Rising to his paws, Gray Wing padded over to Lightning Tail and helped him carry the rabbit into the center of the camp, where most of the cats were gathering around prey brought in by Rainswept Flower and Shattered Ice. All of them drew back to let him eat first.
“No, go ahead,” Gray Wing meowed, gesturing toward the rabbit with his tail. “I’ve already eaten.”
The portion of hare was all he could manage; his appetite still hadn’t returned, although it had been several days since the badger attack.
As Acorn Fur wriggled into the group beside her brother and the rest of the cats tucked in, Gray Wing noticed that Turtle Tail was watching him from the other side of the camp. He had never seen her so angry or upset as when he came back to the camp with Owl Eyes. She said I wasn’t fit to lead, and she was right. She was only now beginning to soften toward him again.
Fresh misery pulsed through Gray Wing. I never meant to make Turtle Tail unhappy! Then he gave his pelt a shake, forcing himself to be more hopeful. His breathing had been much better since he had been forced to rest. Soon I’ll be chasing mice again! And I know Turtle Tail was only angry because she cares about me.
As he let his gaze rest on Turtle Tail, Gray Wing felt a small paw prodding him in the side. He looked down to see Pebble Heart standing beside him, his eyes wide and troubled.
“What’s the matter?” Gray Wing asked him.
The kit pressed against his side; Gray Wing could feel him shivering. “I had another dream,” he whispered.
“What kind of dream?” Gray Wing let his tail rest gently over Pebble Heart’s shoulders. “Was it the fight again, or the long, dark tunnel?”
Pebble Heart shook his head. “No, worse than that. There’s something bad at the edge of the forest… something very bad. I think some cat ought to go and look.”
Puzzled, Gray Wing studied his son. The kit obviously believed every word he was saying, but Gray Wing wasn’t sure he could ask cats to go and investigate, so close to Clear Sky’s territory, on the basis of a kit’s dream.
“Did you see anything—?” he began, only to break off as Wind Runner raced over the top of the hollow, with Gorse Fur at her shoulder. She bounded down into the hollow and scrambled up to the tall rock. The other cats slowly gathered around her. Jagged Peak was gazing at her with hero-worship in his eyes. Ever since Owl Eyes had run off, Jagged Peak had kept his distance from the kits. As Gray Wing watched, Tall Shadow padded over and sat beside him, neatly curling her tail over her forepaws. Pebble Heart drew back a pace, to let the two senior cats talk in private.
Wind Runner’s voice suddenly rang out over the camp. “Can all cats gather around the tall rock for a meeting!”
Gray Wing felt a twinge of anxiety in his pads. Since when has Wind Runner called meetings, instead of me or Tall Shadow? And since when did all the cats obey her like this?
Lightning Tail and Acorn Fur bounded eagerly across the camp; Hawk Swoop and Jackdaw’s Cry were close behind them and sat next to the kits. Shattered Ice hesitated as if he was wondering whether to answer the summons, then stalked forward to join Cloud Spots and Dappled Pelt.
Gray Wing slowly followed. He was painfully aware of the other cats waiting for him to arrive and settle down, but his legs still felt shaky and he couldn’t go any faster.
Jagged Peak was sitting at the base of the rock. Turtle Tail was close to him, and Gray Wing noticed that she was giving Wind Runner a long, hard stare.
Oh, no! Turtle Tail, please don’t cause a scene. I know Wind Runner is pushy, but she looks as if she has something important to say.
As Gray Wing reached the group of cats, Wind Runner gave her pelt a shake as if she was saying, At last! Now we can get on.
Gray Wing noticed that some of the cats were glancing uncertainly from him to Tall Shadow and then to Wind Runner, as if they weren’t sure which cat was in charge. Rainswept Flower and Cloud Spots looked particularly unhappy. Tall Shadow glanced away, refusing to meet their gaze.
Okay, Gray Wing thought. If she’s not going to assert herself, then I will. Thanks so much, Tall Shadow.
“Thank you for gathering us, Wind Runner,” he meowed. “What news?”
He hoped that he sounded more confident than he felt. I never asked to become leader, he thought. But now that Wind Runner is pushing herself to the top… Gray Wing realized with a jolt that he didn’t want to let go of all he’d achieved. No rogue cat is going to come in and usurp me! Gray Wing hadn’t joined the cats’ journey out of the mountains just to lie down and let another cat stomp heavy-pawed over everything he’d done.
Wind Runner dipped her head respectfully to him. “Hunting has become more and more difficult,” she replied. “As you know, Clear Sky is defending his territory fiercely and is using guards. I crossed over into Clear Sky’s territory, and I was challenged by his cats. When I told them I’d been here far longer than any of them, I was viciously attacked. Look at this!”
She held up one forepaw and Gray Wing saw that part of her fur had been ripped off. Gasps of shock rose from the other cats at the sight of it.
“Who did that to you?” Jagged Peak demanded, his pelt bristling. “Who?”
“Frost, one of Clear Sky’s guards,” Wind Runner answered. “I had to escape down a hole, as if I were a rabbit! But there’s more…” She hesitated, looking at Gray Wing.
“Go on,” Gray Wing responded, feeling his pads prickle with apprehension. “Tell us everything.”
“Well…” Wind Runner still seemed reluctant, glancing nervously around the group while her claws scraped the surface of the rock. “Thunder was in the group of guards, along with Petal. He stood back and watched while Frost attacked me.”
“No, not Thunder!” Hawk Swoop gasped.
“This is bad,” Tall Shadow murmured.
Turtle Tail was staring right at Gray Wing. He felt himself stagger to one side and then sink to the ground, his vision blurring for a heartbeat. Thunder… the kit I brought up as my own son… he’s become one of them…
Gray Wing remembered his fight with Fox, the fight that had finally torn Gray Wing and Clear Sky apart. He regretted killing Fox, but he still believed he had been given no choice when the huge tom attacked him. He felt as if all the blood in his veins had turned to ice when he thought of Thunder becoming such a cat. But what choice would he have, now that he’s joined Clear Sky?
Gray Wing glanced around and realized that all his denmates were looking at him, waiting to hear what he would say. Only Turtle Tail turned toward Wind Runner.
“Are you sure?” she asked. “It’s so hard to believe that Thunder—”
“If you don’t believe me,” Wind Runner interrupted, “perhaps you’d like to see where Gorse Fur and I buried Misty.”
“Who’s Misty?” Jackdaw’s Cry asked.
Gray Wing felt his apprehension growing at the mention of another dead cat, but he made himself keep quiet and let Wind Runner tell her story.
“Misty was a rogue, a gray-and-white she-cat,” Wind Runner began. “She lived mostly at the edge of the forest. Gorse Fur and I found her body. She had terrible wounds along her sides and across her belly, and there was blood everywhere. Clear Sky’s scent marks were there, too, and Thunder’s.”
“He’s expanded his territory yet again,” Gorse Fur added, raising his voice to make himself heard above the horrified exclamations from the other cats. “And this time he had to kill a cat to do it.”