Warriors: The Unknown Threat Series Book #6: Howling Wind

Chapter 14: Sunsplash

SUNSPLASH

            The wall of thorns blocking the tunnel exploded in a flash of orange light. Sunsplash looked up and saw a few small cracks appearing in the roof of the tunnel and starting to widen. Rocks began to fall from the ceiling and Sunsplash knew that the tunnel would soon be blocked again, except this time, for good. She rushed forward without thinking and dashed into the wall of flames. As she emerged on the other side of the flames, a small rock caught her on the shoulder and sent her cascading onto the ground. Rocks continued to rain from the ceiling and Sunsplash knew that unless she moved out of the way quickly, she would be buried under a massive pile of stones. She forced herself to rise to her feet and she managed to run despite the minor injury to her leg. It seemed like forever, but it probably wasn’t long before she realized she had reached the other side of the tunnel.

            The tunnel led upward, but no sunlight poured into the passageway. Sunsplash looked up and saw a lot of vines that were placed closely together and were blocking the exit. She easily pushed her way through the vine barrier, and it almost felt like they weren’t even there at all. She continued to trot onwards towards the ShadowClan camp. She realized just how close the exit to the tunnel was to the ShadowClan camp. The entrance to the camp was visible from the moment she emerged from the tunnel.

            She dashed into the ShadowClan camp to see Bramblestar standing a few tail-lengths away, staring at her as if she had suddenly grown a third eye. “C’mon, Bramblestar, let’s get out of here!” Sunsplash hissed to the ThunderClan leader.

            Instead of stepping forward and following her, Bramblestar stepped backwards. “Who are you?” he growled, unsheathing his claws and still giving her a strange look.

            “Bramblestar, how do you not know who I am?” she asked.

            “Wait, are you Firestar?” Bramblestar asked.

            “Firestar?” Sunsplash asked.

             Wait, Firestar, maybe…

            Sunsplash looked at her paws and sure enough, they were on fire. Of course, when I ran through the wall of fire, I was in too much of a hurry trying to make it out of the tunnel to think about extinguishing the flames on my fur, she thought.

            Sunsplash closed her eyes for a moment and the flames disappeared. “Sunsplash?” Bramblestar asked incredulously. “Where is the rest of ThunderClan and were you really on fire or was it a sign from StarClan?”

            “The rest of ThunderClan is trapped in some tunnels,” Sunsplash began. “And about the fire question…”

            Sunsplash didn’t finish her sentence because at that moment, a brown tom shoved Bramblestar forwards and had him pinned to the ground. “Leaving again, are you, Bramblestar?” Rowanstar sneered.

***

            Sunsplash leapt at Rowanstar and knocked him off of the ThunderClan leader. Rowanstar swiped his claws across her right cheek and threw her off of him. “It’s such a shame to take such a nice young apprentice as a prisoner!” Rowanstar mocked her.

            “I am not an apprentice!” Sunsplash snarled in reply. “I am a warrior!”

            Sunsplash closed her eyes and concentrated again. Flames appeared on her right paw and she rose to her feet. She darted and swung her paw at Rowanstar. His fur caught fire and, his teeth clenched in pain, Rowanstar fell backwards onto the ground.

            Most of the ShadowClan warriors had already walked out of the warriors den to see what the commotion was all about. Sunsplash didn’t want any more warriors to come out of the den and probably join the fight, and she also wanted revenge for what ShadowClan had done to Bramblestar. “You’re not getting any more reinforcements,” she growled, summoning a large ball of fire.

            She turned her head and sent the ball of fire sailing towards the warriors den. ShadowClan cats dived for safety as the warriors den exploded and small pieces of rock went flying in every direction.