Chapter 6

Moonshine padded alongside Golden as they made their way back to the bush. The sun was a faint glow beneath the horizon, and Moonshine shivered in the chilly dawn air.

Golden pressed against her. “Almost there,” he murmured.

Moonshine felt grateful for his company. He’s so kind, and so strong . . . He would make a good warrior. She glanced at him. If he chooses to stay. But not all cats are suitable for Clan life. He might not fit in. Moonshine gazed at the trees distractedly. I hope he stays.

“Moonshine!”

A yowl interrupted her thoughts. Moonshine glanced ahead and spotted Silverfur bounding toward them with a dark gray cat with her. She ran forward to meet them. “Hi!” she mewed cheerfully. “Who’s this?”

The cat puffed out his chest. He was a muscular long-furred tom with thick, fluffy dark gray fur and leaf-green eyes. “I’m Shadow,” he announced. “Silverfur saved me from a fox. She was so brave! And she asked me if I wanted to tag along, and I agreed, of course!” He nudged the silver cat. “Who would be more interesting than her?” He looked at Moonshine. “And I assume you’re Moonshine, right? Silverfur told me we were meeting you.” He looked away at Golden, a question in his eyes.

Before Shadow could ask about who Golden was, Moonshine meowed, “Yes, I’m Moonshine”—she nudged Golden forward—“and this is Golden. I just found him. He was ‘wandering around’ and then he attacked me.”

Silverfur’s gaze flickered to her anxiously. “Are you hurt?”

Moonshine shook her head. “No. Golden just squashed me. He didn’t even unsheathe his claws!”

Golden shrugged. “What’s the point of shedding blood when there’s no good reason?”

Silverfur met Moonshine’s gaze. The silver cat beckoned her with her tail and bounded away a few fox-lengths. Moonshine followed, wondering what the SkyClan cat was going to tell her.

“Did you hear that?” Silverfur mewed eagerly. “Well, of course you did, but still! Golden doesn’t want to be violent. He doesn’t want to spend so much time fighting countless battles, losing so many cats, just for a paw-step of land, like the other rogues. And he looks very strong. That’s some good warrior qualities!”

Moonshine opened her mouth to agree, but Silverfur went on.

“And Shadow said last night, ‘I’ve spent basically my whole life in these woods, with not many other cats. I’ve never felt what victory or defeat feels like. I know other cats do. When I saw two cats fighting over a piece or prey, I ignored them. What’s the point if you can just hunt another one?’”

Silverfur paused. Moonshine nodded. “Go on,” she urged.

“Well . . . ‘I think you’re like me.’” Silverfur sounded embarrassed. “‘You seem like a cat that wants to avoid pointless battles. And you need my help, so of course I’ll come with you! I’m sure I’ll still have the same life with you. I don’t need victory. I just need peace and happiness and to be surrounded by the cats I love’—” She broke off as Shadow and Golden padded toward them.

“Are you done sharing secrets?” Shadow joked.

“Well?” Golden mewed in that same teasing tone. “Are you going to accept us or not?”

Moonshine let out a short purr as she realized the two new cats had already become good friends. And that’s what we need!

“Of course we accept you!” Silverfur meowed.

“So what do you need?” Golden pressed.

Moonshine hesitated. “Well . . . we need fresh herbs for our wounds, and prey. We also need to find a safe place to stay tonight, but I think we can do that.”

Shadow winked at her. “No, we’ll do that. And we’ll collect herbs. We know the area better than you do, and I bet you two are better hunters than us!”

“Yeah, we must be so clumsy we’d scare off all the prey!” Golden joked as he and Shadow set off together.

“Meet back here!” Silverfur called.

Moonshine glanced at the towering trees. “So, should we hunt . . . ?”

“Again,” Silverfur finished, her eyes sparkling with laughter. “I guess we should get on with it, then . . .”

 

“Oh, hi, Moonshine and Silverfur! Yay! You caught prey!”

“Food! So much food!”

Silverfur rolled her eyes at Moonshine as they listened to the toms’ chatter. The two she-cats dropped their prey and settled down to eat. The toms stopped next to them and crouched down.

Moonshine and Silverfur quickly finished and stood to the side as the toms ate, quietly washing. “I hope they won’t get any worse,” Silverfur grunted.

“This is good.”

“Isn’t it the same kind of prey you’ve been eating all along?”

“Yes, but Moonshine and Silverfur caught it. Warriors.”

“Yeah, I feel the same way. Delicious.”

“We need to find a place soon,” Silverfur suddenly murmured.

Moonshine blinked at her. “What? What for? For the night? Oh, yes, Golden and Shadow said they’d find us a place—”

Silverfur cut her off. “No, Moonshine, not for that! For us to stay in!”

Moonshine still didn’t get it. “Isn’t that the same thing as staying for the night?”

Silverfur sighed. “No, not for the night. Forever. For the rest of our lives.”

Moonshine blinked, startled. “What? Don’t you want to go back to our Clans?” She couldn’t believe Silverfur wouldn’t want that.

Silverfur looked away. “There might not be any Clans left.”

Moonshine rested her tail-tip on her friend’s shoulder. “But there has to be!” she exclaimed, thinking about the strange encounter with Starlight. I’m the only one who can save the Clans. “If there’s no Clans left, what are we? There have always been Clans, Silverfur! Don’t give up hope!”

Silverfur blinked gratefully at Moonshine, then shook her off. “I know. But if there aren’t any left, I’m not going to let my time with them be for nothing.” She lifted her chin. “We could start our own Clan. We could have kits who’ll grow into fine warriors and have kits of their own who’ll have kits of their own. We don’t have to destroy and forget our whole way of life.”

“You’re right,” Moonshine meowed, “but I’m not giving up hope.”

Silverfur lifted her tail stubbornly. “But in the meantime, we need to form our own Clan to survive. There’s just no other possible way.”

Seeing how strong her friend looked, determination blazing in her blue eyes, Moonshine couldn’t argue. I just hope there’ll be Clans left to go back to so Silverfur doesn’t leave. But it’s all up to me.