Clan of the Eclipse by Amanda and Tabitha (read an ebook week txt) 📕

with you…I want you to tell me something.”
“Hm?”
“I want you to figure out how they work together. Tell me if she tries to discuss things, push the decisions onto you or makes them right away.”
“Why?”
“I want to know if they have a social standing. Next time you hunt with Raven or Maya, do the same thing. I don’t want to ask too many prying questions. I’m sure we’ll be expected to know our place and figure out everybody else’s on our own.”
“Alright.”
“Thanks.” And then the warm den and sounds of sleeping put her to sleep as well.


Ghost woke to somebody prodding her side. She looked up to see Raven. The tiny hunter looked questionably at the young black cat.
“It’s twilight.” She meowed. Ghost looked at her dully. Raven growled “Eclipse wanted you and Frost to go out hunting. Frost was already up – she’s waiting outside on the rock bridge.”
Ghost got up and gave herself a lick. Eclipse was looking at River’s neck bite, while Bramble looked over Pepper’s shoulder injury.
“How is it?” She asked.
“Healing. But it needs some marigold.”
Eclipse didn’t correct him, so Ghost assumed he was right.
He’s a fast learner. Since she trusts him, I can. And hey…Raven ordered me around and she didn’t say anything. Wait…she’d already told me to do it.
She finished grooming and left the den, sure Pepper didn’t want her embarrassing him in front of so many she-cats.
Especially River. He really wants to impress her!

“Oh! There you are!” Frost meowed from the rocks. “Are we ready to go, then?”
Ghost bounded over to the white cat, barely able to see her from the snow and white rock. Ghost nodded and crossed the river with her. As they reached the other side, she realized Raven always came up with a game plan.
Who’s patrol is it now that we’re all together, though? She said something about fishing, so I’ll go with that. I’m sure if Eclipse or Raven told her I wasn’t in charge, she’ll correct me.

“You said catfish live in this river?”
“Yeah. Some are really big. They don’t surface like trout, but there is a dam around here that they are easily caught at night this time of year.”
“Then we’ll start there.”
She took the lead, but she was more thoughtful than Ghost was used to. She seemed to be trying to work something puzzling out. Ghost didn’t mind; she was trying work out the rout. Frost was listening to her, so it must be seniority. The white-calico only managed to think of the next step of the journey after they came to the dam.
Rocks blockaded the river to create a shallow pool in the center of the stream. There were lilies, which drew bugs, and the bugs drew fish as well as frogs. The frogs, however, would certainly bring snakes. Interestingly enough, there was no snow and only a slight glisten on the rocks where there should be ice.
“There are snakes here, right?”
Frost looked surprised, but nodded. “They’re all over the water during the day, and the rocks, but by now they’ll be sleeping.”
“Be careful anyway. We’ll hunt the frogs here as well as the catfish.”
The she-cat looked impressed enough.
Am I doing this right? Raven seemed so sure of everything!

Ghost sat down and watched Frost as if it were part of her daily routine to sit on a rock above snake-infested waters to learn a way to usefully get her paws wet. The white cat sat in a way that her shadow didn’t lay on the water. Then she waited for a large fish to come across the water – it was huge! That one fish would feed three or four cats! Frost tensed, getting her paw ready. She seemed to take aim. Then, suddenly, her paw shot into the water, hooked the fish by the gills, and hulled it onto the shore. She whirled around and bit its neck, sunk her claws in and held onto it tightly until it stopped thrashing. Ghost wasn’t sure if it suffocated or bled to death first.
“Wow.” Was all she could manage, amazed. “That was amazing.”
Frost purred, glowing with pride. She was soaked.
Ghost hated water.
“You see if you can get one more of those while I hunt some frogs and water voles.”
“Sometimes predators come to the pool to drink, so be careful.”
“I’ll stay in sight. Don’t fall in.”
“I won’t.” She looked amused in Ghost’s concern. The patrol leader circled the rocks and sank instantly into a crouch, seeing a frog. She crept up onto it until she was close enough to pounce before giving an enormous leap, landing on top of it, killing it with her extended claws. Ghost caught two more frogs and even a snake that was suffocating a vole. When the she-cat glanced up, her eyes were drawn to tall purple flowers with wavy leaves.
Doesn’t Eclipse use that a lot? Enough for me to know they use it on stinky wounds!

She looked around and saw other plants Eclipse used. The stuff that she had brought for River, the green heart-shaped plant that Bramble said was good for stomach problems.
“Frost!” She meowed. Frost appeared dragging two large catfish by their tails. Ghost purred.
“Yes?” She asked, looking unsure about something again.
“Look at all these plants that Eclipse and Bramble bring to the den!”
“Wow!” She dropped the fish. “Let’s tell them there’s a supply that lived through the frost!”
“I wonder how they managed to do that…”
“This water is always really warm for some reason – catfish can’t live in too cold of water, or they die. Trout live here too, and they are really picky about temperature.”
“Well, whatever the reason, I think we should get back to the den and tell everybody about our find!”
“Now?”
“I caught three frogs, a snake and a vole. We have plenty. We even have a little extra, I think.”
“Well, good. That means we won’t have to hunt as much tomorrow.”
Ghost picked up her catch and even a couple of the leaves of each plant; she almost gagged with how nasty they tasted. But she knew Eclipse and Bramble did it all the time, so forced herself to carry them all back. They had some trouble crossing the stream with Frost’s large load, but eventually Ghost crossed and set down the herbs and her catch and went back so they could carry the prey back together. Each fish was nearly as big as them.
“Eclipse! Bramble!” Ghost called. The two raced out, hearing her panting. Both looked confused for a moment; nothing was wrong. Then, Eclipse meowed with obvious relief “Comfrey! Ironweed! Even mint!” She took it in her jaws and disappeared into the den. She came back out with Raven and Maya to collect the prey.
“Where did you find those? Is that all of it?” Eclipse asked eagerly, the relief clear in her green eyes.
“We found it by the eddy where we caught the prey.” Ghost answered promptly, sure now she had been in charge of the patrol and it was therefore her job to inform them. “The water stays warmer there.”
“Good! Then we’ll collect as much as we can!”
They went in and began to eat. Frost, Ghost and Maya ate the first fish caught. Eclipse, Bramble and Raven – as usual, eating together – ate the second. River and Pepper ate two of the frogs. Tomorrow, though they would have to hunt, somebody would have breakfast.
“Alright, cats, listen up!” Eclipse meowed happily. Bramble purred as she went on with so much excitement it frightened Ghost a little bit. “We can go there at dawn tomorrow and spend the day gathering herbs! Ghost and Maya can come to hunt! I’m sure there will be even more prey there during the day. Pepper, Raven, Frost and River are on rest. You’re to remain here at the den. You guys don’t have to stay inside of it, now, but don’t go much farther than the rock bridge. I want River on guard tonight, and Pepper tomorrow while she sleeps. Understood?”
Her orders were clear. They all agreed. Then River got up and slipped out of the den to guard for the night. Pepper looked relieved he had some time to sleep tonight. It didn’t take long for everybody else to drift off.


Eclipse, Raven and Maya came to the dam just before high sun. It had snowed the night before, and all three of them were in a quiet, determined mood not to return with empty paws. Maya went straight to the dam to catch fish while Ghost headed toward the trees for anything there. Misty prowled with the older hunter.
Let no cat come back injured this time!

Feeling a little better about them being semi alone, Eclipse scoured the banks and found what remained of the comfrey, mint and ironweed. Then, dissatisfied, she turned to the trees. There she found marigold and cobwebs. To her absolute delight, she even found the miracle herb catmint. It would help a cat recover from even the worst repertory diseases.
She returned to the mouth of the dam to wait. Ghost came back first with a scrawny squirrel and a puny jay bird. Misty dropped two shrews. Maya surprised her by coming from the river with a two tiny mice. She blinked questionably at the she-cat.
“No fish.” She meowed around the mouse tails.
Eclipse shook her head. They would have to hunt on the way back – it was high sun, and they were expected back by dusk. River was under the order to search for them after that. By then, she would have had enough sleep. Eclipse rose and flicked her tail, leading them back to the den. Raven caught a vole that practically jumped into her jaws on the way back, but otherwise there was no more luck for the rest of the trip.
“They’re back!” Pepper called as they came to the rock bridge. Ghost and Frost came out of the den, but there was no sign of Bramble or River. Eclipse smelled fear.
“What’s wrong?” Eclipse asked around her leaf-wrapped herbs.
“You know how it snowed last night, right?” Ghost asked shakily.
“Yes.”
“Well…River came in shivering and sneezing. She was asleep by the time you and Bramble woke, so we thought she’d just been cold. She felt hot. So I gave her some room and Ghost told Pepper to go guard early, just in case.”
“And?”
Frost took over. “Bramble said she had a fever and gave her feverfew. But now she’s coughing. Her eyes and nose are running with green fluid. Bramble said he’s not seen this before, and didn’t know what to do. He gave her a yellow flower for the cough, but…it didn’t work.”
Eclipse’s heart racing, she shot into the den to sniff the she-cat. Bramble backed off, looking distraught. Eclipse put down her bundle and tore off some catmint leaves. She had to get this out of her before not even catmint would take care of it! Frost exploded through the entrance to dance around the cats anxiously. Pepper followed her to begin kneading the soil.
“Eat these.” She told River briskly, not daring to show any more concern – especially around Frost. Pepper looked almost hysterical. River ate them, looking exhausted. She already looked a little weak. Eclipse turned to Frost.
“Do you want her to get better, Frost?”
She nodded.
“Go get a mouse from Maya. Tell her I told