The Fire Within

Chapter 12

"Dear, it's alright. I'm here." Wolfpaw looked up at the star cat. He smiled at here and brushed against her. Looking him over, she saw that he, like her, had one white paw, and a white tipped tail. She trembled as memories of her parents came. Tears spilled from her eyes and she rushed up to that cat.

"Claws. I-I'm so sorry." she mumbled. Her father pressed close to her. "It's alright dear." He repeated, "My death wasn't in vain. I saved your uncle." He licked her ear. "Listen, Beware the Shadow in the Mist!"

~~~

"Wolfpaw, please stop kicking me." Wolfpaw jumped awake. Rockpaw was looking over to her in annoyance. She mumbled an apology and left the den. She stopped outside to stretch and yawned. Another day, another adventure!

Stonepaw steps out from behind her, his eyes distant. He jumps when his tummy growls. Wolfpaw laughs. "Hungry?"

He smiled, "Famished." So they walked together to the fresh kill pile. Stonepaw ,greedy, grabbed a fat vole, while Wolfpaw rolled her eyes and grabbed a squirrel. She settled down beside him and started to eat. She felt token back still from her dream. Beware the Shadow in the Mist. Who could be the shadow?

It wasn't Shadowclaw, was it? Wolfpaw had only meet her twice, but she was sure of it. But what was going to happen? What would the shadow do? Make Mistclan kill every cat? Was it connected to the attacks to Skypaw and Mintleaf?

A cat coughed. She looked up and saw Ashstar.

"Could you come with me?" Wolfpaw hesitated, but got up. Ashstar started to the camp entrance. Stonepaw looked at her with confusing, but when he spotted Wolfpaw's unfinished squirrel, his eyes lit up and he started to eat. She rolled her eyes and followed Ashstar.

They walked in silence, with only the sounds of the forest around them. They traveled towards the Darkclan border. This didn't surprise her. What did surprise her was when the got to it, Ashstar followed it north. The land turned steep, and Wolfpaw had to jump to avoid rocks and tree rots. Ashstar, on the other hand, know this route well, and dodged the obstacles with ease. She was on top of the hill before Wolfpaw, but the view waiting for her was amazing.

A small pond, rocky and quiet. There was deer grazing and a open space. The lining of the pond was strange to Wolfpaw. One side all stone, but the other sandy. A old tree stood solo in the pretty scene, but not out of the ordinary.

"This is a very special place, you are lucky that I'm the one to show you." She smiled at Wolfpaw. She gawked. "It's beautiful!"

Ashstar chuckled, "I know." With her tail she pointed to the east side of the pond, "That is Darkclan territory. This side is ours." She then pointed out the tree, "That's the old oak. Apprentices from both clans come here to climb the tree, even though it's on Fireclan territory." She chuckled. "LionStar and I both climbed it together, before we became Warriors. Funny how it was on the same day." She turned to face Wolfpaw, smiling. "You and your brothers will climb the tree for your last assessment. Then you will join Fireclan as warriors."

Wolfpaw's heart raced. She was going to be a warrior!

Ashstar settled down right where she stood, her tail curled around herself. She looked up at Wolfpaw. "I need answers, and you do too. So lets clear your stress." Wolfpaw looked at her with shock and curiosity. How had the she-cat know what she wanted.

So Wolfpaw settled down and asked the question she wanted answered most. "Why are wolves so important to the clans?" Ashstar smiled.

"That's the best question you could have asked. Long ago, before the clans were created, this area was the stomping ground of wolves. They were proud and strong, always high above cats. They never left this beautiful valley. At night, you could hear them singing from miles away. They were happy here, until the Great Leaf- Bare. They were eating a snow feast when a stranger came. His name was Wind, or Wind of the Highest Mountain in dog or wolf. He told stories of two-legs and thunder-sticks. He told of brave wolves that tried to face them, but literately fell when hit with strange and loud thunder-sticks. But the wolves here weren't scared. And to prove it, they sent wolves to attack these two-legs. But what happened next has always been a mystery. Some say all the wolves sent out died. Others said the wolves ran from this valley in fear. But we do know one thing. The wolves started to notice deer missing because of the Thunder-sticks. Their food supple was shrinking. And they had little to hunt. Wind, afraid they would starve, told the wolves that they must leave. All agreed. But many were afraid. Who would take care of their homeland? Who would protect the moon when it walked the sky? Who would sing to it? Wind helped with this as well. He found us, cats, to take their place as predators of the valleys. Then they left, to the mountains, to find food and shelter. And, after moons of trouble and confusion, the clans were created. You are luck that you have been given your name as a Wolf. Not many have that title." Wolfpaw did feel honored. She could imagine the wolves, their wind in the valleys and hills of Cloudclan, running through the famous water-falls of Mistclan, and zig-zaging through Fire clan and Dark clan forests.

Ashstar glanced at Wolfpaw, eyes curious, "Now, tell me about your father." Wolfpaw froze. "Where did you hear about him?"

"Windpaw told me about your mother, but he refused to talk about your father. He said that was your talk." Wolfpaw smiled. Of course he did. He was like that.

"Ok, bit should I say?"

"Anything that you want to share."

"Alright then... His name was Claws..." For the rest of that day, we talked and laughed about family and memories. It felt good to talk about it with someone, and after, Wolfpaw was glad Ashstar asked. If only life could always be so carefree...

~~~
So, it took some time, but I did it!
The Wolf story was made up on the spot, but I made sure it was dramatic. I've been wanting to mention it for sometime, because Darkclan live in the very caves the wolves lived in. There's also a lot of references to valleys and meadows. The clans live north to a mountain range, if anyone missed the Rockpaw specials.
Hope you like this chapter!
Comment, vote and share!

~~Peace kitty peps~~