Chapter 6

The full moon would rise tonight. Somehow, they'd managed to get by without any major issues. Mosspaw found it suspicious, but there was nothing to do but stay alert. She finished off Emberfur's leftovers as she listened to the elders talk.

"Can't say I'm looking forward to it," said Lizardtail. "Whole lotta hassle over some kit's daydreams, if you ask me."

"Then it's a good thing that nobody asked you," said Whiteroad.

"You mean you're looking forward to all this nonsense?"

A dry, spiteful chuckle escaped Whiteroad's jaws. "It's no more nonsense than listening to your sorry tail carry on all day. We could do with a change of scenery. Now if you'll excuse me," she said, rising from her spot, "I'm going to catch what sunlight's left in the day."

Watching her go, Lizardtail mumbled, "yeah, go ahead. Hope you have a heat stroke."

"Um, so if you don't need anything else…" If Mosspaw had fingers, she would've crossed them.

"Before you run off, I need some help with my back," said Webtail. She'd been washing herself where she could reach.

"Okay," Mosspaw said with a sigh.

She got to work weeding out plump fleas and crushing them between her teeth. She killed a few, spat them out, and so the process repeated until they were sufficiently thinned out enough that she could properly groom the elder's dry fur. She was careful around the areas where she found red, irritated bumps that smelled of blood and grime. Once Webtail was cared for, she repeated the whole ordeal for Emberfur.

"We found a new patch of catnip the other day. Should I fetch you some before we leave?" Mosspaw asked dutifully, despite the fact that she would have rather done just about anything else.

"What kind of question is that? Of course we want it, you little rot-brained kit!" Lizardtail snapped.

"C'mon now, that ain't no way to be talking to her," said Emberfur. "Our little Mosspaw's the most hardworking apprentice in the whole Clan. It ain't right to be treating her like a scratching post."

Mosspaw looked back and forth between them. Lizardtail's pelt was bristled, and she looked as if she was raring to give the orange feline a new scar. Emberfur was either blissfully ignorant, or more than ready to call her bluff, from the look of his body language.

The light coming in was tinted red from the setting sun, so she'd best hurry. "I'll go get that catnip for you now."

Whatever gets me away from you for a bit.

She left their room and weaved her way through the jumbled crowds in the main area. Voices filled the air and rattled in her skull. She hopped over an old rag rife with Bulletpounce's scent, slipped past Rustfang and Rattil, and stumbled into Bellpaw, who hissed in her face.

"What's your problem?" She was barely audible amidst the overbearing chatter.

"I'm sorry. I'm just on my way out."

"Out? To where? We're leaving soon," said Slagpaw, the black and white tom who'd been speaking with his littermate.

"Lizardtail wants catnip," she told them, mentally berating herself for asking in the first place.

"Now? Now of all times?" Bellpaw flicked her fluffy gray tail. "What the hell's wrong with that crazy old pile of bones?"

Flinching, Slagpaw mumbled, "Human swears, Bell. No human swears. You know Mom hates-"

"I don't care what Mom hates!" Her voice was sharp.

An idea sprung into Mosspaw's brain. She stopped herself from purring. "Come with me."

"What?"

"To get catnip for the elders. It'll be faster and-"

"I'm not helping you run your little errand. I did my chores today; I'm not a suck-up like you are."

"All right," said Mosspaw with an air of indifference. "I'll just go."

"You do that." She pointedly turned her muzzle back to Slagpaw.

Ambling away, Mosspaw said, "and I'll mention a thing or two to Opossumfang on my way out."

"Wait, what?"

Bellpaw leaped in front of her, blocking her path. Behind, Slagpaw was laughing to himself. Mosspaw blinked at her, keeping her green eyes wide and innocent. Bellpaw's pelt was even more fluffed up than usual.

"I just think she'll be proud of you. Being your own cat and all. Making your own decisions."

"Don't. You. Dare."

"Why not?" she asked as sweetly as she could.

"Cut the act, you little crow-heart. You know my mom's gonna yell at me for a moon if she finds out what I said."

"But you don't care, right?" Mosspaw leaned in closer. "So it should be fine if I tell her everything."

They stared each other down. The world around them felt muffled.

Bellpaw shook herself off, exasperated. "Fine. I'll help you."

"Great, thanks!" she replied cheerily. At least she wouldn't have to do all the work. Again. "If we're quick, we'll be able to rest before we start heading out."

In the yard, Whiteroad was basking in the fading light, Steelclaw and Ironpaw were sitting together, and Lilyfang was gnawing on a squirrel bone. Darkwood was sitting in a corner with his tail resting atop his paws. He called to them before they could make their leave.

"Where are you two going? We leave soon."

"The elders need some catnip," Mosspaw explained. "So, we were going to run and get some before it's time to go. It's not far."

He paused before gesturing to the tortoiseshell she-cat near the fence. "Go with Leafwhisker. No matter how far it is, we need to be careful."

"Yes, Darkwood," she said, dipping her head and turning go fetch the warrior.

"And hurry back!" he called after the three of them as they slipped beneath the tangle of twisted wires and out into the City.

#

Carmen's stomach growled while she made her way through the dreary halls of forgotten human structure. The Clan's home was even more of a disaster than usual. The scraps of cloth and leaves and moss that the warriors slept on were scattered haphazardly about; now it was all treated like the garbage that she'd always seen it as. The prey pile was nothing but a few bones that smelled of blood and old herbs. The air inside wasn't as hot as it had been, but hot enough that Carmen could suffer it no longer.

When she stepped out of their walls, she took a moment to relish the chilled, wispy breeze that came to caress her fur. Half of the Clan was out here now, more than a few of them giving the old stone shell wistful looks. It reminded Carmen of how she'd felt leaving her comfortable apartment den behind. It was distasteful to her, but she supposed it was only natural that mongrel cats would have such pitiful standards.

The sky was painted with crimson strokes now. The sun was dressed in a bloody veil, the evening's light spilling over them and smothering the Clan cats in red. Carmen paid it no attention. Her amber gaze was locked on the place in the heavens her Guiding Star would reveal itself. Her mind fluttered with daydreams of soft beds and admiring stares and all the food she could ever want and more.

To Shadefur, who was crouched beneath some tall grass in a corner of the yard, the sight was an omen of things to come.