Chapter Twelve
Guest: Thank you for reviewing! I will definitely use those characters.
Me: I really like Tawnydrop and Specklerain, but they won't be introduced for a while.
Cactopus: Thanks for the cats- They'll appear soon.
"Is this enough?" asked East, dropping a bundle of leaves in front of Ember.
"Yes, thank you," she said gratefully.
The sun was already at the horizon by the time she was able to walk- or in her case, limp, but they were able to make it to a comfortable clearing, in which they made their nests.
"I'm planning to see some of my friends in a smooth-pelt place," said East. "It'll take about a day's walk."
"Okay," mumbled Ember, too sleepy and numb to care. She quickly fell asleep.
Ember woke up, but she didn't know why. She looked around. East was gone!
Slowly, she hoisted herself from her nest to inspect his nest. The scent trail led to a bunch of bushes. Ember pushed through them.
Suddenly, she was in a moon-lit clearing. It was at the edge of a cliff, which overlooked thousands of Twoleg homes.
But even the pieces of light twinkling from the dens could not shut out the gleaming brilliance of the stars above, cold and white. On a wide, flat rock sat East, engrossed in the stars. "What are you doing?" she asked.
"Star-gazing." he replied, without turning to look at her.
"May I join you?" Silently, he nodded his assent. Ember sat beside him.
"See that one?" East began. He pointed out the constellation. "That's Starclaw." Ember inspected the wide band of stars.
I suppose it looks like a claw. East spoke again. "The birds call it Great Beak." He lifted his paw again to show her another one. "And that's Steadfast. He's said to be a cat, but personally, I've always thought he looks like a banana slug."
"What's a banana slug?" asked Ember, fascinated.
"It's hard to explain. Just imagine a yellow blob, and you'll know. Anyway, his left eye never moves. The smooth-pelts call it the North star, but I have a better and much more mystical name for it." He dramatically paused. "It is- Steadfast's eye!"
Ember laughed- she couldn't help it. "Oh, and there's Steadfast's starry mate, Faithful. She's over there."
Ember looked where he was gesturing to. Another cat sat in the stars, her eyes shining.
As they made their way back to the nests, Ember stopped East. "Thank you. For everything." He smiled back at her.
"Anytime, Ember. Anytime."
