Moonrise

Chapter 11

Stormfur crouched on a jutting spur of rock and looked down into the valley a couple of tail- lengths below. The sun was going down on the fourth day since he and his friends had come to the cave of the Tribe cats. Although the thought of what was happening in the forest hung over their heads like a swollen rain cloud, they had been unable to move on. Tawnypelt's shoulder was healing again, thanks to the herbs Stoneteller had given her, but it was still too stiff for her to walk.

Meanwhile, Stormfur was beginning to think he had gotten used to most of the Tribe's ways. After they returned from hunting, Stoneteller assigned them to mentors. Stormfur and Brambletuft were the only cave-guards, while everyone else were prey-hunters. Sheer Path was a great mentor, and probably the most patient cat he'd ever met. Stormfur found he liked being a cave-guard much more than hunting with the others, even Small Brook.

His ears pricked as he caught the faint sound of fluttering wings, and he peered down into the shadows. A bird had landed just below his group and was pecking at the ground. Instantly, a prey-hunter called Silver Creek sprang. Her claws sunk into the feathers and the bird's shrill call was silenced by Silver Creek breaking its neck.

"Great catch," Stormfur called down, following the other cave-guards to join Silver Creek.

Silver Creek turned to him, her green eyes glowing. "You as well, you're turning out to be a wonderful cave-guard."

Stormfur nodded his thanks to her, but Silver Creek's words made him slightly anxious; did she think he was getting too comfortable here? The other cave-guards seem to assume that Stormfur and his friends intended to stay with the Tribe for good.

When they reached the pool, Stormfur set down another catch for a brief rest before climbing the rocks and negotiating the ledge behind the waterfall. The sun had set and the peak was outlined against a sky the color of blood. Stormfur shivered, trying not to picture blood being shed back home in the forest. However happy he felt to be helping the Tribe, they had to move on as soon as they could.

But his mind flashed back to what happened the day prior.

He and his friends were calmly sharing fresh-kill, a few Tribe cats joining them, when the loudest sound Stormfur's ever heard erupted from the other side of the waterfall. Every Tribe cat stiffened, and Shadowed Wings quickly left Squirrelpaw's side to shove her kits into a small tunnel. The other Tribe cats circled the sides of the walls, their fur bristling and their claws extended. A few of the to-bes, Stone Tooth and Rising Sun, herded Squirrelpaw and the other apprentices as far back as they could, while cave-guards rushed over to stand protectively in front of the rest of the forest cats, effectively hiding them behind their massive bodies.

"What's going on?" Brambletuft demanded.

"No time," Sheer Path replied, his eyes fixed on the waterfall. "Danger is here."

"What danger?" Feathertail asked, pushing forward. "Sheer Path, please, what danger is here?"

Before the cave-guards could respond, a group of prey-hunters and a few cave-guards burst into the cave, prey dragging behind them but they all looked just as frightened as the others.

Stoneteller padded forward to meet the head prey-hunter. "Is everyone back?" he rasped.

Raven's Wing, a black she-cat, shook her head, her head hanging low. "It took Black Rabbit," she mewed.

Stoneteller dipped his head, and every Tribe cat followed.

Whatever happened, Stormfur was sure they were soon to meet what was frightening the Tribe cats and—killing them.