Path Of Stars

Chapter 9

Clear Sky scuffed at the leaves that had drifted into the crook of an oak root. He sniffed their moldy scent, and his heart sank. Not even a trace of fresh prey. He glanced at Sparrow Fur, who was wriggling her way beneath a bramble. “Any sign of prey over there?” he called. Sparrow Fur backed out, whipping her tail free as it snagged on a thorn. She sat up and stared at Clear Sky. “All I can smell are rotting leaves.”

Clear Sky frowned. “Me too.” He glanced over to where they’d hidden the scrawny rabbit they’d caught earlier. It was hardly enough to feed one cat, let alone the whole group.

Sparrow Fur shook out her pelt. “We should have brought Blossom and Acorn Fur.”

“I want the camp well guarded,” Clear Sky reminded her. “Besides, more hunters leave more scent. They might have frightened the prey away.”

Sparrow Fur snorted. “What prey?”

Clear Sky didn’t answer. She was right. They had been out since dawn, and now the sun was shining high above the trees, against a cloudless sky. He wondered if Star Flower had let the kits leave the den. They had been begging to explore the camp, but they were still so small. And he wanted to be there when they took their first steps beyond the nest. He had almost sent Thorn hunting with Sparrow Fur and stayed behind. It had been hard enough leaving Star Flower and the kits the night before for the meeting at the four trees hollow. He longed to be with them now. But he was the group’s leader. He couldn’t stay in his den and let his campmates do every patrol.

“Clear Sky! Look!” Sparrow Fur hissed under her breath.

He jerked his muzzle toward her. The tortoiseshell she-cat was staring at a patch of dry ferns a tree-length away. He followed her gaze. A fat squirrel was sifting through the leaves with its forepaws. After scrabbling deep, it dragged up a nut and began to inspect it.

Clear Sky’s heart leaped. He dropped into a hunting crouch. Leaves rustled softly as Sparrow Fur tiptoed to his side.

“You head to that side of the beech,” he told her, jerking his muzzle to show her the way. “I’ll take the other. We mustn’t let it escape.”

Sparrow Fur nodded and began to slowly creep forward, her belly fur skimming the ground.

Clear Sky’s pelt prickled with excitement. The warm scent of squirrel filled his nose. His belly growled with hunger as he slunk forward. Tail down and spine low, he moved as silently as a snake, placing his paws on the dampest leaves so no crunch would betray his approach.

He felt for the breeze with his ear tips, relieved when he found he was upwind of his quarry.

Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sparrow Fur’s tail as she disappeared around the other side of the beech. He skirted the roots, veering wide. Whichever way the squirrel ran, they’d catch it.

A twig cracked. Clear Sky tensed. Sparrow Fur must have crushed it beneath her paw. The squirrel straightened, snapping its head one way, then the other. Panic flashed in its eyes, and it darted forward.

As Sparrow Fur pelted after it, excitement surged beneath Clear Sky’s pelt. He leaped, kicking out leaves behind him. The ground blurred beneath him as he hared after the squirrel. It was racing for the base of an oak. It bobbed over the jutting roots and shot upward.

Clear Sky jumped, throwing his forepaws up. He unsheathed his claws and hooked them into the squirrel’s pelt, plucked it from the bark before it could escape his reach, and dragged it to the ground.

Ducking quickly, he gave it a killing bite. Its spine crunched between his jaws. The sweet warmth of blood bathed his tongue as the squirrel fell limp.

Thank you. He was grateful to the forest. He would have enough prey for Star Flower and more to share with the others.

“Great catch.” Sparrow Fur was panting. She stared at the squirrel, her eyes shining.

“Let’s collect the rabbit and take our catch back to camp,” Clear Sky decided.

“Okay.” Sparrow Fur licked her lips, still gazing at the squirrel.

“Do you want to carry it?” Clear Sky pawed it toward her. She’d been hunting all morning. She deserved a taste of blood on her tongue before they reached camp.

Sparrow Fur purred, hooking the squirrel between her jaws. Lifting her head, she trotted away, the squirrel’s bushy tail trailing behind her.

Clear Sky followed. The group could share the squirrel, and Star Flower could have the rabbit to herself. It was small, but it would be enough. She needed prey to stay strong. Their kits were growing fast on her milk. I’ll take care of you all. Joy warmed his pelt, taking him by surprise. He’d never felt so protective of anyone before. Then he remembered the grief that had flashed momentarily in Thunder’s gaze when he’d come to see the kits. Clear Sky shifted his paws guiltily. He’d never felt this way about his firstborn son. He realized now that Thunder had once been as helpless as Tiny

Branch, and he’d had no father to protect him. His mother, Storm, had cared for him alone, hunting for her own prey. A chill swept Clear Sky’s pelt. How could I have been so cruel?

He felt Sparrow Fur’s gaze on him. She’d stopped and was staring at him, the squirrel hanging from her jaws.

There wasn’t time to dwell on the past now. Star Flower hadn’t eaten since yesterday. And he wanted to organize another hunting patrol. If one squirrel had decided to come down from the trees, there might be more. He hurried after her.

Sparrow Fur led the way to the leaves where they’d buried the rabbit. He slid past her as they reached it and began to sift through them, feeling for the soft body beneath. He touched bare earth.

Where is it? He sat back on his haunches, worry sparking in his belly. “It’s gone.”

“It can’t be.” The squirrel thumped the earth as Sparrow Fur dropped it. She plunged her paws into the leaves and scrabbled beneath them.

“Could a fox have stolen it?” Clear Sky tasted the air. He lowered his voice to a whisper.

“Sparrow Fur, watch out.”

Sparrow Fur stopped searching for the rabbit and shot him an alarmed look. “What’s wrong?”

Her eyes glittered with worry as she read his warning gaze. She opened her mouth to taste the air.

A drawling mew rang from between the trees. “Are you looking for something?” Slash strolled out from behind an elm, his eyes shining with amusement.

Clear Sky turned, hackles up. “Where is it?”

Slash glanced to one side and a black-and-brown rogue padded out. The scrawny rabbit dangled from his jaws. “Beetle found your pitiful catch,” Slash sneered.

Another rogue followed Beetle from behind the tree, his black-and-white pelt rippling.

Slash went on. “Poor Splinter was upset that you’d only caught one.” He glanced at the black-and-white rogue. “Weren’t you, Splinter?”

Splinter flicked his tail. “I thought you were supposed to be great hunters.” He glanced derisively at the scrawny rabbit as a fourth rogue padded out.

Snake. Clear Sky shifted his paws uneasily as he recognized the striped tabby. Snake had belonged to Clear Sky’s group once, but his true loyalties had been with One Eye. He narrowed his eyes. They were outnumbered. Perhaps he should have brought a bigger patrol after all.

Slash’s gaze flashed to the squirrel at Sparrow Fur’s paws. “I guess it’s better than nothing.”

Sparrow Fur hissed. “We didn’t catch it for you. We caught it for our campmates.”

Slash padded forward and circled Clear Sky and Sparrow Fur slowly. “You’re sharing your prey with us, remember?”

“We told you at the meeting that you’d have to catch your own,” Clear Sky snarled.

“Really?” Slash eyes lit up with a malicious glint. “I think I remember you promising that you’d give me all your prey.” The mangy brown tom suddenly dropped into a cowering crouch and mimicked a desperate mew. “Oh, Slash. I’ll hunt for you! You can have all my prey. Just give me Star

Flower!”

Clear Sky felt his pelt burn as he remembered pleading desperately at the meeting. He didn’t dare look at Sparrow Fur. Instead he glared at Slash. “I got her back,” he hissed. “Which means I don’t have to give you anything!”

Slash straightened and stalked back to his campmates. “You got what you want, and so now I get what I want.” He stared at the prey at Sparrow Fur’s paws. “Give it to me.” His gaze burned into

Sparrow Fur’s.

Sparrow Fur lifted her chin. “Never!”

Clear Sky curled his claws into the ground. Blood roared in his ears. Every instinct told him to hurl himself at Slash and rip his fur off. But what about Star Flower? If you’re hurt, who will protect her and your kits? Heart pounding, he forced himself to stay still.

Sparrow Fur looked at him in surprise. “We’re not going to let them take it, are we?”

Slash padded closer. “It belongs to us.”

Sparrow Fur placed her paw on the squirrel protectively. “No, it doesn’t!”

Slash stopped a muzzle-length from Clear Sky and glared at him. “Give us the squirrel and we’ll leave you alone.”

“For now,” Splinter growled softly behind him.

Snake purred with amusement. “Poor Clear Sky. You never were much of a leader.”

Rage boiled in Clear Sky’s belly. Every hair on his pelt itched to fight these rogues. But he couldn’t take risks. He backed away, nodding to Sparrow Fur. “Let them take it.”

Sparrow Fur blinked at him in disbelief. “Really?”

Clear Sky gazed coolly at Slash as he answered her. “We’re outnumbered, Sparrow Fur. Fighting would be a waste of energy. Let these lazy fox-hearts take our prey. We can catch more while they’re growing fat and soft.”

Slash flattened his ears.

Satisfaction washed over Clear Sky’s pelt. He’d angered the rogue. “Here.” He pawed the squirrel toward Slash. “This should fill your bellies until you learn how to catch your own.”

Slash’s eyes blazed. Showing his teeth, he lashed out with a paw. Clear Sky saw the blow coming and began to duck. But Sparrow Fur was faster. Diving like a hawk, she caught Slash’s paw on her shoulder. She heaved it away, unbalancing Slash, then spun and raked her claws across the rogue’s scarred muzzle.

Slash yowled with rage, and Snake darted forward and slashed at Sparrow Fur’s tail. As she twisted to face the yellow-eyed tom, Slash reared and slammed his paws onto her spine. Hooking his claws into her pelt, he dragged her onto her side.

Snake hissed. “Kill her!”

Beetle and Splinter split apart, their eyes widening with excitement as Slash leaped onto Sparrow

Fur and began lashing at her with his forepaws.

“Get off!” Clear Sky tensed, ready to drag the rogue from his campmate, but he hesitated. If he joined in, then the others would too, and he wanted to avoid a fight. He grabbed the squirrel and tossed it at Snake. “Just take this and go!”

Slash paused. Sparrow Fur squirmed beneath him, lashing out clumsily as he leaped clear and landed beside Splinter. The squirrel lay at Beetle’s paws. Slash looked at it, then glanced at Sparrow

Fur.

The she-cat scrambled to her paws, hackles high. She glowered at Slash, a low growl rolling in her throat.

Clear Sky stepped in front of her and guided her away. “It’s not worth the fight,” he murmured.

She frowned, anger clear in her gaze. “But they’ve taken everything we caught,” she whispered.

Clear Sky stared in dismay as Splinter picked up the squirrel between his jaws. Beetle scooped up the scrawny rabbit.

“Thanks, Clear Sky.” Slash curled his lip. “Next time, be a little more polite, or you might get hurt.” He turned and stalked away. Snake followed, Beetle and Splinter falling in behind.

Clear Sky could feel himself shaking with rage as he watched them walk away with his catch.

“You might have won this time!” he spat at Slash. “But one day you will feel my claws in your throat.” He froze as Slash turned and stared at him coldly.

For a moment the sounds of the forest disappeared. He could only hear his own heart pounding, and a voice in the back of his mind: Think of Star Flower and your kits. They need you.

Slash snatched the scrawny rabbit from Beetle and carried it back to Clear Sky. With a snort, he flung it near Clear Sky’s paws. “Give this to Star Flower.” His growl was thick with derision. “Tell her it’s a gift from me.”

Rage throbbed in Clear Sky’s belly. He dug his claws deep into the ground as Slash turned and stalked away. One day, you will pay for this.

As the rogues disappeared between the trees, Sparrow Fur glanced at the pitiful rabbit. “I guess we ought to take it. It won’t feed many mouths, but it’s better than nothing.”

Clear Sky hardly heard her, but he turned as the fresh scent of blood reached his nose. The fur on her cheek was dark and wet. “You’re hurt,” he meowed, shaking himself from his thoughts. “Let’s head back to camp so you can clean your wounds properly.” Gratitude stirred in his chest. “Thanks for defending me,” he added. It wasn’t the first time the feisty young she-cat had leaped to save him.

She’d fought for him when One Eye had tried to drive him from the group, too.

Sparrow Fur shrugged and poked the rabbit with her paw. “It’s not much to show for a morning’s hunting.”

“I’ll send out another patrol this afternoon,” Clear Sky told her.

“And what if Slash steals from them too?” Worry clouded the she-cat’s gaze.

“We’ll deal with that if it happens.” He scooped up the rabbit, swallowing back the resentment that rose in his throat. How dare Slash give him his own catch as though it were a gift? He wanted to toss it away and catch fresh meat. But with so little prey running in the forest, he had no choice. Star

Flower needed every morsel she could get.

Growling softly to himself, he headed toward camp.

Star Flower refused to touch the rabbit until the afternoon patrol returned. As the sun sank slowly behind the trees, Clear Sky paced outside the den, listening for the sound of the hunting party. They should be back soon. He’d sent out a big patrol—Blossom, Birch, Nettle, Quick Water, and Thorn.

He wanted to make sure that if the rogues attacked again, they wouldn’t be able to steal whatever the patrol had caught.

Clear Sky stopped pacing. He poked his head into the den once more. “Please take just a mouthful.” He pushed the rabbit closer to Star Flower.

She shook her head. “I can’t eat while the others go hungry.”

Tiny Branch clambered onto his mother’s flank. “We’re not hungry.”

Dew Petal and Flower Foot were wrestling beside her belly. Dew Petal struggled free of her sister’s paws and grabbed her tail. “I win!” she squeaked.

Star Flower purred. “See?” She blinked at Clear Sky. “They’re getting plenty of milk, and they’re as strong as badgers.”

Clear Sky frowned. He could see bones showing sharply through Star Flower’s pelt. “But what about you?”

“I’ve been through worse,” she assured him.

Clear Sky glanced at the scrawny rabbit lying untouched at her side. Was it cruel to leave it where Star Flower could smell its fresh-kill scent? He’d been trying to tempt her, but if she refused to be tempted, perhaps he should move it away so she didn’t have to look at it.

As worry wormed in his belly, the bramble entrance rattled. Paw steps thrummed into camp.

“They’re back.” Hope flashed beneath his pelt. He turned eagerly from the den, pushed through the bracken, and leaped down the steep slope.

Blossom was standing in the middle of the clearing, two mice at her paws. Clear Sky looked past her hopefully at Birch, Nettle, Quick Water, and Thorn. Were they carrying any prey?

A vole hung from Nettle’s mouth.

Was that it?

Clear Sky tried not to look disappointed. At least they’d caught something. Perhaps they’d caught more and been ambushed by Slash. “Did you see the rogues?”

Blossom shook her head. “No sign of them.”

Nettle padded forward. “I know it’s not a big catch,” he apologized. “But we did our best.”

“Of course you did.” Frustration rippled through Clear Sky’s pelt. Where had all the prey gone?

Quick Water shook out her pelt. “It’s leaf-bare,” she reminded him. “Don’t you remember the cold seasons in the mountains? There was a time when the Tribe didn’t eat for five days.”

Clear Sky twitched his tail crossly. “That’s why we came to the forest! So we’d have prey no matter what season it was.”

Thorn padded across the clearing and settled in his favorite spot between the roots of the beech.

“Sometimes prey doesn’t make it through the first snows,” he meowed matter-of-factly.

“We’ll survive,” Nettle chipped in. “River Ripple will share his fish. Or we could scavenge in Twolegplace. Don’t forget, most of us have lived as loners. We know what it’s like to suffer through difficult times.”

Clear Sky gazed around his cats. “But living as a group, surely life should be easier?”

Quick Water blinked at him sympathetically. “Hunger is easier to bear when you’re surrounded by campmates. Why do you think the Tribe survived so long despite the hardship of the mountains?”

Thorn sat down and began to wash. “We have warm nests,” he mewed between laps. “And the hope that tomorrow’s hunting will be better.”

Unless the rogues take it, Clear Sky thought darkly.

Blossom glanced toward the bracken that shielded Clear Sky’s den. “Did Star Flower eat the rabbit?”

“She won’t eat until she knows the rest of you have food,” Clear Sky told her.

“Then give her this.” Blossom tossed him one of the mice. “We can share the rabbit and the rest of our catch. Tell her we have plenty. We’ll make sure she doesn’t go hungry.”

Clear Sky blinked at her gratefully. He knew that one scrawny rabbit, a mouse, and a vole wouldn’t fill every belly. But if Star Flower was well fed, the kits would have milk. “Thank you.”

Quick Water purred. “It’s good to have kits in the camp again. They bring hope.”

Clear Sky dipped his head, grateful for his campmates’ optimism. He picked up the mouse. It swung from his jaws as he leaped up the slope and headed for his den.

“Blossom says you should eat this.” He dropped the mouse beside Star Flower.

She blinked at him through the shadows of the den. “Did they catch much?”

“Enough for everyone to eat something.” Even if it was just a mouthful each.

Star Flower narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Did she know he was exaggerating?

“I think they would appreciate the rabbit,” he told her quietly, avoiding her eye.

Star Flower nosed it toward him. “Then they should have it. Make sure Birch and Alder get a bite. I know rabbit is their favorite.”

He purred, pressing his cheek to hers, then picked up the rabbit. Anger pricked in his belly as Slash’s words rang in his mind: Give this to Star Flower.

How would he stop the rogues from stealing their prey? He lifted his chin. Tomorrow they would start training to fight, as Thunder had suggested. But would that be enough? He hurried to the clearing and dropped the rabbit beside the meager prey pile, then headed back to his den.

“Aren’t you eating anything?” Birch called after him.

He shook his head. “I’ll eat tomorrow,” he replied without looking back. His belly felt tight with hunger, and as he reached his den, he smelled fresh mouse blood. Star Flower had eaten it already.

She must have been starving. Tomorrow he would hunt again. He slid into the nest and settled beside

Star Flower. She was lying drowsily in her nest while the kits clambered over her.

“Clear Sky?” Tiny Branch leaped onto his flank. “Can we leave the den tomorrow?”

“Yes.” Clear Sky stretched his muzzle forward and nudged the kit’s cheek.

Tiny Branch’s tail quivered excitedly. “Did you hear that?” he squeaked, leaping onto Dew Petal and Flower Foot. “We can go outside tomorrow!”

“Finally!” Dew Petal cheered.

She tumbled into the mossy depths of the nest, tugging Flower Foot and Tiny Branch with her.

Happiness filled Clear Sky’s empty belly as they wrestled beside him. And yet he couldn’t relax.

The idea of his kits training to go out into the world made him uneasy. Because as long as Slash and his rogues roamed the forest, none of his cats were safe.