Tallstar’s Revenge

Tallkit wasn’t sure. He ripped a small chunk from the mouse and looked at her. The juicy meat was strange, but not horrible. He began to chew.

“There you go!” Plumclaw’s eyes glowed. She hooked a bird from the pile with a claw and pointed to a patch of grass beside the heather wall of the camp. “Let’s take our meal over there and stop crowding the prey heap.” Grabbing the bird between her teeth, she padded across the grass.

Tallkit picked up the mouse and followed. He puffed out his chest proudly as it swung from his jaws. He felt like a moor runner bringing prey home to the Clan! He settled beside Plumclaw as she took a bite of her bird. “This is a thrush,” she explained, her mouth full. “It tastes a bit woody.” She swallowed. “I prefer lapwing, but we only hunt them after the breeding season.”

Tallkit took another bite of mouse. He knew what to expect this time and began to relish the chewy meat.

“You’ll be an apprentice soon and then you can catch your own prey,” Plumclaw told him.

Catch my own prey! Tallkit wondered what tunnel-hunting was like. Chasing rabbits in the dark couldn’t be as much fun as chasing rabbits on the moor. “Did you like being an apprentice?” he asked Plumclaw.

“It was great.” Plumclaw tore another mouthful from her thrush.

Tallkit glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “Were you glad you were going to be a tunneler?” Could any cat be glad to be told they would spend their life underground?

“Of course!” Plumclaw shook a feather from her muzzle. “Both my parents were tunnelers. And I knew I’d be good at it because I’m small, and my paws are wide and strong.” She held one up. Tallkit could see mud trapped beneath her claws even though the rest of her pelt was washed clean.

“Do you like being underground?” Tallkit tried to sound unconcerned. He didn’t want her to guess he was having second thoughts about becoming a tunneler. What if she told Sandgorse?

“I love it,” she told him. “It feels like a secret world. Above me, prey runs, warriors patrol, clouds move over the moor, and no one except my tunnelmates know where we are.”

“Don’t you miss the wind in your pelt?”

“No.” Plumclaw looked at him, surprised. “It’s snug underground. I feel safe with the earth pressing against my fur.”

Tallkit swallowed. “You sound like you’re half mole!”

“Maybe I am.” As Plumclaw purred with amusement, Barkkit scrambled out of the Meeting Hollow. Tallkit sat up as his denmate bounced toward him.

“Heatherstar said yes!” Barkkit stopped in front of him. “I can be Hawkheart’s apprentice!”

“I didn’t know you wanted to be a medicine apprentice,” Plumclaw purred. “Congratulations!”

“Yeah.” Tallkit licked blood from his lips. “Congratulations.” He couldn’t help feeling a pang of envy. You’ll be doing what you want while I spend all day digging holes.

“Tallkit?” Barkkit was frowning at him. “What’s wrong?”

Tallkit lifted his chin. He wasn’t being fair to his friend. “Nothing. I’m really happy for you!”

Barkkit noticed his mouse. “You’re eating prey!”

Tallkit puffed out his fur proudly. “It’s good.”

“I like shrew best,” Barkkit told him. “It tastes heathery.” He glanced over his shoulder at the grassy clearing. “Do you want to play Rabbit?”

Tallkit took a quick bite of mouse and pushed the rest toward Plumclaw. “Here.”

“Thanks,” she meowed. “Are you sure you’ve had enough?”

“Plenty.” Tallkit jumped to his paws. “Shall I be rabbit this time?” he asked Barkkit.

Barkkit flicked his stubby tail. “Yes.”

“Okay,” Tallkit mewed. “But I’m not hiding under any gorse bushes. They’re way too prickly.”

“Don’t worry,” Barkkit reassured him. “If you step on another thorn, I can always pull it out.”

Chapter 5

“Let all cats old enough to hunt gather at Tallrock.” Blue sky framed Heatherstar as she called from the top. Behind her, the distant moor rolled wide and green, rippling with heather not quite in bloom.

A soft breeze tugged at Tallkit’s pelt as he sat on the rim of the Meeting Hollow. His Clanmates swarmed around him, streaming down into the sandy dip. A warm newleaf had brought rich prey and now, as greenleaf set in, the Clan’s warriors were plump and sleek. Tallkit glanced at the tunnelers as they clustered at one end of the hollow. Woollytail’s eyes were bright and Hickorynose paced impatiently around him while Plumclaw’s tail-tip flicked with excitement. Hawkheart and Reedfeather sat still as stone at the foot of Tallrock while the moor runners filled up the rest of the hollow.

“Sit down and stop fidgeting.” Cloudrunner beckoned Stagpaw with a flick of his tail. Doepaw was already waiting between Aspenfall and Ryepaw.

The elders clambered stiffly into the hollow, Flamepelt leading the way. Whiteberry pressed close to Lilywhisker as she dragged her leg behind her. Flailfoot followed. “This is the ceremony I’ve been looking forward to,” he rasped.

Tallkit’s heart leaped like a rabbit in his chest.