Chapter 2 - Darkness Rising
A small breeze blew as Moonshadow returned from his early morning hunt; a shrew and two voles. Flapping his wings, he landed on the edge of the woodpecker nest and dropped his catch in the corner of the nest where he usually stored the prey. Turning his head to the left side of the nest, he saw Stardust still curled up asleep, her fur fluffed up against the early morning chill.
Suddenly, there was a loud knocking noise. Moonshadow jumped to the edge of the nest and looked down the tree. A bright russet fox sat below him.
"What's going on?" A yawn mewed behind Moonshadow.
"Stay in the nest, Stardust," Moonshadow told her quietly, "and keep quiet."
Spreading his wings, Moonshadow drifted down the tree towards the fox, he saw a low branch sticking out of the tree and landed. He hooted and the fox looked around. It padded towards him, nodded a greeting and sat down a few inches in front of him.
"Good morning Robintail," Moonshadow dipped his head politely, "what do you want?"
"I want a nice trade," Robintail sneered, "I haven't been having much luck with my trades quite recently; my customers are complaining bitterly that my trades aren't fair. What do they mean my trades aren't fair? They are very fair."
"What are you going to do about it then?" Moonshadow queried.
"Offer you a trade for this." Robintail pulled out a small furry creature behind him; an injured scrawny mouse. Nudging it towards Moonshadow, the creature limped and collapsed in front of him.
"I heard that you kept that kitten alive and nurtured it like an owlet," Robintail grinned, "and do you remember the trade you paid to me for that?"
"A fat shrew," Moonshadow replied warily.
"Yes. Well, while we're sitting here talking, this poor little guy," Robintail nudged the mouse," is at the doorway of death, you might want to keep him?"
"What for?" Moonshadow asked, looking the mouse over. The creature was barely moving.
"Why, another fat shrew of course." Robintail demanded.
At that moment, a shower of pine needles and tree bark rained down on them from above.
"Oops, sorry!"
Robintail and Moonshadow looked up. Stardust was hanging above them, both paws gripping a thin branch.
"Are you alright?" Moonshadow asked, there was an edge of anxiety in his voice.
"I'm oka-" Stardust yowled as the branch cracked and she plummeted to the ground.
As fast as lightning, Moonshadow dived beneath her to break her fall. Stardust landed on top of him with a thump.
"Ow!" Stardust groaned, "my paw hurts." She lifted up her left paw.
Immediately, Moonshadow carefully sat up and quickly jumped to Stardust's side. He examined her left paw and to his relief, Stardust's paw was not broken, just sprained.
"I thought I told you to stay in the nest," he huffed.
"Sorry," Stardust bowed her head in shame, "but when I heard that there was a mouse, I felt hungry; that's why I came down but I tripped on the way down and you know the rest of the story."
"How much trouble does she cause at least once a day?" Robintail asked slyly.
"Not much, but she can be really clumsy at times." Moonshadow answered.
Robintail was silent for a moment, then his yellow eyes shined. "I have an idea, forget the fat shrew, you can trade me her instead," he pointed at Stardust with his long bushy red tail, "do we have a deal?"
Moonshadow jumped in front of Stardust, wings spreaded out to make himself look bigger. "Leave her out of it," Moonshadow hissed.
"I'm not doing her any harm," Robintail protested, "I'm just doing you a favour; since you're so interested in caring for the little creatures like her, I might as well find you some but you have to trade for it, after you're done with looking after one, I'll give you another for a trade and the cycle goes on. How's that?"
"What happens to the creatures that I'm done with looking after?" Moonshadow narrowed his eyes, his amber eyes burned with distrust.
"Well, I take care of them and find new homes for them," Robintail replied.
"Such as?"
"Just..." Robintail narrowed his eyes as he thought hard for answer," just a nice place."
"Such as your belly?" Moonshadow spat, the truth was easy to spot and he wanted Robintail to admit it. "I know foxes really well, Robintail. I've met plenty more than you've eaten shrews. No deal at all, and don't even think about putting Stardust in a deal, not ever. Do you understand?" Moonshadow growled.
Robintail bristled, "you know you can't keep that cat forever, some day she'll go off somewhere and then I'll get her." He kicked the mouse violently away before he turned tail and disappeared out of Moonshadow's sight.
Moonshadow folded his wings and turned round to face Stardust. She was staring wide eyed in fear and horror at him, Moonshadow could see the white rings around Stardust's amber eyes.
"So you only kept me to feed that fox!" She whispered, "he traded me to you?" Her voice rose to a squeak.
"No!" Moonshadow rushed to her side, wanting to comfort her that Robintail was lying and everything he had said was all a lie but Stardust leaped away from him and ran through the undergrowth, vanishing behind tall fronds of ferns and sorrels.
***
Stardust raced through the forest, not caring where she was going. All she wanted to do was to get away from Robintail and Moonshadow right now. I still can't believe that he was going to feed me to that fox! Stardust thought in horror, but then he said that he wouldn't trade me away; is he being honest about that or is he also pretending like Robintail?
Panting, she finally halted beneath a tall tree. After catching her breath back, she slowly sat up and looked around her. The surrounding pines had now turned to oaks, not far, Stardust could see a large clearing just beyond the oak forest. Her left paw was aching and sore after her run through the forest; she remembered how Moonshadow had risked an injury to himself to save her from falling. Luckily, he wasn't hurt but Stardust had sprained her left paw. Does he really care about me? Stardust wondered, or has he been feeding me to fatten me up so that he'll trade me to Robintail one day? I'm only five months old and I have no idea what is going on, why is everything so complicated and confusing?
She scented the air. The oak forest smelled full of prey and especially flowers. I'll go hunting first before going back to the nest, I'll sort things out with Moonshadow then. Stardust thought, but maybe I can save myself from being eaten by running away and never coming back. Stardust heard the sound of small paws pattering across the forest floor, looking to her right, she saw a strange looking vole; it was dark brown with a long body and tail, it also smelled of rabbits. Dropping down into a hunting crouch, Stardust crept slowly towards the creature. When she was a few inches behind it, the creature glanced behind and darted away. Stardust gave chase and raced up towards the creature, the ache in her left paw burned but she ignored it, she was determined to catch the creature. She focused on it's tail and nothing else as she decided when to pounce. Wow, this creature is fast, Stardust thought with amazement, but how long can it keep running? Should I tire it out and then pounce?
Suddenly the ground disappeared from beneath her. Stardust screeched in surprise and fear. She soon hit the ground and the world went black.
***
"Easy prey!" A triumphant voice rang from above. Dazed, Stardust sat up. Ow! Her left paw burned. Scrap! My paw's worse now, Stardust thought in despair. She looked around and found herself trapped in a deep underground hole, a small shaft of light shone through an opening above her. Suddenly, earth and soil poured down on Stardust, she ducked her head and covered her ears with her fore paws so that the soil wouldn't get in her ears, eyes and nose. Finally, the soil stopped raining down on her and looking up, she saw the creature.
"This'll teach you not to mess with a weasel!" The creature growled, "when the boss sees you, you're gonna be in big trouble."
"Stop messing around Voleclaw," another voice squawked, "get the prey out of that trap and let's go, or else that owl will start looking and we'll be in big trouble with the boss for losing prey."
"Keep your feathers on, Darkmoon," Voleclaw retorted, "don't you dare mess with me too!"
"Let's see how weak you are," Darkmoon challenged, "you definitely can't beat an eagle."
"Oh yeah? You wanna bet on it?"
While these mousebrains argue, I better get out of here, Stardust thought desperately, or else they'll take me away. Gathering her strength, Stardust reached out with her good right paw, claws unsheathed and carefully began to climb her way out. When she had reached about half way up the wall of the underground hole, the weasel and the eagle were both still bickering.
"Is that all you've got?" Darkmoon taunted.
"I'll show you how much damage a weasel can cause!" Voleclaw spat.
Peeking through the opening, Stardust saw Voleclaw leap up and rip a few feathers off Darkmoon's wing. Darkmoon screeched in fury, and landed a blow to Voleclaw's head.
Suddenly, a pale grey owl with burning amber eyes swooped down on Darkmoon. Darkmoon was caught off balance and plummeted to the ground, Voleclaw leaped up to snap at the owl's wing but the owl dodged just in time and Voleclaw's teeth snapped at empty air. The owl dived through the opening of the hole and snatched up Stardust.
"Moonshadow!" Stardust meowed in amazement, " I thought you would never come back for me!"
"Why would I do that?" Moonshadow growled. He flapped his wings and flew higher so that when Voleclaw leaped, he couldn't bite Moonshadow.
"Look out!" Stardust yowled, Darkmoon was soaring towards them, talons stretched out ready to tear and pierce. Moonshadow dodged and pecked Darkmoon's tail. Darkmoon swerved and came round at them again.
"You're not getting away with it!" Darkmoon squawked. With one talon, he reached for Stardust's tail. Moonshadow saw him and turned around to shield Stardust but as he did so, Darkmoon's talon gashed Moonshadow's back. Moonshadow screeched and aimed a blow at Darkmoon's face. Darkmoon didn't dodge in time and Moonshadow gashed his left eye. Squawking, Darkmoon veered away, one talon clutching the left side of his face. Moonshadow carried Stardust closer to him and fled. He soared fast over the oak trees and soon slowed down when they were flying overhead the pine forest. They were nearing the woodpecker nest when suddenly, a white barn owl swooped towards them.
Moonshadow couldn't dodge in time and the barn owl scratched Moonshadow's wing. Moonshadow dropped and desperately tried to fly away but the barn owl grabbed him and shoved him to the ground.
"Thought you could escape us?" She hissed, "the scarred wolf has followers from everywhere around the north, you cannot win."
Moonshadow hissed and shoved her away, he let go of Stardust and stood between her and the white barn owl. "I will not let you harm a hair on her pelt ever again, not after what you did to Her," He spat.
Who's Her? Stardust thought in surprise, I didn't know that there were so many secrets before I was born.
"That was a long time ago, Moonshadow," the barn owl whispered softly, "that was for the scarred wolf to decide who to kill and who to live."
"She did not deserve to die!"Moonshadow growled, he flung himself at the barn owl, talons stretched. The barn owl gracefully moved out of the way and sliced Moonshadow's wing. Moonshadow veered round and shoved the barn owl to the ground, the barn owl slipped under him and knocked him over. She pinned him to the ground and shoved his beak into the ground.
"Do you still remember who I am, Moonshadow?" The barn owl hissed.
"Icefeather, why did you have to join them in the first place?" Moonshadow mumbled, his beak was covered with soil.
"She stole your love from me!" Icefeather spat, " after She came and took you away, you forgot about me. That winter night, I saw you and Her sitting together under the moonlight, how did you think I felt? I loved you first!"
"Leave him alone!" Stardust yowled, she pounced on Icefeather and pushed her off Moonshadow. Icefeather retreated but continued to glare at Moonshadow, "if only you still wanted me, I would let you escape from the scarred wolf."
"Icefeather, how can I still love you after you tried to murder Her?" Moonshadow growled.
"How could you love Her and not me?" Icefeather retorted.
"Enough!" Stardust caterwauled, "why can't you two just forget grudges and leave it at that? Why are you making things so difficult?"
Moonshadow glared at Icefeather, Icefeather stared coldly back at him. "I'll let you off this time." Icefeather growled, then she flapped her wings and flew away through the trees.
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