A Cloud's Tears

One: Flare Of Light

"C'mon Beetle Brains! The prey hunters are back!"

Holly's voice lifted over the heads of her siblings. The kit bounced with excitement, her amber eyes gleaming. Moth got up to follow his sister, while Bird snuggled deeper into the hawk feathers covering the nest. Sleep still was in reach, and Bird would do anything to get back to her dreams.

"Bird! If you stay like this, we won't get prey until we're getting our to-be ceremony!"

Wings of a Blue Moth's voice was quieter, his tone more thought out.

"Sky said he would bring back an eagle for us..."

Bird that flies from the Maple Tree pushed herself up, all thoughts of sleep pushed from her mind with the mention of her father. The kit took off, diving in between the others, and sprinting across the cavern. Sky had just arrived in the cave and was shaking droplets from the waterfall from his fur. At his feet lay a massive lump of brown feathers. Bird narrowly dodged the other cats gathered, only to trip on the eagle, and plunged into her father's long fur.

"I missed you too."

Sky that Burns at Dawn's deep laugh seemed to fill the entire hollow, as he gently removed the kit.

"Did you sleep well?"

Bird nodded blearily as her siblings arrived, closely followed by Splash. Holly lunged at the hawk, getting a mouthful of feathers. Moth padded dutifully behind, sticking with their mother. Splashes of Falling Rocks touched noses with her mate, and settled down, contentedly watching her kits.The hawk now was plucked of its soft coating, with feathers strewn around it. Holly, satisfied with her work, gestured for her siblings to join her. Bird hesitantly followed, after giving her father's fur one last tug, while Wings of a Blue Moth thoughtfully gathered the feathers into a pile at their parent's paws. As the kits dug into the fresh-kill, Sky and Splash had a silent conversation, ending with Splash trotting into the Cave of Pointed Stones.

When the kits had full bellies, the carcass of the eagle only half eaten, Sky that Burns at Dawn knelt down and started to take his meal. Holly had found a small ball of fur, and was batting it around the cave, while Moth studied the eagle feathers, curious. Bird had regained her place at her father's side, but was gently prodded away with the words:

"It's all right, go play with your sister, Bird."

But, as the kit padded away, she instead moved towards the To-Be nests, where Shadow rested. Bird and Shadow of a Swift Hawk had known each other practically since birth, when his mother couldn't produce more milk for him and his sister, Lark. The tom had spent a moon in their nest. After his mother, Wings of a Flying Fox, died when Shadow was 4 moons, he slept in a nest right next to Bird and her siblings. Ever since early kit-hood, they had maintained a strong friendship. Shadow was one of the few tribe-cats Bird would regularly speak to, and today was no different.

"Hey Bird!" Shadow's tone was slightly off, possibly due to the rain. His intense dislike of water bordered on hatred.

"Hi, Shadow. How was prey-training with Pebble?"

"Dreadful. Absolutely dreadful. We were practicing hunting for fish, and I had to swim." The tom shuddered. "Along with the rain, it was one of the worst days I've had."

Bird that flies from the Maple Tree groaned in pity. Pebbles that Glimmer in the River didn't understand Shadow, and thought the way to make him less afraid of the water was to have him practice fishing as much as possible.

"How was your day? Tomorrow's your To-Be ceremony, yes?"

"Stop pretending to be above me, Fur-Brain. You're only a half moon older than me."

Bird's slight outburst caused Shadow to purr in amusement.

"Stop that! It's not that funny-" Bird erupted into giggles, too. Shadow's smiles were infectious.

"Don't worry, Feather-Puff. I wouldn't miss it for anything."

The old term of endearment he used for her hung in the cave's slightly damp air. The memory of the first time Shadow had said it struck Bird unexpectedly. About five moons earlier, a tiny sparrow found its way into the hollow. Soaked through to the skin by the waterfall, the bird's feathers made the poor thing look two times its size. It's feathers stuck up like a tiny bramble bush. Shadow had said she looked like the bird, and she had swatted him with her tail. Walking up to the sad bird, he had murmured "Feather-Puff" under his breath. The nickname stuck somewhere in his brain, and Bird was now "Feather-Puff". Eventually, she started to like the name too.

The young tribe-cats talked until the sky turned dark. Worn out they fell asleep in their nests, thinking of anything but the upcoming ceremony.