the stars aligned | 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Chapter 3

The question was still present and centre of Echo's mind as the day went on. She tried to work up the courage to ask Claire more questions, but the silver tabby seemed to be in a bad mood, huffing and stomping around the den.

Echo decided it was best to keep her questions to herself and stay out of her mother's way. So she sat near the entrance to the Twoleg den and watched the sun slowly disappear as dark clouds started rolling in from the mountains.

Sylvester was pacing around the den, looking out at the darkening sky and the empty fresh-kill pile. Echo understood his concern; they wouldn't be able to hunt until after it rained, and then the prey would most likely be hiding.

"I think we should hunt," their leader decided, half to himself. "Before it rains."

"Is that wise?" Claire asked, her annoyed tone suggesting exactly what she thought of her brother's announcement.

Aquarius walked past and nudged her with his tail. Echo stood with a sigh and followed the brown tabby over to where the other were gathered around Sylvester.

"I can go," Cloudy announced. "As long as it's quick."

Sylvester glanced at the others. "Anyone else?"

"I will," Echo volunteered, ignoring Claire's frown as she stepped forward. It would be a move distraction from the Clans, plus it meant she'll be out of Claire's way for a bit.

"Great, let's go." Sylvester gathered his patrol and led them out of the den.

"Don't be long!" Claire called after them, sounding anxious, her bad mood seemingly gone. "It might storm!"

"We won't be long," Sylvester promised her as they exited the den.

Wind buffeted and howled in her ears Echo's fur as she trotted after the others. She could see what Claire meant — the sky was rapidly turning dark with storm clouds, sending a shiver along her spine.

"Sylvester, are you sure this is safe?" she called out over the wind. A prickle of worry ran through her.

Sylvester looked up with a worried look. "Hopefully. We'll be quick," reassured her.

Echo wasn't sure. But then again, surely her visions would have warned if something bad was about to happen? She shook away her fears and raced after the others into stretch the forest.

It was as dark as midnight under the trees, but as least the wind was blocked by the vegetation. It had to resort to shoving trees from side to side and sending leaves spinning down to the forest floor. Echo wasn't sure if they'd be able to catch anything in this weather — surely the mice and squirrels would be hiding in their burrows by now.

"Let's try the Oak Tree," Cloudy suggested. The others silently agreed as they followed Sylvester through the undergrowth.

Thunder tumbled in the sky as the forest grew darker. Echo hoped the limited light would make the prey easier to catch, since it couldn't see her coming. She dropped into a crouch along with the toms as they neared the Oak Tree.

Right away she knew Cloudy had made a good choice. Despite the rumbling sky and scent of rain in the air, she picked up the scent of mouse and quiet scuffling sounds a few tail-lengths away from her. She stalked forward, opening her mouth to figure out exactly where the mouse was. She dragged herself forward, one step, two steps...now!

Echo leaped forward and pinned the mouse to the ground, biting it's neck and killing it before it even had a chance to squeal. She buried it quickly under the leaves and turned to search for the next bit of prey.

Once she had managed to catch a mouse and a shrew, she took them to the Oak Tree and was greeted by Sylvester and Aquarius. They hadn't been as successful as her — just a mouse and a bird between them, but altogether they had a decent amount of food.

"Let's get back, quickly," Sylvester hurried them, taking a pigeon in his jaws and running ahead. Echo and Cloudy tore after him.

They weren't fast enough, though. They were nearing the edge of the forest when suddenly Echo felt a raindrop, and the sky opened up and rain fell heavily through the trees. Rain splashed down onto Echo's pelt and the wind grew fiercer, shaking the trees. Puddles of mud formed below her.

Within minutes they were dripping, searching for shelter until Echo spotted a berry bush a few paw steps away. She beckoned the others and dove under it. Water dripped down onto her soaked, mud-splashed pelt unpleasantly, but it was better than the sharp, pouring rain. She dropped the sodden mouse and shrew onto the muddy ground in front of her.

"Do you think the others are okay?" she yelled over the storm. Thunder echoed from above them, cashing a shiver to run down her spine. A forest was not the best place to be during a storm.

"They'll be fine," Sylvester called back, despite being a tail-length away from her, with Cloudy squished between them. "We've had storms before.

Echo unsuccessfully shook some of the water from her fur and tried not to worry.

They stayed like that for a few more long heartbeats, the wind howling fiercely and the rain pelting down at their berry bush. Echo shut her eyes when suddenly the sky lit up with a ear-shattering crack and her heart almost stopped. It only happened for a moment, but Echo was frozen in place, her body my freezing and her eyes opened wide in fear. The sky went dark again but the crack was soon replaced by loud thunder rumbling through the sky.

Cloudy's body was stiff beside her, pressed against hers. Sylvester was the first to notice the sharp tang in the air.

"What's that smell?" he asked quietly. It was hard to hear over the rain and thunder, but Echo caught his words and sniffed anxiously, her body still shaking slightly from the noise.

"What's that over there?" Cloudy's nervous voice rose above the bowing wind.

Echo stared out onto the forest. Nothing but darkness...what was he on about? But then she noticed the slight glow in the distance, past the edge of the forest. Fierce orange light, glowing brighter and brighter. Her ears flinched back as a echoing yowl of terror sliced through the repeated plonk of the rain.

"Claire," Cloudy realised. "The others...we have to get back!" He turned his terrified eyes to Echo, who felt frozen in place.

"Move!" Suddenly Sylvester was shoving her from behind, pushing her to her trembling paws. Something snapped inside her and it dawned on her what was happening. They had to get back, right now.

She shot out of the berry bush with the others following. Sylvester easily overtook her as they raced out of the forest and up the abandoned Twoleg den. Mud squelched under her paws and splashed onto to her pelt, coating her underbelly with dirt, but that was the least of Echo's worries. The whether was worse than in the forest, much worse. Rain splashed into her eyes and the wind battered her body and she was soaking, dripping wet and cold as an icy lake, but none of that mattered when she noticed the sight before her.

Fire. She'd never seen in before, but she knew exactly what it was. The lightening must have struck her home. Tall flames leaped up and wrapped around the Twoleg den, smothering it in dark charcoal. The light scorched her eyes and the roar of the flames made her ears flinch, but once again she was frozen in place, the howling wind and rain forgotten as she watched her home burn to the ground.