Without warning the snowy surface gave way beneath Gray Wing’s paws. He let out a screech as he plunged into icy water. Paddling furiously, managing to keep his head clear, he tried to climb out, but the snow around him was deep and slushy, and broke away when he tried to put his weight on it.
Gray Wing had fallen into a stream, which was carrying him slowly down the mountainside. Fighting to stay afloat, he looked around for Jagged Peak. The little cat was running along the bank, his eyes wide with panic.
“What can I do?” he wailed.
Gray Wing looked around, trying to stay calm as his legs weakened. Bitter claws of cold gripped him. A little farther down the mountain he spotted a branch sticking out of the snow, and guessed it had been carried there when the stream was in flood.
“See that branch?” he called. “Push one end of it toward me.”
Jagged Peak bounded ahead and began struggling to drag the branch out of the snow. Gray Wing waited as he was carried down toward it. He was so cold now that he couldn’t feel his legs, and his soaked pelt dragged at him.
If this doesn’t work, I’m buzzardfood.
“That’s right,” he meowed as Jagged Peak freed the branch. “Now push it across the stream. Keep it anchored, though.”
Slowly Jagged Peak dragged the branch until it stuck out across the stream. He crouched down on the other end, using all his weight to hold it still, his claws dug firmly into it.
Gray Wing felt a stab of terror as the current surge carried him to the branch, and almost dragged him past it. Forcing his aching limbs to move, he stretched to grab the end with his teeth.
Jagged Peak backed away from the edge of the stream, tugging determinedly at the branch. In the midst of his fear Gray Wing felt a flash of admiration for his brother’s sturdy strength and courage. The little cat went on struggling, pulling Gray Wing out of the slush; Gray Wing paddled desperately with his legs until he felt firm ground underneath him.
Once he was sure he was safe, Gray Wing collapsed, drenched and freezing. For a moment he couldn’t move. Then through a fog of fatigue he realized that Jagged Peak was licking him with strong tongue-strokes, just as Quiet Rain had done when they were kits. He felt his brother stretching to curl himself around his body. With a long sigh Gray Wing relaxed, feeling Jagged Peak’s rough, comforting tongue until his fur dried and warmth crept through his body.
At last Gray Wing felt revived enough to sit up.
“I thought you were going to die,” Jagged Peak mewed, his eyes wide and scared.
“I’m fine,” Gray Wing responded. “Thanks to you.”
Embarrassment crawled through his pelt at the thought that he had to be rescued. I can’t believe I ran across that open space, after all I said to Jagged Peak!
Not wanting to go near the snowbound stream again, Gray Wing headed directly upward, testing the snow cautiously with every paw step to make sure that they stayed on the bank.
“Look!”
Jagged Peak’s scared voice came from just behind. Turning, Gray Wing saw that another eagle was hovering lazily overhead. And there was nowhere to hide. The snow-covered slope was smooth, without even a boulder poking above its surface.
Gray Wing glanced upward again. The eagle didn’t seem to have spotted them yet, but it wouldn’t be long before its piercing gaze picked them out.
“I know!” he gasped, shivering with relief as an idea came to him. “We’ll dig scoops in the snow and bury ourselves.”
The eagle had flown higher up the mountain, skimming the surface as it cast about for prey with its beady gaze. Knowing they only had heartbeats to hide themselves, Gray Wing dug furiously at the snow and shoved Jagged Peak inside.
“I’ll suffocate!” Jagged Peak protested as Gray Wing scooped snow on top of him.
“You won’t. Now shut up and keep still.”
With no time to dig another hole for himself, Gray Wing crouched down and burrowed into the drift until he felt as if he was fully covered. Claws of cold pierced his pelt; he had to clench his teeth to stop them from chattering in case the eagle heard. His ears were muffled with snow, but he could see the shadow of the bird swoop over them.
Nothing for you here, he thought, holding his breath. Just keep going…
The shadow slid away over the white surface until Gray Wing couldn’t see it anymore. He waited for as long as he could bear before bursting out of his hole. His bones felt like sticks of ice as he scanned the sky, letting out a sigh of relief when he saw it was clear.
Still checking for movement above his head, Gray Wing turned to where he had buried his brother and began scraping snow away.
Jagged Peak scrambled out, shaking clots of snow from his pelt. “Is it gone?”
“For now. Come on—we should run to warm ourselves, and find a better place in case the eagle comes back.”
On numb, stumbling legs the two cats staggered up the slope. At first, all Gray Wing could think about was finding somewhere to hide, and when at last he paused to look around, he realized that they had climbed much higher than the ledge they had been headed toward. The jagged rocks of the ridge were only a few tail-lengths away.
“I’m sorry,” he panted to Jagged Peak. “We’ve come too far.”
Jagged Peak looked up at the ridge, his eyes bright with excitement. “We might as well keep going to the top,” he mewed. “I’ve never been so high!”
Gray Wing let out a faint purr, understanding the little cat’s excitement. “Okay, let’s do it,” he agreed.
Wind buffeting their fur, the two cats hauled themselves up sheer rock and onto a tiny pinnacle, with barely enough space for them to stand side by side.
“Wow!” Jagged Peak breathed out. He gazed round-eyed at summit after summit rolling away on all sides. “I never knew there were so many mountains! I didn’t know the world was as big as this!” Stretching up, he added, “Can we see the waterfall from here?”
“No,” Gray Wing replied. “We’ve come too far. I think it must be hidden behind that crag over there.” He pointed with one paw.
Turning in the other direction, toward the sunrise, Gray Wing felt a tingle of excitement in his fur. Somewhere out there is our new home, just like Stoneteller promised. And we’re going to find it!
Jagged Peak let out a sudden squeal, startling Gray Wing so much that he almost lost his balance on the pinnacle. “What?” he demanded. “Another eagle?”
“No! I can see the others!”
Gray Wing squinted at where Jagged Peak was pointing, and made out a line of tiny shapes on the side of the valley, a long way ahead.
“Come on!” Jagged Peak was bouncing up and down precariously. “Let’s go!”
“Calm down, before you fall,” Gray Wing told him. “We have to plan our route carefully. It’s too windy and exposed up here, so we’ll need to head down, but forward as well, so we can catch up to them.”
Side by side the two cats studied the terrain. To Gray Wing’s relief there was more cover in the direction they needed to go.
“Why not head for that fallen tree?” Jagged Peak suggested, pointing with his tail at a tangle of dead branches poking up out of the snow.
“Okay,” Gray Wing agreed, impressed that the young cat had such a good idea of the best route, with cover from dangerous birds. “But let me take the lead.”
“Just as long as you don’t fall in any hidden streams,” Jagged Peak meowed, his eyes sparkling.
This time they made better progress, hopping over boulders and treading carefully where the snow concealed slopes of loose scree.