Chapter 13

The tom was actually more interesting than Willowcloud had thought. His story made her feel sorry for him as he told her of how he was forced to live on his own at a young age. He'd fled from his nest when a group of rogues had taken over Twolegplace. He kept running until he reached the forest. There he was turned down by all of the Clans, except for LeafClan. The tom had been reluctant to seek LeafClan's help after he was turned down by PebbleClan and DuskClan. He spent the rest of his time hunting in the fields or by the Twoleg nest that stood out in the middle of the fields. He only met her because he was checking out the river.

"You've lived for this long without a name?" Willowcloud asked. She was shocked that he'd managed to survive this long on his own. When the tom shrugged, she took an intake of breath. "Maybe. . .maybe I can give you a name. It'll be easier for me to find you if I need to."

The tom stared at her in surprise. "No one has ever suggested such a thing," he admitted sheepishly. "The rogues that chased me out only called me a mangepelt and other names I'd rather not say out loud."

"Then I will give you a name," she meowed. She observed the ginger and brown splotches of fur. It was an unusual pattern that reminded her of a creature that the elders had once told her about. Leopards. She knew that the name would suit him. "I'll call you Leopard," she announced.

"Leopard. . .I like it," the tom purred in approval. "And your name is? I've never learned it you know," he added with a tilt of his head.

"My name is Willowcloud," she replied.

"You're a Clan cat," Leopard said in surprise. "I. . .You don't look like one, but now that I think about it. . ." He broke off when Willowcloud felt a purr rising in her throat.

"Of course I don't look like one," she told him. "I made it that way. I don't belong in the Clans. I never fit in, and I doubt I ever would."

"We have more in common than I realized," Leopard murmured. He shook his head and looked away. His ears had flattened in embarrassment as he waited for her to respond. Willowcloud blinked. She never expected to feel the way she did with this cat. He was different from the toms in her Clan. He was gentle and sympathetic towards her - not that she needed his sympathy - and was calm around her. "I should get going," he suddenly said after rising to his paws. "I'm sure you will want to return to your den."

"I don't have to right away," she whispered. "You. . .you could come back with me."

Leopard didn't make another move. His gaze was locked with hers. She half-expected him to call her mad. She knew that he must think she was turning her back on her Clan. He must have thought of her as nothing more than a mousebrain who fled from her Clan.

"I would like that," he finally told her. "I don't have a place to call home. Would be nice to have someone to talk with again."

Willowcloud stared at him in surprise. She didn't expect him to answer so confidently. She nodded and led him away from the path that medicine cats took. The Gathering would be ending soon. If any cat from the Clans recognized her, she would be caught. The results would end in disaster.

The pair made their way through the undergrowth, ignoring the crickets that chirped. Leaffall was on it's way. Willowcloud could feel the winds changing as cold air came in from the north. The rain that had come a moon ago finally left the forest dry, but damp enough for prey to live throughout leaffall. Willowcloud made a mental note to make sure that plenty of prey was buried around the area during leafbare. She'd seen squirrels doing the same thing, and found that the prey lasted when it was buried.

Leopard seemed content with the uneasy silence as he followed Willowcloud towards the spot where she'd made her nest. She knew that he was trying to understand why she'd left her Clan. She refused to give him a reason. If she told him he might turn his back on her.

She stopped when she reached the river. Scents in the air told her that they were not alone. The fox that she had detected earlier in the morning had returned, but it's scent was stale. She glanced at Leopard, wondering if he'd caught the scent as well. His expression was unreadable. She noticed that he kept his expression calm as he followed her towards the den she slept in.

"There are several caves for you to choose from," she meowed once they'd reached the rocky outcrops. "You're welcome to sleep in any, but mine."

"That sounds reasonable," Leopard replied. He didn't bother protesting. That would only anger her, and get them nowhere. "I get up early every morning," he added when she was about to return to her own nest. "If I'm not around, you needn't worry."

I worry about no cat but myself, Willowcloud told herself. She simply nodded and padded into her den.

The moss she'd collected earlier was now dry and warm. She'd put it under the sun for some time before taking it back. Once she was settled in her bedding, she felt at peace for the first time in moons. She wasn't alone in her new territory. A friend had emerged, and hopefully, the two of them could survive during the coldest part of leafbare.