The Fire Within

Chapter 24

"Remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something, and has lost something."

Dedicated to Kya, My BFF and partner in crime!

~~~

WolfClaw watched her brother train beside Patchpaw. It had been at least a moon since HailStream had arrived in her dream. And every moment after had her on edge. Now because of her, WindFern was now on only three legs now. WhiteRose had tried everything, but with out knowing what had caused it in the first place, she could do little.

AdderStep was more then willing to train Patchpaw and WindFern. WolfClaw was grateful to him.

A cat yelled for her from the camp, so she hurried down the trail back to camp. DovePool meet her when she arrived.

"Could you came on a patrol with me?" She asks, pointing to a small group waiting for them.

"Sure." WolfClaw said, following her to them, "Where to?"

"We're going around the Dark Clan territory." RussetClove answered. The cat signaled with his tail for the group to follow as they set off.

Dovepool walked in step beside WolfClaw.

"Have you noticed the weather?" She asked. It was time for the leaves to fall and change into fire colors, but each tree was still green, and the air felt more warm then cold.

"Yeah. Last night was super hot. I had to go to the very back of the warrior den so I wouldn't press against someone else." Many of the warriors were complaining about the heat too.

"Do you think leaf-fall will be longer the usual too?" Dovepool asked, jumping over a log.

"Maybe. I just hope the heat doesn't get too bad." WolfClaw remembered her mother's stories of leaf-fall for the clans. Nature know it was time to rest, but the sun wouldn't let up. It seemed hotter in leaf-fall then it did in Green-leaf! Scarlet had warned her about little fires too. She had explained that Fire clan's territory was most dry at Leaf-fall. WolfClaw just hoped that the fires would stay small too.

Dovepool seemed to be thinking the same thing, "I remember stories about SmokeStar's fire. It was the biggest fire they've ever seen in fireclan territory. It took out all of fireclan and half of Darkclan, Cloudclan, and Mistclan!"

One of the other cats, EmberFern, flicked his ears up when Dovepool said SmokeStar's name. He slowed down to walk beside the two.

"Are you talking about SmokeStar's fire?" He asked. He smiled when they noded.

"My father said he lead all four clans to the mountain side." He smiled proudly, "MorningWing was actually an apprentice when it happened."

That's right, WolfClaw remembered, EmberFern, MorningWing, AmberTree and SmokeStar are all kin.

She had seen the three sleeping together in the sun once. She had learned from StoneHeart that the family branches stretched all the way to the original founder times. Dovepool had told her that EmberFern had always wanted to step in SmokeStar's paw steps and become leader one day.

Dovepool gave him a teasing grin, "I bet you want to set the forest on fire on purpose just so you can do the same thing."

He rolled his eyes and laughed, "You better believe it! Now if you will excuse me, I think I'm needed elsewhere." he then trotted ahead to Owlsong, who had been signaling him to come to her.

~~~

RussetClove stopped as they finally made it to the territory line. His ears were perked and his hair stood on end.

"There are cats coming." He said.

WolfClaw was still in the back of the patrol, but she could hear paws running towards them.

The patrol braced themselves for an attack, but none came. Instead, a spotted cat appeared. She stopped on the territory line, watching them for a moment, then swung her head back and forth alone the line. Like she was looking for something...

"What are doing here BrownFang." RussetClove said in a bored voice.

"I don't have time for talk. Have you seen a cat come through here?" She snapped, not even turning to face him. She jumping up on her hind legs to look into the distance for a minute, before landing back down on the soft grass.

"No, we haven't. Care to tell us what's going on, deputy?" She sighed, as she had already explained it thousands of times before. BrownFang faced him.

"A she-cat came looking for my mother. Instead she got me. Now, please help me find the last of my kin before she gets herself killed."

"Well what do you want Fire clan to do-" RussetClove stopped. He looked suddenly at WolfClaw.

No, not at me. She thought suddenly, Behind me.

At that moment, who knows if it was Starclan or just luck, the wind changed directions. A scent that WolfClaw thought she had forgotten. A cat's scent filled her nose, and memories of love, family and kitten times flashed in her mind all at once. Some how she was able to turn her head to the owner to the scent.

A withered, weak she-cat faced her now. Her right eye was white, but her left was the same color. Her right ear was no more, and much of her fur was gone too.

But that wasn't the worst part. Her leg... was gone. Not even a stub of where it used to be.

This cat, had changed so much, but the love in that one, glossy eye was enough for WolfClaw.

With tears in her eyes, she run forward and pressed her face against brown, black and white fur. They sat there, just pressed against each other, neither wanting to move.

Finally, WolfClaw looked into the cat's face. She had tears streaming down her checks, staining her fur.

"R-Raven honey... I-it's me. Scarlet."

~~~

To all my readers: Love ya!!

~peace kitty peps~