Chapter 24: Tall Pine
Worries buzzed around Tall Pine's head like a swarm of annoying flies. They were like burs in his fur; no matter how much he tried to shake them off, they clung there. His chest was tight, the weight of his worries constricting it into a knot like they'd been for a while now. His mind jumped from one concern to the next, each one more pressing than the last. Spotted Owl knows that I've been meeting up with Frosted Leaf. What will she do? Will she tell someone? He bit his lip. She swore that she would never talk to me again. It's been three sunrises, and she's making good on that promise. I'm trying to give her space, but I also want to explain what happened. He sighed. Will our relationship survive this?
Tall Pine lifted his head as the gurgle of a stream met his ears. His paws carried him around the side of a thick clump of undergrowth, and he paused on the bank of a narrow stream. He gazed down at his reflection in the tumultuous water, his thoughts shifting. What am I going to do about Frosted Leaf? Spotted Owl is right; I have been lying to my Clanmates and not exactly, but almost breaking the Clan's Code. But I love spending time with her. We're grown so close, and I feel like she really understands me. I don't know if I can bear to stop seeing her. We also have to finish our mission. War with the Clan of the Flowing Waters is becoming more imminent.
A gust of frosty wind picked up, tossing the branches above Tall Pine's head and ruffling his fur. Instinctively, he raised his muzzle to taste the air, a twinge of guilt running through him. I should be hunting. Picking up his paws, he splashed across the stream, wincing at the chill of the water. On the opposite bank, he bent his neck, putting his nose to the ground. My Clan needs the food. With the Time of Frozen Earth rapidly approaching, prey is becoming scarce. Straightening up, he shook his head. We need to be focused on preparing for the Time of Frozen Earth, not fighting another Clan. We can't afford to be sucked into a war right now. Not with the Clan of the Flowing Waters, nor with the Bands-whatever's going with them.
"Tall Pine." The young tom started as a curt voice called his name. Looking around, he spotted Fern Dapple standing several tail-lengths away between two graceful birch trees. She furrowed her brow. "What are you doing?"
Tall Pine turned, greeting her with a smile. "Hey, Fern Dapple. I'm hunting, but it looks like you've had much more success than I have. Nice catches." He nodded at the shrew and bluejay that she had set at her paws.
Fern Dapple's expression was set as if made from stone. "I just spoke with Running Wave. He told me that Quick Clouds wants us to meet back up with the fighters. We're heading back to camp soon." Swishing her tail, she scooped up her prey and began to pad away.
Frowning, Tall Pine hurried after her. "Already? We haven't been out that long. I only have one piece of prey."
Pausing, Fern Dapple set down her catches, freeing up her mouth so she could talk. "We can't risk being out of camp for too long unless a Clan of the Flowing Waters patrol attacks again. We had plenty of time to hunt, but it seems as though being lost in thought is more important to you than feeding your Clan."
Tall Pine's mouth dropped open as the silver tabby she-cat snatched up her prey again and stalked away. What is going on with her? First, she was distant, and now she's angry and irritated. Great stars, yet another thing to worry about. Shaking his head, he began to follow her.
As they headed back to rejoin the patrol, Fern Dapple traveled at an aggressive pace, bounding over logs and weaving through undergrowth, her step brisk and taut. Tall Pine tried to keep up, but a short way after he crossed the stream again, he had to stop to collect the vole that he had caught earlier. Unsheathing his claws, he scraped at the frozen earth and dried leaves where he had buried it at the foot of an ash tree. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that Fern Dapple had not bothered to wait for him. Mouse-dung. If I want to have a hope of catching up with her, I have to hurry. He dug furiously, but by the time he unearthed his prey and was ready to set off again, she had vanished into the forest.
I guess that I won't get to ask her now. The black and white tom sighed, picked up the vole. He trotted in the same direction as his mind fell back into the bottomless pit of his worries. What is happening with the Bands? We've heard nothing other than Sharp's arrival. Shouldn't they have done something by now? It's all very suspicious. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he missed the turn where Fern Dapple's scent trail veered to the right and had to backtrack to find it.
The route to rejoin the hunting patrol led him uphill as the ground steepened, rough rocks popping up here and there like flowers. Tall Pine trekked up the mountainside until he reached a flatter nook in the wooded slope. A copse of trees ringed a small glade that lay before him, reinforced with clumps of the dried skeletons of ferns. Falling Star and Rising Water stood guard on either side of the glade, their ears pricked and eyes alert, scanning the forest. In the center, Quick Clouds sat with his tail wrapped around his paws, his prey to one side of him. On this other side, Fern Dapple was talking to Running Wave, her back to his direction.
"Tall Pine." Quick Clouds's eyes lit up as he rose to his paws as his trainee approached. "Good. You're back."
The young tom set down his prey, looking quizzically at his instructor. "Fern Dapple told me that we're heading back to camp."
Quick Clouds nodded. "Yes. Unfortunately, it would be better to bring back more prey, but we can't risk staying out of camp for too long."
"Even when we're on the opposite side of our territory from the Clan of the Flowing Waters?" Tall Pine shook his head, snorting. "That's ridiculous. We shouldn't have to live in fear." We really have to find out why Gray Moon's doing this and prevent the war, he noted mentally.
"I'm afraid so." The senior hunter twitched his whiskers. "I think-"
"Quick Clouds," Falling Star called, striding across the glade toward them. "Have all of your hunters returned?"
The pale gray and white tom turned to her. "Yes. We're ready to head back to camp."
Falling Star nodded. "Good." Her nose twitched as she glanced over her shoulder. "We shouldn't linger for too long. Something doesn't seem right."
Tall Pine took a step forward as Fern Dapple and Running Wave ended their conversation, all of the other cats looking to Falling Star. "What do you mean?"
Falling Star scanned the hazy treetops against the horizon. Her eyes were narrowed. "It's too quiet." The fur on her neck rose. "Where is the birdsong?"
What is she talking about? Tall Pine stood still as he opened his ears to the forest around him. He could hear the wind whispering in the bows above his head, but nothing else. Though it wasn't unusual for this time as most of the birds had left already.
"The wind-" Rising Water lifted her muzzle to the breeze before she exchanged a glance with Falling Star, a dark, knowing look passing between them.
A battle cry echoed across the mountainside above them. From the shadows and behind rocks and between trees, cats suddenly appeared as if out of thin air. Their glossy pelts bristled, and claws were unsheathed as they barreled down the mountainside, gaining momentum. Tall Pine went still, his fear like a snowstorm, freezing him all the way through. As the cats hurtled closer, their thick watery scent hit Tall Pine's nose, masked before by the wind blowing away from them, up the slope.
"Great stars, curse these fish-breaths," Falling Star swore as she and Rising Water dropped into battle stances, tensing their muscles and unsheathing their claws. "Quick Clouds, get everyone behind us. We'll try to keep them distracted long enough so you can send someone back to camp for help."
"Tall Pine," a voice echoed through the young tom's stupor. Quick Clouds's paw jostled his shoulder. "Get back here."
"Oh, right." Tall Pine started, shaking himself. He huddled close to his instructor's side as Falling Star and Rising Water stepped forward, preparing to meet the wave of Clan of the Flowing Waters cats. He stared at the enemy fighters, all burly muscles and sharp claws, as his heartbeat thudded in his ears. I'm a hunter trainee. I'm not meant to be fighting in battles. I wish Blossom Dust and Spotted Owl were here.
"Tall Pine," Quick Clouds hissed again, his voice cutting through the young tom's thoughts. He met his instructor's urgent yellow gaze. "You're fast. I need you to run back to camp, alert Mossy Moon, and lead more of our fighters back to help."
Tall Pine's brows raised. What? Panic rose inside him. No, I'm not fast enough. I'll never make it in time. "Send Fern Dapple," he blurted out. "She's faster than me."
Quick Clouds nodded. He looked over his shoulder at Fern Dapple. "Run back to camp and get help. Go."
The silver tabby she-cat didn't need to be told twice. With a nod, she was off, streaking across the glade faster than a metalbeat. One of the Clan of the Flowing Waters fighters veered off after her, but Falling Star tackled them as Rising Water met another enemy.
One heartbeat, Tall Pine was staring at the wave of incoming fighters ready to crash over them, time seeming to freeze, and the next, he was in the thick of the skirmish. With the two fighters occupied, the remaining Clan of the Flowing Waters cats launched themselves at the exposed hunters. Quick Clouds snarled as he rose to meet a sleek black tom who had leaped at Tall Pine. They clashed and careened backward in a tangle of claws and fur, forcing the young tom to scurry out of the way. Every sense was on fire as his heartbeat pounded in his ears. Oh, my stars. Oh, my stars.
Teeth grazed Tall Pine's flank, and he yelped in surprise. He whipped around, ducking just in time as a silver foreleg swung at his head. Its owner was a hauntingly familiar silver and white she-cat, her narrowed eyes fixed on him. Misty Stream. She was on guard that night. His eyes widened, but he quickly shook off his shock as her paw struck his shoulder, making him stumble. Mistry Stream aimed another blow at his muzzle, this time making contact.
Tall Pine gasped in pain as the impact nearly carried him off his paws. He spat out a mouthful of blood. All thoughts vanished from his mind as instinct took over. As his opponent surged forward, readying another strike, he tucked his head and rolled to the side, springing lightly to his paws out of her reach. With a huff, Misty Stream pivoted, leaping at him. He dodged again. She swung blow after blow, strike after strike, but he wove through them, pretending he was chasing a rabbit through a dense patch of undergrowth. She was an experienced fighter, but he was a trained hunter, built for speed and agility.
As he came up from another roll, Tall Pine saw an opening in Misty Stream's exposed flank. Without thinking, he lunged, sinking his teeth into her flesh. The tang of blood was sour on his tongue. Quickly, he retracted his teeth, nearly gagging as his stomach churned. It was one thing to catch prey to feed his Clan; it was quite another to hurt a fellow cat. I don't know how Blossom Dust and Spotted Owl do it. This is ridiculous. There is no reason we should be fighting, hurting each other. It's one thing if we're fighting for our lives against the Bands, but we're all Clan cats. Why would Gray Moon-
A form slammed into Tall Pine from the side, cutting off his thoughts and bowling him over. He collapsed on the ground; the wind knocked out of him. Misty Stream planted herself on top of him, pinning him to the ground. Baring her teeth, she was starting to lean down when a gray and white blur crashed into her, hauling her off of Tall Pine.
Tall Pine gasped as the weight was relieved from his chest. Wasting no time, he leaped to the paws, scanning the battlefield. A few tail-lengths away, Quick Clouds was fighting Misty Stream, driving her back paw-step by paw-step, his gaze burning with fury. Nearby, Running Wave wrestled with a dark gray she-cat. On the other side of the glade, Falling Star blazed like a raging wildfire destroying everything in its path as she fought two fighters simultaneously.
A screech split the clamor of battle. Tall Pine whipped around, his fur bristling. He sucked in a breath as he saw Rising Water struggling against the sleek black tom Quick Clouds had been fighting earlier. She favored one of her hind legs, a deep gash along it splatting scarlet blood across the dried grass. She ducked as the enemy fighter swung a blow, but her movements were sluggish, so he caught her upside the head. Blinking, she shook it off, but her flanks were heaving, and her eyes were glazed over.
She's not going to last much longer. I have to help her. Alarm shot through Tall Pine. He bounded forward, only to skid to a halt as a solid black shape planted themself in his path. Shock rolled through him like a chilly wind as he realized it was Holly Blossom. The enemy fighter froze, one paw raised, her green eyes widening in recognition.
"H-Holly Blossom," the young tom gasped.
Holly Blossom's eyes narrowed into slits. "Tall Pine." His name was pulled from her mouth in a grating growl.
"What are you doing here?"
Holly Blossom lowered her paw, though her fur still bristled. "Following my chieftain's orders."
A conflicted look slipped across her face faster than the beat of a hummingbird's wings, but Tall Pine caught it. He nodded. "I understand."
"What were you doing with Frosted Leaf a few sunrises ago?"
Tall Pine hesitated, biting his lip. I can't tell her. She's Frosted Leaf's sister, but she could jeopardize our mission. However, I think that she would support our actions.
Holly Blossom scrutinized his face. "Fine. Don't tell me. But I'm warning you, whatever you are up to, it will do nothing but invite consequences and danger, especially for Frosted Leaf. If you care about her, don't ever see her again. Stay away from her." She stared hard into Tall Pine's eyes, emphasizing her point.
Of course, there would be consequences if cats found us out, but dangers? The young tom wondered. "I don't understand what you mean-"
A fierce battle cry crescendoed across the mountainside, cutting Tall Pine off. Several more yowls joined it, making him and Holly Blossom swing toward the sound. A tide of cats was surging down the slope, Mossy Moon in the lead, flanked by Yellow Sky and Cloudy Water, who were less than a paw-step behind. Mossy Moon's eyes blazed with flame-like intensity, focused on the enemy cats, her lip curled into a snarl. Tall Pine's shoulders sagged in relief at the same time as Holly Blossom's fur stood on end, so she looked like a fluffy pinecone.
Tall Pine turned back to her, his question on his lips, only to leap out of the way just in time as Rabbit Nose slammed into Holly Blossom. The fighters rolled away, grappling with each other. Mouse-dung. Now I won't get to ask her. He tracked them with his eyes until they disappeared into the fray. As the fighting cats shifted, a jolt ran through him as he saw Fern Dapple standing in the middle of the chaos, her narrowed gaze fixed on him.
What does she want? Tall Pine's ears flattened against his head as he turned away, searching for another opponent. But no other Clan of the Flowing Waters cats made a move to attack him. Now outnumbered two to one with the combination of Clan of the Morning Sun hunters and fighters, all of the enemy fighters were occupied. The battle only lasted a few heartbeats more before a cry rang above the clamor. Like fish slipping away from a suspicious shadow, the Clan of the Flowing Waters cats fled up the slope into the trees.
A cheer rose from among some of the Clan of the Morning Sun cats, but Mossy Moon, who stood in the center of the battlefield, raised her tail for silence. Her eyes were hard, still on guard. "Cloudy Water, Yellow Sky, Rabbit Nose. Go after them and make sure that they leave our territory."
The three fighters nodded and dashed away, chasing after the Clan of the Flowing Waters cats.
Tall Pine let out a long exhale. It's over. As his heartbeat calmed, he realized how exhausted and bruised he felt. His flank ached from when he'd fallen after Misty Stream had struck him. Blood made the fur on his shoulder and muzzle sticky. I'm hurt, but okay. Turning, he scanned the crowd around him. Quick Clouds was helping Running Wave to his paws. Both toms had several wounds, a few serious-looking, but they were on their paws. Fern Dapple and Blossom Dust stood side by side with their heads bent together. Neither one was injured more severely than a few missing clumps of fur or a shallow scratch. Rising Water leaned heavily on Falling Star's shoulder. The wound on the senior fighter's leg looked grave. We're battered but alive. We all survived.
"Tall Pine." The black and white looked up to see Blossom Dust hurrying over to him. Her yellow eyes were rounded with concern. "Are you okay? I was so scared when Fern Dapple dashed into camp saying that your patrol had been attacked."
Tall Pine smiled despite his pain and tiredness. He extended his muzzle to touch noses with his sister. "I'm okay. My wounds aren't deep. But I don't know how you do it."
Blossom Dust gave him a quizzical look. "What do you mean?"
"How you can go into battle like that and stomach the fighting and the bloodshed?"
"Oh." The golden-brown she-cat shrugged. "Well, I think of it like this. As a fighter, my job is to protect our Clan, so I train, I go into battle, and I put myself in harm's way to keep those I love safe. I only fight if there are a good reason and no other option."
Tall Pine shook his head. "Unfortunately, there is no good reason for these skirmishes with the Clan of the Flowing Waters. If there is a reason at all." We have to find out what's going on with Gray Moon, he added silently.
Blossom Dust opened her mouth to respond but quieted as Mossy Moon's voice rang across the glade. The chieftain was padding amongst the Clan of the Morning Sun cats, checking them over. "Is everyone okay?"
As he and Blossom Dust turned to face the group, Tall Pine's gaze landed on Fern Dapple. He bent his head toward her. "Blossom Dust, have you noticed anything odd going on with Fern Dapple? She's been acting weird."
His sister looked from him to their friend and back. "Oh, great stars." She sighed and shook her head. "You need to talk to Fern Dapple. Just do it and soon."
What do you mean? Tall Pine wanted to ask, but he didn't so they could listen as other cats began to speak.
"Everyone's okay for the most part, Mossy Moon," Falling Star rasped. She stood facing the chieftain, Rising Water still leaning on her shoulder.
Mossy Moon scanned the cats before turning back to her regent. "Good. Can you tell me what happened?"
Falling Star nodded curtly. "The patrol had gathered, and we were about to start heading back to camp when Rising Water and I noticed that something was wrong. The forest was quiet, and the wind was coming toward us, masking any scents. That was when the Clan of the Flowing Waters patrol attacked from that direction." She angled her ears directly up the slope.
Mossy Moon twitched her whiskers. "That is troubling. They are venturing further and further into our territory and seem to know it well enough to stage an ambush."
"We had also just regrouped after splitting up to hunt. It would be too much of a coincidence for them to have found us at that exact moment. That means they were waiting for us." Falling Star unsheathed her claws and sank them into the brittle grass. Her mew was rough from between gritted teeth. "I witnessed here today how vicious and bold the Clan of the Flowing Waters has become. They are not going to stop anytime soon. They have hurt several of our Clanmates, and who knows how long it will be before we lose one of our Clan. I know that we cannot afford to fight a war right now, but we might not have another option."
Sharp Wind's eyes narrowed as he lashed the air with his tail. "I agree. We can't stay passive any longer and let them continue to attack us. Too many of our Clanmates have been hurt. We have to fight back and make them pay."
Tall Pine exchanged a grim look with Blossom Dust. I'm afraid that we might have to fight. We would be starting a war that would be devastating for our Clan, but they're right; if we don't, the Clan of the Flowing Waters will not stop assaulting us. He sighed wearily.
Mossy Moon's gaze was unreadable as she gazed at her cats, looking from face to face. Running Wind murmured his agreement, but Quick Clouds's expression was reluctant, and Fern Dapple looked doubtful. At last, she nodded. "I hear your concerns, and I share them. For now, I ask all of you to have restraint, but I will be discussing this with the Clan council." Her solemn blue gaze conveyed the weight of her statement. "I know that we cannot let these attacks go unanswered."
Wow. What a chapter. This one was a fun one to write-I always love writing action-packed and suspenseful chapters. I loved getting to write Falling Star a bit more-she's an interesting character. Does anyone else think that if she were a human character in a TV show, it would be a cop show and she would be the badass female cop like Rosa from Brooklyn 99 or Ziva from NCIS? I am thinking about giving her more attention in a future book. Are there any other background characters that you all would like to see more of in a future book?
Reviews: Theoneandonlylonelypotato - That's fine. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapters! As for what Sharp is doing, you'll just have to wait and find out…
Fun Fact: Cloudy Water and Rising Water has a sister named Stormy Water. They were all named similarly by their father after their mother, Shimmering Water who died in childbirth.
- A Warrior At Heart