Moth Flight’s Vision

“Wait!” Sun Shadow dropped his voice, signaling to her to halt with a flick of his tail.

She followed his gaze and saw a green shape hopping along the edge of a ditch a few tail-lengths ahead. A frog.

“Do you want to catch it?” Sun Shadow whispered.

“I’m not the greatest hunter,” she admitted.

“If you miss this one, we’ll find another.”

Moth Flight glanced at him, suddenly aware of how comfortable she was in his company. “Micah would have liked you,” she murmured.

“I think I would have liked him too.” His eyes glowed as he returned her gaze.

She turned toward the frog and dropped into a hunting crouch. Lift your tail. Gorse Fur’s words rang in her ears. She crept forward, pleased that the soft moss absorbed her paw steps. A tail-length from the frog, she paused and fixed her gaze on its glistening green body. She forced herself not to shudder.

The frog hopped another muzzle length and paused. They’re dumber than rabbits, Moth Flight thought. Can’t it smell me?

She wondered if the pine-scented air was disguising her scent.

“Hurry up!” Sun Shadow hissed. “They’re not as slow as they look!”

Moth Flight kneaded the moss with her hind paws, preparing to jump. Then she leaped, her paws slapping the moss a whisker behind the frog. It jumped, tracing a high arc across the ditch.

Moth Flight blinked as it soared away. Bounding over the ditch, she tried to catch it again, her paws sending up water-spray as she splatted the ground half a tail-length behind it. It jumped again, changing direction. Moth Flight spun and tried to knock it from the air, but it had swerved and she landed flat on her belly.

Black fur flashed past her as Sun Shadow flew across the ditch and landed expertly on the frog. He held it down as it squirmed, its flippers churning desperately. “Do you want to give the killing bite?”

Moth Flight screwed up her nose. “No, thanks.”

Sun Shadow ducked and killed it, snapping its spine with a crunch. As he straightened, she saw his whiskers twitching with amusement.

“What?” She ruffled her fur.

“You looked funny, that’s all,” he purred. “I can tell you’ve never hunted frogs before.”

Moth Flight sniffed. “I bet you couldn’t catch a rabbit.”

“Probably not,” he meowed warmly. “But you still looked funny, like a kit chasing its tail.”

Moth Flight purred, pleasure rising in her without warning. I must have looked pretty dumb. Then she stiffened. Her purr dried in her throat.

Sun Shadow watched her, his gaze darkening. “Come on,” he mewed briskly. “Let’s take this back to camp and you can taste it.”

“I’m not hungry.” Moth Flight turned toward the camp.

“A mouthful won’t hurt.” Sun Shadow picked up the frog between his jaws and padded after her.

They padded back to camp in silence. How could I have purred? Guilt ripped her belly. It’s like I’m already forgetting him. Suddenly she wanted to cling to her grief. It was all she had left of Micah now. She ducked first through the bramble entrance.

“You caught one!” Tall Shadow greeted them, lifting her tail happily as she crossed the clearing toward them.

Sun Shadow dropped the frog. “Moth Flight doesn’t want to taste it.”

Tall Shadow padded around her. “We can’t send you back to your Clanmates without having tasted frog,” she meowed.

“What will you have to boast about?”

Moth Flight lifted her gaze wearily to the ShadowClan leader. “I don’t want food.” She padded across the clearing and nosed her way into Sun Shadow’s den. Curling deep into her nest, she closed her eyes and let sadness sweep over her. So what if Sun Shadow had gotten used to his new home? How could she betray Micah by getting used to life without him?

Chapter 24

She woke into a misty meadow and knew at once that she was dreaming. “Micah?” She scanned the swirling fog, straining to catch a glimpse of him.

“Moth Flight?” His voice echoed from the murk.

Her heart leaped. Joy surged beneath her pelt. “Micah! Can you hear me?”

“Moth Flight, are you there?”

Moth Flight darted forward, searching for him, but there was no sign of him. Only his scent. “Can you hear me?” she repeated, panic rising.

“Moth Flight?” His voice echoed back, sounding lost. “I need to tell you something.”

He doesn’t know I’m here!

“It will be okay.” His mew was tight with worry. “I know you’re sad. I miss you too. I love you. I’ll always love you.

Don’t let sadness change you. You have to keep going!”

“Micah!” Her cry turned to a wail of frustration. “I need to see you!” Why couldn’t he show himself, like Half Moon and the others?

She glimpsed his eyes sparkling through the mist on the far side of the meadow. They seemed to stare right through her, anxious and searching. She raced toward his gaze, his scent enfolding her as she neared.

“Keep going!” he called.

“I’m coming.” She raced harder, pushing against the dewy grass.