A/N - Thanks so much to the kind reviewers on this story! I get very anxious looking at comments on my work, so your encouraging words give me the confidence to keep going. :)
I'm uploading another two chapters again today to catch up to what's already been written, but updates will be a bit slower after this. Don't worry, I still have a bit of a buffer. I'll try to stick to a schedule of two new chapters a week.
Frostfur strode confidently through RiverClan's territory now, almost enjoying the swishing of reeds around her. It had been three more sunrises since the Clans had abandoned the forest, searching for a new home beyond the mountains. Thankfully the snow from a few days ago had melted quickly. Despite the harsh leafbare, Frostfur felt better fed than she had been in moons. Shadepelt had been right; it was much easier to find enough food for just the four of them, when they didn't have to share with a Clan.
Scenting the air, Frostfur picked up the scent of a rabbit up ahead. Though her mouth watered at the thought of tasting rabbit, she forced herself to turn away in the other direction. Even in RiverClan territory, she wouldn't risk eating rabbit. Not after watching what the last rabbit had done to poor Dappletail.
Her paws were taking her back towards Sunningrocks, though she was sure she wouldn't find anything there. She just longed to look over at the familiar mounds of rock again. As she slunk carefully through the reeds towards the frozen river, the deafening roar of the monsters seemed closer than ever. Icy fear gripped her like a claw as Frostfur forced herself to creep forward and peer out across the river.
A strangled cry left her at the sight she found there. Sunningrocks was crawling with Twolegs, waving their paws and shouting to each other. A huge monster – larger than anything Frostfur had ever seen – was crushing the rocks with one huge claw extended from a long limb. As she watched, it scooped up one of the largest rocks and smashed it into pebbles as if it was nothing.
Frostfur stayed where she was, frozen with terror and grief while she watched the Twolegs destroy the last safe haven ThunderClan had known in their own territory. When she came to her senses she realized several Twolegs were lumbering right towards her across the frozen river. They were calling to each other and hadn't seen her yet, but Frostfur didn't stick around to see what they were up to.
Summoning up every last bit of her courage, she turned and bolted back towards the RiverClan camp. Luckily much of her strength had returned to her in the past few days of hunting, and her paws carried her quickly over the now-familiar paths back to camp.
When she burst into the camp she was relieved to find Speckletail there already, back from her hunt with Shadepelt. The tabby queen looked up in alarm when Frostfur raced over.
"What's the matter, Frostfur?" she asked, getting to her paws with her fur prickling. "You look as though you've seen a horde of badgers!"
Frostfur shook her head, trying to find the words for what she had just seen. "T-Twolegs," she stammered out finally. "At Sunningrocks… They were crushing the rocks into dust."
Speckletail's eyes went wide with terror and she looked around as if she expected the Twolegs to burst through the reed walls of the camp right then. Thankfully, the distant rumbling and the stench hadn't reached this far yet.
Shadepelt pushed past her to face Frostfur. "If they're destroying Sunningrocks, have they crossed the river yet?"
Frostfur nodded. "A few of them walked across the river, though they weren't in monsters. But it's only a matter of time."
Shadepelt closed her eyes for a long moment, as if she was grieving for the long-disputed territory by the river. When she opened them there was a clear resolve in their dark green depths.
"We'll have to think about leaving," she said grimly. "When Loudbelly comes back from hunting, we'll have to discuss where else we can go."
"We can't leave!" Speckletail protested sharply. "We're too frail to follow after the Clans. We'd die long before we catch up with them!"
"We don't have to go far," Frostfur said, suddenly having an idea. "There's the old barn at the edge of WindClan's territory, where Barley and Ravenpaw live. We could see if they have room for us there."
Shadepelt nodded in agreement. Most cats in the Clans knew of the barn where the loner Barley and the former ThunderClan tom Ravenpaw lived. The loners had helped the Clans many times on trips to and from Highstones. Frostfur doubted Ravenpaw would turn away two of his own Clan… Especially when Frostfur and Ravenpaw were related by blood; he had been from a younger litter along with Dustpelt.
The three she-cats looked around when Loudbelly strode in, carrying a squirrel and two mice by their tails. It was the best catch any of them had gotten since the Clans left, and Frostfur hoped he would share.
Shadepelt bounded over to him as he dropped the prey on their small fresh-kill pile. "Frostfur's brought terrible news. The Twolegs are destroying Sunningrocks, and it looks like they'll be crossing the river into our territory soon."
Loudbelly furrowed his brow with worry, turning his gaze to Frostfur. "Is this true?"
Frostfur nodded gravely. Next to her Speckletail shivered, and she pressed against her reassuringly. Whatever happened, where ever they went, Frostfur would make sure Speckletail was safe.
"If the Twolegs are crossing the river, soon it won't be safe even here." Loudbelly sighed, rubbing a paw over his tired eyes. "We'll have to find somewhere else to spend leaf-bare, or we won't last."
"Frostfur had a good idea," Shadepelt said, turning towards the white queen, her eyes shining. "Go ahead and tell him."
Though she didn't mention it, Frostfur appreciated the RiverClan cat letting her explain the idea herself. "I thought we could go to the Twoleg barn at the edge of WindClan's territory," When Loudbelly tilted his head to the side curiously she went on, "Two loners live there, Barley and Ravenpaw. Ravenpaw used to be ThunderClan, so he'll probably take us in."
She glanced at Speckletail and added, "Besides, he's… He's my younger brother, actually. I think he'd let us stay, at least for a bit."
Loudbelly nodded slowly. "It's the best chance we've got, it seems," he growled reluctantly. "I haven't been to the barn, but I heard Leopardstar mention the loners after she received her nine lives. We'll head there tomorrow morning."
"Tomorrow?" Speckletail groaned, digging her claws into the frozen earth. "But the barn is still at least a half-day's journey from here, through WindClan territory. Are we strong enough to make it that far?"
Frostfur pressed her muzzle against Speckletail's cheek reassuringly. "We'll have to be. We can't stay here much longer."
Even as she said it, a distant crash reached the camp. It was the same sound Frostfur had heard from ThunderClan's camp before they had retreated to Sunningrocks; the sound of a falling tree. Though the growl of the monsters was still too far away, the sound of the first tree falling in RiverClan territory had seemed to vibrate through the earth straight to the camp.
"Dawn tomorrow," Loudbelly decided after a few moment's silence. "Everyone eat as much as you can tonight. We'll need all our strength to make it through WindClan's territory."
The sky was barely beginning to lighten when Frostfur slipped out of the nursery into the freezing morning air. Her breath billowed in clouds around her muzzle as she strained her ears for the sounds of distant monsters. Thankfully the forest was quiet for now. The monsters usually slept at night, and they must not have awoken yet. They would have to get moving before the Twolegs woke them up.
Shadepelt pushed her way out of the nursery after her, opening her jaws in a wide yawn. She nodded to Frostfur and padded across the clearing to where they had left a blackbird and a squirrel overnight. Frostfur followed her slowly, stretching her aching limbs as she moved.
"Wanna share?" Shadepelt offered, pushing the squirrel towards her. It was stiff and frozen from being out all night, but at least the cold had kept it from beginning to rot. Nodding wordlessly, Frostfur settled down and started gnawing at the frozen squirrel.
Speckletail and Loudbelly joined them before too long, sharing the blackbird between them while Shadepelt finished off the last of the squirrel. When they finished Loudbelly stood and padded towards the camp's exit, signaling with his tail for the others to follow.
Who put him in charge? Frostfur thought irritably, though she didn't have the energy to argue right now. She needed to save it for the trek across the moorlands. Nudging Speckletail to her paws, they followed after the RiverClan cats, walking with their pelts brushing.
When they reached the WindClan border, the stench of Twolegs was nearly overpowering. Frostfur could hear them rumbling over the moorland, and remembered with a jolt of panic that WindClan had seemed the most affected by the Twoleg activity. Would they have to dodge around monsters out on the moors?
"Come on, we can't delay," Loudbelly grunted, pushing ahead and leading the way up the first hills that led into WindClan territory.
As soon as they crested the first hill, they stopped to look in dismay at what the moors had become. The monsters had torn through most of the territory, churning up the ground and destroying the undergrowth. The mud had frozen into jagged tracks across the land, and huge yellow monsters crouched here and there as if stalking prey.
Frostfur squinted at the monsters nervously, waiting to see what they would do. "I don't think they've woken up yet," she whispered to the others. The sun was just beginning to rise over Highstones, so maybe they had a bit more time before the Twolegs went back to work.
Loudbelly nodded. "We'll have to hurry though. And tread carefully. We don't want to wake them up."
He led the way again down the slope and onto the ravaged ground churned by huge paws. Even trying to hurry, they had to set their pace to match Speckletail. Frostfur walked in step with her, pressing against the older queen whenever she stumbled. If it was any other cat, Speckletail would have insisted she could take care of herself. But she stayed quiet and leaned gratefully against Frostfur's warm body.
Shadepelt gave a jolt of surprise ahead of them as one of the monsters behind them rumbled to life. A Twoleg stepped out from behind another up ahead, waving with his forepaws to several others as they climbed into the monsters. The cats had run out of time. All around them the monsters were waking up, surrounding them menacingly.
"Run!" Loudbelly screeched. Instantly he and Shadepelt shot ahead, racing towards the distant Highstones.
Panic welling inside her, Frostfur shoved Speckletail forward, willing her not to stumble now. Around them the monsters were starting to move, though they didn't seem to have spotted the two cats yet. Frostfur knew her white pelt must stick out against the churned brown mud though, so it was only a matter of time before the Twolegs saw her.
They jogged awkwardly across the uneven earth. Every moment Frostfur was sure they would be caught. She longed to bolt after the RiverClan cats, but she couldn't bear to leave Speckletail behind. She nudged the tabby queen again, willing her to move faster.
Just then, a Twoleg yowl sounded from right behind her and a shadow fell over her and Speckletail. Glancing over her shoulder, Frostfur saw it lumbering towards them with its paws outstretched.
"Keep going, I'll distract it!" Frostfur growled, shoving Speckletail onward while she turned to snarl at the Twoleg.
Speckletail hesitated, her amber eyes wild with fear. "But—"
"GO!" Frostfur gave her another hard shove and she broke into a limping run, hurrying along after the RiverClan cats.
Turning back to the Twoleg, Frostfur pulled her lips back in a menacing hiss, lashing out with one front paw. It flinched back from her and growled something at her. When it reached for her again Frostfur darted forward, slipping through its hind legs and lashing out at its ankles as she did. Her claws caught in its loose pelt and she felt one tear, but she kept running, looking back to make sure it was chasing her and not Speckletail.
Sure enough, the Twoleg was stomping after her, howling angrily to the others. Another Twoleg jumped off a monster and landed heavily in front of her. Though she tried to swerve away, it grasped her by the scruff and pulled her roughly into the air.
"Fox-hearted scum!" Frostfur shrieked, flailing wildly with her paws off the ground. She twisted around and bit into the Twoleg's paw as hard as she could, forcing herself not to let go when she tasted blood. The Twoleg yowled in fury and released her scruff, letting her fall heavily back onto her paws. Two more stood in front of her, snarling furiously and closing in on her.
But Frostfur was far too fast for the lumbering oafs. She darted between them again, spitting curses over her shoulder as she raced towards Highstones. She dodged nimbly around another Twoleg and a huge monster, adrenaline coursing through her veins and giving her the strength to run as fast as a WindClan cat.
She didn't allow herself to slow down until she had left the moors behind and crossed into the soft fields beyond WindClan's territory. Relief flooded her body when she saw Speckletail waiting for her there, her sides heaving as she sat next to Shadepelt and Loudbelly.
"You made it!" Shadepelt exclaimed, bounding forward to press her muzzle against Frostfur's cheek in an unexpected show of affection. "Thank StarClan, I was sure the Twolegs must have caught you!"
Frostfur nodded breathlessly, sinking down onto her belly to catch her breath. She noticed after a moment that Speckletail was glaring at her.
"That was a mouse-brained thing to do," she growled, moving to sit next to Frostfur and start grooming her ears. "You could have been killed! And for what, for my old bones? You should have left me behind."
"Never," Frostfur panted, fixing the older she-cat with stubborn blue eyes. "I could never leave you behind."
Speckletail held her gaze for a while longer before her amber eyes softened and she nuzzled against Frostfur lovingly. "I'm so glad you're safe," she murmured, not loud enough for the other cats to hear.
"We shouldn't dawdle here," Loudbelly said gruffly, getting to his paws again. "It isn't much further to the barn, but I want to get there before sundown."
Speckletail helped Frostfur to her paws, pressing against her to steady her. Now that the adrenaline and panic had faded, Frostfur's limbs ached from the run. Her claw was bleeding where she had snagged it on the Twoleg's pelt, causing her to limp heavily. Still she plodded on after the others, letting Speckletail support her this time.
The sun was high in the sky now, hidden behind a few wisps of clouds here and there. The four cats had to travel much slower though; they were all exhausted from the mad dash across the moors. Frostfur strained her nose, hoping to pick up the scent of Ravenpaw, but there was nothing familiar here.
She did scent mouse though, and the four stopped to hunt for a moment. Frostfur left Speckletail in a sheltered shrub to rest with Loudbelly while she and Shadepelt spread out to search for prey. It wasn't long before Frostfur managed to get her claws into a mouse, much fatter here than it had been in ThunderClan's territory. And she could hear more rustlings of prey around her.
As she scraped dirt over the mouse to save for later, she picked up the scent of another cat and bristled instinctively. Whipping around, she saw the grass ahead part to reveal a slender black tom with glowing amber eyes.
"Frostfur?" the tom gasped, looking bewildered. "What are you doing here?"
"Ravenpaw!" Frostfur's hackles relaxed immediately as she recognized the younger cat. He looked much different than the last time she had seen him. Back then he had been scrawny and nervous. Nothing like the sleek, well-developed tom that stood before her now.
Ravenpaw examined her closely, taking in her ragged white pelt and the dried blood on her paw from her torn claw. "What in StarClan's name are you doing here?" he repeated. "The Clans left days ago!"
Frostfur shook her head. "Speckletail and I stayed behind," she explained. "We're too old to make the journey. There's two other elders with us, Loudbelly and Shadepelt of RiverClan."
The tom furrowed his brow anxiously. "I hope you weren't living with all that since the Clans left," he mewed, pointing with his muzzle back towards the moors. Frostfur knew he must be referring to the Twoleg destruction in WindClan's old territory.
"We were staying in RiverClan's camp until now. But the Twolegs have started destroying the forest there, too. They dried up the river as well."
Ravenpaw nodded in understanding. "Where are the others with you? I should take you all back to the barn to rest. You look like you haven't slept in moons."
Frostfur went to round up the others, and together they plodded on towards the Twoleg barn where Barley and Ravenpaw lived. Barley met them as they approached, looking apprehensive at the sight of more cats.
"I thought the Clans had already left?" the black and white loner mewed, looking over the ragged elders.
"These four stayed behind," Ravenpaw explained, flicking his white tail tip towards the elders. "They're too old to travel with the Clans, so they stayed here."
"But the Twolegs are destroying the last bit of the forest that was safe," Loudbelly shouldered his way forward to incline his head respectfully to Barley. "Might we stay with you, at least for a while?"
Barley still looked uncertain, but he mewed, "Of course, the barn's always got plenty of mice. As long as you stay out of sight when the Twolegs come to get hay for the cows, you can stay as long as you like."
"Thank you so much Barley, and Ravenpaw," Frostfur sighed, relief flooding her body. She followed Ravenpaw and the others into the barn where the loners made their home.
Inside the barn it was dim but much warmer than outside. All around the soft sounds and scents of mice scuffling through the hay made her mouth water. It was the perfect place for the four to stay and regain their strength. Plenty of food and warm, sweet hay to sleep in.
Murmuring their thanks to Ravenpaw and Barley again, the four elders split up to hunt until their bellies were full. Frostfur curled up in a nest of hay towards the back of the barn with Speckletail, feeling well-fed and comfortable for the first time in moons. The chilling wind couldn't reach them here, and even after hunting the barn still seemed full of the soft sounds of mice.
They would be safe here, at least for a while. As she drifted off to sleep with Speckletail's scent mingling with the smell of hay, Frostfur felt herself relaxing for the first time in what felt like ages.