Chapter 1
Snowstorm padded over to a high rock ledge where she could see everyone on the stone floor of the cave. Snowstorm saw Sunpool looking around the cave, trying to get a good look of it. Snowstorm also spotted Desertwonder dozing in a crevice that was in the rock wall of the cave. Snowstorm searched the ground for Leaffall, but there was no sign of her. Snowstorm leaped down from her ledge and padded through a hole in the stone wall which led to a tunnel. Leaffall's scent lingered in the air. Snowstorm followed the scent down the tunnel, past a corner and then turned to another cave. This one was smaller than the ones that she had seen so far and the entrance was higher up. Snowstorm jumped up to the ledge and hung on with her claws digging into a rough stone. Snowstorm got a good hold on the hole and heaved herself to the hole and leaped down toward the sandy ground on the other side. Leaffall's scent was very strong in the small cave, it was pointing her in the direction of a crevice. Snowstorm heard a soft murmur coming from the crevice so she got close enough to hear it.
"What is happening? Orangetail! Orangetail, behind you! NO!" Leaffall then tumbled out of the crevice and landed ungracefully on the ground. Leaffall's eyes opened, clouded. Snowstorm padded over to Leaffall cautiously.
"Are you ok, Leaffall?" Snowstorm asked. Leaffall looked up at her with surprise. Then she got to her paws, which only buckled and made her fall to the sand covered floor. Leaffall got up and again and steadied herself before speaking.
"How long have you been standing there?" Leaffall asked, looking down at her paws nervously.
"A little while... If you don't mind my asking, who is Orangetail?" Snowstorm asked curiosity shining in her eyes. Leaffall looked up and met her gaze.
"He's my father..." Leaffall replied longingly. Leaffall's eyes clouded again and her gaze drifted to sites beyond Snowstorm. Snowstorm knew the feeling. Snowstorm lay her tail tip on Leaffall's tail, trying to sooth her grief.
"It's going to be fine." Snowstorm murmured into Leaffall's ear. "It's gonna be alright. Don't worry." Leaffall shivered.
"Snowstorm?" Snowstorm turned towards Leaffall.
"What?" She asked.
"Do you remember your mother?" Leaffall asked. Snowstorm shook her head.
"No. The first time I ever saw her was when we visited the moon cave..." Snowstorm trailed off.
"Oh." Leaffall did not bring up the topic again. Snowstorm glanced Leaffall's direction every once in a while to check up on her. When the quiet was too much to bear Snowstorm finally spoke.
"Why did you ask me that?" She asked. Leaffall stopped walking and looked into her eyes. Leaffall's eyes were searching her own. "I was just wondering, Leaffall." Snowstorm said.
"Ok." Leaffall kept walking.
"Are you going to answer my question?" Snowstorm asked.
"Oh. I was just wondering." Before Leaffall could walk away Snowstorm blocked her path.
"Why?" Leaffall looked down and heaved a long sigh.
"I noticed that all of us never got to meet one of our parents... I never got to meet my father... You never got to meet your mother... Sunpool never got to meet his father... and Desertwonder never got to meet his mother. Haven't you notice that, Snowstorm?" Snowstorm stayed silent. She hadn't actually.
"Also. We all lost someone before we left to go on this journey... I lost my sister. You lost your father, even though that was beforehand. Sunpool never knew what happened to his sister, but I have a feeling she's dead. And Desertwonder lost his brother." Snowstorm blinked.
"We have so many connections to one another..." Leaffall trailed off. Snowstorm sat down, thinking about what Leaffall had said. We are alike in many ways, but we are also different in many ways. All we have to do now is find out how many more ties lay hidden.