Moth Flight’s Vision

Blue Whisker started to shiver. “I’m cold.”

“It won’t be long now.” Moth Flight scanned the slopes of the Fourtrees hollow. Were they coming?

Pebble Heart, Dappled Pelt, Acorn Fur, and Cloud Spots had arranged everything. They’d spoken to their leaders and brought news that each Clan would accept one of Moth Flight’s kits.

“Are you sure that you don’t want them to stay together?”

Acorn Fur had asked when she’d visited the WindClan camp the day before.

“No.” Moth Flight had been certain. “I want one kit to go to each Clan.” She hadn’t explained more. She knew she was doing the right thing.

“But if they stay together, they’ll be able to look after each other,” Acorn Fur had reasoned.

“I’m sure their new Clans will look after them well enough.”

Moth Flight hadn’t met Acorn Fur’s gaze. It was hard enough to stop her mew from trembling.

Acorn Fur didn’t press her. “Clear Sky and Star Flower are thrilled to be taking Honey Pelt. They still miss Tiny Branch, and Honey Pelt will be a comfort to them.”

“Moth Flight?” Blue Whisker’s mew jerked her back to the moment. The she-kit was gazing through the branches. Her white-and-yellow pelt glowed in the dusky light. “Is that where StarClan lives? In the sky?”

“A new star is born each time a cat dies,” Moth Flight explained.

“Which one’s Micah?” Blue Whisker narrowed her eyes, straining to see through the leaves.

“I’m not sure.” Moth Flight’s mew thickened. “But he’s up there watching you.”

“Really?” Blue Whisker blinked at her hopefully.

Moth Flight touched her muzzle to the yellow-and-white kit’s head. “Really,” she promised.

“Get out of the way!” Bubbling Stream’s cross mew rang across the clearing. She was trying to pull herself onto the gnarled oak root beside her brothers.

Moth Flight gazed at them desperately. They were so small, their pelts like pale thistledown against the bark. “Come here,” she called. “I need to speak to you.”

Honey Pelt leaped from the root and charged toward her. He must have heard the fear in her mew. “What’s wrong?”

Spider Paw raced after him. “Are we going home now?”

Bubbling Stream dropped to the ground and hurried behind them. “Why did you bring us here?”

Moth Flight nosed Blue Whisker away from her flank.

“Stand beside your littermates.” She gazed at her kits as they lined up in front of her, their eyes wide with excitement. “I have to tell you something important.”

One day you will gather the scattered petals of the Blazing Star, but not yet. Micah’s words burned in her mind. She remembered the stories her mother used to tell of the Blazing Star prophecy, which had separated the cats into Clans.

You will gather the scattered petals.

She was destined to bring the Clans together, one flower made of five petals, just like the Blazing Star flower.

But not yet.

She would bring the petals together, but first, she must scatter them. Her bloodline must flow into each Clan.

She blinked solemnly at her kits. “The leaders of the Clans are coming here tonight.”

“Why?” Spider Paw pricked his ears.

Blue Whisker shrank back. “Do we have to meet them?”

Moth Flight didn’t answer. She forced herself to go on.

“They are coming here to meet you. They want you to go live with them, as part of their Clans. Each of you will go to a different Clan.”

Bubbling Stream stuck out her muzzle. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Moth Flight steadied her breath. “You will be well cared for and your new Clan will be your home from now on.”

Blue Whisker’s eyes clouded with terror. “I don’t want to go.”

“Are you giving us away?” Spider Paw looked confused.

Bubbling Stream frowned. “Did we do something wrong?”

“No!” Moth Flight’s heart seemed to crack. She began to tremble. “I love you so much. But it has to be this way.”

Honey Pelt’s gaze grew hard. “No it doesn’t. You want it this way.”

Moth Flight swallowed. “Yes,” she admitted softly. “But not because I don’t want you—it’s because you are special.”

Spider Paw growled. “So special you have to get rid of us!”

Micah, help me! Moth Flight glanced up desperately. Why do I have to do this alone? She straightened, determined to be strong. “Your father spoke to me,” she began. “He told me that one day I would gather the scattered petals of the Blazing Star.”

“What’s that got to do with us?” Spider Paw demanded angrily.

“You are the petals,” Moth Flight told him. “Long before you were born, the spirit-cats came into this clearing—”

“Spirit-cat s?” Bubbling Stream looked anxiously over her shoulder.

“Are they with us now?” Blue Whisker blinked into the shadows.

“We’re alone,” Moth Flight soothed. “But they used to come here. Before I found the Moonstone. Before the Clans existed. It was the spirit-cats who told us to split into five Clans, like the petals of the Blazing Star flower. The cats had grown jealous.