The Loner's Trial (A Shrouded Path book 2) {COMPLETE}

Chapter 12

 The days continued to pass and Minnow felt more at ease with her new life with each one. It felt strange, she realized, to no longer be wishing for the life she used to have, and the life she thought she'd been destined to live. After all, what Clan cat could ever imagine an existence beyond StarClan's reach? But ever since Minnow saved her friends from the fox, found purpose in teaching them to fight, and accidentally revealed her secret to Apollo, she began to feel like this was her life, and it was supposed to be that way. She spent her mornings training with the other cats, teaching them new and more advanced moves, challenging them as they challenged her. After training they would hunt together in the forest, and sometimes Minnow would hunt alone in the pond, still unable to coax the other cats into trying fish. They would play with Storm and Rose and lay lazily under the newleaf sun in the Twoleg garden. It was an easy, gentle life, and Minnow was grateful for it after so many moons of suffering and pain.

The one thing Minnow felt guilty about, though, was Flamepelt. As the days passed she thought of him less and less, and she wondered if she was forgetting him or simply learning to live without him. As she snoozed in the sun with her companions one day, she wondered for the first time if it had been selfish of her to move on from Flamepelt and RiverClan. StarClan had told her to do it, and she still felt a kernel of anger for it, but she couldn't help but feel like there was some way to end her curse, and that maybe she'd never actually had to leave the forest. She would probably never know.

Minnow was torn from her cozy rest as two small bodies crashed down on top of her, squealing with laughter. "Minnow! Minnow!" Storm called her name, pressing on her flank with his tiny paws. Purring, Minnow opened her eyes and sat up to face the two kits. They were nearly two moons old now, and they were full of life and energy, and Minnow knew without thinking that she loved them. They had already developed strong and independent personalities; Storm was outgoing and adventurous, and faster than Minnow knew a kit could be. Rose was playful but more laid-back, and she liked to find little places in the barn to hide in before jumping out and "attacking" the older cats. Minnow could see Jay watching from a couple tail-lengths away, whiskers twitching in amusement.

Rose had climbed onto Minnow's shoulders. "I want a ride!" she exclaimed. Unable to tell her no, Minnow gently got to her paws and carried the tortoiseshell she-kit around, wincing as her razor-sharp claws dug into Minnow's pelt. Storm followed, clambering clumsily around Minnow's paws.

"Watch out!" she warned him. As she said it, he tripped and tumbled head-over-tail in a whirl of gray fur. Immediately Jay was by his side, nosing the little tom to his paws. Storm seemed unbothered, though, and immediately bounded away to play elsewhere.

Jay rolled his eyes at Minnow. "Kits," he purred, and Minnow's whiskers twitched. Rose had laid her chin on top of Minnow's head, paws pushing down on her ears, purring. Minnow felt her breathing slow and knew the little she-kit was falling asleep. Minnow dipped down slowly and Jay wordlessly took Rose by the scruff, carrying her away to be with her mother. Smokey looked still and peaceful as she slept on the sun-warmed grass, tail twitching every few moments. Beyond her, Apollo lay sprawled out on his back, feet curled in the air like a kit. Minnow shook her head, amused. Oliver had gone to the Twoleg den shortly before sunhigh, and Minnow assumed he'd be back outside around sunset, like normal.

Because of the kit attack, Minnow was now wide awake, and she stretched, allowing her muscles to awaken. The warmth of newleaf felt like pure bliss on her pelt, and the pale gray speckles seemed to shine on her gray fur. "I think I'll go hunt," Minnow announced to Jay, who was struggling to get Storm to settle down with his sister.

"Bring me a bird!" Storm called excitedly to her, only to be silenced by a flick of his father's tail across his mouth. Jay nodded in acknowledgment to Minnow.