the sun trail: part seven

Petal and Fox stand over their dead mother as a badger walks away. They don't know what to do now. They are still kits and don't even know how to properly hunt. They bury their mother under some leaves and, determined to stick together and help each other out, go off in search of food. They don't find food but they do find some other cats. They approach them, hoping the cats will be friendly and take them in but instead they are hostile and make it clear if the kits don't leave now they will attack. They leave the cats and find a squirrel but before they can pounce the very cats that just chased them away attack them and steal their prey. Petal realizes these cats don't care if some kits starve to death. 

Moons pass, and Petal and Fox are barely surviving. One day while out hunting they see a group of the tribe cats in the trees. Since they have had negative run ins with these cats in the past they try to avoid them, but suddenly they are spotted. Terrified, Petal and Fox run away.

Two of the tribe cats chase after them as Petal and Fox try to get away. They reach the water and despite being terrified of it, Fox insists they must cross. They try to cross but it doesn't work. The tom that chased them calls out to them, telling them they won't hurt them. Realizing they have no choice Petal and Fox head back. But Petal slips and the current carries her away. The tribe tom helps get her out of the water and introduces himself as Clear Sky and his friend as Falling Feather. Clear Sky hunts for them while Falling Feather tells Fox what to do so they can warm Petal up.  While Clear Sky is gone Falling Feather asks the cats about themselves. She also invites them to come live with them. When Clear Sky gets back Fox is reluctant to agree but Petal can tell he has feelings for Falling Feather and Petal herself wishes to join the group. It is decided they will join and for the first time Petal feels good.

So why only three chapters here? These chapters are from a short story added to the end of this novel.

I have to say, I hated Fox immensely during the novel, but now I can see, thanks to the short story, that it wasn't all his fault. Two children, barely older then babies, forced to either die or survive in a hostile, uncaring world. The clans would have been a wonderful thing for them if the clans were not just birthing themselves and such a mess. Instead of getting someone like Firestar, they found Clear Sky, who clearly is also a mess and instead just fed Fox's hatred and hostility. This short story was a sad ending to an already sad novel.