TB MOONRISE -- Chapter 2 (Patreon)

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With their breakfast finished, the group decided it was past time to get moving. Their Clans needed them – but Stormfur had wanted every cat to have some idea of where the Clans were going, so they were staring over the lake and memorizing the terrain as best as they could, in the hopes that it would make their leaders and Clans easier to convince.

Feathertail doubted that Leopardstar would listen easily – she was by far the most stubborn leader in the forest. Though, judging by Stoneheart’s earnest gaze raking over the pine forest, Feathertail guessed that Russetstar might need some extra convincing as well.

“I wish we had time to explore it all,” Stormfur breathed. “I’ll bet there’s so much here for every Clan to love.”

Feathertail found herself wishing that, too. The land here seemed so much bigger than the territories back in the forest – the Clans could flourish for generations in such a place, especially if all the prey was as fat as Mistyfoot’s vole earlier. This could really be a great home for them, if they could convince the Clans to leave the forest.

She glanced sidelong at Stormfur. Will he move to ThunderClan when we bring the Clans here? He was standing close to Mistyfoot, their pelts brushing. She pushed the thought away, feeling the yawning jaws of abandonment trying to secure themselves into her tail. Nothing is decided yet! He said so himself.

“If we had time, we could at least tell our leaders what to expect,” Stoneheart sighed. He was still looking over at the pine forest, his tail-tip twitching. “But time isn’t something we have right now.”

Crowpaw’s shoulders were stiff as he looked out over the moorland. “Are you sure this place is safe, Midnight?” he asked. “No offense, but… trust a badger to lead us into a badger’s den…”

Feathertail wanted to cuff the WindClan tom for a comment like that, but she had to agree that he was only voicing all their own worries. She looked over at the she-badger, who was sitting with Mistyfoot and Shadepaw.

Midnight lifted her snout, her berry-bright eyes flashing. “Forest not safe for your ancestors,” she countered, “when they came. Carved their homes then, carve your homes now.”

“Well, I can’t wait!” Nightpaw purred.  The little tom’s tail was sticking straight up in the air, and his body was bristling with excitement. “A whole new land… and we found it, and we get to explore it! No cat will ever forget our names!”

Feathertail’s whiskers twitched, her heart filling up with admiration for the apprentice’s adventurous spirit. She nudged him back to the others, purring. “We’ll have plenty of time to explore when we bring the Clans here,” she insisted. Maybe ThunderClan and RiverClan will share a border again? “But right now I think we should get moving.”

“Agreed,” Stormfur mewed. He cast a mournful look back over the lake, as if he were sad to leave so soon. When he looked back at the others, those amber eyes were sharp with determination. “We need to head out.”

“We thank you for your help, Midnight,” Mistyfoot meowed. “Do you happen to know a quick–”

All the cats froze at the sound of rustling bushes. Stormfur and Mistyfoot, bristling, thrust themselves out front. Feathertail joined them, puffing out her chest fur to look twice her own size. Nightpaw and Crowpaw unsheathed their claws, while Shadepaw stepped protectively in front of Stoneheart, who looked somewhat amused by the idea.

The bristling fur and glinting claws were for nothing as a rumpled tabby shape stepped out of the brush. Purdy blinked at them with wide, owlish eyes. “What, y’all thought I was a fox’r somethin’?”

“Purdy!” Nightpaw’s fur flattened and the small tom burst out of their lines to press his muzzle into the old loner’s fur.

A sense of relief filled each of the Clan cats, and Feathertail felt a rush of affection for the old tabby. Purdy had guided them through a large, confusing Twolegplace days ago and had pointed them to the lake. The old tom was strange and lonely, but he meant no harm and knew the land well.

“Oh, youngin’!” Purdy purred. He licked Nightpaw between the ears, his tail flicking with what seemed like embarrassment. “I was gettin’ worried that y’all got lost…”

“We found the lake,” Crowpaw mewed, flicking at the water with his tail. “Thanks to you.”

“We found Midnight, too,” Shadepaw added, nodding to the badger.

Purdy’s old eyes only seemed to see the badger now, and he jumped in front of Nightpaw, bristling. “A b-badger?! Are y’all bee-brained?! Git away from it, ‘fore it–”

Midnight raised a paw. “I mean no harm,” she stated simply.

Purdy’s spine sagged, and a look of disbelief crossed his face. He looked down at Nightpaw helplessly, and sighed, “An’ I thought that StarClan’a yers was unbelievable… a badger that speaks cat? The heck’s this world comin’ to?”

“She has helped us figure out our purpose here,” Mistyfoot explained coolly. “We need to head back to our Clans as soon as possible.”

“Do you know a way?” Stormfur asked, tilting his head.

Purdy frowned. “Hmmm,” he grumbled. “I kin take y’all back through the neighborhood but I dunno if it’ll be quick…”

“The mountains,” rumbled Midnight. She lifted her paw to point at the horizon.

Feathertail blinked, following the badger’s gesture. Towards the sunrise were a range of tall mountains that the cats had avoided on their way here. Though Feathertail was somewhat confused about the route, she supposed crossing the peaks would make for a quicker trip… but they looked cold and lonely, and something about the place made her paws tremble.

She wasn’t the only one – Purdy was bristling at the suggestion, his eyes wide. “The mountains?!” he gasped. “Now I know y’all are bee-brained; ya don’ just go up those mountains! What ‘bout the–”

Midnight thrust her way into his speech: “Their choice,” she grunted. “Not yours. Twolegplace, or mountains… either way, return they must.”

The others were looking at the peaks, too… and at Stormfur. Feathertail knew that though the group had never formally nominated a leader, her littermate had taken the role as his own on the way here. Though he was a source of frustration, Stormfur was still a smart, noble cat, and Feathertail was proud that he had led them so far.

“It could be a more direct route,” Stoneheart meowed. He was examining the landscape with a sharp eye. “From here we can see that we wouldn’t have to cross the Twolegplace again. We’d save a day or two at least.”

Shadepaw’s shoulders were bristling, her eyes glinting oddly as she looked at the horizon. “I don’t know…” she murmured. “Something doesn’t feel right. I think I’d rather go through the Twolegplace – at least then we’d have Purdy to help us.”

“Me, too,” Crowpaw agreed, glancing at Shadepaw.

“Not me,” Nightpaw huffed. “I want to see what’s in the mountains!”

“Hawks, that’s what,” Crowpaw snapped back. “And they’ll pick you up ‘cuz you’re small as a rabbit!”

Nightpaw bristled.

“The danger is great, either way,” Midnight offered before Nightpaw could retort. “What say you, Clans?”

Feathertail trembled a little, looking at her brother. She would follow him anywhere, just as she always had. No matter what, we stay together, she told herself.

“What do you all think?” Stormfur asked, his amber eyes passing over the others. “Mountains, or the Twolegplace?”

Shadepaw and Crowpaw stepped back, both looking against the idea of the mountain path – but Stoneheart and Nightpaw were clearly for the idea, and when Mistyfoot padded up to their side it was clear they were outnumbered.

“Mountains it is, then,” Feathertail decided, smiling for Shadepaw and Crowpaw’s sakes. “I’m sure it’ll go fine; there’s nothing we can’t handle together!”

“Very well,” Stormfur mewed. He lifted his chin, amber eyes flashing determinedly. “We go through the mountains!”

Midnight’s eyes sparkled. “Destiny is in motion,” she rumbled, seeming satisfied. “There is little time, now.”

Purdy looked concerned, his tail-tip twitching. Feathertail felt for the old loner – he didn’t believe in StarClan, or anything, really; he didn’t know what it meant to believe in his ancestors. The Clan cats – and Midnight – must all look ridiculous to him. If he knew how real StarClan was, he wouldn’t worry so much…

The old loner sighed, and mewed, “Well… I don’ think I’ll be changin’ yer minds… Least I can do is point y’all in the right direction. Mostly a straight shot from what I’ve heard, but ya gotta know where’t look for the path… Y’all sure about this?”

Stormfur glanced over the others once more, his gaze confident. Each cat, even Shadepaw and Crowpaw, returned his steady gaze with a nod. When Feathertail affirmed her choice, Stormfur nodded at Purdy. “We are,” he confirmed.

Purdy grimaced. “Well… time’t move out, then,” he decided. Flicking his tail, he began to pad away, towards the mountains. “If’n we hurry, we kin make it to the base by sunset.”

Feathertail got to her paws, her heart thudding in her ears. Were the others just as nervous? She glanced back at Midnight. What lay in the mountains? Did the badger know? Feathertail wished that there was time to ask, but the Clans needed them.

Nightpaw looked back at the lake, his ice-blue eyes filled with determination. “We’ll be back!” he yowled at the waters. “And we’ll make this place our home!”

Feathertail smiled, the worries in her heart stilling for a moment. Whatever lay in the mountains, they could face it together.

They had to.