Wind

Chapter 4

      The C.U.C. left at sunrise, wanting to have as many hours of sunlight as possible. Rising Wind was worried that they would not have a lot of time to travel very far. "Don't worry," Wild Flame meowed. "I'll protect you."

      "I don't need protecting, Wild Flame. I'm a guard, remember? Stellar Moon's second-in-command? Hello?" Rising Moon grumbled. Wild Flame mrrowed in amusement. "Yes, Very funny Wild Flame," she muttered. Moon poked her brother with a sheathed paw, and Wild Flame poked back. Rising Moon giggled silently for a few feet, but turned serious again when Tame Fire reported news.

      "Everything is fine. I have started to teach the others to fight, which they are excelling in. Flowing River and Prowling Tiger have caught enough food to last a whole day. Shall we settle in this cave tonight?" he questioned.

      "Yes, we will." Rising Moon quickly decided. While Rising Moon was silently worrying, a voice squeaked from the entrance, "Rising Moon? Could we join the Clan of United Cats? Please, we'll be very helpful." Moon turned around and saw Fallen Rain and Tame Gust, the two oldest kits.

      "You may. You both cast your votes to leave, correct?" the kits nodded. "Then you have the right to be here. Welcome." The kits squealed with excitement and ran inside. Rising Moon smiled in amusement at the excitement and energy the kits had. They would be good hunters... no.. guards! Moon thought. They would be great at both! In the C.U.C., we will be warriors, or hunters/guards. Trainees will be called apprentices, and I will rule my own group.

~

      Four days later, the C.U.C. reached the end of the mountains. "We made it!" yelled Tame Gust.

      "I'm so excited!" Fallen Rain ran over to the grass. "The grass is so soft! And look! There's moss!" The kits were going crazy over all of the lush and new scenery. Tame Fire flashed Moon an amused look saying, We could have kits like them.

      In your dreams. She shot the face back at him. "All right, C.U.C." Rising Wind said out loud. "Let's stop here to practice our new hunting and fighting styles. Each of you pair up, and I'll take care of the kits." her clan nodded and got to work.

      "Come on, Fallen Rain and Tame Gust!" She called. "We're going to work on your hunting crouch!" The kits came running over and sat down patiently.

      "This," Rising Moon instructed, going into a crouch, "is called a hunter's crouch. You slide out your claws as you pounce on your prey, like this." she demonstrated by clawing moss. The kits looked amazed when Rising Moon told them she could teach hunting and fighting to them. "Can you really train us?" Fallen Rain asked uncertainly.

      "Yes." Rising Moon said with confidence. Rising Moon trained the kits until sundown, which was their bedtime. By that time, all of the cats were very tired. They all plopped into their makeshift nests and fell fast asleep, with Wild Fire on guard.

~

      It had been a few days since the hunting lesson, and Rising Wind was sure the C.U.C. had reached their destination, their new home. To the left was a forest filled with trees of all sorts: redwood, pine, and oak. To the right was a moor, dry and covered in heather. Far ahead of the group was a lake with a large piece of land in the middle. As far as she could see, it had a lot of vegetation such as ferns and trees. The C.U.C. were standing in a grassy valley filled with flowers. A mysterious cave stood on a cliff a few yards away.

      Finally, they could stop traveling. The only thing now was to get settled in one of the four sections of the land.