Tears filled my eyes as I watched the last of the cats file out of the RiverClan camp. I fought the urge to run out and leave with them. If I didn't, I knew I would never see these cats again.
I would miss my clan. Their encouraging comments and gentle teasing, the warmth of their pelts in leaf-bare…I would miss it all. Especially the kits. I loved the kits.
I could have made it. I was still young for an elder. But Speckletail couldn't have managed the journey to a new home and someone had to stay with her. I was never one for abandoning cats in times of need.
"I'll miss them too, Frostfur." Shadepelt had padded up to sit beside me. "But at least we will have each other in our last moons."
Shadepelt was a RiverClan elder that I knew well. She and I had been apprentices at the same time. Those were the days. Gatherings, hunting with friends, training with Bluestar…I sighed as I remembered the forest free of twolegs. Every thing went wrong after Tigerstar was born. Before that, the only major events in the clan were border disputes over stolen prey. Nothing too serious. But after that, Pinestar left, Goosefeather went mad, Bluefur's kits died, the fire ravaged our territory, the dog pack attacked, Bluestar died, BloodClan attacked, and the twolegs came.
Shadepelt and I sat there a long time. We were so lost in thought that when my stomach growled, we both jumped.
"Goodness Frostfur! You sound hungry!" Shadepelt's whiskers twitched with amusement.
"Yeah I am. Should we hunt? Where's the best place to find prey?"
"The river. Come on, I'll teach you how to fish."
"Okay. Let me just tell the others." I bounded into Mudfur's den to find Speckletail and Loudbelly asleep at vigil for him.
Poor Mudfur. I pressed my nose into his fur. It was still warm. Wait…that wasn't right. He had been dead by dawn and it was sunhigh. His fur should be cold by now.
I bristled in shock as I saw the faint rise and fall of his chest. It grew stronger and stronger until he stirred and blinked open his eyes. I gasped.
Mudfur was alive!
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