“Chasing Clouds just came in with some prey,” she meowed. “But Shy Fawn is refusing to eat. Cloudy Sun’s pads are bleeding, and Running Horse says that he’s going back to the lake once the storm lifts.”

“You see?” Jagged Lightning flattened his ears. “Stone Song, you have to admit that this is a disaster.”

Stone Song let out a harassed sigh. “I won’t,” he retorted. “Rising Moon, as soon as the storm is over, can you go out and look for some dock leaves for Cloudy Sun’s pads? I’ll talk to Running Horse; there’s no question of an elder wandering about these mountains on his own, and deep down he knows it. As for Shy Fawn, we have to give her time to grieve.”

Jagged Lightning began to reply, but just then an excited yowl sounded from the other side of the cavern. “Jay’s Wing!”

Jayfeather spotted Fish Leap, the young tabby tom who had befriended him by the lake; he bounded across the cave and butted Jayfeather in the shoulder with his head. “Where have you been?” he demanded. “We thought we’d lost you.”

“I…er…I sort of changed my mind.”

Jayfeather realized that Stone Song had spotted him and was heading in his direction, with Jagged Lightning and Rising Moon at his heels. Whispering Breeze came running up to see what was going on, her silver tabby pelt glimmering in the light from the cave entrance. The other cats fell silent and stared at Jayfeather until his pelt felt as if it were going to crawl off his skin.

“Isn’t it wonderful?” Half Moon burst out. “Jay’s Wing came back!”

Stone Song’s gaze traveled over Jayfeather, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. “How did you get here? The journey was hard enough for all of us together. One cat alone would find it far harder.”

“Does it matter?” Fish Leap mewed. “He’s here now.”

Jayfeather shrugged. “I followed your trail for most of the way, and guessed the rest.”

“And how did you get into the cave?” Jagged Lightning growled. “Some cat should have seen you. I don’t like all this sneaking around.”

“I wasn’t sneaking!” Jayfeather retorted, feeling his neck fur beginning to bristle. “If you were all too tired to notice me, that’s not my fault. I thought I’d explore these smaller caves,” he added, eager to change the subject. “They might be useful for something.”

Jayfeather noticed that Half Moon had moved to stand closer to his side, as if she was ready to defend him; her sweet scent tickled his nose, and he remembered how empty he had felt when he had returned to his own time through the tunnels, and left her behind.

“Well?” Whispering Breeze gave him a nudge with her shoulder. “What did you find in the caves?”

“Er…pointed stones in the one behind me. Lots of them,” Jayfeather replied. “And pools of water. It’s not a good place to sleep, because there’s a hole in the roof.”

Stone Song grunted. “What about the other cave? Could we use that for shelter?”