The Bird's Fall

Chapter Thirty Two

It's better now, anyway.

Snowypaw blinked. "Yeah, I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I... Thank you for listening." She dipped her head and quickened her pace.

Reedsky followed, thinking about Sparrowheart and Eagleshade. So Sparrowheart killed his friend because... maybe Eagleshade caught him, or maybe because he wanted to be deputy.

What if he kills me, too?

"Quicken up, Reedsky!" called Roseleap. "And slow down, Sundawn!"

Sundawn looked back sheepishly. "Sorry. I like patrols."

"You like ShadowClan patrols," corrected the dark ginger she-cat, rolling her pale blue eyes. "I have no idea why.

Sundawn winced, but shrugged like she didn't care. "I'm just trying to do my best," she protested.

"Yeah, I know," Roseleap murmured. She glanced at Snowypaw. "Snowypaw, come on. Scent markers."

Snowypaw nodded and trailed after her mentor. "Coming!" she called. She glanced at the border and mewed fearfully, "There are a pair of eyes in the shadows."

Roseleap sniffed doubtfully. "Really?"

But when Roseleap turned her head she stifled a gasp, and so did Reedsky. There were a pair of eyes. A pair of bright amber eyes staring at them from the darkness.

"Who's there?" Roseleap called out.

Sundawn whipped her head back and stared at those amber eyes warily. "Come out," she ordered.

A small pale ginger she-cat stepped out of the shadows, her large amber eyes full of fear. Her brown-tipped tail twitched anxiously as she gazed at the patrol, but she didn't say anything.

"Who are you?" asked Roseleap.

Snowypaw inched forward and sniffed the newcomer. "She's barely older than me!" she mewed.

The ginger she-cat blinked. "I'm Amber," she mewed softly.

"Where are your parents?" questioned Sundawn tenderly.

"I lost my mothers."

"Mothers?" Roseleap's ears pricked. "What do you mean?"

Mothers? Can a cat have more than one mother? wondered Reedsky.

"Yes. I lost them while I tried hunting by myself. Help me." Amber looked up at them, her gaze full of pleading.

"What are their names?" asked Roseleap.

"Daisy, Breeze, and Cherry," answered Amber.

Reedsky blinked. Those names sounded familiar.

"Three she-cats had you?" asked Snowypaw. "I don't understand."

Amber bit her lip, looking confused. "I always had three mothers," she answered. "Daisy was my birth mother, if that's what you mean."

"So Cherry and Breeze aren't your real mothers," concluded Sundawn.

"No!" Amber's eyes flared. "They are."

"Biological," corrected Sundawn hastily. "Right?" When Amber nodded, she continued. "Are they the Sisters?"

The Sisters! They were a nursery tale; a mysterious group of she-cats. They didn't let toms stay, only she-cats. Was it possible Amber was a part of the group?

Amber shook her head. "I don't think we called us that way. Care to elaborate?"

"The Sisters are a group of she-cats. They don't let toms stay," meowed Reedsky helpfully.