The Beginnings (Book II)

V

Stormstar met Jay's gaze, his paws prickling with anticipation. Crickets chirped in the distance, and the moorland heather shone silver in the moonlight.

The kittypet's eyes betrayed nothing but warmth, and enthusiasm seemed to ripple through his pelt. "There's no need to keep any secrets," he insisted. "I'm here to make allies, Stormstar – and the best way to do that is to be honest."

Stormstar gave the kittypet a nod, stooping to lap at a tuft of fur on his chest. "A good outlook," he agreed.

Jay seemed eager to move, hopping energetically from one paw to another. "If you trust me," he mewed, "I would like to show you my home."

Stormstar froze, feeling his pelt rise along his spine. The moorland grass tickled his belly fur, reminding him of the situation at paw. "...You mean... the twolegplace?" Suddenly, he felt ill. A long, impenetrable brown fence surrounded the twoleg camp, and their nests loomed menacingly behind it. With a start, Stormstar noticed that not a single light shone from its depths. It seems... quiet.

Jay blinked back at him. "Stormstar," he mewed tenderly, "I've trusted you. I'm here, on your moor."

Stormstar looked away, but Jay pressed on.

"You've done horrible things," he mewed bluntly.

Stormstar felt heat rise in his chest. "How would you know?" He snarled back. Why do you know so much about us, kittypet?

Jay's eyes widened. "I-I see it," he mewed quickly. "I see it in the scars on your flank. The lack of color in your eyes." Growing soft, he added, "Your muzzle is graying, but you're young."

Stormstar huffed, his skin burning with embarrassment. He lifted a paw, briefly covering his muzzle. Is it?

"Something keeps you up at night," Jay continued. "What I'm offering you is the opportunity to make things right, but to do that, you need to trust me. As I have trusted you."

Stormstar lowered his paw, scraping at the dirt beneath him. He glanced up at the moon, his eyes drifting from one star to another. If StarClan will ever take me, he mused, I'll need to make changes. "...I trust you," he breathed at last.

"That's the right choice," Jay mewed resolutely. Flicking his tail, he rose to his paws, beckoning for the WindClan leader to follow him. "It's not too far," he mewed breezily. He paused, checking over his shoulder to make sure that his warrior companion was behind him.

Stormstar was on his heels. His heart was pounding with anticipation, and unease was worming into his stomach with every pawstep. He could see the twolegplace fence, tall and dark, grew nearer and nearer. At long last, he saw Jay bunching his muscles, before leaping nimbly onto its wooden surface. Stormstar could taste bile rising in his throat. Something is wrong.

"Come." Jay was staring at him with gentle eyes. "There's nobody here except for me."

Stormstar grimaced. "I'm not scared," he mewed defensively. He braced himself, before jumping up after him, scrabbling onto the fence.

Stormstar squinted. Nothing but darkness lay in the twolegplace beyond, and aside from the distant chirping of crickets, not a sound came from the neatly arranged twoleg nests. He felt Jay's pelt brushing his.

"Here it is," the kittypet murmured. "Home."

"Home?" Stormstar fought the urge to wrinkle his nose. "Where is everyone?" Even when the sun falls, twolegs are still... loud.

It seemed as though Jay was unable to answer for a few heartbeats. Stormstar scanned the thunderpath that sliced the twolegplace in half, catching sight of two burly green monsters. Rubbish littered the stony ground, and the flaps which marked nest entrances laid open.