Chapter 20: The Eagle Tree

The day of the meeting dawned with a brisk rain. A cool breeze blew down from the north mountain and the the shower chilled the valley. But the squall passed quickly, and by sun-high the sun had broken through the clouds and was drying out the valley.

Jay and Amelia set out for Eagle Tree as soon as the rain stopped, carrying the kits with them. One of the kits rode on their shoulders, tiny claws dug into their fur as the kits clung happily to their backs. Jay and Amelia took turns carrying the odd kit out, making sure the kits took turns being carried by the scruff so that they could have fun riding on the grown cats' backs.

The grass was slick and the dirt had turned into a sucking mud which they had to pull their paws out of with effort. The trip to Eagle Tree took the better half of the morning and they reached the barren spot not long after sun-high had passed.

In the dark shadow of the southern mountain stood the Eagle Tree, all alone upon a mound of drying mud and dead grass. The old branches creaked as they bent and bowed in the breeze while the abandoned nests rustled precariously at the top.

The kits jumped to the ground and started running around as soon as they stopped, discovering the joys of kicking up mud with their paws. Jay watched them romp and play with the hope that they would sleep through the meeting so as not to cause a ruckus, "Don't get too messy!" she called to them as they started flinging mud at each other. But they proceeded as if they hadn't heard her, though she knew they had.

Jay turned to Amelia, "Let's get set-up," she mewed.

Amelia growled, "Aren't they just coming for the talk? Why do we have to hunt for them?"

"Cats will be more agreeable on a full stomach and this will show that we're serious. Plus, some of them have to travel quite a ways to get here, they will appreciate it," Jay mewed lightly, capturing their stomachs was a quick way to capture their hearts.

"I don't care about their appreciation," Amelia sniffed.

Jay glared at her, "But we want their cooperation!" Amelia snorted again and looked away. They spent the afternoon taking turns hunting and watching the kits until they had enough to feed a Clan. It was almost dusk and the ground was finally dried, so Jay decided it was time to wash her kits.

The three rascals had spent the day exploring the new area, poking their curious noses into every hole and crevice. They had muddy grass clumped in their fur, burrs stuck in their pelts, and old eagle leaves stuck to them. Jay needed Amelia's help to get them all washed up in time- a duty Amelia had been able to avoid beforehand but couldn't get around now.

"What will the other cats think if they come and are greeted by these three? They'd be frightened out of their minds!" So the kits were cleaned and after they were done they stood in a line before Jay for inspection. The dark gray she-cat scrutinized them and picked out a bit of dandelion fluff behind Flint's ear, but that was it and she approved of them.

"Now, when the meeting begins you have to be quiet and not disrupt any cat, this is a very important meeting. Amelia is going to watch you a little bit away from here, but I'll be nearby in case anything happens," Jay mewed, nosing them gently before sending them away with Amelia.

She and the black she-cat had agreed that only she would be present at the meeting. Since Amelia had found her cats at night, it was unlikely they had gotten a good look at her and Jay wanted Amelia to be able to continue working in the dark without unnecessary obstacles such as cats knowing who she was and who she was with.

When her kits were safely out of sight behind a big heather bush, Jay positioned herself on one of the twisted roots of the Eagle Tree where she had a view of the surrounding landscape on all sides except the steep mountain side behind her. The wind blew to her from the north so that even the scents flowed to her over the low hills.

The first cats to appear were strangers to her, an orange and white she-cat accompanied by a steel gray tom who had a flash of white on his chest. Jay nodded at them and stood to greet them, "Welcome, my name is Jay," she mewed, dipping her head as they paused at the bottom of the mound below her.

They looked up at her and exchanged a glance before the orange and white she-cat looked at her again, "Hello, my friend asked me to come to this meeting. He said that you would tell us more about these 'StarReaders'?" The she-cat asked hesitantly.

Jay nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, I'll tell you all that I know about these cats and hopefully we can come to an understanding of what needs to be done." Jay preferred to remain vague until she had the cats' support.

The two cats milled about at the bottom of the hill, finally laying down on a dry patch of soft grass. The she-cat, whose name was Daisy, laid on her belly and the tom, whose name she later learned was Snip, sat next to her, eyes half-closed as he curled his tail over his paws.

Soon, more cats arrived and a group of skittish, quietly murmuring cats formed. Jay invited them to take some prey and none seemed hesitant to take her up on her offer, although others went off to catch their own. She nodded at Adder when he arrived and sat at the back of the gathering and she winced when the old black tom arrived, curled fur messy and stinky as he sat at the edge and glared at any cat that approached him.

Jay brought him a soft-looking mouse and he eyed it suspiciously as he took it and took a small bite, soon gulping it down and shooing her away without a 'thank you.' Jay, who had already been well conditioned by ill-tempered elders, didn't bat an eye and simply nodded and went among the cats, chattering politely and making sure every cat was as comfortable as possible.

Most of the cats seemed awkward about being by such a big group of strangers and most kept to talking quietly with cats they already knew. Jay, however, was used to gatherings ten times this size and talked easily to the cats and put them at ease.

There were about thirteen cats gathered, not counting herself. It was more then she had expected, but less then what she'd hoped for. Although, Midnight and her family hadn't yet arrived; She wondered if the black queen had changed her mind and debated whether she should start the meeting without her. Dusk was passing into twilight and the last crescent of sun was fading behind the west mountain.

Her eyes alighted on a few gray figures approaching from the west and she raced out to meet them, greeting Midnight friendly and purring as her kits his themselves behind her fur. But Breeze recognized her and stepped out after a moment and so did Rusty, giving her hesitant nods.

But little Panther stayed in her mother's fur and shivered, her eyes scrunched tight and her body curled up. "My mother will watch the kits away from the group while we listen to the meeting," Midnight mewed, settling her kits down on a clump of clover close enough to the group to hear the murmurs but far enough away that the words weren't audible.

Crystal curled her fluffy tail around her kits, her blue eyes looking down on them lovingly. Pummel and Stretch headed toward the group with an air of determined leisure. She waited for Midnight as the she-cat gave a few more words to her kits.

"Now, you be good for Crystal and don't cause any fuss. Mommy is going to be nearby so don't worry. I won't be long dears, so just play and have fun," Midnight purred. The kits looked at her sadly as she turned away, and for the first time Panther jumped up, eyes opening wide as she put her tiny paws on Crystal's wall of a tail and looked after her mother.

Jay froze as she saw Panther's eyes. Those wide gray eyes, hazy like fog- she shuddered involuntarily and turned away quickly. "Something wrong?" Midnight asked as she walked briskly away.

"No, nothing," Jay lied, not looking back. It was true something was very wrong- though in a way, it didn't even matter. She just hadn't expected, hadn't been prepared, for the surprise that Panther had Ash's eyes, copied so perfectly that there could be no doubt now of who the missing father was.

Once they arrived back at the group, Jay spent a little time talking with Midnight as the black she-cat sat and ate a vole that Jay brought her. The gray she-cat saw Pummel bring a piece of prey to Crystal as well and she relaxed. "I'll start the meeting soon. I hope we can all come to an agreement," Jay mewed.

Midnight shrugged, "Honestly, I'm surprised you got so many cats to come at all. All these cats like to keep to themselves, that's why they didn't join Python or the mountain pass cats. So I guess anything is possible."

With that little bit of encouragement, Jay grabbed hold of her mettle and bounded to the top of the mound and stood at the base of the Eagle Tree. Using a caterwaul to silence the little bit of noise below, the cats turned toward her with a mixture of wariness and interest.

Jay cleared her throat, not nervous, but a little uncomfortable with so many strange eyes upon her. "You all know why we are here, to discuss what should be done to protect ourselves against these StarReaders now that Python, the Ivy Cats, and the Mountain Pass Cats have been defeated," Jay started, waiting for the cats to give nods of acknowledgment.

"Who are they, exactly? Where did they come from and what is their goal?" a voice called out from among the group.

"They were a group of cats- not terribly numerous- that lived in the north-eastern mountains. I don't know who they are- besides that the leader is a white she-cat named Blanche, she is also blind- and their goal seems to be to conquer every cat in the valley by driving them out or forcing them to join their ranks- as they did with Python's cats, the Ivy Cats, and the young ones that were guarding the Mountain Pass."

"In the face of such aggressions and declarations, we cannot sit idly until they come for us. We must choose to either fight or flee and we must do it together," Jay mewed gravely, staring out at the numerous faces.

"Or join them," a soft voice spoke up. Jay turned her head to look at the soft brown tabby she-cat that stood calmly, green eyes fixed on her. "You said their goal is to either drive us from our homes and make us join them. I don't think we have much chance in a fight if they already took down the three most powerful groups in the valley and absorbed their strength," the tabby shrugged and looked around slowly at the mountainside. "This valley has been my home for all my life, I don't think I could leave either."

A couple cats murmured their agreement and Jay felt disconcerted. She hadn't considered that any cat would want to join the StarReaders. Her heartbeat quickened, if even some of the cats decided to go join the StarReaders, there would not be enough to even put up a feeble resistance. She had to convince them not to join or it was all over and she'd have to figure out something else.

"And it might not even be so bad," the steel gray tom that had arrived first with the orange and white tabby stood up. "If the three strongest forces in the valley haven't revolted yet, then it must not be too bad."

More voices chorused agreement. "Well I think you're all idiots," a voice cried. Jay looked frustratingly around at a dainty looking tawny tortoiseshell she-cat who sat apart from the group, her fluffy tail curled elegantly over her paws and her eyes slanted downward upon the group of cats.

A few cats growled but most ignored the tortoiseshell she-cat as they continued chattering amongst themselves. Jay felt like she had completely lost grasp on the meeting. She took a deep breath, she would have to refute these ideas directly and pull it along the way she wanted it to go.

"Snip, Moss," Jay turned to the two cats who were most outspoken over the idea of joining the StarReaders. "I understand your reasoning but can't you see that by joining them we'd be doing exactly what they want? And I don't think you actually want to join them, you would rather keep the life you already have."

Moss walked closer to the Eagle Tree, her front paws standing on the mound, her soft green eyes suddenly intense. "Yes, but you didn't invite us all here with the purpose of keeping our lives the way they are. You want our help because you think it will help protect us. Well, thank you for your concern, but none of us asked you to do that," Moss mewed with rigid politeness.

Jay was taken even more aback, but she could not show it. She pleaded again, "You want to remain in this valley, right? Then why not fight for it instead of giving yourself over to these cats who will determine the rest of your life?"

Moss's eyes sparked impatiently, "Why die over a few bushes and a clump of grass?" More voices rose in support.

Jay turned to Snip who had moved forward as well, his eyes looking stirred by Moss's words. "You conjectured that the cats the StarReaders were happy because they haven't made a revolt. But what if their kits are being held hostage? or they're half starved? or any pretense of revolt results in death? There could be many reasons why they haven't rebelled, and not many are good."

"Have you seen those cats then?" Snip asked.

Jay shook her head, it wasn't a lie, she hadn't seen them. "But we cannot just suppose that they are being treated well."

Snip dipped his head, "And there's no reason to suppose that they are being treated ill."

Jay felt a flare of rage in her belly, she could see it in their eyes. They had never had to fight hard for anything. They kept to their own little world and avoided conflict at all costs. They'd never seen cruelty, they'd never seen death, not in the way she had.

"And where do you even get off trying to force a decision upon us," the tortoiseshell she-cat spoke up again, angry brown eyes fixed on Jay. "We can do whatever we want and do it alone if we wish. You make it sound like these are our only options."

Jay held back a hiss, "These are our only options if we want to survive and not lose everything," she insisted.

"No," the tortoiseshell cut in coldly, "These are your only options. I don't know about the rest of you here, but I'm not about to risk my life or my home for some other cat."

The tortoiseshell she-cat stood up and walked away, tail whisking over the top of the grass. All the cats watched her go and a few more scampered off, apparently done with the meeting. Moss looked back at her, "I'm sorry if you were betting something on this, but I intend to stay at my home and live as usual. If these cats show up, I'll go with them quietly." She left with a few more as well.

Now only a handful of cats remained. Snip, Daisy, Midnight, Pummel, Stretch, the old black elder Jay had invited, and Adder. They stood in silence for a moment longer as Jay felt herself reeling from her total failure.

"Look," Snip mewed in a low voice, glancing up at her apologetically, "I think your ideas were good, but it just isn't practical. None of the cats here are comfortable being with two or more cats that they don't know. Working as a group would have been impossible even if they had agreed on something to do."

"What are you going to do?" Jay asked.

Snip let out a long breath, shaking his whiskers. "I wasn't born in the valley, I was born in another, a smaller one, about a day's journey away. If things get messy, I'll go back there. That is," he glanced at the she-cat at his side, "Daisy and I will."

Jay didn't need an announcement to tell her the two were new mates, the fresh blossom of love was still glowing in their eyes. But she still felt cold and sick, "Best of luck," she mewed as they headed off.

Adder glanced up at her and without a word bounded off into the darkness too- night having arrived long ago. The moonlight glowed on Midnight's black fur as she shook her head and sighed, "I think I'll be safe on the mountain-slope, but what about you?"

Jay shrugged, "I'll think of something else, don't worry about it, just need to figure out what to do next," she mewed, not wanting the she-cat to mettle.

"How about starting by cleaning my pelt?" the old tom grumbled, "You promised me that for coming."

Jay shuddered inwardly, "You're absolutely right," she mewed with forced cheerfulness. "I'll be right there."

......

After Jay got the cankerous old tom down for the night, her tongue was dead from exhaustion and disgust, but his long fur lay flat and shone almost like that of a younger cat. Amelia returned briefly to give over her whiny, tired kits which she fed and then curled around as they fell asleep.

It was moon-high and since the sky was clear, there was no use going home when they were all so exhausted. Midnight had returned to her own kits awhile a go and the three elders slept in a heap nearby the black queen.

But even the sweet night air and the figures of her cherubic kits could not comfort Jay. She had failed, utterly and completely. There wasn't a cat left in the valley willing to risk their lives or homes to stop these cats. What could she possibly do on her own? What were her chances of winning? Absolutely none.

Jay sighed and looked up at the sky, the immense blackness seemed to swallow the stars and the moon's light seemed not to spread to the rest of the sky, hanging there, cold and lonely. She supposed she should leave the valley, cut her losses and go. She still had time, with Amelia's help she and the kits could leave this valley, taking the now open mountain pass to travel safely outside the mountains before leaf-bare hit.

And yet, her whole mind and body revolted against such an idea. She couldn't imagine herself spending a single night in the damp, moldy leafy forest at the base of the mountains. She would go crazy living there, even with her kits for solicitude.

But was she willing to risk her kits lives and freedom in the valley? The StarReaders were no doubt capable of dangerous things and their ways were still full of mystery to Jay. Nothing could be done about it as this moment, she laid her head on her paws and tried to sleep. But her eyes were full of shadows and sleep would not come.

By morning she felt stiff with damp cold as the dew settled over her. Her tail kept her kits fairly dry and she saw that there was still a few pieces of prey left over from the day before. As her kits nursed she gnawed on a stiff shrew, eyes heavy with exhaustion and anxiety.

"Mom, are we going home today?" Flint asked, eyes bright as he bounced in front of her.

"Of course we are, mouse-brain," Ice snorted, licking her paw delicately and washing her face. "Mom said so yesterday that we'd only stay out one night, isn't that right?" her blue-gray daughter turned toward her, eyes wide and serious.

Jay chuckled and cuffed her affectionately over her ears, "Yes, that's right. But don't insult your brother," she chided. Ice nodded and started poking Hail who had gone back to sleep after nursing.

"Come on, its morning, you don't need to sleep anymore," Ice growled, prodding her twin with more vigor.

Hail kicked out at his tormentor and mumbled something, rolling over and covering his face with his paws. "Let him rest a while longer, we have a long way to go to get back today," Jay mewed and then froze. Why should they go back home? It was right on the border, it wasn't safe to stay there only to wait and see what happened to them.

The thought of not returning to the domed green den was nearly physically painful, but at the same time, the pain was distant, as if it mattered little. Still, she wasn't ready to leave the mountains like this, but they should pick a home further away from the border, maybe even outside of the valley but near enough to keep an eye on things...

Jay had an idea, an idea so good she wondered why she hadn't thought of it before. "Actually, we're going to go to a new home," she mewed, crouching down to be eye-level with her kits, a mischievous look on her face that caused her two conscious kits to giggle and wave their tails in anticipation.

"Where is it?! Is it that huckleberry bush? Or maybe the haunted hollow?" Ice guessed, fidgeting with a look of wonder on her face.

Jay purred and shook her head, "Nope! Even better, it is a super secret hide-out that no one knows of!" Well, that's not true. But for all intents and purposes, it may as well be.

The kits squealed and started grappling each other in a play-fight out of sheer delight. Jay purred at them and noticed Amelia approaching from a distance. She stood and greeted the black she-cat, "Where were you?" Jay asked.

"Getting some peace and quiet," she growled, glaring at the two squealing kits. "Hail's my favorite," she added, nodding at the still-sleeping kit. "But I'm curious, where is that oh-so-secret hideout that we're moving to?"

Jay smirked, "I'm sure you could guess. Though, I also suppose you haven't been there yet. Ah, well, you'll see soon enough. Get some food while I bid goodbye to Midnight and her family," she mewed. She ordered her kits to behave themselves, which they responded to by jumping on their sleeping brother to yell at him that he had to be good too.

The black she-cat was grooming her three kits while the elders caught a bit more sleep. "Good morning," Jay mewed cheerfully.

Midnight glanced at her in surprise, "You seem happier then I would have expected you to be, considering the circumstances."

Jay waved her tail, "I assure you, this was not my only plan. Unfortunately, though, it does mean I will have to leave my den for now. It is too close to the border to be safe."

Midnight's ears pricked, "Where will you go?" Excitedly she added, "If you want, I can help you build a den by mine."

Jay shook her head, "No, I wouldn't want to impose upon you. Besides, I've been over that hillside before, there aren't too many good places for a den and the hunting isn't terribly rich."

Midnight looked a little disappointed but didn't push it, wishing her luck and expressing her wish for them to meet again when their kits were a little older. Jay dipped her head and wished her friends goodbye before returning to her kits which Amelia was growling at to stay still, but the little kits were too fidgety and would get up and shuffle places when Amelia wasn't looking.

Jay purred as she approached, "Alright! Let's head out!" she mewed energetically, high-stepping with her muzzle pointed toward the eastern mountains. They started out enthusiastically but with the kits they couldn't make incredible progress, getting to the more marshy land past sun-high.

"I'm tired," Flint complained, dragging his paws as he plodded forward besides her. Jay glanced at Ice who hung limply from Amelia's mouth, sleeping even with the constant swinging. Hail was in her own mouth, as it was Flint's turn to walk a bit.

Jay wished she didn't have to force her kits to travel two long days in a row, but she wouldn't even put Flint back up on her shoulders for fear he would fall asleep, fall off, and thereby get seriously injured. She put the sleeping Hail down on a dry piece of grass, "Let's take a little break," she decided. These kits are going to need it, the harder part is still up ahead.

Jay gave her kits a quick nurse and then they fell asleep, their tiny bodies too tired to purr as they basked in the sunshine. Jay's own belly was growling but she dared not leave her kits alone while they slept for fear of snakes, hawks, or other predators.

Instead she dosed, having not had any sleep the night before and become drowsy by the soft breeze and warm sun. "Here," Amelia's voice was accompanied by a thump and Jay opened her eyes to see a plump mouse at her paws, the succulent scent wetting her appetite.

"Oh, thanks. I didn't know you had gone to hunt," Jay mewed, ripping into the meal with gusto.

"I was hungry and I figured you would be too after carrying your little furballs all day," Amelia yawned, laying down and rolling on her back, scratching her head against the ground, eyes narrowed against the sun. "So I'm going to take a guess at where we're going. Python's old camp, right?"

Jay nodded, "We'll be safe there and we can easily keep an eye on the valley, I'm hopeful that something will be done about the StarReaders and we can return later when the kits are a little older," Jay mewed, still disconcerted that she had to leave her soft nest and warm den behind.

Amelia shrugged and when they had finished eating they woke the kits. Since they were more awake now, Jay carried one on her back and held another by the scruff and Amelia brought up the rear with the last kit. Jay was in a hurry to get to the hideout before dark so that they wouldn't be surprised by anything in the dark.

She felt a hint of nostalgia as they started up the mountain path, she remembered not too long ago when she had climbed this with her belly full of kits as she cozied up to Python and his cats. Looking back at it now, it was all a waste of time.

They climbed the mountain while the sun descended the sky, reaching the tunnel as the orange light of the setting sun glowed upon the eastern mountain. Down in the valley the shadows were already long and a bit of fog hung about the woods.

"Alright kits, we can't carry you in the tunnels so you're going to have to walk," Jay mewed, putting down Flint who she had been carrying by the scruff and grabbed Hail, who had nearly fallen asleep on her back. Luckily, as none of them had walked up the mountain, they were rejuvenated and walked contentedly into the black tunnels after their mother.

Jay worried about losing them one of the small side tunnels and constantly was checking for their scents and calling to them. The tunnel seemed shorter this time now that she knew her kits lives weren't in danger and she happily crawled ahead when she saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Jumping out, she quickly checked that the area was safe by way of scent and hearing, and turned back to the tunnel, "Come on, kits! Our new home is right here!" She called and heard their excited squeals as they scampered the last lengths and tumbled out of the tunnel, looking upon the thick green foliage and sandy path with novel eyes.

"Come on!" Jay encouraged, leading them down the path toward where she knew the camp had been. She was carefully alert, scenting the edge and watching the thick surroundings suspiciously. Amelia had already circled around, scouting out the area while Jay brought her kits right down the middle path.

The foliage thinned and in the shadow of the mountain the camp dwelt quietly. The camp was a clearing of white sand with three piles of sandy-colored rocks that created dens somewhere within them. Her kits squealed and started running around, spraying each other accidentally with sand and then starting to spray each other purposefully with sand.

Jay approached Amelia who appeared at the other end of the camp, "Find anything?" she asked quietly.

The black she-cat glanced at her and then at her kits, "Look here," the black she-cat mewed, leading her around behind one of the stone dens. The little rivet of water ran behind it, making the sand damp and impressionable. "There's someone else here," Amelia growled and Jay felt her mind darken.

In the sand, carefully carved, was a single pawprint. And it was fresh or the water would have already washed it away. So there was someone else here in this area where she was, where Amelia was, where her kits were. But not for much longer.