Fire and Ice

Chapter 28

"I'll find them," Skyfall promised. She figured Sandstorm would want to help; they were her kin after all. The wind was growing stronger as the snow kept falling—she wouldn't be able to find them alone. Skyfall rushed to the warriors' den and pushed inside.

Sandstorm was washing herself in her nest. "What's wrong?" she asked as she watched Skyfall peer around the den.

"Brindleface's kits are missing."

"All of them?" Sandstorm scrambled to her paws.

"Yes! The snow is growing thicker so I didn't want to look alone. I don't know how long they've been out either," Skyfall meowed, her words tumbling out. She felt a stab of rage that Graystripe was missing again—right after accusing Skyfall of not trusting him!

"I'll come with you," Sandstorm offered.

Skyfall blinked. "Thanks," she meowed gratefully. "Come on. We should tell Bluestar before we leave."

"Dustpelt can tell her. Is it still snowing?"

"Yes, and it doesn't look to be stopping anytime soon. We'd better hurry." Skyfall turned to Dustpelt's sleeping form. "You wake him. I'll tell Brindleface we're going out and meet you by the entrance." She bounded away quickly, back to the nursery. Brindleface was sniffing around frantically for any sign of their scents.

"Any sign?" Skyfall asked.

"No, nothing." Brindleface's voice was trembling. "Frostfur's gone to tell Bluestar!"

"Well, don't worry. I'm going out to look for them," she reassured the frantic queen. "Sandstorm's coming with me. We'll find them."

Brindleface nodded and returned to her searching.

Skyfall and Sandstorm reached the gorse tunnel at the same time and hurried out into the woods. Outside of camp, the wind was far fiercer. Skyfall had to almost screw her eyes shut and hunch her shoulders to push through the blizzard.

"It's going to be hard picking up a scent through the fresh snow," she called over the wind to Sandstorm. "Let's start by checking to see if they've climbed up to the forest."

"Okay," Sandstorm nodded.

"You take that side." Skyfall pointed with her nose. "And I'll take the other. Meet you back here. Don't be long."

Sandstorm bounded away and Skyfall leaped over a fallen tree, following a trail the Clan followed most often. The sides of the ravine were far more slippery than they had been this morning and the snow was quickly becoming sheets of ice. Skyfall stopped and lifted her head, opening her mouth, but there wasn't a single trace of the kits. She looked in vain for pawsteps—their tiny prints would be covered already, wouldn't they?

She trekked along the bottom of the slope but there wasn't a sign any cat had traveled along this part, let alone kits. The wind blew so hard Skyfall could hardly feel her ears. No kit could survive in this weather, and it wasn't long before the sun began setting. She had to find them before nightfall.

Skyfall raced back to the camp entrance where Sandstorm was already waiting. Her ginger fur was striped with small ridges of snow. She shook them off as Skyfall approached.

"Any sign?" Skyfall meowed.

"No, nothing."

"They can't have gotten far," Skyfall pointed out. "Come on, let's try this way." She headed in the direction of the training hollow.

Sandstorm bounded after her. The snow was getting deeper and both warriors were up to their bellies with every step.

The training hollow was empty.