Sparrow Fur pricked her ears. “They must have taken Black Ear and hidden him somewhere.”
Owl Eyes’s tail twitched. “He’d have needed a guard.”
Thunder began to pace. “There was one rogue missing from the gathering.” He suddenly remembered the orange she-cat who had begged to go with Slash as he abandoned the marsh camp.
He had not seen her among Slash’s allies at the four trees. “Swallow wasn’t there!” His thoughts quickened, but Sparrow Fur was faster.
“Swallow guarded Black Ear while Slash was at the meeting!” The tortoiseshell’s eyes widened.
“So they did split up.” Owl Eyes nodded from one set of tracks to the other. “Slash and the others went to the clearing while Swallow took Black Ear somewhere else.”
Hope flickered in Thunder’s belly. “We have to find where they hid him.”
“He won’t be there anymore,” Owl Eyes pointed out.
“But Slash and the others must have come back to fetch him,” Thunder reasoned. “That would have taken time.”
Sparrow Fur’s tail swished over the snow. “We can’t be far behind them.”
Owl Eyes shifted his paws impatiently. “Which trail do we follow?”
“This one will lead us to the hiding place.” Thunder jerked his muzzle toward the single set of tracks.
“Come on!” Sparrow Fur bounded out of the dip.
Thunder was hard on her heels as the tortoiseshell followed the trail through the snow toward the high moor. Freezing wind streamed through Thunder’s fur, blowing from Highstones and carrying the chilly scent of the mountains. Thunder quickened his pace. Black Ear was too small to be exposed to such cold. He could freeze to death out here.
The trail sliced through the smooth snow ahead. Thunder saw it was leading to a rocky outcrop jutting from the hillside. He raced past Sparrow Fur, relieved as he saw a gap between the wind-smoothed boulders. At least Swallow had had the sense to find shelter for Black Ear while she waited for Slash to return.
He spotted more tracks veering to meet the single trail. Slowing, he sniffed them and growled softly as he smelled Slash’s scent. It was fresh. They’d guessed right. Slash and his campmates had come to fetch Swallow and Black Ear after the meeting.
Sparrow Fur hared past him and dived through the gap between the boulders.
Owl Eyes raced after his sister, disappearing into the shadowy cave.
“How recently were they there?” Thunder called, following them in. Rocks closed overhead as darkness swallowed him. Fear-stench hit his nose. Swallow must have crouched here nervously. He brushed past Sparrow Fur, who was sniffing the ground.
“Black Ear was definitely here,” the tortoiseshell meowed. “I can smell his scent.”
Thunder shoved his muzzle close and smelled warm kit scent. Relief pricked though his fur. No blood-scent. The kit wasn’t injured.
Owl Eyes slid past him, his pelt brushing rock. “They’re not long gone,” he mewed excitedly.
“We can catch them easily. Carrying a kit must be slowing them down.”
Thunder raised his head as fear jabbed his belly. He’d seen Slash let a campmate be mauled to death by a dog. What pity would he show a kit? “How do we get Black Ear away from them without him getting hurt?”
“We’ll cross that river when we come to it.” Sparrow Fur’s eyes glinted in the shadows.
Thunder nodded. First they had to find them.
He headed for the cave entrance.
A growl sounded outside.
Thunder froze. A familiar stench touched his nose as a shadow blocked the moonlight filtering through the gap. “Fox!”
Owl Eyes stiffened beside him. Sparrow Fur’s pelt bristled.
“It must have followed the scents,” Thunder whispered. “It’s waiting for us outside.” As he spoke, a muzzle poked through the gap. The snarling face of a fox appeared, its eyes gleaming with delight as it saw them.
Thunder retreated slowly, pressing Sparrow Fur and Owl Eyes backward.
The fox whined as it tried to push farther into the cave.
“It’s too big,” Owl Eyes breathed.
“But we have to get out!” Sparrow Fur hissed.
“We’ll drive it back,” Thunder decided. “Then make a run for it.”
“It’ll chase us.” Owl Eyes’s mew trembled.
“We might lead it to Black Ear,” Sparrow Fur pointed out.
Thunder hesitated. Rage pulsed through his paws. There wasn’t time to fight a fox. Slash and his campmates would be getting farther away with each moment they wasted. But what else could they do? “I’ll drive it away from the entrance.” He unsheathed his claws. “You slide out behind me. Owl
Eyes, go for its tail. Sparrow Fur, get on its back.” They were taking a huge risk. Leaf-bare foxes were more vicious than badgers. But they had to do it. For Gray Wing. He nodded to Owl Eyes and Sparrow Fur. “Ready?”
“Ready,” Sparrow Fur growled.
Owl Eyes lashed his tail. “Ready.”