Thunder Rising

Chapter 13

I’ve met my father again! As he padded across the moor, Thunder couldn’t ignore the flutter of excitement in his chest. He said I was brave. Maybe Clear Sky would realize he’d made a mistake when he sent Thunder away. He didn’t know me then. But now he’s seen what I can do…

He stayed close to Clear Sky as they headed toward the camp. His father kept glancing around, checking on his denmates, counting them to make sure no cat had been left behind. He’s such a good leader. I wonder what it’s like to be part of his group…

Before they reached the camp there was a flash of movement in the darkness and a couple of rabbits dashed across their path. Their eyes were rolling in terror; Thunder realized the forest fire must have spooked them so that they hardly knew that they were fleeing through a group of cats.

Clear Sky halted, looking after the rabbits. “They’d fill our bellies, don’t you think?” he mewed to Thunder.

Thunder didn’t need any more encouraging. Forgetting his exhaustion, he took off after the rabbits, and Clear Sky raced along beside him, leaving the other cats behind. They’re safe now… and if we can get some prey, it’ll really help them.

“Do you like hunting on the moors?” Clear Sky asked him as they ran.

“Not really,” Thunder admitted. “I get along better in the cover of undergrowth and trees.” His paws tingled at his father’s approving nod.

“As soon as I can, I’ll be back in the cover of the forest,” Clear Sky muttered. “But for now, let’s get these rabbits!”

Thunder put on a sudden burst of speed and pulled ahead. He had lost sight of one rabbit; the second was just dodging around an outcrop of rocks. Thunder ran up to the top of the tallest boulder and saw the rabbit beneath. With a yowl of triumph he hurled himself down onto it.

Thunder and the rabbit rolled over and over on the short moorland grass, the rabbit’s legs kicking out fiercely. He sank his jaws into its throat and felt hot blood stream out over his fur. Giving a final, vicious jerk of his head he heard a bone snap in the rabbit’s spine. When he let go, the rabbit flopped to the ground, its eyes rolling back in its head. Thunder felt his stomach squirm with disgust, but he forced back the feeling, enjoying the success of his kill and the knowledge that his denmates would eat well.

Thunder turned to his father, expecting to hear his congratulations. But Clear Sky said nothing. He was looking out across Thunder’s head, his gaze fixed on another spot on the moors.

Glancing around, Thunder spotted three rats racing toward him. His heart started to pound as he saw their whiskers quivering and their long, greasy tails whipping through the grass.

They want to steal my prey!

The rats were almost as big as him, and they attacked all together, their teeth bared and their claws swiping at him. Tiny malignant eyes gleamed in their narrow, wedge-shaped faces.

Desperately Thunder tried to remember the fighting techniques Gray Wing had shown him. He leaped on the leading rat before it could reach him, knocking it onto its back and slashing his claws over its belly.

One dealt with! Thunder thought, then let out a screech of pain as he felt teeth sinking into his tail. Whipping around again he shook off the rat and realized that Clear Sky was by his side. The remaining two rats drew back a pace, as if they didn’t want to face two hostile cats.

“We’ll fight as a team,” Clear Sky meowed.

“But I don’t know how!” Thunder protested.

Annoyance flashed through Clear Sky’s eyes. “Attack one rat together,” he explained rapidly. “You take this side, I’ll take the other.”

As soon as he had finished speaking, Clear Sky darted at the nearest rat, slashed his claws down its flank and leaped backward again. Getting the idea, Thunder did the same on the other side, throwing himself clear just in time to avoid the snapping teeth.

Meanwhile Clear Sky had whirled to attack the third rat, jumping onto its back and balancing there while he clawed at its eyes and mouth. The rat squealed with pain; Thunder raced forward and sank his claws into its haunches.

Clear Sky leaped free and crouched for another attack. But the foul creatures backed away from him, terror in their eyes, and fled into the gorse, abandoning the dead rabbit. The rat Thunder had wounded at first was dragging itself away, whimpering and bleeding.

Thunder’s fur was dripping with blood: his own mixed with that of the rabbit and the rats. Clear Sky padded across and looked him up and down.

“Good job, young one,” he meowed. “Did Gray Wing never teach you to fight like that?”

Thunder shook his head, immediately feeling guilty, as if he was betraying Gray Wing. “Not yet… ,” he admitted.

Clear Sky’s expression softened. “Then you learned something new today, didn’t you, thanks to your father? But you’ll need another dip in the stream.” He glanced down at the rabbit. “Shall we take this back to the others?” he meowed.

He picked up the front legs while Thunder got a grip on the back legs in his jaws. They set off across the moor and soon settled into a regular pace, moving well together.

As Thunder followed his father in silence, he went over the events of the night in his mind. He had survived the fire, and more than that: He had helped Gray Wing and Moon Shadow. He had met his father, killed prey, and defended himself against the rat attack. And I’ve lived to tell the tale.

For the first time in his life, Thunder experienced the feeling of knowing he had done well. Better than any cat could have asked for. It was a good feeling, warm and exhilarating.

Before they reached the hollow, Clear Sky halted and set down the rabbit. “You’re very quiet,” he meowed to Thunder. “What are you thinking about?”

Thunder dropped his end of the prey. He hesitated for a moment, then decided just to tell the truth. “I’m proud of myself for surviving,” he replied.

Clear Sky’s eyes glowed with approval. “And so you should be. I know that feeling.”

“When you journeyed from the mountains?” Thunder guessed, remembering the stories Gray Wing had told him.

His father nodded. “That was a hard time. I’ll never forget when we were attacked by eagles. One of our cats…” His voice trailed off and his eyes clouded. “That was when I decided we couldn’t allow ourselves to be victims.”

“What happened?” Thunder asked. “What do you mean?”

Clear Sky gave his pelt a shake. “It’s all over now, a distant memory.” He looked at Thunder again, and Thunder thought that he could see affection in his eyes. “I made the journey to save my family,” Clear Sky went on. “All of my family.”

When they arrived back at the camp, the sky was pale with dawn and a golden flush on the horizon showed where the sun would rise. Thunder saw Gray Wing standing at the top of the hollow, waiting for them; his anxiety was evident in his working paws and twitching tail. Thunder was faintly surprised. Usually Tall Shadow was the one to watch over the cats, but now it was Gray Wing.

Gray Wing’s gaze flicked over the prey and rested on Thunder, examining him closely. “What have you been up to?” he demanded. “No rabbit bleeds that much.”

“Wouldn’t you like to congratulate Thunder on hunting down food for us all?” Clear Sky interrupted sharply. “He’s done well—can’t you acknowledge that?”

“Of course Thunder has done well,” Gray Wing responded. “I’m just concerned about him, that’s all. You took off without giving us any warning.”

“Oh, sorry,” Clear Sky meowed. “I didn’t realize a father had to ask permission to hunt with his son. Come on, Thunder. Let’s take the rabbit over to the others.”

Clear Sky strode off with the rabbit, and Thunder followed him, not daring to look at Gray Wing’s face. His buoyant mood had vanished completely.

I’ve done nothing wrong. So why do I feel like I’ve betrayed Gray Wing?