Morning Clouds

Chapter 20

"Are we going out today?" Echo asked, bouncing on the tips of her paws and hoping with all her heart for a yes.

"Yes, in fact, we are," Slash rumbled, making her heart soar with happiness. "There's something I need to show you."

Curiosity started to grow alongside Echo's giddiness, and she leaned forward eagerly, ears pricked. Is it the cat in the willow tree? I hope it is. Then I can finally ask about it. The secret had been gnawing at her, but she knew she couldn't tell anyone, even Lightning. Though she might have to spill later if this went on much longer.

Slash made no intention of telling her what he was going to show her, though, just flicking her tail for her to follow him and leaving camp. Echo followed, her green eyes bright with curiosity and ears pricked.

He led her far away from camp, to a small clearing, but not the one with the willows. A small stream bubbled through it and birds chirped brightly in the trees, chatting with each other as they flew around in the warm morning sunlight. Echo stretched, her dark gray pelt warm as she waited for Slash's instructions.

Slash flicked his tail toward a tall, old, and sturdy tree. "I have a special assignment for you," he began, "But you'll be alone for a while. Can you handle that?"

Echo nodded eagerly, eyes wide with anticipation and curiosity. "Yes!" Her voice came out breathless.

The hint of an amused smile appeared on Slash's face. "Very well. I need you to climb up that tree to the spot where the white flower blooms on the edge of a sturdy fork. You need to watch and tell me what you see when I come back." He looked at the sun, which was just starting its journey across the sky. "I'll be back just after the sun is a quarter way across the sky."

Echo blinked and nodded, taking in all the information with wide green eyes. "Okay!"

"Good. Go at it." Slash nodded at the tree.

Echo took a deep breath and scrambled up it, remembering everything Slash had taught her about tree-climbing and her games with Lightning and Bamboo, who particularly liked to send the kits up "trees" (aka piles of leaves and sticks). In no time she reached the spot that Slash had described and settled comfortably into it, peering down. It was pretty sturdy and large, so it probably wouldn't break under her weight, and shaded by leaves so the sun wouldn't get too hot. But there was one thing about it – the leaves that shaded her pelt from the sun also blocked her from most ground views, so if she was in trouble other cats might not be able to see her. And she might scare them. But she hadn't really seen other cats, so they probably wouldn't come this way, right?

After a while Slash cleared his throat and Echo jumped. She'd forgotten he was there. She had just been basking in the sun that filtered through the leaves and listening to the pretty melodies of the birdsong.

"I have to go now," he meowed. "I'll be back." And then he was gone, the bushes swallowing him up, the sound of his paw steps overlapped by the bubbling of the stream.

For a while longer Echo sat there, enjoying the feel of the sun on her fur and how the leaves kept it getting too hot as the day went on and grew hotter. A couple times she considered climbing down to the creek and getting a drink, but she didn't want to disobey Slash or miss something. This stopped her the first two three times.

The fourth time, she had almost convinced herself that Slash would understand if he caught her. She was almost ready to start climbing down when she heard pawsteps and voices, and froze.

"They came this way," declared one voice, a male one, and not one Echo knew. "I'm sure of it."

"Well I'm not, Hazel Burrow," another voice answered. "They could have gone this way."