The rabbits must be hungry after the long cold, Storm realized: they had still not noticed the patrol’s approach. They were too busy browsing and tearing at the new grass with their blunt little teeth. We should be able to cut them off from their burrows, thought Storm, if we all play our part. Her heart beat fast in her rib cage with anticipation.
Lowering her sleek body still closer to the earth, she crept forward, nodding to the others. They were all in place, just as she’d directed them; again she felt that frisson of satisfaction in her leadership. When she finally sprang, hurtling into the hollow, every nerve in her body sang with the joy of hunting, with the certainty of her own speed and strength and skill. She felt her blood racing, the flex and stretch of each muscle as she dived and dodged and leaped in pursuit of the terrified rabbits. It was like pure energy and fire running through her. Is this how Lightning of the Sky-Dogs feels?
And it was working just as it should. White bobtails flickered all around the hollow, and the panicked creatures were scattering straight into the jaws of the waiting hunters. Mickey’s powerful teeth clamped down on one of them, and he shook it violently as another doubled back and fled from him—straight into the jaws of Storm. Panting, Storm flung down its limp corpse, then took a moment to watch as Whisper drove the fattest rabbit of all toward the waiting Arrow.
Arrow was loping along on exactly the right line, and Storm could see he would intercept the fleeing rabbit with ease. So she was stunned to see Whisper’s head flick to the side. Mid-stride, he veered away slightly and herded the rabbit in a different direction, toward Snap.
But Snap wasn’t watching; she was too busy chasing down a dark-furred rabbit of her own. Whisper’s rabbit crossed her field of vision just as she was about to pounce on hers, and Snap’s pace faltered in surprise and confusion.
Arrow was racing furiously after the rabbit now, but the abrupt change of tactics had spoiled his line and his focus. Both rabbits, the dark-furred one and the lighter one Whisper had been driving, bolted straight between Arrow and Snap, and vanished into their burrows with a flash of two white tails.
Storm raced toward them, but she knew she was already too late. Skidding to a halt in a flurry of sandy earth, she stared at the dark burrow entrances, swamped by frustration and anger. Behind her Arrow and Snap had drawn up too, snapping their drooling, empty jaws.
As Whisper bounded to a faltering, shamed halt between them, Storm turned on him.
“Why did you do that?” she barked furiously. “We lost two good rabbits!” And more, she realized. In the confusion of Whisper’s mangled hunting attempt, several other rabbits had reached the safety of their warren.
“That was the fattest rabbit!” added Arrow in an angry snarl. “Those two would have fed three dogs between them!”
“What were you thinking? Were you thinking at all?” Storm laid her ears back and growled furiously at Whisper.
The dog ducked his head, lowering his forequarters and shuffling forward, his tail clamped down tight. He looked as if he wanted to sink right through the earth and join the rabbits underground.
“I’m sorry, Storm,” he whined miserably, blinking and flattening his ears. “I didn’t mean to . . . I thought . . . I just meant . . .”
Storm gave her head a violent shake. “What? What did you mean?”
“I—” Whisper’s glance flicked quickly toward Arrow, then back to the ground.
“Don’t be hard on him, Storm.” Snap took a pace forward, and nodded at the unhappy Whisper.
Storm turned to her, surprised at the hunt dog’s tolerance. “He spoiled your hunt too, Snap.”
“Look, Storm, it’s obvious.” Snap tilted her head and sat down, curling her tail around her haunches. “Whisper was nervous of Arrow. He doesn’t like hunting with him, and to be honest? I understand why. I don’t blame Whisper.”
Storm stared at Snap’s cool expression, her jaw loose. “What?”
“After all we went through with the Fierce Dogs, it’s hard for us to trust any of them.” Snap hunched her thin shoulders. “I know Arrow’s in our Pack now, but it’s hard to treat him as a true Packmate.”
Not knowing what to say to that, Storm turned to Arrow. His short black fur bristled along his shoulders and spine, and resentment oozed from him, but the Fierce Dog said nothing. He licked his jaws angrily, and looked away. Then he padded across to one of the dead rabbits, picked it up in his powerful jaws and paced in the other direction.
And what do I do now? Snap wasn’t being fair, and this felt so wrong to Storm. Just when I was thinking how good it was that we were united, that members of all Packs were working together.
But if she spoke up for Arrow, Snap would think she was only siding with her fellow Fierce Dog. She might even accuse Storm openly of favoring her own kind, of being Fierce Dog to her core. What might she say aloud—that I’m ruled by my bad blood?
“You all trust me,” she said at last, staring at her Pack-mates. Snap, Mickey, and Whisper looked so resolute, and Storm’s head spun with confusion. “You trust me, and I’m a Fierce Dog too. Just like Arrow!”
Mickey caught Snap’s eye, and Storm saw a look pass between them, one that she couldn’t quite read. Snap’s ear flicked once, dismissively. Then, tentatively, Whisper gave a soft growl.
“You’re not like Arrow,” he mumbled. “You’re different.” He glanced at Snap and Mickey. “Storm’s different, isn’t that right? She killed Blade!”
Storm stared at him, open-jawed. With a crawling sense of horror, she realized that Whisper’s eyes were fixed on her again, worshipful.
She shook herself, dumbfounded. “Let’s gather the prey,” she told them. “What there is of it.” Gazing dismally at the pitiful haul of rabbits, she felt a crushing sense of disappointment. Her hopes had been so high for her first time as hunt leader. “We’ll try another spot before we return to the camp, but we’ll have to go some distance. All the prey around here will have heard us by now.”
“Of course, Storm.” Whisper got quickly to his paws and trotted after her like a devoted pup.
As she led the small patrol farther from the cliffs and the Endless Lake, heading for a far belt of pines, Storm’s stomach squirmed and her fur prickled. She’d begun this hunt with such high hopes and excitement, yet now they were returning with a poor prey-haul—and a bunch of dogs who didn’t, after all, want to work together as her perfect team.
Is that terrible battle the only thing they care about? If I hadn’t killed Blade, would they trust me at all? Or would I be just another Arrow—alone in a Pack that thinks I’m the enemy?
BACK ADS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ERIN HUNTER is inspired by a fascination with the ferocity of the natural world. As well as having great respect for nature in all its forms, Erin enjoys creating rich mythical explanations for animal behavior. She is also the author of the bestselling Warriors and Seekers series.
Visit the Packs online and chat on Survivors message boards at www.survivorsdogs.com.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
BOOKS BY ERIN HUNTER
Book One: The Empty City
Book Two: A Hidden Enemy
Book Three: Darkness Falls
Book Four: The Broken Path
Book Five: The Endless Lake
NOVELLAS
Alpha’s Tale
Sweet’s Journey
Book One: Into the Wild
Book Two: Fire and Ice
Book Three: Forest of Secrets
Book Four: Rising Storm
Book Five: A Dangerous Path
Book Six: The Darkest Hour
THE NEW PROPHECY
Book One: Midnight
Book Two: Moonrise
Book Three: Dawn
Book Four: Starlight
Book Five: Twilight
Book Six: Sunset
POWER OF THREE
Book One: The Sight
Book Two: Dark River
Book Three: Outcast
Book Four: Eclipse
Book Five: Long Shadows
Book Six: Sunrise
OMEN OF THE STARS
Book One: The Fourth Apprentice
Book Two: Fading Echoes
Book Three: Night Whispers
Book Four: Sign of the Moon
Book Five: The Forgotten Warrior
Book Six: The Last Hope
DAWN OF THE CLANS
Book One: The Sun Trail
Book Two: Thunder Rising
Book Three: The First Battle
Book Four: The Blazing Star
Warriors Super Edition: Firestar’s Quest
Warriors Super Edition: Bluestar’s Prophecy
Warriors Super Edition: SkyClan’s Destiny
Warriors Super Edition: Crookedstar’s Promise
Warriors Super Edition: Yellowfang’s Secret
Warriors Super Edition: Tallstar’s Revenge
Warriors Super Edition: Bramblestar’s Storm
Warriors Field Guide: Secrets of the Clans
Warriors: Cats of the Clans
Warriors: Code of the Clans
Warriors: Battles of the Clans
Warriors: Enter the Clans
Warriors: The Ultimate Guide
Warriors: The Untold Stories
Warriors: Tales from the Clans
MANGA
The Lost Warrior
Warrior’s Refuge
Warrior’s Return
The Rise of Scourge
Tigerstar and Sasha #1: Into the Woods
Tigerstar and Sasha #2: Escape from the Forest
Tigerstar and Sasha #3: Return to the Clans
Ravenpaw’s Path #1: Shattered Peace
Ravenpaw’s Path #2: A Clan in Need
Ravenpaw’s Path #3: The Heart of a Warrior
SkyClan and the Stranger #1: The Rescue
SkyClan and the Stranger #2: Beyond the Code
SkyClan and the Stranger #3: After the Flood
NOVELLAS
Hollyleaf’s Story
Mistystar’s Omen
Cloudstar’s Journey
Tigerclaw’s Fury
Leafpool’s Wish
Dovewing’s Silence
Book One: The Quest Begins
Book Two: Great Bear Lake
Book Three: Smoke Mountain
Book Four: The Last Wilderness
Book Five: Fire in the Sky
Book Six: Spirits in the Stars
RETURN TO THE WILD
Book One: Island of Shadows
Book Two: The Melting Sea
Book Three: River of Lost Bears
Book Four: Forest of Wolves
Book Five: The Burning Horizon
MANGA
Toklo’s Story
Kallik’s Adventure
COPYRIGHT
SURVIVORS: MOON’S CHOICE. Copyright © 2015 by Working Partners Limited. Series created by Working Partners Limited. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition © April 2015 ISBN 9780062291530
ISBN 978-0-06-229153-0
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
FIRST EDITION
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