A Forest Divided/Chapter 10

==Chapter description==
:Thunder is stretching in his nest and blinking sleep from his eyes on a morning. There was no sunlight, and he realized that is was raining as a raindrop splashed on his muzzle, causing him to hop from his nest. Owl Eyes tells Thunder that he's awake at last. Owl Eyes watches Birch and Alder train Clover and Thistle as Thunder asks if it's late. Owl Eyes replies by informing him that Clear Sky has already sent out hunting patrols, and notes that it is Clover and Thistle's second day of training. Alder is telling Thistle to keep his tail down, and Birch is instructing Clover to tuck her paws tighter under her. Clover frowns and says that it makes it harder to jump. Birch reassures her by telling her that it will feel that way to begin with, but once she gets the hang of it, she'll be able to jump farther, and the farther she jumps, the less stalking she'll have to do. Owl Eyes' tail flicks irritably as he asks what's wrong with stalking. Clover ignores him and bunches up her hindquarters, asking if that's better. Birch says that's it great and tells her to jump. Clover hurls herself forward, but her hind paws slither in the mud and she falls onto her belly. Thistle purrs with amusement and points out that she looks like she's trying to swim. Clover whips around and tells him to try it, calling him a mouse-brain. Thistle leaps and lands neatly a muzzle-length away from Birch and asks him how that was. Birch purrs and proudly tells him that he'll be a great hunter. Clover snorts and leaps, landing skillfully. Blinking at Alder, she asks if that was better. Alder says that it was much better.
:Owl Eyes sniffs and says that they should be teaching the kits to stalk, not jump. Alder glances at him and retorts that Clear Sky told them to train them, not him. Birch joins his sister and says that Owl Eyes is just in a bad mood because Sparrow Fur was chosen to go on patrol instead of him. Owl Eyes flattens his ears and says that he hunts better in the rain than Sparrow Fur, as she doesn't like getting her paws wet. He stalks across the clearing and curls down beside the roots of a beech, his pelt spiked. He miserably shoves his nose under his paw and closes his eyes.
:Thunder thinks about how he should be out on patrol and scans the camp, wondering where Clear Sky is. He recognizes Cloud Spots telling Milkweed to eat some leaves. Thunder's nose twitches at the smell of tansy, hearing Cloud Spots tell Milkweed that it's just a small sickness in her chest, that the leaves would clear it, and that she could send Clover for more if she still feels bad later. Cloud Spots comes out from underneath the yew bush, padding to the bank beyond the oak. Brambles were spilling over Clear Sky's nest, and Cloud Spots slipped behind them. He was collecting herbs for days and stashing them there. Clover calls for Thunder so that he could watch her jump. Thunder looks at her she crouched and leaped across the clearing. Thunder is pleased that Clear Sky took the family in, and was even happier when he heard Milkweed pass on Gray Wing's message. Thunder thinks about how Clear Sky and Gray Wing's relationship could be mending. However, it seems strange to Thunder that Gray Wing was now living in the pine forest instead of the moor. Clover was staring at Thunder very expectantly, asking how her jump was. Thunder tells her that it was good. Clover purrs and says that she can jump further than Thistle now, but Thistle defies it. Birch steps between the kits, saying that they should practice stalking now, like Owl Eyes suggested. Owl Eyes' ear twitches. Thunder catches Birch's eye, asking him where Clear Sky is. Birch glances at the branch that overhung the clearing, which was where Clear Sky liked to sit, but it was empty. Birch shrugs and says that perhaps he'd gone to make dirt. Thunder pads to the bottom of the oak. His father's scent was still fresh, which meant that he hadn't gone far. Thunder leaps up the steep bank and pads over the wet grass.
:He calls for Clear Sky, and Clear Sky slides out from the bracken, asking what it is. Thunder says that he would like to join one of his hunting patrols, asking where he sent them. He adds that he's sure he could catch up, but Clear Sky tells him that he wants him to stay in camp to watch over the kits. Thunder argues that they've got Birch, Alder, and Owl Eyes looking after them already, but Clear Sky turns his head and responds that if he wanted to be on a patrol, he would've woken up earlier. Thunder wonders if his father was punishing him for sleeping in too late and apologizes, pointing out that he's since used to it being light on the moor and that when it's cloudy in the forest, it's hard to tell day from night. Clear Sky retorts that no other cat has that problem and jumps into the clearing.
:Lightning Tail and Leaf push their way through the camp entrance, wads of moss dangling from their jaws. Lightning Tail drops his and tells Leaf that there's enough to line two nests there. Leaf spits out his moss and responds that they'll never get dry in this weather. Lightning Tail suggests that they should spread it out beside the holly, saying that the ground catches the sun there, and if the clouds clear, it would dry quickly. Thunder turns to pleadingly look at Clear Sky, pointing out that Lightning Tail and Leaf are here now and that he should go hunting. He says that even if he doesn't catch up with the patrols, he could hunt on his own. He says that since it's leaf-bare, they need all the prey they could get. Clear Sky tells Thunder that he needs him to stay because he's going on border patrol. He also says that he doesn't want cats hunting alone. Thunder blinks and asks why not. Clear Sky responds that he thinks that all prey should be shared, and that if they hunt together, then they will be less tempted to keep their catch to themselves. Thunder bristles and demands Clear Sky doesn't them. Clear Sky lifts his chin and says that of course he does, but it's his duty as leader to keep his cats from temptation. Thunder glares at him, thinking about how he keeps forgetting about how arrogant he is. Thunder lowers his tail obediently, saying that if Clear Sky if going on patrol, he should let him come with him, and lies that since he's changed borders so many times, he couldn't tell old markers from new ones, but Clear Sky whisks his tail, saying that if he hasn't learned that by now, he never will. He tells Thunder that he's patrolling alone and leaves camp.
:Thunder feels uneasy as he watches Clear Sky go, thinking about how Clear Sky had never wanted solitude before. Thunder hurries toward Lightning Tail to tell him that he wants him to stay in camp. Lightning Tail asks why, and Thunder explains that he wants to follow Clear Sky. Lightning Tail tells him that he's just being nosy, but Thunder denies it. Lightning Tail tells Thunder that he's coming with him if he's going. Leaf looks up from his scraps of moss and asks what they are whispering about to which Thunder tells him that he needs him to guard the camp because they are going out on patrol. Thunder and Lightning tail hurry towards the bramble wall and duck through the entrance tunnel. Opening his mouth to taste for Clear Sky's scent, Thunder instinctively looks towards where he and his father had last patrolled but the scent was drifting from the other direction. They follow it and Lightning Tail whispers that Clear Sky is heading for the river. Thunder starts to think about how the boundary at the river's edge should be enough to stop curious inquisitive rogues and kittypets from crossing into their territory and wonders if the purpose of Clear Sky's patrols are to find some new recruits. He then wonders again how much his father has changed over time. Leaving these thoughts, Thunder leaps over the last few clumps of grass and hurries onward watchfully as he follows the forest floor that starts to slope upwards. Falling in beside Thunder, Lightning Tail asks if Thunder can see Clear Sky. Considering that his fathers scent is fresh and his paw prints still easy to make out, Thunder tells Lightning Tail that he couldn't but he can't be that far ahead. As Thunder scanned the slope for Clear Sky's pelt, Lightning Tail hisses to him that Clear Sky isn't on the shore. Thunder says that the scent leads along the river and Lightning Tail suggests that he must be heading for the flat rocks. They carry on following the scent.
:After Thunder tastes the air, Lighting Tail whispers that he can see Clear Sky and Thunder stiffly follows his gaze. As Clear Sky sat in the middle of the flat rocks, Star Flower suddenly stalks from the trees and asks Clear Sky if he has decided to take her up on a hunting lesson. Thunder freezes and Lightning Tail questions what Star Flower is doing there. Thunder doesn't answer as jealousy scorches through his chest, a low growl rumbling in his throat. Clear Sky proceeds to brush around Star Flower and tells her that he doesn't need her to teach him anything and that he has learnt all that he needs to know the hard way. She says that her and Clear Sky have more in common than he thinks and Clear Sky agree that perhaps they do. Thunder curls his claws deep into the earth, remembering the gestures Star Flower used to use when talking with him that she was using with Clear Sky now. She murmurs to Clear Sky that he was going to give her some lessons in leadership but Clear Sky says that she must learn how to follow first. Angrily, Thunder recalls how Star Flower once told him that she truly cared for him and wanted to be his mate and wonders why she had told him that. Anger burns in his belly as Star Flower lays down on the stone and tells Clear Sky to enjoy the sunshine with her. Thunder turns away and marches through the forest, growling under his breath as he goes.
:Lightning Tail calls after him and Thunder snarls that he should have known because Star Flower never felt anything for him. Once again, Lightning Tail calls for him to wait and Thunder glares at him, asking if he was going to say that he told him so. Thunder notices that Lightning Tail feels hurt and apologizes. Lightning Tail leans closer to him and remarks that he is glad that Thunder saw this before doing something mouse-brained like telling Star Flower that he loves her, to which Thunder snaps that he isn't that dumb. Lightning Tails glances back at the rocks and says that Clear Sky is, prompting Thunder's heart to lurch because he was so wrapped up in his own feelings that he forgot to consider his father. He says that Star Flower is using his father and when Lightning Tail asks what for, he replies that she is doing it because she can and because as Clear Sky is leader, using him to become his mate would give her power and influence. Lightning Tail reasons that Clear Sky knows Star Flower is treacherous and that he must realize what she is trying to do. He then suggests that maybe he is just seeing how far she is willing to go. Thunder nods and agrees to this, saying that he is letting Star Flower make a fool of herself. He tells Lightning Tail that he needs some time alone to think but Lightning Tail anxiously asks if he is going back there to confront them. Thunder solemnly returns his friends gaze and says that Clear Sky can take care of himself and that he doesn't want anything to do with Star Flower. Lightning Tail urges Thunder not to stay out to long and Thunder says that he only needs to clear his thoughts. He watches Lightning Tail head way and gazes over River Ripple's marshes, a deep ache twisting his heart. He thinks about how he thought Star Flower had come back for him but that Star Flower only cares for herself now.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
Category:Dawn of the Clans arc
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:A Forest Divided