Facing A Forest of Shadows

Chapter Thirty-Three

The constant sway of the boat was enough to make Frostfeather feel ill. Brokensong had taken a moment to look everyone over but they had minimal injuries. All of the cats barely spoke, too gripped by sadness to even muster enough strength to move.

After the docks had vanished from sight, everyone tried their best to find shelter on the exposed deck. Elkleap found a large wooden doorway that led down into the hull. There were some occasional Dockworkers that walked around once in awhile, but they did not disturb the solemn cats.

Now, they were all huddled in the darkness of the enormous hull. It stretched back for many foxlengths, lined with boxes and sacks and containers of all kinds of goods.

Frostfeather rested her head on her paws, a sigh escaped her parted jaws. Beside her, Pineheart lay as motionless as a rock. Falcon had joined Sootsplash and Lionpaw near the opposite wall. While Stone, Lily, Smog, and Olive were huddled in a small pile as they slept.

She looked over to Brokensong, who had not left Drizzle's side since her terrifying fling over the side of the boat. She had hit the deck hard, she dislocated her shoulder and bruised a few of her ribs.

Frostfeather knew the medicine cat couldn't do too much without her stock of herbs, but she wouldn't give up easily. Blue sat by her side, his youthful face had hardened into a morbid mask.

We've all traveled such a gruesome path, she thought as the boat bucked to one side beneath her paws. She skidded on the glossy wooden surface as she tried to keep her balance.

Pineheart murmured something in his sleep beside her, barely jostled by the ship's violent movement. A solitary drip had sprung from the roof nearby. The drops fell in perfect rhythm as they formed a round puddle on the sleek floor.

Surprisingly, a strange feline face poked from the shadows near the hull's gaping door. "I had heard that there were stowaways," the peculiar cat grunted as it stepped into view.

The musky lights that lined the hull shined over the newcomer's pelt. Frostfeather's eyes opened wide as it stepped closer to Brokensong and Drizzle.

"She is hurt," it observed as it bent to sniff Drizzle's fur.

"Yes, this young cat struck the deck hard. I fear she has internal injuries," Brokensong voiced her concerns.

From across the space, Elkleap stood and started to approach the stranger. "Who told you we were here?" he inquired warily, "we have not met any other cats here."

"Oh, no it was not a cat!" The unknown cat chuckled, "I share the might of this ship with a few other animals."

Elkleap's hackles rose behind him as he crouched. "If you think we are weak, I'll be quick to prove you wrong!" he snarled.

The cat threw his head back with a hearty laugh; it's orange, black, and white fur shook with the intensity of its voice. "No, no. We do not fight," he soothed.

Brokensong finally broke her attention from Drizzle as she looked up at the strange cat. "What's your name?" she asked curiously.

The cat was silent for a few moments, it's tail tip flicked faintly in the air behind him. "Oh, my name? I think... a long time ago.. the twolegs called me Captain."

"Captain..." the name rolled like honey from Brokensong's tongue.

Frostfeather had never heard such a name. It sounded so foreign, so oddly out of place. She shuffled her paws as she continued to eavesdrop on their conversation.

Sootsplash glowered with narrowed eyes near the corner. His white body shielded Lionpaw like a curtain, his black spots like shadows against his fur. Talon also watched with bated breath, ready to leap up if something were to go amiss.

Stone, Lily, Smog, and Olive stayed huddled in their group only a few rabbit hops away. Frostfeather stuck her paw in Pineheart's flank in an attempt to wake him.

"Someone's here," she whispered in his ear as he started to push himself to his paws. Captain had inched even closer to Drizzle, his spotted shoulders hunched as he sniffed along her pelt.

"What other animals are here?" Elkleap urged.

"Some of the gulls," he replied, "they must have seen you when you were still on the deck. They were saying something about strange forest cats."

Gulls, Frostfeather thought in confusion. I'm not sure what that is.

"We didn't intend to be here," Elkleap dictated, "we were trying to escape some rogues and just so happened to be onboard when the boat was leaving."

"Ahh, I see," Captain remarked, "well, we should reach shore again eventually. Skull Island is usually their first destination."

All these new words puzzled the Clan cats. They had already been on the boat for several days. How long could a month possibly be?

Elkleap dipped his head to Captain. "Thank you for this information," he praised the spotted tom.

Captain beamed with happiness, his tail held erect behind him. "Oh it's no worry at all! I wish I could help you more," he insisted.

Brokensong's ears perked at his words. "I'm sure we could all use some freshkill," she pointed out, "we haven't had the chance to hunt properly."

Captain nodded eagerly, his eyes shined as he replied, "oh yes! I can do that!"

"Great! I'll come with you," Elkleap volunteered, "that way I know where to hunt if we need more."

Captain flicked his tail as Elkleap started to follow him back out the doorway. "Just don't pay no mind to the twolegs. They like to watch me hunt," he purred.

Frostfeather stared after them as they disappeared from sight. Pineheart grunted beside her. "You woke me up for that?" he muttered.

Frostfeather sighed in exasperation. She didn't want to dignify his rude question with a response. The black tom once more lay down and tucked his nose underneath one of his forepaws.

Frostfeather would have liked to sleep too, but it was useless. Her nerves buzzed like an arrant beehive. Elkleap's departure with Captain didn't help her anxiety in the least.

Hopefully we can trust him, she wondered as her companions settled back down around her.