Received: from nobody by stodi.digitalkingdom.org with local (Exim 4.87)
(envelope-from
Thunder saw Gray Wing straighten Sparrow Fur Are you sure The gray tom stared at her She met his gaze and nodded I like it there Gray Wing didnt speak I like the trees Sparrow Fur insisted And Ive always wanted to taste squirrel and Her mew trailed away There was no mistaking the fierce grief burning in Gray Wings eyes You must follow your heart He dropped his gaze Owl Eyes scampered past his sister and grabbed a stone between his teeth He tossed it into the circle beside Sparrow Furs and glanced at Pebble Heart They were leaving their littermate Is that okay Its fine Pebble Heart purred A Thunderpath may separate us but we will always be littermates As Pebble Heart stepped forward to nuzzle his brothers cheek Cloud Spots cast his stone into Clear Skys circle Pebble Heart jerked around and stared at the longfurred black tom His eyes glittered with alarm What will I do without you to guide me How will I know which herbs to use You know them Cloud Spots meowed simply I have nothing left to teach you And its better that we spread our healing skills between two groups The pine forest cats will have you to treat their wounds Clear Sky will have me He glanced over his shoulder at Clear Sky He certainly needs someone to take care of his cats Clear Sky didnt seem to hear He was staring at the four pebbles in his circle Thunder curled his claws into the ground nervously While hed been turning the question over and over in his mind every cat had made their decision except him Well Clear Sky prompted Where will you choose Thunder Thunder glanced around at the cats hed grown up among Should he follow Gray Wing and Tall Shadow to the pine forest Or Dappled Pelt and Shattered Ice to the river No He knew what he had to do Hed seen Clear Sky almost die earlier Worse than that hed seen Clear Sky look uncertain Hed watched his father plead Deep in his belly Thunder sensed a weakness in him that hed never seen before He needs me Reluctantly he padded to the stones and picked one from the remains of the pile He dropped it into Clear Skys circle Thank you Thunder His fathers mew seemed to crack Thunder closed his eyes Ive made the right decision Clear Sky was not the ruthless leader hed once been If his group was to spread and grow like the Blazing Star Clear Sky would need help leading it Thunder shook out his pelt feeling relief wash through him like a fresh breeze The decision had been made And yet his heart pricked at the thought of the group splitting apart Was this really the right thing to do He imagined the hollow empty through the long leafbare snow filling the deserted nests the clearing growing wild with no paw steps to trample down the grass Mouse Ear wove around Tall Shadow I bet the pine forest has more prey than the moor Mud Paws lifted a black forepaw and began to wash it I cant wait to be out of this wind he mewed between licks Do you think River Ripple will teach us how to fish Dappled Pelts eyes were shining as she padded back and forth restlessly in front of Shattered Ice Sparrow Fur shuddered You want to get your paws wet She stared at the shecat in disbelief I want to learn how to swim Dappled Pelt told her It cant be harder than tunneling Shattered Ice added Lightning Tail snorted I always suspected you were mousebrained he purred teasingly The cats seemed happy but Thunder hardly heard them Irritation pricked beneath his pelt as he watched Jagged Peak press close to Holly the kits winding around their paws Did he have to look so pleased with himself Thunder stalked toward him Are you happy now that youve split up the group Jagged Peak met his gaze unflinching Its what the spirit cats wanted and you know it Thunder blinked surprised by Jagged Peaks boldness Things change Thunder Jagged Peak glanced back at his crippled hind leg Some of us are used to adapting Perhaps you should get used to it too He turned sharply swishing his tail against Thunders muzzle and nosed Eagle Feather up onto his shoulders Do you want a badger ride to our new home Thunder stared Jagged Peak had changed Hed become so certain of himself Should I begrudge him that A pelt brushed his flank as Clear Sky stopped beside him Five cats will have to be enough His gaze was fixed on the departing cats For now Thunder felt suddenly cold There was icy determination in his fathers mew Perhaps Clear Sky hadnt grown weak after all Had his anxious pleading eyes just been a trick Do you still want them all Not me Clear Skys blue gaze was calm Fluttering Bird Thunder shifted away Perhaps it was best that the group was spreading itself across moor river and forest No leader should command every cat That was too much power to hold Clear Sky lifted his tail Youd better get ready to leave Sparrow Fur and Owl Eyes were already pacing near the entrance Beside them Lightning Tail gazed wistfully across the hollow Gray Wing sat alone The toms golden eyes were dark with grief Thunder felt his throat tighten I have to say goodbye to Gray Wing he told Clear Sky He crossed the grass and stopped in front of his old friend Ill watch over them he promised tipping his head toward Sparrow Fur and Owl Eyes Its like losing Turtle Tail all over again Gray Wings mew was thick Im not ready to leave Tall Shadow and Pebble Heart needs me But how can I be separated from those kits Thunder hated how hard this seemed to be for Gray Wing Theyre not kits anymore he said softly But he knew that although Owl Eyes Sparrow Fur and Pebble Heart were nearly grown Gray Wing would always love them as a father Anyway youll know where they are Thunder soothed Youll get to see them whenever you want It wont be the same
Never receive these again by telling us as soon as possible
Federico Nieland, 845 NC Highway 33 W Chocowinity Nc 27817-8026
You can no longer get these when you simply inform us on this page
PO Box 971, Reno, NV 89504