Moth Flight’s Vision

As they neared the camp, Raven Pelt padded from the entrance, tasting the air. His gaze flashed toward them, narrowing as he saw Mouse and Cow.

Moth Flight hurried to meet him. “They’re friends,” she explained. “They lived on the same farm as Micah.”

Tall Shadow slid out of camp, her nose twitching. “Do we have visitors?”

Cow dipped her head to the ShadowClan leader. “We came to see Moth Flight.”

“Come in and share some prey,” Tall Shadow told her. “It’s running well at the moment. There’s more than we can eat.”

She led Cow into camp, the scent of fresh-kill heavy in the air. Moth Flight and Raven Pelt followed at her heels, while Mouse and Pebble Heart dragged the nettles after them.

Three kits looked up from the long grass where Juniper

Branch was resting.

The biggest, a black tom with an orange tail, blinked at them. “Look, Dusk Nose!” He nudged the she-kit beside him.

“Visitors!” He dashed across the clearing.

Dusk Nose, a black-and-orange tortoiseshell, followed.

“Who are you?” she called to Cow.

“Are you a Clan cat?” Another tom-kit hurried after them, his dappled brown pelt perfectly camouflaged against the shady forest floor.

Moth Flight purred. “This is Cow,” she explained. “She and Mouse were friends of Micah.”

“I’m Dangling Leaf.” The orange-tailed tom scrambled to a halt in front of Cow.

“I’m Dusk Nose,” his sister mewed.

The dappled brown tom stopped beside them. “I’m Shade

Pelt.”

Dangling Leaf tipped his head. “Do you know Micah’s dead?” he asked Cow.

Moth Flight flinched, but Cow returned his inquisitive gaze steadily. “Yes.”

Dusk Nose nudged her brother. “You can’t ask questions like that, Shade Pelt. It’s rude.”

“Raven Pelt says we can ask anything we like,” Dangling Leaf mewed back.

Shade Pelt sniffed. “He also says we have to know when to be quiet, or we’ll never be good hunters.” He blinked at Moth

Flight. “Do you mind us talking about Micah?”

Moth Flight ignored the sadness pricking in her chest. “No.”

It wouldn’t change anything to pretend Micah had never existed. It wouldn’t hurt any less.

Dangling Leaf was still staring at Cow. “Why did you come, if Micah’s dead?”

“We came to see Moth Flight,” Cow told him.

Dusk Nose lifted her chin. “Are you her friends too?”

“Yes.” Cow gazed around the camp. “This looks very cozy.”

Behind them, Mouse was helping Pebble Heart hoist the nettle stems high into the bramble wall of the camp to drain.

The nettles dangled from the prickly branches and dripped muddy water onto the ground.

“I have my own den,” Moth Flight told her.

“You’ve got Sun Shadow’s den,” Shade Pelt corrected her.

Moth Flight shifted her paws. “That’s true. Sun Shadow’s letting me use his den until I go home.”

Cow blinked at her. “Isn’t this your home?”

Tall Shadow answered for her. “She lives on the moor.”

Cow glanced at Moth Flight’s belly. “Will you go home to have your kits?”

Moth Flight stared at her. “I’m not having kits!”

“Are you sure, dear?” Cow tipped her head sympathetically.

Moth Flight froze. Could I be having kits? Surely she’d know? Then she remembered: her tiredness, her queasiness…

She glanced at Tall Shadow, shock pulsing through her pelt.

The ShadowClan leader dropped her gaze.

Pebble Heart padded closer, his ears twitching. “We thought you knew.”

Moth Flight’s paws seemed to root into the ground. The camp swam around her. “I didn’t think!” Her mind whirled.

“I’ve never had kits before.” She’d thought that her easy life in ShadowClan was making her fat.

Tall Shadow blinked. “We thought you were happy to have something left of Micah.”

Micah’s kits. Moth Flight’s heart seemed to turn in her chest.

She was carrying Micah’s kits.

Cow purred loudly. “They’ll be as handsome and brave as their father.”

Kits! Growing inside her! “I can’t!” She backed away, shocked. She could hardly take care of herself! How could she be responsible for new lives? Her thoughts flashed back to Slate’s kits, lost on the moor because of her. Then she remembered Juniper Branch’s kitting. The pain! The ground seemed to sway beneath her paws.

Cow pressed against her. “It’s the most natural thing in the world.”

Moth Flight’s thoughts swirled. “I need to go home.” The need tugged deep in her belly. “I have to see Wind Runner.”

Suddenly she wanted to nestle among her kin and shelter in their warmth.

Tall Shadow dipped her head. “Someone must escort you,” she meowed firmly. “You shouldn’t travel alone.”

“I’ll be fine,” Moth Flight answered, still dazed from the shock.

Pebble Heart stepped forward. “I’ll take her.”

Moth Flight looked at him blankly. “Can we go now?” Her gaze flitted distractedly to Cow and Mouse. “I’m sorry to leave you. You’ve only just arrived. But—”

Cow’s eyes rounded with sympathy. “We understand.”

Tall Shadow flicked her tail. “We’ll make sure they are fed and rested before they head home.”