Morning Clouds

Chapter 19

Hail Breeze began to shake. Oh no, no, no! Panic flooded him.

Sun Song's scent flooded his nose, even though she was nowhere nearby. The hole was drenched in it – she must have been using it often.

But why?

She'd been sneaking out of camp?!

Hail Breeze's head swirled with panic. That's why she was never there! Is it our fault? Is she avoiding us? Is she hurt? Is she-

"Wh-why would she do that?!" Rising Moon whispered, her eyes huge.

Golden Streaks blinked her shocked, large eyes. "I... I don't know."

He shook his head. "Why?" His voice, meant to come out as simply shocked, emerged as a desperate, terrified whisper.

Dark Stream pressed her shoulder comfortingly against his, but he hardly felt it. "Don't worry," she murmured, swishing her tail quietly. "We'll wait here until she comes back and figure it out. She'll be fine. We'll help her."

Hail Breeze nodded numbly, wishing he could believe her.

This... I just... I don't know. Why?

//-//

Jade trekked through the forest, relaxed, but kept her ears pricked warily. She let her thick tail swish comfortably on the forest floor, a small, polite smile gracing her face. She twitched her ears slightly as a bird chirped over her head, but made no move to catch it, just went on her way.

The silver bell on her dark green collar rung joyfully and Jade winced slightly. But a gray tabby head poked out of a gap between the gnarled roots of a seasons-old willow tree, and Jade forgot her anxiety, bounding over to the cat. "Small Bird! Where are the kits?" she purred, slightly breathless.

To her surprise, Small Bird's ears flicked warily and her eyes flashed with panic before answering. "They're inside."

Jade tipped her head to the side. "Are you okay?"

Small Bird bobbed her head and her tail could be heard swishing against the ground in the den.

Jade frowned. "O-okay. Are you ready for me to take them?"

Small Bird nodded quickly again, ducking into the den and nudging out two small kits. Jade's sense of worry and doubt was lifted off her shoulders at the sight of them. "Cloud! Lemon!"

"Jade!" The white she-kit purred, leaping forward and stumbling at Jade's much-larger gray forepaws.

The tom-kit padded forward more slowly, but his eyes shone with the same delight as the white kit's. "Hi, Jade!"

"Hello," Jade purred, nuzzling each of them in turn.

"Can we see your den today?" Cloud asked eagerly.

Jade shook her head. "No, not yet. Let's go to the Moss Tree."

"But we've been there tons of times before!" Cloud complained, dragging her paws. "I want to see Twolegplace!"

Lemon nodded, though his eyes carried a touch of uncertainty.

Jade swished her tail, briskly turning away in the direction of the Moss Tree. "Another time. Come on, let's go."

"You always say that!" Cloud complained, but she and her brother followed.

As they walked, Jade wondered if she should be taking them to see Twolegplace. After all, they were almost three moons old. And with a kittypet taking care of them, they should see where she lived and what kind of life she led.