Dawn

Chapter 24

Squirrelpaw hurried after Stormfur along a rocky trail that several days ago had been buried beneath a tail-length of snow. He seemed determined to cross most of the mountains in search of prey, especially since many of the other Clan cats were getting too comfortable and not hunting as much. The rocks echoed with the drip, drip, drip of melting ice. Even the deepest snowdrifts were thawing. Dark gray rainclouds rolled toward the mountains, carried on a milder wing that was releasing the peaks from the grip of snow and ice.

Not for the first time, Squirrelpaw wondered why Stormfur asked her of all cats to go hunting with him, when they should be convincing the Clans to leave. ShadowClan and RiverClan especially were acting like the cave was now their home, and were barely helping out with even bedding. Squirrelpaw heard the murmurs of the Tribe cats, and many had approached her with their grievances with the cats, and she unfortunately had to defend them.

"Why isn't Small Brook coming hunting with us?" she panted. The prey-hunter had seemed like Stormfur's second shadow since they came back.

Stormfur concentrated on jumping onto a boulder, and didn't reply.

"Have you had an argument with her?" The RiverClan warrior was clearly troubled by something. His shoulders were hunched, and he had hardly spoken a word since they left the cave. She scrabbled awkwardly onto the boulder next to him, her mind racing. Had Stormfur asked Small Brook to join the Clans, and travel with them to their new home? The thought made Squirrelpaw's tail quiver. It wouldn't be the first time an outsider had joined the Clans. Her own mother was born outside the Clan. But at least Skystar had been born near the forest. Small Brook was a mountain cat, and Squirrelpaw knew that wherever the Clans settled, she would never be happy giving up everything she knew.

She spotted a mouse on the ridge ahead, tiptoeing out from a crevice to find food. She hissed a warning to Stormfur, who stopped and crouched down, waiting until the mouse had wandered farther onto the trail. Though she longed to make the catch, Squirrelpaw had forgotten to spread mud over herself, and Stormfur's pelt made him much more camouflaged. She pressed her dark ginger belly as close to the ground as she could, hoping that stillness would keep her hidden.

Stormfur held still for another moment, then pounced. He snapped the mouse's spine and turned back to face Squirrelpaw, the fresh-kill hanging in his jaws.

"Is that a parting gift for Small Brook?" Squirrelpaw prompted gently.

Stormfur blinked.

"Look, what's wrong?" Squirrelpaw asked, unable to bear seeing her friend so troubled.

Stormfur dropped the mouse, suddenly looking exhausted. When he lifted his head, his eyes were shadowed with uncertainty. "I've decided to stay with the Tribe."

"What?"

"I'm losing Feathertail, I've already lost Graystripe, and I never knew Silverstream. I have no other kin left in the Clans. Even my mentor, Stonefur, is dead. Apart from Feathertail, he was the closest thing to kin that I had in RiverClan. I don't even have a home anymore. It feels as though everything has been stolen from me, one thing after another."

"What about Willowpelt? She's your kin, and you still have Feathertail," Squirrelpaw protested.

Stormfur shook his head. "I've never spoken to Willowpelt since we sheltered with ThunderClan, and I could never be happy there. You didn't know this, but Feathertail and I got into an argument during our first journey. She hates RiverClan, you see, because of what they did to us. She said that she was going to join ThunderClan once the Clans were settled, but I knew I couldn't follow. And I can't live in a Clan that I have no kin in."