the dome of fit

Thunder frowned as Jagged Peak and Tall Shadow jumped down from the rock Cast stones What was Gray Wing talking about How he murmured to himself A warm muzzle nudged his flank and he turned to see Dappled Pelt looking at him her eyes sparkling Weve done it before when Clear Sky broke away from the group to set up his own camp in the forestand before that when he wanted to leave the mountains Gray Wing began to dig through the snow at the bottom of the rock As he unearthed pebbles from the soil below he kicked them out behind him Jagged Peak scooped them into a pile while Tall Shadow hurried to the edge of the clearing and began to scrape a wide hole in the snow Pebble Heart and Cloud Spots slid from beneath the jutting gorse where theyd treated Clear Sky The scent of herbs swirled around them and Thunder noticed that Pebble Hearts paws were stained green Sparrow Fur and Owl Eyes nosed their way from the snowy grass at the edge of the clearing and padded toward the others Owl Eyes was yawning and Sparrow Fur blinked sleep from her eyes Were casting stones Dappled Pelt called to them excitedly Casting stones Owl Eyes sat down beside the tortoiseshell On what Were deciding where each cat will live she told him Sparrow Furs eyes widened Why now Dappled Pelt glanced sharply at Clear Sky Thunder shifted his paws uneasily The cats clearly knew that his fathers interference had pushed them to make this decision We shared a dream of the spirit cats last night he explained to Sparrow Fur They want us to spread and grow like the Blazing Star Sparrow Fur rolled her eyes Weve known that for ages Last night they told us to hurry up Sparrow Fur tipped her head curious Why We dont know Thunder remembered the urgent tone in Storms mew Why were the spirit cats rushing them Did they know something they werent sharing Thunder Tall Shadows call shook him from his thoughts Help me clear this patch He bounded over to her and began to widen the circle shed made by scraping away snow until soil showed beneath He was still not exactly sure what she was doing When the patch was three taillengths wide Tall Shadow traced a loop in the clear earth with a deft flick of her paw Then another and another until there were three circles marked on the ground She lifted her muzzle Each cat must take a stone from the pile Gray Wing and Jagged Peak have made and place it in the circle that marks the place they wish to live Shattered Ice padded forward Which circle is which Lightning Tail padded past him carrying one of the heather branches hed brought back to camp in his jaws He dropped it and tugged off a brown sprig from the tip then placed it in one of the circles Then he put two more in the next so that the circles were clearly marked Tall Shadow nodded curtly Thank you Lightning Tail She addressed the cats once more The circle with no heather is Clear Skys camp The circle with one sprig is the pine forest Two sprigs means the moor Dappled Pelt swished her tail What about the river Lightning Tail blinked at her Thats River Ripples territory Gray Wing turned from the rock his paws filthy from digging River Ripple must be included in our plans The spirit cats chose to share with him as well as us Okay Tall Shadow drew a fourth circle on the earth Lightning Tail dropped three sprigs of heather into it Thunder tipped his head to one side What about the fifth petal If River Ripple was right the spirit cats wanted them to separate into five groups Gray Wing nosed past Jagged Peak and stopped at the edge of the patch of earth Theres Wind Runners group When the sickness had reached the camp and killed one of her kits Wind Runner and Gorse Fur had taken their kitsMoth Flight and Dust Muzzleaway from the hollow to make their own camp on the moor There Slatea friendly rogue shecathad joined them Tall Shadow glanced around at her campmates Should I trace a circle for Wind Runners group Of course Shattered Ice meowed Shes one of the five petals No Gray Wing shook his head She left for a reason he reminded them She wont want any of us joining her Pebble Heart glanced toward the camp entrance Perhaps someone should get her She should be part of this One day she will be Gray Wing told him gently But for now she thinks she is doing the right thing for her kits by keeping to herself and we should respect that Tall Shadow nodded Gray Wings right Wind Runner was always independent Shell make her own decisions in her own time She leaned closer to the patch of soil Four circles will have to be enough Mud Paws dipped his head Mouse Ear nodded gravely Cloud Spots sat down and wrapped his tail over his paws Sparrow Fur wove excitedly between Pebble Heart and Owl Eyes Can we choose wherever we want she asked Of course Gray Wing answered Turtle Tail told me we must each follow our hearts Thunder felt his tail tremble Storm had told him that too But where does my heart lie He glanced across the clearing aching suddenly with sorrow as he remembered playing kit games with Lightning Tail and Acorn Fur while Hawk Swoop watched fondly from her nest in the long grass Could he really leave here Clear Sky pushed past Jagged Peak Our hearts belong together His eyes glittered wildly Thunder felt a tug of pity for his father Clear Sky was pleading for the cats to join him Ive never seen him so desperate Shattered Ice snorted Do you expect us to believe you He glared at Clear Sky Your heart has only ever led you toward power You just want to be the only leader Thunder flinched as he saw his father shrink away Despair clouded Clear Skys gaze Do what you want he muttered He slunk to the rock and crouched beside it Jagged Peak nudged the pile of pebbles with a paw Lets start Tall Shadow ducked and grabbed the first stone between her jaws She dropped it into the circle with one heather sprig The pine forest Thunder wasnt surprised He knew that was where her heart longed to be Jagged Peak dropped a second stone beside it Thunder stared at him You too Jagged Peak didnt answer him He was gazing at Holly a question in his eyes She padded forward Eagle Feather Storm Pelt and Dew Nose watched as she took a stone and placed it beside Jagged Peaks She lifted her head and blinked slowly at her mate The pines will protect our kits from the weather Jagged Peak purred and wove around her Eagle Feather scrambled toward them kicking up snow But I like the moor Holly bent and licked his ears as he reached her Youll like the pine forest too she promised Therell be good hunting and lots of places to play hideandseek Clear Sky grunted beside the rock and tucked his paws tighter beneath him Thunder tried not to notice his fathers disapproval He glanced at the other cats Who would choose next His paws felt rooted to the earth Should he follow Jagged Peak and Tall Shadow Staying with the cats he knew best might be the wisest path He watched Gray Wing take a stone and place it beside Hollys You too Thunder shivered at the thought of the dark pines He could never live in shadow with the sharp scent of pinesap tainting every piece of prey He watched his heart growing heavier as Pebble Heart Mud Paws and Mouse Ear dropped their stones beside Gray Wings Was every cat going to the pine forest He felt Dappled Pelt brush past as she padded to get a stone and watched holding his breath as she dropped it in the river circle Clear Sky leaped to his paws Youre a cat not a fish Dappled Pelt blinked at him calmly We are choosing where we want she meowed firmly Clear Sky frowned and sat down Thunder ignored his fathers outburst Choosing where to live felt hard enough already His paws pricked as he stared at Dappled Pelts stone He should have felt relieved He wasnt the only cat who didnt want to spend his life wading through pine needles But watching his group split sent unease rippling beneath his pelt Shattered Ice followed Dappled Pelt choosing the river Then Lightning Tail took his turn Thunder watched his chest tightening Hed shared a nest with Lightning Tail as a kit The young tom and his sister Acorn Fur were like littermates to him Grasping a stone between his jaws Lightning Tail padded toward the open patch of soil He glanced at Thunder Was that a question in his friends gaze Thunder looked away I cant help you decide You must follow your own heart Lightning Tail dropped his stone into Clear Skys circle Clear Skys ears pricked with interest Of course Lightning Tail chose the forest Thunder was surprised he hadnt guessed Acorn Fur had already moved there and with Hawk Swoop and Jackdaws Cry dead he had no other kin Next Sparrow Fur padded to the pile of stones and took one Keeping her gaze low she dropped it in Clear Skys circle

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