Young Thunder dreams of his mother. Awake, he can barely remember her, but asleep he remembers her perfectly. He asks after his father, Clear Sky, and why he rejected him. Storm assures him that one day Thunder will make things right.
Gray Wing takes Thunder, Lightning Tail, and Acorn Fur out to practice hunting. The kits play for a bit, with Thunder showing off his stalking skills. Gray Wing shows them how to chase down prey on the moor, explaining that stalking doesn't work out here, just speed. After that the kits try. Thunder tries to get a mouse but Acorn Fur yells out to him to go faster, alerting the mouse. He looses his prey. Lightning Tail tries to go for some birds but he stalks them and Acorn Fur tells him he is supposed to run. She races past him squealing in excitement and scares the birds away. Gray Wing is amused by their attempts but then as the birds take off Thunder leaps up and snatches one from the sky. Gray Wing knows he should praise Thunder but all he can think of is Clear Sky leaping up like that and all the baggage that the memory brings. Turtle Tail arrives, distracting him from his musings. She acts excited for Thunder, causing Gray Wing to congratulate him. Gray Wing sends the kits off to play while he and Turtle Tail talk. She tells him of her life with the twolegs, a third cat, named Tom, coming to live with them, and of how she misses home. While playing Lightning Tail accidentally crashes into Turtle Tail, knocking her over. Gray Wing realizes she is pregnant. He sends the kits away again and Turtle Tail confesses the truth - that the kits are Tom's and she knew something was wrong when he wouldn't plan their future with her. So she begged Bumble for the truth and her friend admitted to her that the twolegs will take the kits away. Feeling betrayed by Bumble and Tom for hiding the truth from her she wishes to leave and come home. Gray Wing feels hurt that she is having Tom's kits, but he is also happy to have her back. They gather the kits and return to camp but not everyone is happy to see her, feeling that she chose the soft life of a kittypet for the winter and can't just return now that things are easy again. Gray Wing tries to speak up for her but Turtle Tail asks him not to, saying she will speak to Tall Shadow herself.
Gray Wing and Turtle Tail reach the camp and see Tall Shadow giving fighting lessons to some of the cats. Jagged Peak looks on unhappily since his injured leg prevents him from joining. Before Gray Wing or Turtle Tail can call out Shattered Ice arrives, yelling about an intruder in their territory and motioning towards Turtle Tail. Tall Shadow welcomes Turtle Tail back and expresses joy at her future kits joining their group. Shattered Ice is displeased with the welcome Turtle Tail is receiving so Tall Shadow tells him to go hunt. Thunder wants to hunt too but Gray Wingtells him not now. Tall Shadow then pulls Gray Wing and Turtle Tail aside. Jagged Peak sits close, unsure of his place in the group. The three cats talk and Turtle Tail expresses fear that she might have nothing to contribute to the group. Tall Shadow tells her that she wants her to keep watch. Gray Wing is worried what she means but then realizes she is worried about rogues. Tall Shadow's request excites Jagged Peak and he asks if he can contribute that way too, but Tall Shadow tells him no. Jagged Peak leaves, feeling dejected, and Gray Wing and Turtle Tail point out that maybe she should have let him help. Tall Shadow cuts them off saying she is in charge then walks away, leaving Gray Wing and Turtle Tail confused.
Gray Wing offers to show Turtle Tail around. Rainswept Flower wishes to go with them and at first Gray Wing is upset because he wants Turtle Tail to himself but then he realizes her moving home means he can spend as much time with her alone as he wishes. Jagged Peak wishes to go to but is told he has to stay behind. They explore the land and talk, running into Wind and Gorse. They do more exploring with the two rogues, who catch a pigeon for everyone to share. A new rogue none of them has met before names River Ripple invites himself over to join them. After the pigeon is gone he leaves and the cats hear dogs coming. Wind and Gorse take off for their den and the clan cats race to the safety of their home - but the dogs follow. They reach camp and Gray Wing tells everyone to hide. They do so as the dogs rummage around their camp. The dogs leave just as suddenly as they came. While looking around to make sure everyone is okay they realize both Thunder and Jagged Peak are missing and that they must have followed Shattered Ice when he went hunting - and now the three of them are in danger from the dogs.
Thunder follows Shattered Ice into the woods, lying when Shattered Ice asks him if he got permission to go hunting. Thunder enjoys hunting in the forest, feeling like it is so right. He catches a shrew but Shattered Ice is still in a bad mood and comments negatively on the size of it instead of giving him praise. Thunder is upset and Shattered Ice notices and asks what is wrong. Thunder doesn't want to tell him the truth so instead he tells him he knows they aren't supposed to be in the trees. Shattered Ice says he knows, that is why they are hunting there. Shattered Ice tells Thunder to go home, but Thunder refuses, insisting he wants to show off his hunting skills. He botches an attempt at a rabbit, causing Shattered Ice to laugh, however after this Shattered Ice does warm up and begins to teach the young kit. Some of Clear Sky's cats catch them in the woods. They are hostile and Thunder is worried about how the situation will go down when Falling Feather arrives and calms everyone down. She tells her former tribe mates that they cannot hunt in the forest but she also tells her clan mates that they cannot attack the moor cats. Thunder asks if Clear Sky would really be unhappy and deny his own son and silence greets him from all of the cats. Suddenly they hear the dogs and Shattered Ice and Thunder race to their camp.
Poor Thunder. Unwanted by his father, and while Gray Wing clearly loves him and cares for him he is also afraid of and for him and reacts poorly. He looks at Thunder and sees his brother. He is obviously filled with fear of losing Thunder and reacts poorly to the good qualities that Thunder shows - the same qualities that Clear Sky has. I have a feeling Thunder will go off to join his father's clan - that is ultimately his place - but as much as Gray Wing won't want to admit it I suspect it will be partly his fault.
I am glad at Turtle Tail's return and I hope that she will find the happiness she has always wanted with Gray Wing - or, at least if not with him then someone else. Gray Wing himself seems really pleased at her return, though I don't think he realizes why.
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