A Forest Divided/Chapter 2

==Chapter description==
:Thunder watches his his father disappear into the gorse entrance to camp and wonders guiltily about whether he was too harsh on him. Glancing over at Gray Wing, he asks if he should go with him to make sure he gets back to the forest safely, but the gray tom is lost in his daydream. Tall Shadow then leans forward and tells Thunder to go after his father, to which he obliges. He hurries out after the tom and into the snowstorm, struggling to find his light gray pelt among the white flakes.
:The orange tom catches up to his father as he passes through a swath of heather. The tom halts in his tracks and turns back to Thunder, wary of what he could possibly want. Thunder stops, his lungs burning from the cold, telling his father he wanted to make sure he got back home safe. Clear Sky continues on, wondering aloud if that was all he wanted. Swallowing back guilt, Thunder follows after him, telling him that he knows the moor better than he did, and he could easily get lost in this storm. He then apologizes to the gray tom, but he doesn't answer. Thunder's belly tightens, wondering to himself why he should feel bad about what he had said to his father earlier.
:After walking on for a few more tail-lengths, Clear Sky turns back to his son, his eyes glittering with hurt, saying that he didn't want to boss more cats around; just that he wanted them to be together. He mentions that Fluttering Bird wanted it too, and Thunder wonders if his father is still grieving for the sister he lost. The orange tom asks him if he's wrong, to which Clear Sky says that he isn't. Coming up to a split in the trail, he asks Thunder which to take. The orange tom brushes by and ducks into the nearest tunnel, leading Clear Sky along until it opened onto the hillside. Clear Sky asks where the forest was, but Thunder could hardly see through the blizzard. He notes that if they follow the slope it would lead them down to the edge of the forest. Clear Sky goes first, pushing past Thunder, mentioning that he knows the forest scents better than him and would know when they were close. Thunder's fur bristles at this comment, but holds his tongue and follows his father, making sure to keep close enough so that his tail brushed his nose. Thunder wonders aloud if they should find shelter until the storm passes, but Clear Sky says they're nearly there, brushing off Thunder's comment. Clear Sky hurries forward and Thunder strains to stay close. He calls after his father, worried that they would get separated.
:A loud roar explodes from somewhere up ahead and a dark shape lunges at Clear Sky, causing the tom to shriek. Thunder rushes forward, scenting the sharp tang of blood and of badger, his heart pounding. His father is locked in a scuffle with a badger, and the large creature had Clear Sky pinned to the ground. Thunder races forward once more, demanding the badger let him go. The orange tom throws himself at the badger, but the creature throws him off and goes for Clear Sky once more. As Thunder is thrown against his father's flailing hind legs, the orange tom makes an inward remark about how huge the badger is. He leaps again, claws outstretched, landing on the badger's spine. He churns it with his hind legs, but its only response was a snarl and another snap at the tom's father. Worried that the badger is killing him, Thunder begins slipping from the creature's pelt and manages to snag an open wound on its pelt. Hope flashes through the orange tom as he realizes the badger is wounded. Seizing the opportunity, Thunder attacks the badger's wound. The badger roars and rears onto its hind legs. Thunder wills his father to run, but the light gray tom lies motionless on the ground with no response.
:The badger's head swung around to Thunder and the orange tom froze, gagging as he tasted the creature's infection. The badger leaped at Thunder, but the orange tom quickly rolled out of the way. Making sure the badger's gaze was locked onto him, he hurried away across the slope. The creature hurries after the orange tom and triumph courses through Thunder, thinking he was going to win this fight. As the badger follows after him, Thunder then makes a wide circle back around to his father, hoping he is still alive. But the snow was hiding his father from his view. Thunder whispers his father's name and hears a moan from ahead. The orange tom hurries to his father's side, glad that he is alive. Crouching down to inspect Clear Sky, Thunder asks him if he is hurt. When the light gray tom struggles up to his paws, Thunder smells the scent of a fresh wound and notices the red staining the snow beneath his father. Thunder asks where the older tom was bitten. Fear sparking through him, he sees the fur at Clear Sky's neck clumped with blood. Clear Sky attempts to reassure his son by saying the wound was not deep, however Thunder warns him of the infection that might be carried through a badger's bite. He offers to escort Clear Sky back to the hollow, though the older tom argues that they are closer to the forest, stumbling as he speaks. His flank hits Thunder's, who digs his claws into the ground to support his father's weight, then explains Pebble Heart's ability to treat Clear Sky's wounds and prevent them from turning sour. He feels his father heave a shaky breath, then urges them to leave before the badger returns. 
:As Thunder steers him up the slope towards the heather, Clear Sky questions his son's decision to remain on the moor when it's riddled with badgers. Thunder points out that there is a set in the forest as well, however Clear Sky argues that it is not close enough to the camp for badgers to attack. Thunder is relieved when he hears his father arguing, noting that it meant the wound can't be too bad—however, he notices the halting of Clear Sky's paw steps. He nudges the older tom on, anxious that the badger might have picked up their trail. Snowflakes catch in Thunder's throat as he struggles to support his father. They stumble uphill, the wind pushing them sideways.
:Thunder is breathless when they reach the heather, puffing as he guides his father into a rabbit run among the bushes. He relaxes when the branches enclose him, relieved by the fact the badger can't follow them through there. They reach the far side of the heather and emerge of the open grass. Thunder sees camp up ahead and pushes his shoulder harder against Clear Sky's, saying that they're nearly there. Cloud Spots calls Thunder's name from the camp entrance, then asks if they are okay. He hurries across the grass towards them, exclaiming that he smells blood. Thunder explains to him about the badger attack, then thinks of how Cloud Spots has been tending to injured cats since Thunder could remember, and how the black tom had passed those skills on to Pebble Heart. Cloud Spots falls in beside Clear Sky, pushing against his other shoulder. Clear Sky insists that his wound is nothing more than a scratch, but Cloud Spots frets that even scratches can turn nasty, especially ones from badgers. He then states that he has a good store of herbs. Pebble Heart appears when Cloud Spots calls his name. There is worry in is mew when he responds. Cloud Spots orders him to begin chewing a marigold-and-oak-leaf poultice for Clear Sky's wound, worry in his voice as well, making Thunder stiffen. Clear Sky straightens sharply when Thunder asks whether or not his father will be okay, stating that he most definitely will and pushes the moor cats away. He marches into the hollow, Thunder closely hurrying behind. Tall Shadow appears, stating angrily that she told Thunder to go after his father, not bring him back. Thunder quickly explains to her about the badger attack. The black she-cat asks how bad the wounds are before Gray Wing crosses the clearing and asks if his brother is okay, to which Cloud Spots responds that he is. Gray Wing then anxiously asks if Thunder should've brought his father back, saying that Clear Sky's ruffled enough fur here for one day. Thunder tells Gray Wing that Clear Sky was attacked by a badger, then turns his tail on his uncle and follows his father into Cloud Spots's den. Cloud Spots eases Clear Sky onto his side, then urges him to lie still so Pebble Heart can reach his wound. Clear Sky complains about the fuss over a scratch. Thunder wrinkles his nose at the scent of herbs and wonders how Cloud Spots and Pebble Heart can sleep in the smell when he sees their two nests. 
:Squinting through the half-light, he makes out wads of leaves stuffed between the gorse stems. When Thunder asks if they are Cloud Spots's herb store, the black tom replies that it should last them through leaf-bare. His gaze is focused on Clear Sky's neck as Pebble Heart washes the bloodstained fur clean. Cloud Spots asks the younger tom if the wound is deep—Pebble Heart looks up and replies that it is not deep, and the jagged shape of the wound should help it heal. He grabs a mouthful of poultice and works it into the wound with his tongue. Clear Sky flinches and asks if he is sure the poultice will help. Cloud Spots reassures him that stinging means the herbs are working. Thunder wonders how any cat had the patience to learn the name and use of every herb, then asks how long the wound will take to heal, to which Cloud Spots replies a few days. Clear Sky struggles to his paws and thanks Pebble Heart, saying it feels better already. Pebble Heart tells him he added some dock to the poultice, which will soothe the wound. He then tells him to put dock leaves in Clear Sky's nest in the forest when he sleeps to ease the pain. 
:Clear Sky blinks gratefully at the young cat, then turns towards Thunder and tells him they manage well when working together; this makes Thunder's heart grow heavy, knowing that Clear Sky is still trying to persuade him that the cats should join up. He stares blankly at his father, looking for words. Clear Sky speaks again before Thunder can answer, pointing out to the younger cat that he saved Clear Sky from a badger, and Pebble Heart has made sure his wound will heal. Then, he tells Thunder that if they all lived in the forest, they would grow strong and spread, just as the spirit cats said. Cloud Spots disagrees with this, saying he doesn't think that's what they meant. This causes Clear Sky to turn on the black-and-white tom and question him, arguing that he wouldn't know because he wasn't there to see. Thunder flattens his ears as a response to his father's flaring temper and murmurs for him to leave Cloud Spots alone. Clear Sky's angry gaze flashes towards Thunder, and he asks why nobody understands that Fluttering Bird wants them to be together. Thunder suddenly feels weary, as fighting badgers was bad enough; he didn't want to fight with Clear Sky, too. He then gets to his paws and asks if Clear Sky can take some fresh herbs home with him. Pebble Heart answers, telling him that he'll wrap the leftover poultice in a leaf for Clear Sky. Thunder thanks the dark gray tom and heads out of the den to check the kits, as he wants to make sure their nest is clear of snow. A few flakes swirl around him as he crosses the clearing, where Jagged Peak is dragging a large piece of heather towards the far end. Thunder asks him if the kits are fine, and Jagged Peak replies that they're being moved to a more sheltered spot. Thunder catches up to him as he drags the branch beneath the trailing broom. Inside, a wide circle of clear earth sits sheltered by the dropping stems. Even stripped of their leaves, they make a fine windbreak, and the snow hasn't made it through. Holly is weaving heather branches together with her teeth near the back of the den, while Eagle Feather, Dew Nose, and Storm Pelt dart around her, pouncing on each other and tails flicking with excitement.
:Jagged Peak drops the branch next to his mate and tells her that Shattered Ice and Lightning Tail are gathering more now that the snow's eased, to which she replies that they need more moss to line it as well. Eagle Feather scrambles onto Holly's back as she crouches to spear another twig into the half built nest, demanding a badger ride. Holly shrugs him off with a huff of annoyance, stating to him that she only has two pairs of paws. Thunder then offers to play with the kits, and Holly thanks him with relief. Jagged Peak joins in to play with the kits, and Eagle Feather jumps on his back. Dew Nose rushes towards Thunder, making him wince as she claws her way up his shoulders. He asks Storm Pelt if he wants to play, but he insists on helping Holly instead. Holly allows him to after he demonstrates his ability to help by tucking in a heather sprig with his paw. Dew Pelt tells Thunder to hurry up and curls her claws into his pelt and Thunder gasps that he isn't prey. He then tells Dew Pelt to hang on as he pushes his way through the bushes. Thunder starts to purr because Dew Pelt has sheathed her claws now.
:As Thunder wades through the snow, he tries not to think about the badger he had fought earlier. Jagged Peak catches up with him and asks if it was Clear Sky he saw coming back into camp with him. Eagle Feather asks where he is so Thunder explains that he is in Cloud Spot's den due to a small scratch he got when fighting the badger. Alarmed, Jagged Peak questions whether it was close to the camp or not but Thunder says that it was near the forest border. Jagged Peak frowns and asks why he brought Clear Sky back to camp when the incident happened close to the border. Thunder starts to say that his father was injured but Jagged Peak interrupts him and exclaims that Clear Sky has caused too much worry and gossip in the camp already and then stops to shake Eagle Feather off, with the kit complaining that the ride wasn't long enough. His father tells him that he will have to dig for moss around Tall Shadow's rock as there is snow covering it. Dew Pelt jumps down from Thunder to help her brother. With them gone, Jagged Peak asks if Clear Sky was hurt badly to which Thunder says that it was just a scratch. Jagged Peak says that he should be able to go straight home then but Thunder questions whether he even cared that Clear Sky was hurt. He replies by saying that it makes change from his brother usually causing wounds, which makes Thunder flinch but understands why Jagged Peak is bitter.
:Mud Paws emerges from the long grass at the end while Dappled Pelt and Mouse Ear sat a few tail-lengths away. Thunder asks about Clear Sky causing gossip and Jagged Peak tells him that this weather has made everyone to wonder whether living on the moor is a good idea. Dappled Pelt calls out that they weren't even this exposed on the mountains due to the cave protecting them. Thunder reminds her that there is better hunting here she replies that there was before the sickness killed half of it. Disbelieving of what he is hearing, he asks her if she wants to move to Clear Sky's group. Dappled Pelt snorts and says that she doesn't but that there are better places to live than the moor, causing Thunder to think about the pine forest must be very well protected. Mud Paws says that he thought the spirit cats wanted them to move on but Mouse Ear puffs and asks whether he really believes in spirits cats. Dappled Pelt says that Thunder, Tall Shadow, and Gray Wing all saw them. Skeptical, Mouse Ear says that it was nothing but dreams. Annoyed, Thunder assumes that Mouse Ear wants to stay on the moor but Mouse Ear says that he just doesn't intent to leave just because the spirit cats told them to. Tired of the the arguing, Jagged Peak jumps up onto Tall Shadow's rock beside her and shouts that they need to settle where each cat is going to live.
: Thunder calls to Jagged Peak that they should discuss this later but Dappled Pelt tells him to let him speak. Holly gathers up her kits and tells them to hush as Lightning Tail and Shattered Ice enter the camp and ask if there is a meeting. Many of the cats start to argue about where they do and don't want to live until Clear Sky interjects and says that they should be like the Blazing Star and that should come and live in the forest with him. Jagged Peak glares at him and Shattered Ice growls he doesn't want to live anywhere near him. Tall Shadow argues that the trees will shelter them but Thunder asks how they can leave when they can't decide where to go. They then agree to cast stones.
==Characters==
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===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
de:Der geteilte Wald/Kapitel 2
Category:Dawn of the Clans arc
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:A Forest Divided