Their heads turned toward Gray Wing as he padded over to join them; there was surprise in their eyes.
“You’ve changed your mind?” Clear Sky asked, blinking hopefully.
Gray Wing dipped his head. “I’m thinking about it,” he responded reluctantly.
Turtle Tail came to sit by his side. “I’m so pleased you’re coming with us,” she purred, her eyes shining.
“It’s not long now before we leave,” Shaded Moss meowed, his gaze traveling over each cat in turn. “All of you should rest up and eat as much as you can.”
“Lying around while others hunt for us?” Dappled Pelt objected. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
Shaded Moss flicked his tail impatiently. “It’s only for a day or two,” he pointed out. “And once we leave, the others will have enough prey to go around. But if we don’t have our full strength before we set out—”
A screech from the other side of the cave interrupted him. Gray Wing looked around to see Dewy Leaf charging toward them across the cavern. The tortoiseshell queen halted in front of Moon Shadow, her legs stiff with fury and her neck fur bristling.
“What are you doing, skulking around over here?” she demanded. “I’m going to have your kits! You promised that you’d stay with me!”
“Uh-oh… trouble,” Turtle Tail breathed into Gray Wing’s ear.
Moon Shadow flinched backward. “There isn’t enough food,” he explained awkwardly. “Our kits will be better off if there are fewer mouths to feed.”
Dewy Leaf bared her teeth in a snarl. “And who’s going to catch prey while I’m still nursing them?”
Hearing her complaints, other cats hurried over to find out what was going on.
“She has a point,” Twisted Branch meowed, glaring at Moon Shadow. “Cats with responsibilities should stay here.”
“Are you saying we’re irresponsible to leave?” Tall Shadow snapped back at him.
“Yeah.” Shattered Ice sprang to his paws to stand beside the black she-cat, his green eyes narrowed. “We’re going off into the unknown, into danger, to make a better home for you and the other cats who stay here. You don’t have to do anything!”
Sharp Hail thrust himself forward, his tail lashing. “No—just sit here and starve!”
In the midst of the commotion, Gray Wing noticed Bright Stream hanging back, not part of either group and not joining in the argument.
Has she really made up her mind to leave with Clear Sky? he asked himself. She doesn’t look as if she knows what she wants. His heart ached for her, and for Fluttering Bird, and for all his Tribemates who seemed ready to fight with claws and teeth over the future.
“Enough!” The voice came from the back of the cave, not loud, but with such authority that it cut through all the wrangling. The cats fell silent, parting as Stoneteller limped into the center of the group. “I can’t bear to see you squabbling like this,” she continued. “My vision promised something better for those cats willing to go in search of it. But I could be wrong.” She shook her head, clearly wracked with uncertainty. “Perhaps we should forget about finding somewhere else to live…”
As she was speaking, Lion’s Roar came up behind her and stood close to her side. Bending his head, he spoke into her ear; though his voice was low, Gray Wing managed to make out the words.
“Don’t lose faith in what you saw.” Addressing all the cats, he went on, “My mother told me that before she and the others left the lake, they held a vote to decide their shared future. Why don’t we vote again now?” he suggested. “If most cats want us to stay here and take a chance with the rest of the cold season, then Shaded Moss won’t leave. What do you think, Stoneteller?”
The old white she-cat blinked thoughtfully, then turned to Shaded Moss. “Would you accept the result of a vote?” she asked.
Shaded Moss nodded. “I don’t want to go without enough cats to stand a chance of surviving the journey.”
Stoneteller glanced around at the other cats. Gray Wing could see that their anger was dying down. “Gray Wing, Bright Stream,” the Healer mewed, “please collect as many stones as there are cats.”
“Even me?” Jagged Peak squeaked, with an excited bounce.
Quiet Rain stretched out her tail to caress her son’s ear. “No, not the kits—” she began.
“Even the kits,” Stoneteller interrupted gently. “Every cat will have a chance to be heard. We are still one community, friends and kin over seasons upon seasons. We must all have a part in deciding our future.”
Dipping his head to Stoneteller, Gray Wing headed out of the cave with Bright Stream. They found a scatter of small stones not far from the waterfall, under an overhang, and began to roll them together into a heap.
“Quiet Rain wants me to leave,” he told Bright Stream after a moment.
Bright Stream’s eyes widened and her ears flicked up in surprise. “I’d have thought she would want you and Clear Sky to stay now.”
Gray Wing shook his head. “She believes we stand a better chance of survival in the place that Stoneteller has seen.”
Bright Stream added another stone to the pile before she responded. “Are you going to go?” she asked hesitantly.
“I don’t know.” Gray Wing found himself giving voice to his inward struggle. “The way Fluttering Bird died showed me how vulnerable we are here in the mountains. But… is it cowardly to run away?”
“No cat could think that you’re a coward, Gray Wing,” Bright Stream told him.
When they had collected enough stones, they carried them back into the cave, a few at a time. Shaded Moss and Tall Shadow gathered the pebbles into a pile at Stoneteller’s paws, their gaze solemn with the importance of their task.
“Now,” Stoneteller meowed, “every cat must take a stone. Place it on the waterfall side of the cave if you think Shaded Moss and all the cats who want to go should leave the mountains, and on the inner cave wall if you think they should stay. Shaded Moss, you go first.”
Shaded Moss stepped forward and dipped his head to Stoneteller with deep respect. “I trust you with my life,” he told her. “If you have seen a better place for some of us to live, I promise I will find it.”
Taking a stone in his jaws, he carried it to the waterfall side of the cave and laid it down so close to the cascade that drops of sparkling water splashed over it.
Meanwhile the rest of the Tribe lined up for their turn to vote. Jagged Peak scraped his claws along the cave floor as if he was too excited to wait.
Lion’s Roar was the next cat to pick up a pebble, and he laid it down near the waterfall. “My old bones won’t carry me on the journey,” he rasped. “But if I were young enough, I’d leave.”
Snow Hare and Misty Water followed, both voting for the cats to stay. Clear Sky came next, in a little group with Dappled Pelt and Turtle Tail, all of them taking their stones to the waterfall side. Then Jagged Peak bounced up to the pile of stones and took one, carefully carrying it over to set it down beside his brother’s.
Quiet Rain shook her head. “My beloved son, I can’t allow you to leave. But the older cats should have the chance to go.” She took her stone and laid it by the waterfall beside her kits’.
Jagged Peak’s eyes sparkled rebelliously as he stomped toward the sleeping hollows, his tail high in the air.
Bright Stream was the next cat to take a stone. Without hesitation she placed it with the others beside the waterfall.
Clear Sky’s fur fluffed out with surprise as he watched her, a look of warm affection creeping into his eyes. “Thank you,” he whispered as she joined him, standing so close that their pelts were brushing.