Sunblaze's Sorrow

Chapter Seven: Sparkstar

      Sunblaze looked up as Reedpaw trotted into the cramped hole underneath the Thunderpath. He was carrying some herbs that Sunblaze could not recognize. Icetail padded in too with a mouse for Sunblaze and a small squirrel for Falconfur. Brairpatch must be so worried by now, Sunblaze thought. We've been gone for almost twenty-nine moon rises. "Icetail, when will we be able to go back to our clan?" Falconfur asked as she bit into the squirrel. "Just a few more nights, and you'll be okay," Icetail replied, her back turned against them. Sunblaze was grateful for Icetail's hospitality, but she was upset with being caged up all the time. "Are we okay now?" Sunblaze asked. "Yes, but I want a few more nights just to be sure." But by the time Icetail had turned around to face the young she-cats, they were both gone.
      "Where are we going, Sunblaze?" Falconfur asked as they dashed across ShadowClan territory. "We're going home, Falconfur. I'm sick of being cooped up in that hole." They continued their race across the grass, their paws making little noise. "Sunblaze, what about Bramblestar? He'll have our tails if he finds out what happened- why we've been gone so long," Falconfur gasped as her paws flailed over the rocks ahead of them. "We'll cross that stream when we get to it, now hurry up! We have got to get there before Brairpatch goes frantic with worry!" Sunblaze snapped. "Hang on, why do you care so much about Brairpatch?" Falconfur asked. "Because," Sunblaze replied sharply.
The two cats suddenly picked up the foul scent of smoke. Sunblaze raised her nose to the sky. Terrible billows of smoke were coming from ThunderClan territory and tounges of scarlet were licking against the trees. Falconfur began to shiver in worry. "W-What do we do, Sunblaze? The forest is on fire!" she gasped. At that moment a small tortoiseshell tom leapt out from the bushes. His pelt was sleek and gray, and his eyes were like cold ice. "Follow me, cats," he said before dashing out into the woods. Sunblaze took one glance at the forest burning behind them before running after he strange cat, Falconfur at her heels.
The tom's path twisted and turned, sometimes going towards the smoke once again, but lead to a cave where a stream flowed silently and cats walked around briskly, almost unaware of the fire raging on outside. "What is this place?" Falconfur asked as she came to a screeching halt. "This is my home," the tom rasped. A rabbit scrambled by, and Falconfur grabbed it with one paw. "Stop! Prey is sacred here in LightingClan, we eat prey only when we have to, not when we please," the strange cat shouted. Falconfur dropped the terrified rabbit immediately. "I'm sorry, but we never got your name," Sunblaze said. "I'm Sparkstar, leader of LightningClan. Who are you?" the tom asked. "Well, Sparkstar, I'm Sunblaze, and this is Falconfur. We're from ThunderClan," Sunblaze answered. Sunblaze saw hundreds of cats pouring out of the small den openings. "How are there so many cats?" Falconfur exclaimed. "There are about seven more, but I sent them out to retrieve some of the cats that are on the surface," Sparkstar informed Falconfur. At that second three cats came in, escorting four cats each. Sunblaze saw Clawpelt, Oceanstrike, Honeyfur, Littlefang, and other cats among them. Brairpatch. "I need to get someone, Sparkstar. I'll be back in a minute or two," Sunblaze said as she dashed out of LightningClan camp.