Warriors; Roar of the River

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

No sooner had Blackfeather spoken than Emberleaf let out a screech that sent shivers down Shadefall’s spine. With a shudder, he launched himself toward the elders’ den. They’d have to be helped out of the camp, he assumed.

“Wake up,” he hissed through the darkness of the elders’ den. Oakleaf let out a disconsolate grunt, and Duststorm’s raspy voice snarled, “What do you want, traitor?” A rush of anger ran through Shadefall’s head, and he bristled, but he kept his muzzle shut, holding back a retort.

“Come with me,” he ordered the elders before him. Lightwater’s broad form moved in the dark, and the elders groggily stood up. “Hurry up!”

“Calm down, what is it?” Molefoot snapped. When Shadefall left the den, he could easily smell the acrid scent of smoke. The air was heavily laden with it.

“Fire!” Oakleaf screeched. Her green eyes were wide with alarm. A dry wind swept past them, and Shadefall saw Emberleaf ushering the apprentices from their den as a bolt of lightning illuminated the clearing. Even after the lightning disappeared, an amber glow from flames traveling with the wind coated the camp like sunlight.

Shadefall turned as Stormstar pelted across the clearing toward him. “Blackfeather’s going to take the elders out the gorse tunnel and head around the camp, away from the flames. Stay here with me and make sure everyone gets out alright.”

Shadefall gave the she-cat a nod and swallowed the fear rising in his throat. His heart was beginning to beat rapidly; he was standing frozen. I can’t make you proud, Dusktide, Shadefall thought to himself anxiously. I’ve never done anything worthy of making any cat proud.

“Shadefall, help me!”

He whirled as Mintfoot nearly crashed into him. “I can’t find Floodkit anywhere, but she was just here!”

“Maybe Emberleaf took her with the rest of the warriors,” he mewed, straining his voice to keep calm. “I’ll look for her here, okay? Don’t worry.”

There was a look of relief in her eyes. “Thank you,” she breathed.

“Follow the warriors out of here,” Shadefall growled sternly. He moved past her and poked his head into the nursery.

“Floodkit?” he called into the dark. There was no response, and he prodded through the few nests in the den before deciding that it was completely empty. He emerged from the den and jumped at a nerve-racking crack above the camp. He watched, in awe, as a pine crashed down upon the medicine cats’ den. He gaped as Tigerlily squeezed from the crushed den.

“Are you okay?” he demanded, rushing over to her. She nodded, looking shaken and afraid.

“I’m fine, but there’s fire on all sides! How do I get out?”

“The thorn tunnel’s still open. Hurry through that, and then wrap around the camp, heading toward ThunderClan,” Shadefall explained.