Petal was aware of Clear Sky examining her with interest before heading off into the trees. Her pelt prickled uncomfortably, and she wished she knew what he was thinking.
When he had gone, the cats fell silent. Petal relaxed as Fox and Falling Feather leaned in to her.
“Lick her fur the wrong way,” Falling Feather instructed. “That’s the best way to get her warm quickly.”
Petal remembered being licked like that by her mother, when she was a tiny kit. Soon she began to feel warm and rested again. I was afraid of these cats, but they’re really kind.…
“Have you lived in the forest long?” Falling Feather asked eventually.
“We were born here,” Fox replied. “But our mother was killed by a badger when we were kits.”
“That’s terrible!” Falling Feather exclaimed. “What did you do?”
“It was tough,” Petal began. “We couldn’t hunt properly, and we thought we would starve. Then we smelled some other cats…” The terrible memory of that rejection surged over her, as powerful as the river water, and she couldn’t go on.
“They didn’t want anything to do with us,” Fox finished for her. “Since that happened, we mostly just stay with each other.”
“I’m so sorry,” Falling Feather murmured. Petal felt the white she-cat’s tongue rasping around her ears. “I know what it’s like to lose a cat you care for.” She hesitated and then went on, “We traveled here from the mountains, a long way away. The cold season is harsh up there, and there wasn’t enough prey for all of us.” Her voice quivered as she added, “Clear Sky’s sister, Fluttering Bird, died because she didn’t have enough to eat. She was only a kit.”
Petal pressed her muzzle against Falling Feather’s shoulder, pain clawing at her for the kit she had never met. “That’s hard,” she whispered.
“Her death gave us the determination to come here and find a better life,” Falling Feather continued. “We didn’t want any cat to suffer like that again.”
Warmth crept through Petal from ears to tail-tip as she listened to Falling Feather. That’s exactly how I feel!
“Some of our friends have stayed on the moor,” the white she-cat meowed. “But we like it best here in the forest, so we’re settling in that clearing with the pool. The one we chased you away from.” She gave Fox a long, sparkling look from blue eyes. “I’ve always thought that was a mistake. It would be good if both of you could join us.”
Fox was gazing at Falling Feather with the same intensity, as if he couldn’t tear his glance away. Before Fox or Petal could reply to Falling Feather’s offer, the ferns at the edge of the forest parted and Clear Sky reappeared. Two shrews and a vole dangled from his jaws. “You were right about the shrews,” he commented, dropping his prey in front of the others.
Clear Sky and Falling Feather each took a bite from a shrew and then exchanged the rest before finally digging in.
“Why do you do that?” Petal asked, her pads pricking with curiosity.
“This is how we eat in the mountains,” Falling Feather explained between mouthfuls. “It reminds us that we always need to share.”
“We don’t exchange like that,” Fox responded, as he and Petal tackled the plump vole. “But we do share. Petal and I share everything.”
Petal felt her strength returning as she gulped down the succulent prey. Living with these cats could be good, she thought. I’m not scared of them anymore.
“Clear Sky, I asked Petal and Fox if they want to join us,” Falling Feather meowed when she had finished eating. “You know what we were saying, about being stronger if our group was bigger.”
“I don’t know…” Fox began.
Petal wasn’t sure why he sounded reluctant. He seemed smitten with Falling Feather. Maybe he’s worried that we won’t be able to contribute, she told herself. But he’s a good hunter, and so am I.…
“You already said how tough you’ve found it, living alone,” Falling Feather reminded Fox.
“And now that more cats are moving into the forest, you’ll need the protection of a group,” Clear Sky agreed. “You’ll be able to protect the other cats in your turn.”
Fox nodded slowly. “That seems good… What do you think, Petal?”
“I think it sounds great,” Petal replied, warmed by the strange cats’ kindness. “Can we come and meet the others?”
Falling Feather let out a yowl of pleasure, while Clear Sky gave Fox and Petal an approving glance. “Right away,” he agreed. “Are you feeling strong enough to walk back into the forest?” he asked Petal.
Petal sprang to her paws, shaking the last drops of water from her glistening pelt. “I feel strong enough for anything!”
As the other cats rose and headed back into the shadows of the trees, Petal heard the robin singing once again. Somehow the thought of the little bully bird didn’t bother her anymore. She was sure that everything in the forest was about to change.
I’ll work hard and improve my hunting skills. And I’m pretty sure that in the future no cat will be able to push me around.…