The frost was beginning to melt as the sun rose over the river, though the leaves still crackled beneath the cats' paws as they padded through the shadows.
Firestar's belly clenched and his mind reeled with a vision of blood flowing down the sides of the hollow, washing around the cats' paws in a sticky, reeking tide.
" This is a queer elopement" ! he murmured. " Perhaps you are making a cat's paw of me with Phillotson all this time. Upon my word it almost seems so-to see you sitting up there so prim" !