The Sun Trail/Chapter 7

==Chapter description==
:Gray Wing and the journeying cats finish their meal, and as they start to groom themselves, Shaded Moss asks how Stoneteller is, commenting that it seems they've been away from the cave for moons. The sleek gray tom tells Shaded Moss that she's okay, but she is worried about the cats who left, as she is afraid she made the wrong decision. The black-and-white cat points out that each cat who came on the journey decided for themselves, and Stoneteller had just pointed out the opportunity. Gray Wing realizes that Shaded Moss is obviously in command, but Clear Sky does not hesitate to offer his own opinions. The cats set out for a tree, and decide to cross a stream to avoid a potentially dangerous stretch of rock. Moon Shadow boasts about how he frightened away an eagle the other day, commenting that it would've carried off Jackdaw's Cry if it hadn't been for him. Gray Wing thinks that Moon Shadow leaving the cave hadn't changed anything - and that he's still annoying. Tall Shadow walks besides Moon Shadow, and the dark gray tom wonders how one litter could produce an intelligent cat, being Tall Shadow, and a fuzz-brain, being Moon Shadow.
:Turtle Tail asks to walk with Gray Wing, and he allows it. Turtle Tail expresses that she likes being in the rear, knowing that all her denmates are safe in front of her. The dark gray tom agrees with her, and walks over to Dappled Pelt, remarking that he's very glad he found her, due to his worries about his brother, Jagged Peak. The tortoiseshell she-cat is about to comment on Jagged Peak's size and inexperience, but she spots a fish and kills it almost instantly. Gray Wing is both surprised and impressed, asking where she learned to do that. Dappled Pelt explains that she used to catch fish in the pool below the waterfall, before leaf-bare came. The orange-and-white tortoiseshell offers her companions to try the fish. Gray Wing isn't sure he likes it, and Falling Feather asks that she teaches her to fish. Dappled Pelt agrees, and Bright Stream suggest that Clear Sky might want to eat more of it when they reach their new home. Clear Sky says he might need to give in if his kits have a taste for it.
:Gray Wing is appalled, and he asks his brother is Bright Stream is excepting. Clear Sky replies that she is and he knows that the timing is not ideal, at the beginning of their journey, but he can't wait to be a father. Gray Wing comments that Bright Stream will be a wonderful mother, trying to ignore the envy, as he had also had romantic feelings for Bright Stream. Quick Water good-humoredly points at a turtle in a pool, commenting that Turtle Tail found her natural home. Turtle Tail jokes that Quick Water's home is wherever it's raining. Clear Sky offers to catch a few birds circling overhead, but Shaded Moss tells him not to, as they haven't traveled far enough yet. A few cats complain that they've been walking for ages, but Turtle Tail points out they've only been travelling for four days. Tall Shadow is able to take control, suggesting that they reach for a distant clump of trees at the side of the mountain. The cats agree, and Gray Wing goes to congratulate Bright Stream for expecting. 
:The travelling cats come upon a slippery scree which leads into a drop into a deep valley. Shaded Moss organizes cats into pairs, and Jagged Peak goes with Clear Sky, while Gray Wing, taking pity on the fright of the young cat, partners with Jackdaw's Cry. He and Jackdaw's Cry safely make it across the scree, along with all the other cats. Jagged Peak spots eagles circling the air, and the cats start to scatter in panic. Dappled Pelt halts with fear, but both Moon Shadow and Gray Wing come to her rescue. The cats find shelter underneath a rock, but unfortunately, the eagles know that the cats are sheltering down there, and perch themselves onto the rock, waiting for the cats to escape. Knowing that the cats can't stay under the rock forever, Clear Sky devises a plan to get rid of the eagles, while catching one of them. He starts to explain his plan — starting with an idea of using four cats to bring down one eagle, the four cats being him, Tall Shadow, Quick Water, and Jackdaw's Cry.
:Clear Sky tells Gray Wing that he'll lead a group to draw the other three birds away, and that his group would isolate the fourth bird and surround it. The dark gray tom believes it will work, but Turtle Tail suggests that they could wait until dark and sneak away. The pale gray tom is outraged, saying that if they did wait, the birds would follow them for days, and that they had to take them on at that very moment, believing that the birds would leave them in peace. Tall Shadow agrees with Clear Sky, who briskly puts his plan in motion. Shaded Moss decides that Turtle Tail, Cloud Spots, and Bright Stream should go with Gray Wing to lead the birds away, but Clear Sky is unsure, pointing out that Bright Stream may not be fast enough. Shaded Moss reminds him that the brown-and-white tabby is just as fast as Gray Wing, but the sleek tom knows why Clear Sky is uneasy — he's worried about the kits. Bright Stream tells Clear Sky that Gray Wing will take care of her. Gray Wing and his group give chase. He orders Cloud Spots and Turtle Tail to run into another direction, leading a pair of eagles away. Bright Stream pretends to be an injured cat, in which another pair of birds fly over to her. She ducks under a rock to hide with Gray Wing. Both the cats spring into the open, in front of the eagle on the ground. Clear Sky gives a mighty leap in the air, bringing one of the eagles down and killing it, with the help of his group.
:Gray Wing accidentally cuts his paw on a tree root, and he stops. The eagle, sensing his hesitation, swoops down, and Gray Wing struggles to run faster. Bright Stream comes to his aid, shoving him underneath a thorn bush. Bright Stream tries to hide with him, but the eagle has sunk its talons into her haunches and tries to drag her away. The bird lifts her off the ground, and Bright Stream yowls for Gray Wing to help her.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Important events==
*Bright Stream becomes pregnant with Clear Sky's kits.
==Notes and references==
de:Der Sonnenpfad/Kapitel 7fr:Le sentier du soleil/Chapitre 7
Category:The Sun Trail
Category:Dawn of the Clans arc
Category:Chapter subpages