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Chapter Text

The night itself was not unusual but for an unknown reason, a sense of unease followed members from all Clans on their trek to the Gathering. It only seemed to increase as the bright moon rose high into the sky, a RiverClan queen even grew sick on the journey and was forced to return to camp. Many started murmuring about the possibility that StarClan was involved. Uncertainty was spreading quickly through the cats, warriors and leaders alike.

RiverClan's medicine cat, Ambercloud, had wanted to take the queen, who also happened to be her sister, back to camp herself but her leader, Boulderstar, had protested. He claimed that if every cat's feelings proved right and this Gathering did end badly- he wanted Ambercloud there. So instead, the RiverClan medicine apprentice escorted her back, his grey tail resting against the sickly queen's shoulder as they padded away.

Looking around it was difficult to tell if this was a Gathering or a stand-off. While in the past, the shared unease would have drawn the four clans together, recent tensions had changed that. Even the elders, the old toms and she-cats who usually served as unofficial ice-breakers, now contributed to the rising hostile atmosphere with their closed-off attitudes and sour expressions. Gentle Dawndapple and Mossface, who were usually so calm, pointedly ignored each other from opposite ends of the clearing.

A fight was steadily becoming a real possibility, sacred truce or not.

The leaders were trying to look unaffected by the electrified air, but none among them could fully convince their raised fur to flatten. ThunderClan had been forced to move from their usual place to hide from the icy wind blowing relentlessly, unusual for Newleaf, and every cat knew it.

Eventually, ShadowClan's leader, a brown tabby tom known as Kestrelstar, stepped forward and leapt atop the Great Rock calling out to his fellow leaders, "We best get this started, the sooner we finish, the sooner we can all get out of here." His grumpy comment was met with reluctant agreement from the others who followed him to take their places overlooking the cats below,
"Or at least find out what StarClan has to say..." mumbles Cherrystar of ThunderClan, the tom's ginger fur duller than usual evident enough of the hardships the clan had been suffering through the last few moons.

Kestrelstar flicks his tail impatiently as he waits for the other three leaders to settle. At the sight of their leaders moving, wind-ruffled cats become a sea of flickering ears and shifting glances. The brown tabby leader of the pine dwellers is the first to speak, his impatience shines through with every word, "ShadowClan have had no issues and are hopeful for our new apprentices to be named in the coming moons." Typical ShadowClan. Determined to appear strong even when any kit with eyes could see plainly what was really going on.

He steps back, indicating for Cherrystar to take over, WindClan's leader sent him a mild glare at being overlooked but indicated for Cherrystar to continue when he glanced towards her for confirmation. Although it's unclear whether the large tom would have stepped down if Harestar had taken him up on his hesitation. "Likewise ThunderClan is recovering well from Leaf-bare and is looking forward to the return of prey. Our new apprentices Leafpaw and Pinepaw are doing well with their training." There was no cheering at the news of new apprentices, both Leafpaw and Pinepaw deflated when their moment was overlooked so blatantly.

Harestar looks over at the RiverClan leader with a nod, clearly intent on appearing like she had wanted to speak last all along. Boulderstar took a moment before stepping forward to address the still-animated crowd, "You are all aware by now of an incident with one of our queens, Acorntail who was taken back to camp by Ashpaw. It is clear that something unusual is happening tonight, every cat can feel it." Boulderstar took a moment to rest his gaze on the cats before him, the intensity of their amber colour clear even in the darkness. Harestar stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with the RiverClan leader. Although her frame was much slighter- no cat doubted that she cut an authoritative figure. The two leaders' stances were not of unity but a power play for all to see, nothing these days was done in companionship.

"StarClan is clearly trying to tell us something. If any cat has received a message from StarClan I suggest you come forward before your stubbornness causes problems" she finished off with a growl, blue eyes darkening with her words.

Outrage flew around the clearing, cats were on their feet hissing at the Great Rock and each other. The WindClan cats rose to meet the hostility in defence of their leader, claws were unsheathed. The cacophony of noise only increased as more and more cats got involved until the whole clearing was alive with mistrust. The medicine cats were not spared and were soon on the receiving end of just as many accusations, eyes filled with hidden betrayal. Surely one of them had been informed? And if they hadn't, that meant StarClan had forsaken them all... the past few moons had been difficult enough that the thought had crossed many cats'  minds. It was easier to turn on each other than consider that they were alone.

Leaders were trying to calm their clanmates but the mistrust had been seeded, there would be no going back. Not when so much fear had been haunting the Clans for moons now.

The wind that had been blowing throughout the Gathering suddenly picked up, turning icy in heartbeats. It blew through the Fourtrees and swirled around and around stealing words of outrage before they could meet the ears of their intended targets. The fighting was soon effectively frozen in place. Twigs and leaves were swept up and thrown about; mrroews and shrieks indicated that the force of the wind had meant some cats were hit. The leaders were forced from the top of the Great Rock by an overly aggressive gust, and meant cats were forced to hide their faces out of fear of being hit... then suddenly the wind was gone.

Stray foliage drifted back to the ground and the sudden calmness in the air left cats with a weird tingling sensation on their fur, many were quick to lick their fur or brush a paw over their face in an attempt to alleviate the feeling.

The commotion was reinstated however when a ShadowClan apprentice let out a shriek, pointing to the Great Rock with a fluffed-up cream tail, gold eyes wide with fear.
"What is it Beechpaw?" Kestrelstar asked stepping up to the young cream tom, his eyes searching the area where his son's gaze was fixed.

"BACK!" he suddenly exclaims, pushing the apprentice and stepping in front of him in a well-practiced fighting pose. The other leaders were soon at his side, just as on guard. Clan cats followed their leaders, the whole clearing was silently ready to fight whatever was huddled atop the Great Rock.

It was now recognizable as the shape of a dark grey cat although it seemed to be lying down. After beats and no sign of an attack, cats slowly relaxed their poses but did not dare fully unclench depressingly weak muscles. Suddenly there was movement and the sound of coughing coming from the previously slack form. It continued for a few breaths before it started getting worse, the breaths louder and raspier.

Ambercloud broke the line and headed for the cat struggling to breathe, her medicine cat instincts unquenchable. Boulderstar attempted to block her path but was halted by Harestar,
"Let her, he's of no threat. And I for one want answers," the black and white she-cat moved towards the huge rock where the cat lay, "let me." Harestar did not wait for a response before leaping up atop the Great Rock. Ambercloud was pacing at the base, not allowed to be atop the historically sacred place.
She leapt agilely and grabbed the gasping cat by the scruff. He went to struggle but his battle for air left him too weak to fight against the she-cat's hold. The WindClan leader dragged his body down the rock, unavoidably scrapping his legs as she brought the writhing larger body down from the stone.

With a thump, Harestar dropped the tom in front of her fellow leaders. The grey tom's body hit the ground with a sputter, his breath stuttering to a halt. "Harestar! Careful, he needs help, not being treated like freshkill!" A tabby and white tom calls, stepping forward to help his fellow medicine cat.

"Oh please, look at him! He's fine, I would say he's almost doing better" Harestar punctuates her statement with a flick of her ears. The WindClan medicine cat opens his mouth to respond to his slight leader's carelessness but is haled by Ambercloud, "Harestar is right, Emberheart".

From where she's crouched over the grey tom, his flank now expanding and deflating almost rhythmically, indicative of his improved breathing. It still rasps with each breath and stutters in his chest, but his panic is dying down and his glazed-over eyes are coming back into focus. Golden and bright.

His gaze scans the cats around him, finally resting on the figure of Cherrystar, the strange cat's eyes widen and he lets out a small gasp,"....Thunder..?" his voice is soft, full of emotion, eyes frantically looking over the Clan leader.

The weak tom tries to stand but his legs do not quite hold his weight and his breathing quality rapidly declines. However, his eyes don't leave Cherrystar's.

Emberheart and Ambercloud attempt to stop the tom from getting up again but soon realise that their help is doing no good. Ambercloud looks on with worry, her paws kneading the earth while Emberheart simply stands silently, looking on with a frown.

"t-t-Thunder... where are they...??"

Cherrystar himself looked unsure about this unexpected attention but worry for the young tom stood clear in his expression. when the golden-eyed stranger took a step forward, his legs gave out. Cherrystar moves forward towards the weak tom when his paws slip on the soft earth drawing his attention to the sky. A drizzle descends on the cats still gathered, yet above the full moon is still shining brightly above. The gathering is not over just yet.

A timid tortoiseshell warrior looked toward the leader of ShadowClan with wide eyes, her words were met with murmurs of agreement. "Kestrelstar, what's happening? Who is this? Why is he here?"

"I don't know Duskfur, but I don't like it." The leader of the pine-dwelling cats flicked his tail, "If StarClan has no message for us then ShadowClan will be leaving-"

"I suggest you don't."

Cats around the clearing gasp at the sight before them. The voice that had spoken was soft, a she-cat with four kits at her feet atop the Great Rock. Their transparent figures are created from a mist, through which the light rain is still visible, creating a star-streaked appearance.

"Is that... Frostwing..?" A ThunderClan warrior she-cat asked, eyes widening. Cats around the clearing met that news with words of their own 'Are those her kits?' 'She made it to StarClan!' 'What's she doing here now?' 'Is she the queen who died during the border skirmish?'

The apprentice who made the last comment was met with the harsh gaze of the StarClan she-cat, "Is that what you were told? That my unborn kits and I were killed in a border skirmish?" she let out a humourless laugh, "no little one, I was killed because the Clans cannot overlook Clan loyalties for the good of all!" Frostwing wrapped her tail around the bodies of her small kits, "And because the Clans were determined to be enemies, my kits never got a chance to walk these lands!" her eyes met all of those who dared to meet hers. Frostwing drew herself up and faced the Clan leaders, "This ends now! It seems that StarClan cannot trust you to set aside your hatred for the sake of peace. And so, it has been decided that a cat would be sent to show you the true meaning of being a Clan cat!" The white-furred queen indicated to the prone body still laying at the foot of the Great Rock.

"Before you is a cat from Ancient times, known as Gray Wing the Wise, one of the greatest leaders, he walked these lands during the creations of the Clans. It was Gray Wing himself who gave the Clans their names. Or at least he will." Frostwing was barely able to finish before the cat's reactions drowned out the end of her announcement. Warriors from all the Clans were on the paws, some were shouting while others were pushing forward to see- suddenly now more intrigued to see the mysterious cat.

Comments like 'He's so young!' and 'How is that the cat that named the Clan?' 'I wonder which Clan he belonged to?' 'What does she mean, he will? What's Frostwing talking about?'

Cats all around the clearing turned their attention to the silvery spectre for answers, but their gazes met only empty air, void of anything except the still-falling rain. Having the only cat who possessed the answers no longer around, they turn to the unconscious figure still lying on the ground. The leaders could not help but look at each other unsure.

"What do the other Clans want to do with him" the RiverClan leader hunched his large powerful shoulders with a glance at the others, his voice was soft with exhaustion.

Kestrelstar glances back at the tom in front of him before making his decision, "I can't bring a strange cat into ShadowClan, not until he has awoken and we can know he is not a threat- besides, with Cloverbird injured and Beechpaw still only a few months into his apprenticeship ShadowClan cannot offer this... Gray Wing medicine help. No, ShadowClan will stay out of this for the time being."

"But father-!"

"No Beechpaw, we stay out of this for now. If StarClan objects then they will make their displeasure known- until then my decision is final". One hard stare at his son was all that the tabby leader needed for the cream apprentice to back down with a slump.

Boulderstar looks at Ambercloud but with a sigh he concedes, "I don't know how we could safely get Gray Wing across the river, even if we take the bridge... it is simply too far," Ambercloud opens her mouth to argue that but it closes when Boulderstar continues, "however if Ambercloud is in agreement, she may travel to help nurse him back to help. I want RiverClan to assist with this tom, as we have been tasked by StarClan." The grey tom's words cause the other leaders to glance at Kestrelstar, who made his regard for StarClan's newest interference clear.

Ambercloud at least looks somewhat settled at her leader's compromise. A part of her aches with guilt at the ease with which she was willing to leave her clan to help this strange cat, but is it so wrong? RiverClan has Ashpaw who is nearing his naming ceremony so it's not like she would be abandoning them... StarClan guide her.

Harestar and Cherrystar seem to realise at the same time that the new home of this strange cat will be tasked to either of their clans. Harestar stands and shakes out her coat with a  long stretch before lazily looking over at the ginger tom across from her. "WindClan has no objections to taking in Gray Wing if that is what StarClan declares the best course of action... but something tells me that ThunderClan's self-righteous paws are just itching to take him." Harestar flashes Cherrystar a crooked grin, Cherrystar unsuccessfully attempts to muffle a growl in his throat.

From below, a ThunderClan warrior pipes up "He did seem to recognise Cherrystar, this is probably a sign that he was supposed to stay with ThunderClan!" the young brown tabby tom sits down with a smug look plastered over his face, unaware at the disapproval from his fellow clanmates as cats from the other clans scoff at ThunderClan's famous attitude surfacing. If any of them thought the difficult last few moons of little prey would put an end to it- they were met with a rude but not unsurprising awakening.

Harestar let out a snort, "Yes I'm sure, a sign it must have been" the she-cat's sarcasm was difficult to miss but before the outraged forest cats could protest she continued, "very well, WindClan's assistance remains, but ThunderClan is free to take Gray Wing and attempt to offer him the help StarClan so obviously things they can supply." Blue eyes looking at the grey tom's weak body one last time, she nods to Cherrystar. The first somewhat friendly glance the two have shared all night, animosity pushed to the side for a heartbeat before the speckled she-cat had turned away. Her tail casually trails over the tom's still-shuddering side as she walks away from the Great Rock, re-joining her clan before they dash off into the night. Sleek bodies bursting into a natural rhythm, eating up the ground between the sacred Fourtrees and the open moor they called home.

The other clans do not stick around for much longer, soon departing for their territories. Beechpaw watched as his fellow apprentices run ahead, unable to wait to tell their clanmates about what had transpired tonight. The young tom didn't join in the excitement, in contrast, his tail trailed on the floor behind him and his ears drooped.

Chapter Text

Beechpaw lay in the clearing, struggling to make his way through the mouse before him. His mentor, Cloverbird, had eventually kicked him out of the medicine den because apparently, “Your moping is wilting even the nettle leaves”, and he was no use until he could pull himself together.

The young apprentice let out a sigh and looked dejectedly back at the meagre freshkill between his soft paws, something Goldenpaw relentlessly teased him about. ‘Medicine paws’ she called them and truly he was a bit embarrassed when he looked at what moons of training had done to hers. He loved being a medicine cat, but he missed being able to roll around and run through the forest. A part of him still wasn’t sure if his decision had been the right one.

“Why the long face kit?”

Beechpaw looked up at the sight of his kin, her brown tabby coat was light with age. A purr escaped his throat as she ran her cheek along the top of his head and seated herself beside him, coats brushing. She was an elder now but had once been the mate to ShadowClan’s leader, and of course- the mother of Beechpaw’s father, ShadowClan’s current leader. Sometimes he was sure that Goldenpaw half expected to be named deputy at her warrior ceremony purely based on birth right. The cream tom’s fur itched at the thought.

His thoughts were halted by a rough tongue on his pelt.

“Thistlewing!” His only response was a rumbling laugh as the old she-cat bumped him with her surprisingly muscular shoulder. He would forever be baffled about her position as an elder when he knew with certainty that the old she-cat could still shame some of the Clan’s current warriors, the recent poor hunting conditions notwithstanding.

Beechpaw couldn't help but think back to a memory from his time in the nursery. One morning, he and Goldenpaw had been tumbling outside the warrior's den in a game of rogue-warrior, where Beechpaw was playing the rogue intruder and his littermate, the fierce ShadowClan leader. Goldenpaw had been chasing her brother with a playful growl and the cream tom couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous she looked, turning to look ahead of him, little Beechpaw had slammed to a halt- his sister running right into his back- and witnessed their father getting cuffed over the head, courtesy of the she-cat currently sitting beside him. He smiled slightly at the memory, that was when Kestrelstar was still Kestrelflight- before things had changed.

Beechpaw would never think of Kestrelstar as a bad father, but he was first and foremost, the Clan’s leader. He had made that perfectly clear.

His companion let out a sound of exasperation before pointedly heaving herself up, “I can see someone’s thoughts are keeping him too preoccupied for an old she-cat,” he opened his mouth to interject she raised her tail before continuing. Looking down at him she simply said, “whatever it is, it's probably out of your paws. Be careful Beechpaw, growing up too quickly is not easily erased.”

She was gone before he could open his jaw to ask when she had gotten so wise.

----

The leader of ThunderClan collapsed under an acorn tree and let his eyes droop shut. What he would do to crawl into his den and sleep the day away. His muscles ached and his stomach had long since gotten used to the hunger cramps. As long as he didn’t focus on them, it simply joined in the growing background of concerns that demanded his attention.

The Sunhigh hunting party had just returned with a single sparrow and three mice, barely enough to feed the kits, queens, elders, and medicine cats. ThunderClan was lucky in that they had two fully trained medicine cats, or unlucky enough if you considered the prey shortage. But given their new arrival, an extra medicine cat was a hidden blessing.

Cherrystar was fully aware that many of his Clanmates were unhappy with the extra mouth to feed but the ginger tom could bring himself to share their frustration.

As good of a leader as he was, or considered himself, the young grey tom awoke something in him he had long thought broken. A protective urge to wrap the stranger in his paws and not let go. It honestly scared him.

Cherrystar had never been one to seriously consider having a mate- let alone look at a Clanmate in that way. He had always thought that a desire for family had similarly escaped him. But when he went to visit Gray Wing, when he had helped carry him back to camp and kept an eye on the quivering tom when both Pearnose and Swallowsong had gone to gather herbs- he felt something deep in his chest surge to life. He felt like he was learning about a piece of himself he had never known existed. If this is what queens felt for their kits- he could understand how they were so quick to rip out a thought in their defence. But Cherrystar wasn't a queen, he was a leader, all his clanmates were supposed to be like his kits. He thought back to his leadership ceremony. His mother had come forward and awarded him a life for fairness in his treatment of others... what did it mean if that was no longer the case?

Despite his worry at this new development, Cherrystar could not silence the flutter of hope in his chest. A mate and kits might not have ever been a possibility for him, but a family might still be an option. All he could hope now was that his own longing aligned with what was best for his Clan.

----

The wind soured over the open landscape before her, rustling grass and swirls of dust as it swept towards Highstones. Speckled ears pricked in the same direction as the newest leader of WindClan considered the events that had been laid at her paws by StarClan. She resisted the urge to turn her ears towards the forest that housed ThunderClan and their newest expression of self-righteousness, although it did not bother Harestar as it would usually. Which was strange, everything that had happened over the past few days- was strange. ThunderClan’s antics did not even register in light of her Clan’s raging opinions, let alone her twisted thoughts. If somecat was to gain access to her mind, they would be blinded by the chaos hidden behind calm blue eyes.

Emberheart was her anchor through it all. If one was unaware they were kin, they might think them mates. What with the manner in which they unconsciously curled their tails and seemed to orbit each other like falling Sycamore samara.

That wasn’t the case however, never mind Emberheart’s position as WindClan’s medicine cat, the tabby and white tom held a position even higher than mate in Harestar’s heart. He was her best friend, her confidant, and the only cat that could quelch her sharp tongue and deadly fury.

WindClan she-cats all seemed to embody the fierce gusts that shaped their territory, it nurtured them into sharp-minded, temperamental, fiercely protective forces of nature. Unbeknown to Harestar and the rest of her Clan, it would be a constant recurrence for generations. Heathertail, Moth Wing, Nightcloud, Morningflower, Ashfoot and so many more- not to mention Windstar herself.

But like so many other Clan stories and history, time and conflict are a Clan’s collective memories’ worst enemy. When the Clan's lost the importance of their past, they set themselves on an irredeemable path of forgetting. Forgetting their past, their struggles, and their ancestors' stories... of forgetting who they are.

And sadly, once lost, memories cannot be restored. Nothing short of divine intervention…

For most, it would not even be a possibility worth considering.

For most, all would be lost if the situation was ever this dire.

Luckily for the Clans, StarClan was indeed a divine power, and this time... they would not stand back and watch.

Chapter Text

Cherrystar looks towards the medicine den with worry, the desperate coughing had only just died down, the silence in place of its relentless echo ringing loudly across the camp. The clearing was bathed in darkness, yet few cats were able to get any sleep. The near unending rasps and coughing fits, interspaced by Swallowsong and Pearnose’s gentle reassurances had been an almost constant background for the warriors attempting to sleep off their hunger. Although the sounds had finally ceased, ThunderClan’s remaining tension would ruffle any cat’s fur.

The Clan’s new arrival was causing even greater unrest than the ginger leader could have predicted. On the one paw, Gray Wing’s clear suffering had definitely warmed some hearts but to those who were already feeling the strain of prey scarcity certainly were not won over by an extra mouth to feed or being kept up after Sundown.

Sooner or later, Cherrystar would have to confront the issue paws first. But right now, all he could do was hold in a sigh as one of his medicine cats approached.

Swallowsong’s long black-and-brown mottled coat was standing fluffed up from the cold air. With a grateful dip of his head towards Cherrystar as his leader indicated for him to take a seat, the tom all but collapsed at his side. Together the two stared out over the camp in resounding silence, a soft icy breeze and the rustle of warriors finally settling in, their only companions.

“I’m worried about him. About all of this. We’re going in blind here Cherrystar, and I can’t keep ignoring the concerns of the rest of the Clan.”

The tom’s green gaze bore into his leader’s side, “We can’t just kick him out, you heard Frostwing… it is the will of StarClan…”

Swallowsong gave a snort but it ended as a sigh, “Let’s hope that StarClan knows what they’re doing then.”

Silence settled once more before the dark tom stood with a stretch, “I’d best go relieve Pearnose of her duty, she needs her rest. We’re expecting Ambercloud from RiverClan by Sunhigh.”

Cherrystar’s fur rose without his permission at the thought of a RiverClan cat entering his territory. As much as he felt it was his Clan’s duty to care for Gray Wing- that sense of responsibility did not extend further. The ginger tom didn’t personally have anything against the ginger and white she-cat but allowing her into camp seemed like a mistake given ThunderClan’s already frayed state. The broad-shouldered leader glanced towards the warrior’s den that was once his home. That was many, many moons ago.

His gaze flickered back towards the medicine den- he couldn’t imagine his clanmates would be overly pleased with him allowing RiverClan to set a paw inside their borders, let alone inside their very camp.

The harrowed leader let his tired eyes fall closed. It was StarClan’s will. No cat could expect him to digress from their wishes.

“Very well, let Pearnose get some rest, I will inform the dawn patrol to meet Ambercloud at the border and escort her to camp.”

Swallowsong gave a nod to his leader before heading back to his den, a reluctance in his walk that annoyed Cherrystar to no end. It seemed it was not just his clanmates who disapproved of his decisions.

xXx

To say Gray Wing’s world had drastically changed would be an understatement.

Much to his dismay, the times he was awake and coherent were barely enough to piece together what situation he had found himself in.

His waking hours were filled with that terribly familiar chest tightness and the disjointed words of unfamiliar cats. Besides from the soothing lint of their voices and the nervous fluttering of those around him- Gray Wing could pick up on very little.

The first few times he saw the large ginger tom, Gray Wing had frantically tried to get answers out of him, but multiple attempts resulted in nothing, but blank stares and an uncharacteristic nervousness. It didn’t take long to put down his half-baked theory that this was Thunder. And how he wished it was! Not only was the little ginger kit he remembered like a son to him, but the cat Thunder grew to be one that Gray Wing was proud to call kin, was proud to have helped raise.

The familiar panic rose in his chest at the thought of when he last saw his foster son, the same feeling he had been experiencing while lying in fits waiting for news on his lost kit. The same feeling that followed him into that clearing surrounded by unfamiliar scents and faces.

The very same faces and scents that fogged up his senses now as he lay stretched out on the moss and hardpacked dirt floor. His paws extended out in attempt to ease the quivering muscles in his chest and abdomen from the near-ceaseless coughing he had been suffering from since before Sunup.

“Do you need some more water Gray Wing?” the dark she-cat who has insisted on staying by his side asks, pushing a damp bundle of moss to him without waiting for his response.

The grey tom doesn’t even make a reach for it- simply turning his face and focussing on his breathing with closed eyes. He knew from experience that if he opened his mouth now, the fit would return with a vengeance.

“How is he?” A shadow falling over the gray tom prompts him to open his eyes and look up at the new arrivals through squinted eyes. It was the large tom who had so frequently seemed to be at his side. The one who Gray Wing knew that he had called Thunder in the early moments of his arrival in this strange place. Speaking of Thunder… alite a desperation inside him. Just the thought of his foster son brought forward the most recent memory of the tom, the ginger tom’s promise to find and return his little Black Ear to him.

It served nothing more than to remind him that he had no idea if his son was safe. If Slate and their kits were okay or if he had left them with nothing but grief.