Chapter 26: Spotted Owl

"Let me see if I have this straight." Spotted Owl sat on the cold stone floor of the chieftain's den, tracking Mossy Moon with her eyes as the dark brown tabby she-cat paced back and forth across the narrow cave. "Sharp got up in the middle of the night, snuck out of camp, and spent a long time wandering around the Valley of Hidden Stars?"

"Yes, that's about it," Spotted Owl confirmed. "The first thing he did was to trek all the way up the Dawn Mountain until he nearly reached the border before turning around and heading down again. Sharp then appeared to wander around our territory for a while before I realized that he was heading toward our border with the Clan of the Flowing Waters. He crossed into their territory and made a wide loop of it, heading along the banks of the Blue River before going partway up the Water Mountain and coming back across the border again."

Mossy Moon paused her pacing and looked at the trainee with a frown. "And you said that he seemed like he was wandering aimlessly?"

"Yes, that's what it looked like. Sharp headed one direction, then doubled back a few times and changed direction quite a bit. I kept my distance while I was following him, but the times I caught a glimpse of him, he was tasting the air and listening intently." Spotted Owl tilted her head. "The only thing I could imagine that he was doing was searching for something, but I have no idea what it could be."

Mossy Moon nodded. "I agree. That's the most plausible explanation. But as to what, I am also mystified. Since he crossed into the Clan of the Flowing Waters's territory, I wonder if the Bands could somehow be working with them."

Spotted Owl shook her head. "That doesn't make any sense. I guess they could be doing what they did last time, trying to stir up trouble between the Clans and using our preoccupation to their advantage?" She shrugged.

"You're right. I think that your guess could be more possible, but again, not likely. I have no doubt that Gray Moon's motivation for waging war Clan is entirely his own. It is probably just a coincidence that Sharp is searching for something in the territory of the Clan we're going to war against."

The Clan we're going to war against. Spotted Owl's stomach did a flip. Mossy Moon said that like it's definite, not even a question anymore. Is that what she's decided to do?

"But no matter what, this news does not mean anything good for us." The chieftain returned to her pacing, her jaw clenched, and eyes narrowed. "With this development, I have no doubt now that Sharp is working with the Bands. He lied to us. He did not come here for asylum but to infiltrate the Clans and search for something. His actions must be the start of the Bands' plan for revenge."

Spotted Owl sucked in a breath as her eyes widened. Mossy Moon is just jumping to the conclusion that Sharp lied to us and is working with the Bands? I mean, she relented, that is the most logical conclusion. We have no reason to believe otherwise. Well, I kind of do. That's why I waited so long to tell her. She bit her lip as a tide of guilt flooded her. I waited for four sunrises to tell Mossy Moon that Sharp snuck out of camp because I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt and because I knew that this is exactly how she would react. But maybe I should have told her sooner. If Sharp really is working with the Bands, I could've cost us-

"Spotted Owl," Mossy Moon prompted. Her ears twitched in annoyance. "Are you listening?"

The young she-cat blinked. "Yes. Sorry."

"So, as I was saying. It didn't seem like Sharp found what he was searching for the first time, so he will slip out again. I haven't posted a guard outside his den in a few sunrises because all of our fighters are stretched thin." The chieftain frowned, deep in thought. "But, somehow, he managed to slip by the fighters on guard outside the camp, which is worrisome. But since we want him to sneak out, I think that I'll hold off posting a guard for now." She turned to Spotted Owl. "When Sharp does sneak out again, I want you to be there. Follow him and try to figure out what he's doing, then report back to me. Can you do that?"

I guess this means I'll be sleeping in Sharp's den more. Spotted Owl groaned inwardly, her fur prickling at just the thought. But it's for the sake of my Clan. I can do this. Taking a deep breath, she nodded in response to Mossy Moon's raised brows. "Yes, I can do it."

"Are you certain?" Mossy Moon studied her with brook-cool blue eyes. "I know that I am asking a lot of you, and you have other duties on top of this mission. There are other cats I could trust this with."

"No, I am the only cat who can do this," Spotted Owl insisted. "Sharp trusts me, whereas he knows other cats in our Clan don't trust him, so I am the only one he'd let get close enough to be able to know when he sneaks out. If he fooled the guards once, he would be able to do it again. Also, if anything should happen and Sharp were to discover that someone is following him, I would be the cat least likely to get hurt." She met the dark brown she-cat's gaze steadily. "I can do this."

Mossy Moon was silent for a heartbeat. "Very well," she said at last. "You are in charge of this mission. I have been impressed by your bravery, resilience, and dedication throughout this whole process. You have done an excellent job so far, so I know that you won't let our Clan or me down."

Spotted Owl smiled, her ears warming with the chieftain's praise. At the same time, she felt a heavy burden settle on her shoulders. She dipped her head. "Thank you."

Mossy Moon nodded before she rose to her paws. "Be careful and stay vigilant. We have no idea what we are dealing with now with the Bands, so we must discover what Sharp is doing and fast. But most of all, good luck."

"I will not let you down," Spotted Owl promised, lifting her chin. Standing up as well, she turned, taking her cue to leave. "Goodnight, Mossy Moon."

"Goodnight, Spotted Owl." Mossy Moon's voice echoed in the cave as the black and white she-cat padded toward the entrance. She felt the chieftain's gaze follow her until she was out of sight.

The young she-cat stepped out of the den into a blaze of cinnamon-orange sunlight. The sun was perched like a brightly-feathered bird on the rim of the gorge, casting some of its final rays on a pool just outside the cave. Several cats were taking advantage of the warm sunlight-a highly prized commodity during the frigid sunrises of the late Time of Freezing Earth-and lay in small groups around the entrance. Spotted Owl picked her way through her Clanmates' lounging bodies strewn about, ignoring the curious looks and whispers. Dawn Sky, Willow Leaf, and Waving Fern lay with their heads close together, gossiping. Dapple Fur paused her conversation with Passing Storm to follow her with her gaze. Tumbling Stone and Shining Feather were muttering to each other while Quiet Sun also watched her.

Breaking away from the crowd, Spotted Owl's paws carried her nowhere in particular as her mind was lost in thought. What in the stars have I gotten myself into? I told Mossy Moon that I could do it-that I could spy on Sharp not only during the day but during the night as well, so I can know when he sneaks out of camp. I promised that I would figure out what he is doing. Not only that, I insisted that I was the only cat who could do it. She paused for a heartbeat, shaking her head. Great ancestors, what was I thinking? She swallowed and kept walking. Well, there is no going back now. I have to discover what he is searching for and anything else I can because whatever it is, Mossy Moon is certain that it is a part of the Bands' plan-even if I'm not convinced. She flicked an ear with stifled misgivings. I cannot let Mossy Moon down nor my Clan; otherwise, we will be in an impossible position with the Bands attacking us simultaneously as we are starting a war with the Clan of the Flowing Waters.

Spotted Owl halted as she let out a weary sigh. She started, shaken out of her thoughts as she realized where her paws had subconsciously led her.

Sharp stuck his head out of his den, his face breaking into a smile like the sun coming out from behind a thick layer of clouds. "Hey, Spotted Owl."

The black and white she-cat looked up. "Oh, hi."

Sharp ducked into the cave for a heartbeat, then emerged carrying a squirrel in his jaws. He set it at his paws. "I was just about to eat the prey I caught earlier. Would you like to join me? There's enough for both of us."

Spotted Owl's ears pulled back as she glanced over her shoulder. "Umm, sorry, I actually didn't mean to come over here. I really should-" But a loud growl from her stomach interrupted her.

"Oh, come on." Sharp's leaf-green eyes twinkled. "Your stomach sounds ravenous and grumpy. You can't turn down free prey."

Spotted Owl was quiet for a heartbeat. "Okay," she relented. "You're right. I am hungry, so I can't turn down prey. I'll stay."

"Great." The ginger tabby tom grinned. He flopped down onto his belly, took a bite of the squirrel, and pushed it over to her.

Spotted Owl eased herself into a crouch before she took a bite of the squirrel. The meat was tender in her mouth, and the flavor was sharp on her tongue, making her mouth water. Her stomach groaned in appreciation as she swallowed before taking another bite and pushing the squirrel back over to Sharp.

The final rays of sunlight had faded into a soft twilight, and the first few stars were beginning to glitter in the darkening sky as they finished off the vole. Once he had taken his last bite, Sharp lay back with a contented sigh. "So, that was quite a hunt today," he commented, his whiskers twitching.

"What?" Spotted Owl looked up, her ears pricking. She snorted, shaking her head. "Oh, do you mean the part where you nearly got carried off by an eagle?"

Sharp chuckled. "Yes, that part."

Spotted Owl rolled her eyes. "I still can't believe that you were so focused on catching the squirrel you didn't notice an eagle swooping down to snatch you."

"Hey, I was hunting. I wasn't supposed to be on guard."

"Neither was I."

"Well, you should've been doing something productive instead of just sitting there like a useless furball."

"'Useless furball?' I saved your tail."

"Only after the eagle nearly chopped it off with its sharp grabby-things."

"Those are called talons. But even the youngest kits in the Clans know to watch out for eagles."

"But I bet kits can't still catch the squirrel they were hunting after being bowled over by a mouse-brained cat who nearly let them get carried off by an eagle," Sharp said smugly.

Spotted Owl stared at him for a heartbeat. Then she burst out laughing and fell backward, rolling on the ground. She laughed so hard her entire body shook, and her chest hurt. After a heartbeat, Sharp joined her. Oh my stars, she thought as her fit of laughter finally died down. Sharp is so ridiculous. She grinned as she stared up at the sky, the stars like faraway fireflies studded against a blue-black backdrop. I love spending time with him. I never laugh as hard as I do when I am with him. We've become so close. It's hard to imagine... Her thoughts trailed off as her gaze wandered across the sky, down to the treeline above the gorge, and finally the camp behind her. She stiffened as she saw several of her Clanmates watching her and Sharp, some shocked with wide eyes, others suspicious as they muttered darkly.

Spotted Owl hastily flipped onto her belly and leaped to her paws. She shook the dust out of her fur before sitting down and wrapping her tail around her feet. The looks from her Clanmates had immediately dissipated the warmth inside her, wiping the grin from her face. Instead, she felt as frigid and heavy as a remote mountain peak. Right. I don't know if I can trust Sharp. He is most likely helping the Bands. I need to remember that my mission is the most important thing. I need to protect my Clan. She released a long sigh as a tidal wave of exhaustion suddenly crashed over her.

"Hey, Spotted Owl, are you okay?" Sharp pushed himself to his paws, his face contorted into a frown.

The young she-cat glanced over her shoulder at him. "I'm fine." She yawned widely. "I just got tired all of a sudden."

He nodded. "Yeah, it's getting late. Are you thinking of heading to your nest?"

Spotted Owl turned to face him. "Yeah. I would like to get some sleep." She cocked her head, scuffing one paw on the dusty earth. "Actually, would it be okay if I slept in your den again?"

"Of course." Sharp's eyes shone softly like starlight in understanding. He tipped his head toward his den. "Come on in."

"Thank you." Spotted Owl breathed a sigh of relief, the tension in her shoulders releasing as she slipped out of sight of the watchful gazes of her Clanmates into the den. The cave floor was damp beneath her paws, making her chilly in the already frosty night air. But Sharp's nest was cushioned with a thick layer of moss that squished under her paws, acting as a buffer between her pelt and the stone ground. As they settled down and curled up, Sharp's flank pressed against her spine, warming her back and chasing away the cold. The chasm between her and Tall Pine had reached even their sleeping arrangements, so she was cold most nights without the warmth of her siblings. She let out a long exhale as she slipped into sleep, grateful for the warmth of a fellow cat.

"No." Spotted Owl woke with a gasp, sitting bolt upright in the nest. Bits of moss clung to her disheveled fur, remnants of her tossing and turning. Her chest was constricted, and her heart thudded in her ears. She'd dreamed that she had been searching a dark, foggy forest for something she'd forgotten, but she couldn't remember what it was. What could it be? Spotted Owl bit her lip, scanning the den around her. What am I forgetting?

"Fox-dung," the dappled she-cat cursed, springing to her paws. Her eyes grew as huge and round as the full moon as she stared at the vacant moss beside her. That's what I was forgetting. My mission! How could I not remember that? How could I let Sharp sneak out without me noticing? Fox-dung, fox-dung, fox-dung. She paced back and forth, cursing internally and berating herself. Mossy Moon and the entire Clan of the Morning Sun are depending on you to get this right. How could you mess it up already?

Wait. Spotted Owl went stone-still as a scent wafted into her nose. Sharp's scent is still fresh. He's not long gone. I should stop wasting time when I can still fix this.

Without wasting even a split-heartbeat more, Spotted Owl whirled around and bounded out of the den. Once she emerged into the camp, she slowed, moving as silently as she could to not attract any attention. The rest of the Clan had long since retired to their dens, so she crept unnoticed across the camp, through the passageway, out the dirtplace, past the guards, and into the forest.

Once the shadowy spikes of tree branches shrouded the camp from her view, the fighter trainee slowed. Putting her nose to the ground, she searched among the dried leaves and fallen pine needles for Sharp's scent. Come on, come on. Where is it? She breathed a sigh of relief once she found it clinging to the trunk of a cedar tree but didn't stop, starting to follow it.

Sharp's scent trail led her on a winding, befuddling path all over the valley, not unlike the last time. First, it led her on a straight path directly away from the gorge that seemed to have a direction for once. Only when she finally started to hope that she might get some clear answers, it switched around, doubling back up the slope before shifting to a winding path heading deep into the Clan of the Morning Sun's territory.

Spotted Owl paused and shook her head as she reached yet another curve in Sharp's path, this one around the side of a thick oak tree when he switched from heading toward the valley to the Clan of the Morning Sun's border with the Clan of the High Peaks. What in the stars is he doing? He really seems like he is just wandering aimlessly around the Valley of Hidden Stars. She huffed in frustration but set off again.

The scent trail continued to lead her on a meandering path, but she eventually figured out that Sharp was headed down the mountainside and toward the border with the Clan of the High Peaks. Before she knew it, the pungent smell of the scent markers hit her nose. Spotted Owl skidded to a halt, her toes less than a whisker-length from the border. She stared across it at the dark forest no different from that on her side of the border, but it might as well have been another world. Her ears flattened against her head as she realized that Sharp's scent trail led her directly across it. She hesitated, but taking a deep breath, she stepped across, though she shook her head in bewilderment. Sharp is heading in the complete opposite direction from last time and still just wandering around. What in the Clan of the Bright Stars is he searching for?

Here I am again! I hope you enjoyed reading. Nothing much happened this chapter; it was mostly just the continuation of a few plotlines. Though that scene with Spotted Owl and Sharp was quite fun to write. I love their dynamic.

Reviews:

WhiteWinter1 - Thank you! I'm glad that you like Tall Pine and Frosted Leaf. They are both great characters and very cute together. I've never had someone tell me they like Tall Pine before, so it's good to see that there are people who like all of my characters!

Theoneandonlylonelypotato - Yeah, me too, but it is the best decision for Tall Pine. Though just because that plotline didn't occur now doesn't mean it never will… ;). Thank you!

Fun Fact: Mossy Moon's fighter name was Mossy Pelt. She never felt like her name fit her until she became chieftain.

- A Warrior At Heart