Beyond the stars: Ripple of fire (Book #1)

Chapter - 10

Ravenpaw felt her paws ache as they walked over the bridge to cross the river. Sprucetail gave her some Burdock root and made her dip her paws into the river to soothe them, they still burned as though she was walking through hot coal. 

"Just a little while longer", Ravenstream mumbled soothingly to Ravenpaw's ear.

"Where are we going, Cloverstar?" Adderflight asked, his tail flicking.

Ravenpaw wondered where they were heading, trying to take her mind off her aching limbs. It was likely that they were seeking shelter from either Willowclan or Breezeclan, but which one? The two clans had a cordial relationship as they didn't have a common border. However, Cheetahstar displayed a more passive-aggressive attitude compared to the reserved leader of Willowclan. Oakclan favored Willowclan largely due to the protective trees that enshrined their territory, evoking memories of the deeper forest they called home. This woodland was not an exact replica of their forest (that was currently being burned to crisp), but it still provided better cover than the exposed hills within Breezeclan's domain.

"We will seek shelter from Willowclan", Cloverstar mewed, seeming lost in her thoughts as she led her clan toward the Willowclan territory.

The trees were more widely spaced here, with more luscious plants and fruits hanging from the overbearing trees — the moonlight seeped onto the forest floor, dappling their pelts as they traveled deeper and deeper until they burst into a clearing. It is the camp, Ravenpaw realized, looking around.

Tall oak trees formed a protective circle around the camp, their branches intertwined to create a natural canopy that filtered the moonlight. There was a large pile of rock jutting out of the ground at the edge of the clearing which was most likely used to gather the clan, and nearby it was a den woven from branches and covered with a thick blanket of leaves. 

In the center of the camp are four dens facing each other with a little room in between to roam. The first den, slightly larger than the others and adorned with feathers and shiny trinkets, probably serves as the leader's den. Its entrance is framed by woven vines and soft moss that swayed in the wind as a red tom with white patches slid out of it, his brown eyes flickering from one cat to another with confusion.

"Cloverstar?" Alderstar's voice is tired from sleep. "What are you doing here?"

Nearby, the second den stands out with its sturdy structure and intricate weaving of ivy and bark; it was the largest one, with enough room for their warriors. A white tom slid out of the warrior's den gracefully, his eyes gazing cautiously at the Oakclan cats as his claws unsheathed. A Ginger she-cat slid out after him, the fur on her back rising as she watched the Oakclan cats in surprise.

"Am I dreaming?" she whispered to the other cat, her eyes narrowing.

"I suppose this would be more of a nightmare", the tom snorted.

Alderstar flicked his tail impatiently, watching the two warriors talk as he waited for Cloverstar to speak.

Two beautiful cream-colored cats, one considerably bigger than the other, dashed out of their dens. Their wide eyes scanned the area as they were followed by a dark ginger she-cat. Her face showed a mix of confusion and wariness as more warriors emerged from the den behind her. From the medicine cat's den, a brown tabby emerged, sniffing the air with alarm, followed by a she-cat.

"Willowclan, we must ask a favor of you", Cloverstar began, her eyes wandering the warriors in front of them. "Our home has burned down".

The clearing was filled with shocked whispers as additional cats gathered. A white she-cat cautiously poked her head out from a burrow, while two small shapes attempted to climb out. In the meantime, two elders observed the scene from their den.