Warriors: Beetlestar's Path

Chapter Nine

     Beetlewing stood in a bright, sprawling meadow. A gentle breeze carried sweet flowery scents into the air. He looked around at the massive fields of pink carnations and white chrysanthemums. Peace fell over him and he purred softly to himself as he strolled through the grass. 

     Something rustled in the tall rye grass close by and a black cat poked their head out. Beetlewing's eyes widened. "Ravenflight!" He chirped, running towards his old friend. Ravenflight let out a hearty, cheerful laugh and the two collided, tumbling over one another. Beetlewing hopped to his paws. "It's so good to see you! You- You look great!" He twirled to get a good look at their surroundings. "Everything looks great! Where are we?" 

     He noticed that his voice sounded so much younger. That his body felt light. Comfortable. When Ravenflight didn't answer, a sort of terror began to fall over him. "Am I in StarClan . . .?" 

     Ravenflight's blue eyes seemed to pierce through him. The black and white tom simply turned away and walked into the grass. Beetlewing followed. "Answer me! This is a dream, right? Or- Or is it StarClan?" 

     Ravenflight stopped dead in his tracks, back turned to Beetlewing. He said something inaudible. Beetlewing began to reach out, to try and prod his old friend's flank with one paw, but his body froze. Unable to move, he could only watch as Ravenflight slowly turned his head. Water and mud poured from between his crooked, almost hanging jaw, his eyes glassy.  

     What's going on?!  

     "Beetlewing, get up!" Ravenflight said, voice garbled and distorted. Smooth pebbles worn down by a running river began to slip between his teeth. "Get up! Right now! You have to see this!" 

     Beetlewing gasped as invisible paws hooked around his chest and yanked him back, fervently shaking him. Ravenflight continued with a voice not his own and the shaking continued. "Get up! Come on! Wake up!" 

     It turned to distressed, urgent whispers and Beetlewing slammed to the ground and awoke with a jolt. Poppywings stood over him, wildly shaking him by the shoulder. "Beetlewing, come quick!" 

     It was a dream. Just a dream. But Poppywings' panic was real and infectious, and Beetlewing found himself up on his paws. "What is it?" 

     Poppywings bolted out of the warriors den. Tired, confused "whats?" and "huhs?" arose from the other warriors. Beetlewing scurried out after her and realized just how puffed out her pelt had become as she slipped into the reed tunnel. He went after the ginger cat, dread befalling him as he stepped out of camp and into the open. "Look." 

     He followed her gaze to the west, towards DarkClan territory. An orange glow pulsed in the distance and a black pillar of smoke reached for the reddened sky. The very sight turned his blood and bones to ice. "Oh no . . ." 

     "What is it?" Littlestep questioned as she ran up to the two. She gasped, shocked. "Great StarClan!" 

     What do we do? Could it spread over here? 

     "Littlestep, tell everyone to get up!" Poppywings ordered. "Tell them to keep calm." 

     Littlestep flattened her ears. "Do you think it'll spread?"  

     "No. Not across the river at least." Poppywings squinted. "It's in the forest, I think. Probably near their camp. Go get everyone up!" 

     Beetlewing watched as the smoke billowed and formed a vast cloud. Thunder rumbled in the distance and a flash of lightning far away made him flinch. "That must be what caused it."