Chapter 14: Tall Pine
The bitter wind rattled the half-bare branches. Tall Pine shivered, fluffing up his thickening coat. He could taste frost on the breeze. Lifting his head, he glanced at the sky through the thin canopy. The night was starless and soulless; the sky was stuffed with clouds. But even if the wind did push the clouds out of the way, there was no moon to be seen.
The young tom lowered his head and hurried along, practically glued to his sister's tail in front of him. His ears twitched as the soft thumps of paw-steps came from all around him. He could feel Sharp Wind's warm breath on his tail, and Quick Clouds matched him paw-step for paw-step. Mossy Moon strode at the head of the group, her white-tipped tail a beacon in the darkness. The Clan of the Morning Sun cats traveled swiftly, and in silence, their collective mood tense and gloomy, much like the sky above.
The cats dodged around scruffy evergreens and scraped their paws on rough rocks as they hurried down a steep hillside and then up the slope on the other side. Tall Pine stopped to catch his breath as they crested the rise and peered down into the circular hollow lined with boulders below him. Shapes of various colors but all gray-toned in the darkness mingled along the slope. They had arrived.
"Are you ready?" Blossom Dust asked, sending a grim glance over her shoulder.
Tall Pine took a deep breath. "Nope."
"I do hope that we can make some progress tonight," Blossom Dust said. She turned and padded to his side, offering him a small smile. "The Clans have to recognize that we are stronger together, and we have to collaborate to face this threat."
"I hope so too." Tall Pine tried to summon some positivity for his sister's sake. "But after two attempts, I doubt that anything will change." He shrugged. "But who knows? What do you think-" He turned his head to look beside him, his lips forming his other sister's name. But she wasn't next to him like she usually would have been. Oh. Right.
The black and white tom's eyes roamed the cats until he saw Spotted Owl trotting down the slope, keeping close to Yellow Sky's tail. She had walked with her instructor the entire way there instead of with them like she usually would. She hadn't spoken to Tall Pine since their exchange a few sunrises before. With her awake early in the morning and out late in the evening for extra training with Yellow Sky or to guard Sharp, and him gone for long periods for long hunting patrols, they hardly saw each other. It made it easy for her to avoid him and difficult for him to approach her. Sadness twinged inside him. I wish-
"You're making that face again." Blossom Dust's voice cut through his thoughts.
"W-what?" He spluttered.
The golden-patched she-cat tipped her head, giving him a look as if it was apparent. "You know, that face you make when you're very obviously worried about someone. And your eyes give you away."
Tall Pine sighed. "Yes, I know. But I'm worried about Spotted Owl."
Blossom Dust nodded, her expression sobering. "I am too. We know how much she's been going through. She's our sister; we love her, so we want to help ease her pain and protect her from anything that could harm her."
"Exactly," Tall Pine exclaimed. "I want to help her, but she's pushing me away. That, as well as the fact that she's spending time with Sharp, makes me so concerned."
"It worries me too. But I think it's obvious that Spotted Owl doesn't want to talk about it," she told him, giving him a meaningful look. "She is a strong and capable cat. We have to trust her to handle it and come to us if she needs to. You know she will."
The young tom's shoulders slumped. "Yep, you're right, as usual." Blossom Dust smirked. "We have to let her come to us and be there if she needs us." He knew that that was the right thing to do, but deep down, something felt very wrong, but he couldn't put his paw on it.
Blossom Dust took a step forward and glanced over her shoulder. "You ready?"
"Yeah." Tall Pine followed her as they picked their way down the hillside, weaving around the boulders that dotted the slope. He stopped next to a large boulder with a flat top about halfway between the rim and the bottom of the hollow. "Do you want to sit here?"
"Sure." Blossom Dust leaped up onto it, and he followed her.
Once he had sat down, Tall Pine looked around himself. His Clanmates had all claimed seats on boulders sprinkled down the slope. Spotted Owl sat beside Yellow Sky on a massive boulder to his right and further down the hillside. Quick Clouds and Rabbit Nose sat not too far away. Across the hollow, Tall Pine recognized Melting River of the Clan of the High Peaks and Shadow Step of the Clan of the Dark Caves among other former patrol members who sat with their Clans on their respective sides. The chieftains had asked all of the patrol members to attend the Council meeting that night to provide their knowledge of the Bands and offer advice while the council decided how to defeat them-if they got that far.
Sharp Wind, Cloudy Water, Rising Water, and Bracken Tail, the council cats of the Clan of the Morning Sun, sat on two boulders just above the foot of the slope. Red Maple and Falling Star sat in front of them, directly behind the boulder where Mossy Moon usually sat. The dark brown tabby she-cat's seat was empty as she stood on the grass in the center of the hollow, her head bent as she spoke with Grass Moon and Hawk Moon. Tall Pine was way too far away to overhear what they were talking about, but by their still posture and swishing tails, he could guess that it was nothing good.
"The Clan of the Flowing Waters isn't here yet," Blossom Dust noted.
"Yeah, I noticed." Tall Pine furrowed his brow. "It's getting late. They should be here by now."
Blossom Dust frowned, her gaze darkening. "You don't really think that Gray Moon would-"
A hush fell over the hollow. Blossom Dust cut herself off as Tall Pine and her twisted around to see what it was about. The murmurs among the Clan cats had ceased as they turned to stare at something that had appeared at the top of the slope. Blossom Dust's expression relaxed, and Tall Pine sucked in a breath as they saw Gray Moon standing there, flanked by his cats. He came after all. His heart lifted hesitantly. Maybe-just maybe he will agree to work with us.
The silence stretched as Gray Moon as he led his Clanmates down the slope. Dozens of pairs of eyes followed him, watching him distrustfully, nervously, or even a little hopefully. Some pelts fluffed up as he went by, tension crackling off them like sparks of lightning. The other Clan of the Flowing Water cats split off to find seats, so when they reached the bottom, so it was just their chieftain. He strode over to the other chieftains, his chin lifted and eyes holding a hint of a challenge.
"You came." Grass Moon's cold tone was loud enough for Tall Pine to hear as she and the other chieftains turned to greet him. Her neck fur rose just perceptibly.
"Welcome," Mossy Moon said quickly, dipping her head to Gray Moon. She glanced at Grass Moon and Hawk Moon. "Shall we get started?"
"Yes, we should," Hawk Moon agreed. He squared his broad shoulders. "We have a lot to cover tonight."
Gray Moon was quiet for a heartbeat. "Very well." He turned on his heel and marched over to his boulder. The other chieftains took their seats as well.
"Let the Grand Starlight Council come to order," Hawk Moon declared, his powerful voice ringing through the hollow.
Grass Moon rose to her paws. "Thank you, Hawk Moon. I think we know what matter is the first item on our agenda because it demands our immediate attention." She turned her head to scan the crowd. "It is the reason why I asked all of the cats who were members of the spy patrol to come tonight. We must make a plan to fight the Bands, or it will be too late."
"Absolutely," Hawk Moon said, his eyes flashing. "We have to protect our Clans."
Mossy Moon murmured in accordance, but she sent a glance in Gray Moon's direction. The sleek gray tom was silent, his expression stony.
"Good; we agree." Grass Moon nodded. "So-"
"Excuse me," Gray Moon cut in, his tone crisp. "But if I recall correctly, the council is supposed to address issues brought by Clans before proceeding with affairs from past meetings. Am I wrong?"
Grass Moon turned stiffly toward him, her green eyes narrowed. "Yes, it is. But we have something of much greater importance to discuss tonight."
"I also have something of importance to address," he returned, meeting her gaze unflinchingly. "I'm sure you all will want to hear it. And as tradition dictates, this takes precedence."
The blue-gray she-cat's jaw tightened. She looked like she wanted to snap at him, but she stayed silent.
Mossy Moon glanced at the other chieftains before she turned to Gray Moon. "Very well. We will hear what you have to say first-as tradition dictates."
"Thank you." Gray Moon leaped down off his boulder and strode across the grassy earth, taking his time.
Tall Pine felt dread bloom in his stomach like a sickly flower as he watched the gray tom. I wonder what Gray Moon has to say. Is it actually important, or is he trying to stall so we can't make a plan tonight? No matter what, it can't be anything good.
Gray Moon halted in the center of the hollow. He lifted his gaze to the ranks of Clan cats lining the hillsides. Tall Pine's fur prickled as his eyes passed over him. "Cats of all Clans, I bring alarming news tonight, but I believe that you need to hear it. You all deserve to know the truth."
The young tom leaning forward, his eyes glued to Gray Moon like a bee to a flower.
"Danger has come to the Valley of Hidden Stars," the Clan of the Flowing Waters chieftain went on. "One of my patrols scented Band cats near our border with the Clan of the Morning Sun."
Tall Pine sucked in a breath as gasps and murmurs rippled across the crowd. He furrowed his brow, frowning. Could they have found out about Sharp? He glanced at Mossy Moon, but since she sat with her back to him, he couldn't see her expression. Or are there other Band cats in the Valley? Does this mean they might have already initiated their revenge?
Gray Moon raised his tail for silence. Slowly, the crowd hushed, waiting with bated breath to hear what he had to say. The chieftain's eyes glimmered like ice in the moonlight. "You may be wondering how the Band cats got into our Valley, past the Clan of the Morning Sun, who are supposed to be guarding the Dawn Pass. Well, I'll tell you how." He turned until he faced the Clan of the Morning Sun's side of the hollow, his gaze fixed on the cat in front. "Mossy Moon let them in."
The crowd was as silent as spirit cats for several long heartbeats. Then it exploded into chaos. Worried murmurs came from the Clan of the Morning Sun cats as gasps and shocked mutters came from everyone else. Angry shouts drowned everything out until Tall Pine couldn't even hear the beating of his own heart above the clamor.
Oh, my stars. The hunter trainee's paws shook. His jaws gaped in disbelief. He exchanged a glance with Blossom Dust, their looks conveying everything they couldn't seem to put into words. That just happened. Gray Moon revealed all of that to the Clans...and for what? How did he even know?
In the center of the hollow, Gray Moon stood with his attention fixed on Mossy Moon, a triumphant smirk on his face. But she was focused on the other chieftains who had recoiled away from her. Hawk Moon's brow was deeply furrowed, and Grass Moon stared at the Clan of the Morning Sun chieftain, her eyes dark with betrayal.
"Is this true, Mossy Moon?" Hawk Moon's voice was low, almost a growl.
The dark brown tabby she-cat leaped down onto the grass and padded toward Gray Moon, her gaze focused on him. He backed away, giving her space. Something passed between them that Tall Pine didn't catch. Mossy Moon stopped in the center of the hollow and turned so she could address the entire council. Her eyes lingered on her Clanmates for a heartbeat before she turned to meet Hawk Moon's gaze. "Yes." Her voice rang out as clear as morning birdsong as the crowd hushed to hear what she had to say. "What Gray Moon says is true, but-"
Shouts of outrage interrupted her, rising again even angrier than before now that she had confirmed it. On three sides of the hollow, cats dipped their heads close to each other, murmuring darkly, or sprang to their paws, yelling over each other, so their voices melded in a furious uproar. On the final side, the Clan of the Morning Sun cats waited in uneasy silence, unsure of what to do.
"How dare you!" Owl Eye hissed, his good eye glaring at Mossy Moon.
"I cannot believe that you would do this," Grass Moon hissed, her pelt bristling like a thistle.
"Silence," Mossy Moon commanded, her eyes flashing. The crowd silenced instantly. "I am not finished." She lifted her chin. "What Gray Moon said is true but incorrect. There is only one Band cat in this Valley-hardly an attack. That Band cat is Sharp. My Clan has been working tirelessly to keep the Dawn Pass guarded at all times. As soon as he entered our territory a quarter moon ago, we found him and brought him to our camp. After speaking with him, I learned that he came alone with no intention of attacking us. Instead, he asked for asylum. I have agreed to let him stay with my Clan, under guard."
Silence met Mossy Moon's words as the cats of the three other Clans tried to grasp her meaning. Slowly, they seemed to recover from their shock and shouted questions began to rain down from all sides like hail.
"How in the stars can we trust Sharp or anything that he says?" A council cat from the Clan of the Dark Caves said, his jaw clenched and gaze hard. "He has deceived us before with disastrous consequences."
"We cannot." Mossy Moon inclined her head toward the tom. "That's why I have placed him under constant guard."
"Why does Sharp want asylum?" Melting River asked, tilting his head.
"He did not say."
"Why did you allow him to join your Clan?" Broken Breeze demanded, her pelt bristling. "It would make a lot more sense to banish him from the Valley."
"I agree; it would. Like I already said, I know that we cannot trust him. But-" Mossy Moon tilted her head. "-there is a chance he is telling the truth. I will not turn a cat in need away."
"Even when that cat has deceived us and hurt our Clanmates and threatens to do so again?" Gray Moon stalked toward Mossy Moon, pausing a tail-length away and sinking his unsheathed claws into the earth.
Mossy Moon met his gaze steadily. "Yes. Even then." She turned her head to look at Grass Moon, who sat with her tail twitching anxiously. "I think we have discussed this issue enough. We have a much more pressing issue that we need to address."
"Yes, we do." Grass Moon rose to her paws, shaking out her pelt. As Mossy Moon turned to head back to her seat, she gave her fellow chieftain a small nod.
"We are not finished with this." Gray Moon's tone was as pointed and frigid as an icicle. The Clan of the Morning Sun she-cat paused and turned back as he strode toward her. "We cannot move on yet. We have not come to a resolution." His tail swished back and forth. "This issue is just as important."
Mossy Moon took a deep breath. Her expression was neutral, and her voice was calm but strained. "Gray Moon, there is nothing more to say-"
"Yes, there is." His blue eyes glinted. "You still have not told us the truth. Why in the stars would you accept a cat who murdered one of your own Clanmates into your Clan?"
"As I said, there is a chance-"
"Lies!" Gray Moon barked. He stalked in a circle around Mossy Moon, his gaze never leaving her. "That is a lie, and everyone here knows that." He tossed his head over his shoulder, gesturing to all of the Clan cats.
Tall Pine followed Gray Moon's direction, scanning the clusters of Clan cats before he glanced at his Clanmates around him. Falling Star sat with her pelt bristling and tail lashing, looking very much like she wanted to launch herself at Gray Moon. Rabbit Nose and Quick Clouds had their heads bent, murmuring to one another. Yellow Sky's posture was rigid, and beside her, Spotted Owl was grinding her unsheathed claws into the stone of her boulder. Tall Pine's neck fur had been bristling this entire time, but a qualm twinged deep inside him. I want to flay Gray Moon's fur for talking to my chieftain like that, but...I can't help but wish Mossy Moon would tell the truth. We all want to know why. All of the Clan cat's faces were serious, and their attention was focused on the hollow floor. No one objected.
The Clan of the Flowing Waters chieftain narrowed his eyes. "You are hiding something."
Mossy Moon's expression was as impassive as stone. She squared her shoulders. "I am hiding nothing."
"Fine." Gray Moon halted abruptly. He lifted his chin, his lips curling into a hint of a smile. "If you aren't hiding anything, why don't you bring Sharp to a council meeting so we all can question him? That way, we can learn the truth directly from him."
"Absolutely not."
Gray Moon's jaw dropped open, his mask of fury faltering for a heartbeat to reveal genuine confusion. "Why not?"
The dark brown tabby she-cat pressed her lips into a thin line. "I will not say."
"Why won't you?"
"I'm afraid I cannot answer that either."
Gray Moon glared at Mossy Moon for several long heartbeats while the entire hollow held its breath. Then he whirled around and began to march away. "Fine. As long as you refuse to tell us the truth, there is nothing more we can do here. I'm finished."
Tall Pine felt his chest deflate. Good. He's backing down. Maybe we can actually get to making a plan-
But his thought was cut short as Gray Moon leaped onto his boulder and turned to face the entire council. "As long as Mossy Moon hides the truth, Sharp and her pose a threat. And the rest of you-" he shot a glare at Grass Moon and Hawk Moon "-are complicit in it. I will have no part of this. I have to protect my Clan." He raised his head, his voice ringing out so everyone could hear. "The Clan of the Flowing Waters is withdrawing from the Grand Starlight Council, effective immediately."
What? Tall Pine's jaw dropped open. His mind felt as frozen as a startled deer, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"Oh my stars," Blossom Dust gasped beside him. Around them, other Clan cats echoed their shock and confusion, including Gray Moon's own Clanmates.
"What in the ancestors' name has he done?"
"Can a Clan even do this?"
"How will we fight the Bands now?"
"Gray Moon-" Wind Fur, the regent of the Clan of the Flowing Waters, clambered down off his boulder and hurried over to his chieftain. "-this is very serious. Please reconsider."
"No." The sleek gray tom swished his tail, silencing his regent. "This is my final decision." He pivoted and leaped down off the boulder, beginning to stride up the slope. His cats shook themselves out of their daze and fell in behind him, even Wind Fur.
"Wait!" An urgent call split the air. Gray Moon paused halfway up the slope and turned his head as Grass Moon bounded up to him. She halted, panting. "Please, don't leave."
Gray Moon narrowed his eyes. "There is nothing more to be done."
"No, there is a lot more that has to be done," Grass Moon insisted. She shifted her weight from paw to paw; her wide eyes fixed on the other chieftain. "Please, reconsider your actions. I know that this is a problem, but there will be much greater consequences if you leave. We have to confront the issue of the Bands. We can't let it go unaddressed any longer. It has been a moon. The Bands will come, hungry for revenge, sooner rather than later-one Band cat has already arrived. But we can't hope to defeat them without all of the Clans. Please, Gray Moon, we need your help. Please, help us, for the sake of our Clanmates-our kits-" her gaze darkened as her tone softened "-the ones we lost and the ones that we still have a chance to save."
Gray Moon's eyes widened as Grass Moon mentioned the cats they had lost, his chest trembling slightly with ragged breaths. But after a heartbeat, he seemed to replace his mask, his gaze becoming as cold and hard as his Clan's river in the Time of Frozen Earth. "No. I won't. That plan was your plan to begin with. I never agreed to it, and I won't now. I am doing what is best for my Clan."
Grass Moon and the rest of the council stared after him as he marched up the slope and vanished into the trees, his cats close behind him. A heavy silence hung over the hollow for a long time after they had gone.
"So." Sharp Wind cleared his throat. "What happens now?"
"Well." Hawk Moon lifted his head to address the crowd. His expression was solemn, his shoulders hunched. "Gray Moon and the Clan of the Flowing Waters are gone. The Clans are divided. I wish there were something we could do, but I see no options or possibilities. The best thing we can do is to go home." He signaled to his cats with a flick of his tail and then got ready to jump down off his boulder.
"What?" Mossy Moon leaped to her paws, her indignant gaze fixed on Hawk Moon. "No, we cannot give up. Gray Moon and his Clan left, but that does not mean that the rest of us should give up and leave too. We have to stand united to face the threat of the Bands. If we are divided, we all will fall."
Hawk Moon turned his head. "Are you willing to tell the truth or let us question Sharp?"
Mossy Moon's determined expression faltered. She ducked her head. "No."
Hawk Moon shook his head. "I'm sorry. My paws are tied. Gray Moon is gone, and, honestly, I am not sure if we can trust you. I must do what is best for my Clan."
Mossy Moon sighed, but she dipped her head. "I understand."
Hawk Moon nodded, and then, collecting his Clan, the Clan of the Dark Caves took their leave. As the last few cats vanished over the rim of the hollow, Mossy Moon turned to Grass Moon, who had returned to her seat. "What about the Clan of the High Peaks?"
The blue-gray she-cat sat with her head drooping, looking as small and defeated as a rabbit cornered by a hunter. "My Clan should leave too," she murmured.
Mossy Moon furrowed her brow, leaning forward. "But what about your son?"
Grass Moon's head jerked up, her gaze stricken. "I'm sorry. But I agree with Hawk Moon." She rose stiffly to her paws. "Good luck, Mossy Moon. May the Clan of the Bright Stars watch over you and your Clan."
"And you as well," Mossy Moon murmured as the Clan of the High Peaks trudged up the slope, leaving only the Clan of the Morning Sun cats in the council hollow. The chieftain turned to her Clanmates. "Let's go home."
As they began their trek back to their territory, Tall Pine's mind swirled with everything that had happened, a mishmashed blizzard of all the shocking and dispiriting events that had happened that night. But one thing he lingered on was the expression on Mossy Moon's face after all of the other Clans had left. Instead of anger or defeat or sorrow like many of the other cats, he was struck by the hard determination on his chieftain's face.
Wow, it's been a while. Sorry for all of you who have been waiting on a chapter! It has been so crazy busy for me lately that this one just took a really long time. But it's extra-long! So, I hoped you enjoyed it and thank you for reading :)
Reviews: Wyatt (Guest) - Wow, I'm so sorry that happened to you. That would make sense.
Theoneandonlylonelypotatoe - Wow, what a beautifully written review! Thank you so much! I completely agree.
Fun Fact: Mossy Moon had a sister named Speckled Pebble who fell in love with Boulder Pelt, Grass Moon's brother, but they both died together in an avalanche. Since then, Mossy Moon is fearful every time there is something that might cause an avalanche.
- A Warrior At Heart