Broken Reflection

Chapter 11

"Why can't you go with us?" Whispersong asked.

"Tribe Healers don't leave the cave except for ceremonies," Stoneteller replied.

"Why not?" Echoheart asked.

"To protect the Tribe. If something were to happen to me while out hunting, my cats would be in complete chaos in deciding a new Healer."

Echoheart nodded.

Whispersong didn't. Her mind had suddenly drifted. They were so close to discovering what the danger was. But, now that Star said the creature seemed worse than a cougar, which seemed about the worst it could get, Echoheart wasn't sure she even wanted to know what the danger was anymore.

Stoneteller got to his paws and turned to Star, Echoheart, and Whispersong. Echoheart pushed her thoughts away as the brown tom meowed, "We can finish this discussion whenever you find out information on your dreams or the creature."

Then he turned and left his den, with Star right behind him.

Whispersong glanced at Echoheart, then they too headed to the main cave, where all the Tribe cats were sitting in groups, sharing meals. She saw Seed, a cream tabby queen, and her kit, Dust. To their left was Moss with her two kits, Night and Howl. The two mountain she-cats were talking and nodding, while the three young kits chased each other around their mothers.

Bumblefrost had returned from his hunting patrol and was sitting with Moth and Screech. Whispersong was about to join the DayClan cat when Star called, "Whispersong, Echoheart! Come sit with us!"

Whispersong shot Bumblefrost an apologetic glance, then followed Star across the cave with Echoheart, who was sitting with four young cats, whom Whispersong assumed were the other to-bes.

"Echoheart, Whispersong," Star meowed. "This is Crevice of Deep Cave. He's training to be a prey-hunter." She nodded at a dark gray tom with green eyes. "This is Dawn of New Day, a cave-guard to-be." A ginger and white she-cat with green eyes blinked at them warily. "Right here," Star motioned to white- and black-patched she-cat, "is Feather of Bird in Flight, a cave- guard-in-training. And lastly," Star smiled at a black tom with yellow eyes, "is Owl of Dark Night, a cave-guard to-be as well."

"You're those forest cats with weird names, aren't you?" Dawn asked.

"The foreigners who apparently need our  help," added Crevice, with a hint of a sneer in his husky mountain voice.

Whispersong blinked but said nothing.

"Well, Echoheart, Whispersong," meowed Star suddenly, sensing the tension, "I'll show you two to the prey."

Echoheart glanced at Whispersong, then they followed Star across the cave.

"Sorry about them," Star sighed.

"It's alright," Echoheart meowed, staring at the fresh-kill pile.

Star blinked. "Here's the prey pile," she murmured, then she backed away toward her friends, leaving the two sisters alone.

"Do you want to sit with us?"

Whispersong turned and saw Flower and Rain.

"Sure," Whispersong purred at the prey-hunters. She grabbed a hare for herself and Echoheart, then followed Flower and Rain, who had a kestrel to share.

As she ate, she found her mind wandering to what Stoneteller had said about Star's destiny earlier. How could it lie with the Clans?

Whispersong sighed. All she knew was that every day they stayed inside the cave or hunted with the Tribe cats, that was a day they could have used to try and find out about the danger. And now, especially since she and Echoheart had been gone for nearly two moons, every day counted.

* * *

Whispersong yawned. She, Echoheart, and Star had already left for the day, and Star would be showing them all the creatures that lived up here in the mountainous territory.

"So, any ideas as to what animal could be the danger?" Whispersong asked.

Star blinked. "I have a few..." she trailed off with a shiver. "We'll go down to the tree line; that's where you'll find most of the other bigger creatures.

"I was thinking," Echoheart meowed suddenly. "What if it's wolves?"

Star fell silent. "No, I don't think so. Wolves live and hunt in packs, and the creature in our dreams was clearly alone, and powerful enough by itself."

"Badgers?" Whispersong asked, though she knew it was unlikely.

Star opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Echoheart.

"What's that?" Echoheart exclaimed.

"What's what? A badger?" Star asked. "I thought you said you had badgers at—"

"No, that!"

Whispersong looked. A huge animal stood hidden in the trees, its dark brown pelt blending in with the distant spruce tree line. It had twig-like branches sprouting from its head, much like the deer they often saw up here, but more threatening.

"That's a moose," Star whispered. "Follow me." They crept around a boulder and hid behind it. "They can be vicious. One of our prey-hunters was killed by a moose last season," Star murmured.

"Could that  the danger?" Echoheart exclaimed.

"No," Star shook her head. "The danger had fangs and claws; moose don't. But don't get me wrong: those antlers on its head can be just as effective as fangs and claws. Don't mess with them."

Whispersong shuddered.

"Let's go," Star whispered, leading the way around the boulders. They carefully avoided the moose, keeping to the stone and not to the grass where the moose was. Star lead them down the steady slope in silence, and a long time passed before they saw another creature. Hawks and eagles flew above, taking no notice of the three cats walking below them.

"There's some wolves," Star suddenly murmured.

Echoheart followed the silver she-cat's gaze to a pack of wolves crouched over and eating a dead hare.

"Let's hope they're not still hungry," Whispersong breathed.

"I bet not," Star meowed calmly. "Plus, we're downwind; they won't be able to smell us."

Whispersong nodded, feeling the wind hitting her face as it blew from the wolves to her. They smelled an awful lot like Twolegs' dogs, but without the Twoleg scent.

Just then a low growl filled the air, not from the wolves, but from the trees. The wolves looked up, hackles lifted. The grass rustled violently, and something stepped into the clearing.

Whispersong froze and let out a gasp.

It was huge, nearly as big as the moose, with a head larger than the boulder she was hidden behind. Its thick, sleek, black fur rippled as it walked, huge muscles flexing with each step. It snarled, and the wolves fled. The creature opened its jaws and ripped the rabbit that wolves had been eating in half, bones crunching. It held its meal to the ground with unbelievably large claws, nearly as long as a kit's tail. Its beady eyes found the three cats' gazes, black and glinting with evil.

Recognition hit Whispersong like a blow to the chest. The danger from StarClan's vision was standing right in front of her. Her nightmare had come to life.

"Run!" Star screeched.