Chapter 5: Tall Pine
A dove-gray head turned toward the sound of his pawsteps. A familiar curious face peered over a slender shoulder, ears pricked. Pale blue eyes like two mini lakes met his eyes, brightening as they saw him.
A wide grin spread across his face. Excitement hummed inside him like a swarm of bees fighting to get out. He opened his mouth to call her name—
Smack. Something hard collided with his nose. Tall Pine yelped as he leaped backward, his fur standing on end. He stared for a second, his mind numb, at the wad of moss that had rolled to a stop two pawsteps away. Then he shook himself and looked around, his gaze landing on an amber-brown she-cat standing a few tail-lengths away. The she-cat averted her eyes, pressing her mouth shut. Her face contorted as if she was holding in a laugh. "Amber Mist, why in the Clan of the Bright Stars did you throw a ball of moss at me?"
Amber Mist exchanged a glance with Whispering Rain, who stood beside her and then burst into a fit of giggles. Her laughter shook her entire body so hard she collapsed to the ground. "Oh—my—stars. Your face," she choked out.
"We've been trying to get your attention, but you were very distracted, so Amber Mist decided to throw a moss ball at you," Whispering Rain explained. She ducked her head. "Sorry."
"Amber Mist, it's not nice to throw things at cats," Tall Pine said, trying to take on his best stern voice, but he couldn't help but smile. I'm going to be horrible at being stern when I have kits. I mean, if.
"Sorry," Amber Mist said as she calmed down. She scrambled to her paws. "Whatever you were thinking about, I bet it was nice because you were very distracted."
Tall Pine's ears warmed. He cleared his throat. "So, uh, why were you trying to get my attention?"
Amber Mist frowned. "Um, you were going to show us how to roll the moss into a bundle, remember?"
"Oh. Right," Tall Pine said as he noticed the giant pile of moss right in front of him. I'm so mouse-brained sometimes. He beckoned the younger trainees closer with a flick of his tail as he snagged a piece of moss with his claw and set it down in front of him. "So, the first thing you do is squish up a small bit of moss." He grabbed another piece. "Then you can place it on top of a bigger piece, and roll it up."
He smiled to himself as he grabbed one more piece of moss, the biggest yet, and proceeded to roll it into a bundle. I just have to finish teaching Amber Mist and Whispering Rain how to gather moss, and then I'm done with my duties. Once everyone is asleep, I can go to see Frosted Leaf. I wonder if she's as excited to see me as I am to see her...
"Hey, you might want to be careful how you roll that moss," a voice cut into his thoughts.
Tall Pine jumped, making the moss ball beneath his paws fall apart. He whirled around to see Fern Dapple padding toward him. He tried to take a step forward but stumbled as he caught his foot on something. His claw had snagged a scrap of moss. He shook his paw to get it off and then looked up into Fern Dapple's amused expression. "Oh, hey, Fern Dapple. I was just showing Amber Mist and Whispering Rain how to roll moss into a ball."
"And not doing a very good job of it," she teased, flashing him a glittering smile. "Tall Pine, you should know that you need to keep your claws sheathed while you roll the moss, or it will get stuck all over your paws, and you'll ruin it."
The black and white tom glanced down at his paws, where several shreds of moss were scattered around the unsuccessful moss ball. He ducked his head sheepishly. "Oh. Right."
"You know, this is strange because Tall Pine's usually good at this kind of thing," Fern Dapple told the younger trainees.
"He's been very distracted," Amber Mist piped up helpfully.
"Oh, has he?" She cast a glance with a frown in Tall Pine's direction. "Okay," she said, turning back to Amber Mist and Whispering Rain. "I can show you how to do it."
I need to be more careful, Tall Pine thought, as the silver tabby she-cat began to show the younger trainees how to roll a moss ball. Fern Dapple might think there's something up. I can't have her—or anyone—asking questions. I don't want to have to lie to my Clanmates. Something twisted in his belly. Was it uncertainty? Or guilt? Is this wrong? He wondered, not for the first time.
"—and that's how you roll a bundle of moss," Fern Dapple said as she finished. "Now, all you have to do is use your teeth." She bent down and picked the wad up. "Like dith," she said around a mouthful of moss. She spat it out again. "And then you can carry it back to camp."
"Thank you, Fern Dapple," Whispering Rain said, smiling sweetly.
"Hey, Whispering Rain," Amber Mist said as she picked up the moss in her jaws. "Le-th s-th-ee who can th-alk be-th-er around a bal-th of moss-th."
Her sister giggled.
Fern Dapple rolled her eyes. "You're welcome." She swished her tail as she began to pad away. "I should probably go now. I'm supposed to be hunting."
"Goodbye-th," Amber Mist called after her.
"Hey, Tall Pine," Fern Dapple said as she passed him. She fixed him with her intent blue eyes, her brow furrowed. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," he said as he shook his pelt out. "I'll see you later?"
"See you later." She nodded, but he caught her giving him a concerned look when she thought he wasn't watching.
"Okay, trainees," the young tom said, turning back to them. "Let's take our moss balls back to camp, and then we'll come back for another load."
"Great-th," Amber Mist exclaimed. She broke into a run, heading in the direction of the camp. "C'mon-th Whi-th-pering Rain. I-th going to make-th the sof-th-test bed for the elder-th."
Tall Pine exchanged a glance with Whispering Rain. He chuckled as he picked up his bundle and headed toward camp. Although he tried to focus on the task at hand, he couldn't get a certain pale gray and white she-cat out of the back of his mind.
. . .
Night lay heavily on the land like a covering of sheep's wool. The camp was silent save for creaks of evergreen branches in the wind. The trainee's den, a deep cave in the wall of the stone gorge, lay in gloomy shadows. Inside, the air was thick with the soft sounds of the trainees' breathing.
Tall Pine's eyes flew open. He raised his head, ears twitching. Silence. No one stirred. He rolled onto his belly and pushed himself to his paws. He paused again, freezing like a startled rabbit. His heartbeat was deafening in his ears. A part of him wondered why no one had woken at the sound of it. But the sleeping forms of the other trainees around him stayed still. He released a long breath.
He picked his way between the mossy nests, his paws silent on the uneven stone. He paused, lingering just inside the entrance, and turned to look back. On the other side of the den, Whispering Rain and Amber Mist stretched out in a tangle of legs, tails, and moss. As a healer trainee, Whispering Rain would've typically slept in the healer's den, but she had asked to sleep in the trainee's cave with her sister at least for the first few moons of her training. Amber Mist hadn't seemed to care, but Tall Pine knew that she was secretly glad.
Near the back of the den, the young tom could just make out the gray forms of his sisters in the thick moss of their trio of nests set in a triangular shape. Blossom Dust and Spotted Owl were both curled into balls, though their pelts brushed. Spotted Owl's tail occasionally twitched as if she was dreaming. There was a space where he usually lay, completing the huddle.
Tall Pine turned his head, gazing out into the moonlit camp beyond. The pale rays of the waning moon bathed the stone gorge in unearthly light and cast deep shadows from the craggy walls. A chilly wind drifted down from the cloud-patched sky, ruffling his fur and making his skin prickle. The other dens were quiet; everyone else was sound asleep. The entire world seemed eerily still and silent.
It was perfect for slipping away.
Perfect for keeping a secret.
The black and white tom swallowed as he glanced back inside the trainee's den. He wavered on the fence of indecisiveness like a dead leaf clinging to a bare branch. Am I doing the right thing? He wondered, not for the first time in the last three sunrises. I know the Clan's Code says having friends in other Clans helps keep us unified, and there is nothing in it that says you can't meet up with them, but I still feel like I'm betraying my Clan. Why?
But, as long as we each stay on our sides of the border, we're not breaking any rules. Patrols talk to each other all of the time from across the border. How is what we're doing any different?
And… Tall Pine's thoughts lapsed as he came to something that he hadn't even dared allow himself to think. I want to see Frosted Leaf. I've missed her so much these past few moons. His heart squeezed with a pang of longing. She's so sweet and kind and playful and easy to talk to. I want to talk to her. I want to spend time with her. I want to be her friend.
Tall Pine took a deep breath, steadying himself. He turned his head to gaze out into the camp again, fixing his eyes on the black hole of the passageway. Without giving himself time to hesitate any longer, he began to move.
He skulked around the fringes of the camp, keeping to the shadows as he made for the passageway. His black and white pelt blended in with the shadows and pools of moonlight dotting the dusty earth. Despite the silence, he kept his senses on high alert, his ears swiveling to catch any noises, and his mouth open to detect any scents. He didn't want to find out what would happen if someone caught him.
The hunter trainee reached the passageway and slipped inside the inky blackness. He crept along the stone tunnel, moving as silently and fluidly as a predator stalking its prey. He paused in the shelter of the shadows of the thorny brambles once he reached the mouth of the tunnel. He pressed his belly to the ground as he tasted the air. There. Though he couldn't see them, he could smell the distinctive scents of Soaring Hawk and Falling Star. Soaring Hawk sat at the edge of the bramble thicket five tail-lengths in front of him while Falling Star paced back and forth eleven tail-lengths to his right.
I guess I'll have to go through the dirtplace, Tall Pine thought. Eww. He wrinkled his nose as he turned to the left, heading along a narrow trail that twisted through the brambles. He glanced over his shoulder, holding his breath as he waited to see if he had gone unnoticed. As he turned back, he promptly collided with a thorn. Its sharp point poked him in the nose as another scratched his flank, tearing out a tuft of fur. He clenched his teeth, swallowing a yelp. Please, Clan of the Bright Stars, don't let them have heard me.
Tall Pine began to move again, slinking along the trail even more cautiously than before. He came to an opening in the bramble thicket several tree-lengths from the guards. Although he knew he was too far away for them to smell or hear him, his heart still thudded in his chest as he stepped out into the moonlight. With a deep breath, he raced across the clearing and into the forest beyond.
The black and white tom's paws skimmed the ground as if his feet had wings. He was a bird soaring high over the mountains, the wind in his fur, and the world at his paws. He felt light. Wild. Free. He couldn't help the giddy smile that spread across his face. Frosted Leaf, here I come.
Tall Pine soared over rotting logs. He wove through the forest of trees like scaley gray giants. The ground, which had been steep at first, gradually flattened out. The rock and terse grass beneath his paws changed to crumpled leaves and lush undergrowth. He slowed as he felt his strength run short. Lifting his muzzle into the air, he smelled the heavy scent of water. The Lake of Shimmering Waters wasn't too far away. He grinned. I'm almost there.
But, instead of continuing toward the lake, the young tom turned and headed straight across the Clan of the Morning Sun's territory at a brisk trot. Eventually, the dry leaf-strewn ground gave way to damp earth that squelched under his paws. The air was heavy with the scent of mud. He started as a frog croaked a distance away. As he emerged from the dense woodland, he saw towering spikes of reeds looming in the distance and a patchwork of rippling shallow water.
This part of the Valley was a marsh fed by the stream that marked the border between the Clan of the Flowing Waters and his Clan. As a hunter trainee, he stayed mainly within his Clan's territory, so he had never been here before. But he detected something underneath the scents of mud and water and reeds, so he knew he was in the right place. I can smell the Clan of the Flowing Water's scent markers. I must almost be at the border.
Tall Pine grimaced as he waded into the chilly water that lapped at his belly fur. He stepped gingerly as he headed across a little inlet and pulled himself up the bank of a slick muddy but dry island. Thank the stars. Though he despised getting wet, it made sense to him that Frosted Leaf suggested they meet here. His Clanmates hated the water as much as he did, and so patrols only came by when they absolutely had to, and the water would wash away their scents.
He halted just shy of the scent markers and peered into the dark beyond. "Frosted Leaf?" He whispered. There was no response. He glanced up at the moon, which was almost to moonhigh, and frowned. It's late. Where is she?
An owl cry split the still night air. Tall Pine jumped, his pelt bristling like a pine cone. He took a deep breath to try to calm himself. It's only an owl, mouse-brain. He took a seat, wrapping his tail around his paws, though his pelt still prickled. His ears swiveled, catching every creak and groan in the night. Anxiousness rose like flooded lake water inside him. Maybe I made the wrong choice. Perhaps I shouldn't have come. This doesn't feel right. I don't like sneaking out of camp. I don't like lying to my Clan. What will I do if she doesn't even show up?
"Tall Pine!" An enthusiastic call split the stagnant night air, making the black and white tom jump nearly a tail-length into the air. His heartbeat thudded in his ears as fear turned his body as cold as ice. His eyes darted around him until he saw a slender shape emerge from the reeds across the border.
"Frosted Leaf, thank the stars." He breathed a sigh of relief. His heartbeat calmed as he forced his ruffled fur to flatten.
"Hey, Tall Pine," Frosted Leaf purred. The smile vanished from her face as she came closer, and saw the tense fear on his. She hurried over to him. "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay," Tall Pine said. "You just startled me." He hesitated for a heartbeat, glancing over his shoulder at the dark forest behind him. "And...I guess I don't like to be alone for long periods, especially at night."
She nodded. "I'm sorry I scared you. I was just so excited to see you." She gave him a warm smile. "And I'm here now, so you're not alone anymore."
He returned it. "That you are."
Frosted Leaf settled just over the border on her side, so close she could reach out with her paw and touch it. She pricked her ears. "What have you been doing in the past few sunrises?"
"Thinking about you," Tall Pine blurted out. He immediately fixed his gaze on his paws as his ear tips burned. Why did I say that? "I-I mean, I've been looking forward to seeing you, so I've thought about that a lot."
Frosted Leaf chuckled, making him jerk his eyes up. Her eyes gleamed like the night sky. "I've been thinking about you a lot as well. I was also really looking forward to seeing you. Thank you for meeting me."
"Of course," he said immediately, surprising himself a little. "So, uh, how have you been? How are your brother and sister?"
"I've been well," the pale gray she-cat replied, a little more seriously. "I miss training with Holly Blossom and Shadowed Fur, but they are enjoying being a full fighter and full hunter. They did want to wait for me so we could all become full Clan members together, but Gray Moon decided it was for the good of the Clan to make them full members since they were ready."
She paused, looking everywhere but Tall Pine. The young tom could feel all of the unspoken words about the events that had taken place at Gathering hanging between them. He hesitated. I don't know if I should ask her about what happened or not. I don't want to make it uncomfortable.
Frosted Leaf gave herself a little shake and smiled at him again. "So, how are your sisters?"
"They are doing okay," Tall Pine said. "Blossom Dust and I have been worried about Spotted Owl because, as you know, she was one of the cats who was taken prisoner by the Bands. She got pretty injured in the battle, and she hasn't been doing too well."
"Oh, no." Her eyes were round. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." Tall Pine shrugged. He continued quieter this time. "Although Spotted Owl always tells me not to worry so much about her, I still worry, especially now. Ever since the battle against the Bands, she's been quiet and despondent. She is usually so vibrant and intense and full of endless energy. This isn't like her. She keeps telling me that nothing's wrong, but I know something is. I hate that she's hurting, and I want to make it better. I wish she would admit it so I could help her." He let out a frustrated huff. "But—" he gave himself a shake. "—she has seemed to be a lot more lively and happy in these past few sunrises."
"That's great. I hope Spotted Owl is okay. You're a good brother, Tall Pine."
He twitched his whiskers. "I hope so."
The hunter trainee tilted her head. "But you know, since Spotted Owl told you not to worry about her, it might be a good idea to heed that. I do agree that something is going on, but she might not be ready to talk yet, or she might not want to. If I were you, I would give Spotted Owl some space to work through what's going on for her on her own. Show her that you're there for her, but trust that she can do it by herself and that she'll come to you if she needs to."
He smiled ruefully. "You're probably right."
Frosted Leaf smiled, her eyes twinkling. "What you said about how Spotted Owl is very intense and full of energy makes me think you and your sisters have probably had some crazy adventures."
Tall Pine couldn't help but laugh. "You have no idea. Great stars, we've had so many crazy adventures and gotten into so many situations. I can't remember them all. Spotted Owl was even crazier as a kit if you can believe it. There was one time she tried to climb the wall of our camp, and another time she snuck out of camp and was nearly carried off by a hawk. But, as trainees, she's gotten herself, me, Blossom Dust, and even our friend Fern Dapple into so many more situations. Back in the Time of Thawing Earth, she dared the three of us to jump into a freezing stream. She was the only one brave enough to do it, of course. She would've been swept down the mountain if Rabbit Nose hadn't fished her out. She was sneezing for a quarter moon."
Frosted Leaf's eyes never left him as he talked. As soon as he had finished, she dissolved into a fit of giggles. "Oh, my stars. That sounds a lot like me and my siblings. As kits, Holly Blossom, Shadowed Fur, and I went through a phase of playing pranks on the older cats." She shook her head and let out a snort of amusement. "There was one time where we had the bright idea of hiding behind the wall of the nursery and throwing moss balls at cats. We took turns hurling moss balls at cats when they weren't looking. They would yelp in surprise, and look around, but they couldn't see who threw it. We thought it was hilarious. Unfortunately, by accident, we managed to hit Dark Night and Icey Stone—the two crankiest cats in my Clan—one right after the other."
"Oh, no." Tall Pine held in a laugh.
"Yeah," Frosted Leaf giggled. "They found our hiding place and were furious with us. I was the culprit, but I was only two moons old at the time, so Shadowed Fur was a good big brother and took the fall for me. I still kind of feel bad about it, though, because they yelled at him. Then Lily Pool found out and gave us a scolding. We never dared to do that again lest we hit a cranky slumbering cat, but I'll always remember it."
"Oh, my stars," Tall Pine said. He and Frosted Leaf laughed until their flanks ached. The night wore on as they continued to talk and laugh together, swapping stories about their siblings, their kithoods, and their time as trainees as well as sharing things about themselves. Here, with Frosted Leaf, Tall Pine felt lighter and happier than he had in moons. The more they shared, the more they found that they had in common. The more they talked, the more he began to like her. It was so easy to talk to her. She made him laugh. Here, with her, he wasn't worried about anything. He could forget everything that was going on—for a while.
Tall Pine looked up a while later and gasped, his eyes widening. The moon had vanished behind the trees, and the sky was just beginning to brighten. It had felt like mere heartbeats had passed since they had started talking, but dawn was almost here. Oh, my stars. I need to get back to camp. But I wish we had more time. I wish I didn't have to leave already. "I'm so sorry to end our time like this, but I need to leave to get back to my Clan now."
Frosted Leaf's blue eyes were anxious. "Yeah, me too." She stood, shaking out her damp fur. "Make sure you splash some water on where you sat to wash away the scent and get yourself wet to wash away scents on your fur before you go."
Tall Pine scrunched his nose. "I know, but do I have to? I hate getting wet."
She laughed, her eyes twinkling. "Well, that's not a problem for me."
"Says the cat who's from that crazy Clan of cats who actually like getting wet," he shot back with a grin.
Frosted Leaf laughed again. He liked the sound of it. She quickly sobered, though, and took a tiny step forward until her toes touched the border. She leaned across and nuzzled his shoulder. "I enjoyed our time tonight a lot. Do you think we could do this again soon?"
Tall Pine's face lit up like a firefly as warmth swelled in his chest. "Me too. How about in another three sunrises?"
His fellow hunter trainee beamed at him. "That sounds wonderful. I'm already looking forward to it. Goodbye for now," she called over her shoulder as she splashed through the water and vanished into the reeds.
"Goodbye," Tall Pine called back. He stood there for a few heartbeats longer like a dumbstruck deer, his lips curved upward into a smile. He could still smell traces of her scent like sweet flowers lingering on the breeze. I'm so glad I came. It was absolutely worth it. I love spending time with her. She's a fantastic cat and such a good friend. She's so funny and sweet and—oh my stars, I'm a mouse-brain. He shook himself out of his reverie and hurried to wash away his scent. Once he finished, he dunked himself in the water with a groan, and then sprinted up the bank and into the forest.
Tall Pine smiled as he dashed through the shadowy trees, his thoughts on Frosted Leaf and their time together. The run dried his pelt quickly, and he was able to slip back into camp and his den without detection. But as he curled up in his nest next to his stirring sisters in the brightening cave, his doubts crept back into his mind. I'm glad I chose to go see Frosted Leaf, but I can't help but feel like this is wrong. Like I'm betraying my Clan, though I'm not breaking any rules in the Clan's Code. I just don't like keeping secrets and sneaking around. It feels like I'm doing something terrible. So why don't I feel comfortable telling my Clanmates? Would they try to stop me? Would they think I've betrayed them? Have I?
Hi everyone, sorry again this took me much longer than I wanted to write. But it's extra long...even longer than the last one. I really need to keep these chapters shorter if I ever want to finish this book! Anyway, so this was an interesting chapter! Let me know what you think of Tall Pine's decision and his relationship with Frosted Leaf! I hoped I showed his internal conflict well.
Fun Fact: Tall Pine has a fear of being alone for long periods of time because he was kept prisoner in a ditch in isolation for almost a moon in book 1.
- A Warrior At Heart