Bloodflower

Chapter 46

Time seemed to move too slow and too fast at the same time. All Dawnfire could focus on were the caterwauls of her Clanmates, some panicking and others giving orders, their voices nearly drowned out by the distant yet vicious crackling of the forest fire.

"Check every den! No cat gets left behind!"

"Where are we supposed to go?"

"What if something happened to the Gathering patrol?"

Dawnfire gasped aloud as the question registered in her mind. A quarter of the Clan was gone, on their way to the Gathering. Did they know what was happening? Had they been in the forest when the fire began? StarClan, protect us all.

But could StarClan truly protect them from something that was bound to happen?

Dawnfire wondered anxiously if Grayleaf would know that this was connected to the prophecy. She had known the moment Beestripe had told her; surely her older and more experienced mentor would know, too. And if Grayleaf did know, she would be able to help Adderstar understand how dire this situation really was. How quickly they needed to get back to help the rest of the Clan.

"Dawnfire, don't just stand there! We need to get out!" Shadowpool, who had been ahead of her as they were heading for the crowd of cats by the fern tunnel, had stopped to look back at her.

Dawnfire realized she had froze as her racing thoughts had drifted. "Sorry!" she yelped, running ahead of him. He can't see how stressed I am. None of the warriors know about the prophecy, and they don't need to worry about something beyond their control.

"Dawnfire!" Patchflower broke away from the rest of the cats to run towards her. She pressed her nose fiercely against her daughter's. "Are you alright?" she demanded.

"Just dazed." Dawnfire drew nervously away from her mother. "I'll be okay. It's Shadowpool and Brokenstem I'm worried about. They're already sick; breathing in smoke won't do them any good."

"Hopefully we won't be breathing smoke," Patchflower growled. "Beestripe sent out Hazelfrost and Forestfire to figure out where the fire is spreading from. Then he'll figure out where we should go to stay as far from it as possible."

"Sounds like a good plan," Dawnfire panted. "But what about the Gathering patrol? They won't have any idea where we are. Surely they've noticed the fire by now, wherever they are."

Patchflower's green eyes flickered with fear; Dawnfire knew both her mate and one of her daughters were with that patrol. I know just how worried you are. That's my father and sister.

"Wherever they are," the tortoiseshell echoed, "they have Adderstar to lead them and Grayleaf to care for them if they get hurt. They'll be all right."

Dawnfire let her mother's words sink in, trying with all her heart to believe them. There was no way to know if there were any cats meant to be part of the prophecy's events—all she knew for certain was that it involved a fire, and that a "bloodstained flower" that would somehow save the "sun." Anything could happen. Not even StarClan themselves knew what was going to happen now...and that was the scariest part of it all.

She thought of Violetsky, who was undoubtedly trying to see her Clan through the sheet of smoke that blocked Silverpelt from the living world. Who appeared in her dreams time and time again, telling her that everything would be okay in the end, even when she herself didn't know what would become of her Clan. I wish I could have the kind of certainty she has.

"Beestripe, we're back!" The crowd of cats suddenly parted as Forestfire and Hazelfrost sprinted back into camp. Their eyes were as round as the full moon, which had rapidly disappeared beneath the smoke that was drenching the night sky.