The Blazing Star (26 page)

Thunder narrowed his eyes with a glance at the small mouse that was her only piece of prey. “Is your life really all that nice?” he asked. “We've been struggling to find prey that isn't sick, and there are far more cats with us than with you.”

“Then you have more mouths to feed,” Wind Runner retorted.

“Maybe. But are your kits actually getting enough to eat?”

Wind Runner twitched her ears. “I've given you my answer,” she rasped. “You can go now. But you can come back with news of the flower.”

Lightning Tail took a pace forward. “So you're willing to take the group's wisdom, but do nothing for us in return?”

The she-cat gave him a cold look from baleful, yellow eyes. “I lost two kits when I was with your group,” she reminded him. “Surely you owe me a few scraggly flowers?” Picking up her prey, she stalked away.

Thunder let out a sigh as he watched her go.
That went well.

With a dissatisfied shrug, he headed toward the river, hoping he would have better luck with River Ripple. “You might want to be a bit more tactful this time,” he told Lightning Tail after a few moments. “We really need River Ripple's help in the battle, and a more friendly approach might work better.”

Lightning Tail didn't respond.

“Really?” Thunder's exasperation burst out of him. “We're not speaking now?”

His denmate was quiet for a couple of heartbeats longer. “My loyalty is to the group now,” he mewed at last. “Not to you.”

I can't believe it!
Thunder stared at him. “Are you really abandoning me over a she-cat?” he demanded. “What? Are you jealous?”

Rage flared in Lightning Tail's eyes. Without warning, he swiped at Thunder's face and followed up the blow by leaping on him, tackling him to the ground. The two toms wrestled together among the dried leaves and the cold, frostbitten grass.

“I don't need your approval,” Thunder snarled through gritted teeth as he thrust his hind paws into Lightning Tail's belly. “I've led the group well so far, haven't I?”

For an answer Lightning Tail rolled Thunder over and landed on his back, wrapping his forelegs around his neck. “You're falling right into that rogue's trap!” he growled. “And you're the only one who can't see it!”

“Well, if it's a trap, what does she want from me?” Thunder asked, straining to throw Lightning Tail off.

“I don't know,” Lightning Tail admitted. “But ever since I first saw her, I've known she was up to something. And whatever it is, it's not good.” Abruptly he gave up the fight, springing to his paws and giving his pelt a shake before he stalked off toward the river. “This is stupid,” he meowed as he went. “We should be concentrating on finding cats to help us in the battle.”

Thunder jumped up and followed him. “Does that mean you'll stop nagging me about Star Flower?” he asked.

Lightning Tail didn't look at him. “Just come on,” he hissed.

The sun had risen by the time the river came into sight, dazzling on the water. Thunder headed for the stepping-stones, but as he jumped out onto the first one he realized that Lightning Tail had halted at the water's edge with a bewildered expression.

“We have to cross the water?” he asked. “I didn't know that.”

“Yes,” Thunder replied. “River Ripple lives on that island. He's a bit weird. . . . He doesn't mind the water.”

Lightning Tail nodded grimly. Water was washing over the stepping-stones, and as he followed Thunder he winced at the touch of it on his pads. Thunder didn't like getting his feet
wet, either, but he didn't say anything.
I'm not going to let Lightning Tail hear me complain.

Reeds grew around River Ripple's island, and the interior was screened by bushes that grew close to the water's edge. The reeds made a soft sound as they brushed together, and with the rushing of the river in his ears Thunder had a flash of understanding why River Ripple loved this spot. But the understanding vanished when he had to push his way through the tough stalks of the reeds and get his paws muddy to climb out onto a narrow strip of grass that edged the river. Lightning Tail followed with an annoyed hiss, shaking each of his paws in turn.

“Not very subtle, are you?”

Thunder jumped at the voice and looked up to see that River Ripple had emerged from the bushes and was watching the two cats with amusement glinting in his eyes. His long-furred pelt shone silver in the sunlight.

“You're as bad as a pack of dogs,” he went on. “I saw you coming ages ago. Well, what can I do for you?”

Thunder dipped his head respectfully before he settled down and explained to River Ripple about the Blazing Star. Meanwhile Lightning Tail sat silently and washed his paws.

River Ripple nodded understandingly when Thunder had finished. “And what else?” he asked.

How does he know there's something else?
Thunder wondered. “One Eye has driven Clear Sky out of the forest, and taken over his group,” he meowed. “Gray Wing has a plan to defeat him, but we need help. Will you join us to drive One Eye away?”

River Ripple paused thoughtfully before replying. “I will,” he agreed at last. “But I have to warn you—I've had problems with One Eye in the past, and believe me, he won't back down. It's not a question of driving him out; you'll have to kill him.”

“We're prepared for that,” Thunder told him, doing his best to hide his dismay. “That's what Gray Wing's plan will do.”

River Ripple nodded, a grim look in his eyes. “If Gray Wing is behind it, I'll be a part of it, and I'll see that my cats help, too.”

“We were thinking of reaching out to some of the cats in the forest,” Thunder went on, pleased to have such a formidable cat as River Ripple on their side. “They can't all want One Eye to be their leader. But I can't think of a good way to get to them without running into One Eye and his rogues. Do you have any ideas about that?”

River Ripple shook his head. “Don't even think about it,” he advised. “If One Eye found out that any of the forest cats spoke to you, he'd make them suffer. And he'd enjoy doing it,” he finished.

Thunder had to accept that the older cat was probably right. He thanked River Ripple, and was saying good-bye when the silver tom's gaze turned serious.

“Be careful, young one,” River Ripple mewed solemnly.

“What do you mean?” Thunder asked, puzzled.

“I think you know,” River Ripple responded. “I've told Gray Wing many times: I know everything.”

Bemused, Thunder thanked him again, then padded away,
shaking his head as he crossed the stepping-stones.
If I thought I understood anything this morning, clearly I was wrong. . . .

The two cats traveled back to their camp in silence. Thunder remembered that Acorn Fur was still in One Eye's camp, and tried not to worry too much about her. She was strong; Thunder hoped she was taking care of herself.
Maybe that's why Lightning Tail is so touchy; he's upset about his sister.

But still, seeing Lightning Tail stalking ahead, Thunder couldn't help feeling hurt. He couldn't understand why his friend didn't trust him enough to make his own decisions.
I always felt I could count on him. Why is
this
turning him away, of all things?

Thunder was feeling like things couldn't get any worse, until he arrived back at the camp and spotted Star Flower at the bottom of the hollow, talking to Tall Shadow. At the sight of her, Lightning Tail let out a disgusted snort and ran off.

Thunder's heart started to race again as Star Flower bounded up the slope to his side.

“I'm so glad to see you,” she purred, brushing against his side. “I was disappointed when Tall Shadow said you weren't here.”

“Well, I'm here now,” Thunder meowed, then winced, feeling annoyed with himself for sounding so stupid.

“I've got good news for you!” Star Flower announced, her green eyes shining. “I found a small patch of Blazing Star growing near the river. Not many flowers, but enough to treat the sick. And no need to cross the Thunderpath!” After a pause when Thunder didn't respond, she asked,
“Why don't you look more excited?”

Thunder swallowed hard.
Why
aren't
I more excited?
Star Flower had just given him an amazing piece of news, yet he found himself reacting with suspicion, just like Lightning Tail might.
Could Star Flower really be up to something? Or has Lightning Tail ruined this for me by putting his own doubts into my head?

“It's great news,” he told Star Flower hastily, hoping she wouldn't be upset with him. “Can you take me there?”

“I thought you'd never ask,” Star Flower meowed with a whisk of her tail. “Come on.”

As Thunder followed her out of the camp, he glanced over his shoulder to see Lightning Tail staring after him with a look of disapproval. It gave him an odd feeling of satisfaction to be showing his trust in Star Flower.

“I spent some time with Gray Wing's kits,” Star Flower told him as they padded side by side across the moor toward the river. “Owl Eyes and Pebble Heart, and the injured one, Sparrow Fur. They're very cute.”

“Yes, they're great kits,” Thunder agreed. “I can't believe One Eye would hurt her like that! You know One Eye?”

Star Flower nodded. “We've met.”

“Then you know what he's like. He's even driven Clear Sky out of his own camp! But we're not going to stand for that,” Thunder went on confidingly. “We're making a plan to corner him on the open moor. If you want, you could really help. . . .”

C
HAPTER
23

Clear Sky stretched his jaws in
a massive yawn and blinked in the strengthening dawn light. The sky above the hollow was the clear blue of a robin's egg, and on the horizon a rosy flush showed where the sun would rise.

He was sitting at the mouth of Gray Wing's den. Around him other cats were emerging, getting ready for the new day. For a couple of moments Clear Sky watched Turtle Tail's three kits, grooming themselves just a few paw steps away. Pebble Heart was taking particular care with Sparrow Fur's injuries, and Clear Sky's heart warmed toward the wise little cat.

Nearer the center of the hollow, Lightning Tail was crouched over a mouse, devouring it in hungry bites, while his gaze remained fixed on Thunder and Star Flower, their heads close together near the foot of Tall Shadow's rock. Dislike and distrust were rising from him, as clear as the scent of warm prey.

Clear Sky wasn't sure if it had been wise for the moorland cats to allow Star Flower to stay overnight in the hollow. She had taken Thunder to find the herb that would heal the sickness, but to every cat's disappointment the flowers she had
found weren't actually Blazing Star, only another plant that looked vaguely like it. Star Flower herself had seemed as upset as any cat, but Clear Sky couldn't be certain that her feelings were genuine.

But Thunder still trusts her,
he thought.
That cat is smitten!

Thunder and Star Flower had stayed talking together far into the night, until Tall Shadow had emerged from her den, tired and irritable, and told them to shut up and let other cats get some sleep.

Clear Sky's feelings of amusement faded as he realized that none of the waking cats were coming to speak to him, or even acknowledging his presence. Not even the cats he had known all his life, had traveled down from the mountains with.
I feel like an outsider . . . because it's what I am.

Finally Gray Wing padded over to him. “How are you feeling?” he asked. “Are you ready to challenge One Eye to a fight on the moor?”

Clear Sky didn't need to be reminded.
Do I have to tell my brother that I feel sick to the bottom of my stomach?
The knowledge that he was putting his life at risk meant that he hadn't eaten since the previous sunrise.

Thunder and Lightning Tail had told him that River Ripple would support them, but they weren't sure about Wind Runner. And they hadn't even tried to talk to the forest cats. Clear Sky's heart ached at the thought that he couldn't rely on the help of the very cats he was trying so hard to protect.