Burst of Fire

Chapter 5

The night had gone by peacefully, and Cloud stood on the big-rock, watching his tribe awaken. The dawn sky cast Cloud's shadow over the cats in the clearing, and he felt frozen solid by what he saw there.

Instead of one shadow, there were two. Cloud looked back, but no one was there. Turning back to the shadows, Cloud saw that one was his shadow, and the other was that of a small kitten. The kitten shadow was trembling, crouching under the Cloud shadow's outstretched paws. With horror, Cloud realized that it's claws were out. As it raked it's claws along the kitten shadow's pelt, Cloud watched his shadow raise its muzzle to the sky in a silent yowl of triumph. Suddenly a spoken breath came from behind him.

"As prophecised, a killer has been born into this world." Came the voice. Cloud spun around to see the pale shape of a cat with narrowed grey eyes and russet colored fur.

"Heart!" He gasped, "Aren't you to be dead?!" Heart glared at him, eyes full of hatred.

"Of course," She growled. "haven't you been listening to cats more elderly than you? Every cat but you knows that Pine Forest tribe cats become a part of the clouds when they die!"

Cloud felt his legs buckle and willed himself not to collapse. He was in full view of his tribe. "You mean, I was prophecised to be born?" Cloud's mouth felt too dry to speak. "Born... a killer?"

"No, you weren't born a killer." Heart explained, her gaze burning Cloud's pelt. "You fulfilled the prophecy as soon as you plotted to kill the oak forest leader."

"But Samuet died anyway!" Cloud exclaimed. "In that fight with the field dogs! Remember?!"

"Of course." Heart mewed, not missing a beat. "But we would not have won that fight if not for him. He died knocking the field dog leader and himself off the edge of field cliff; sending the other field dogs running with their tails between their legs."

Cloud couldn't find the words to say anything. Is she right? He thought, Would the tribes have been torn apart if Samuet's blood was already on my paws? He decided not. Allikin was a good, strong cat. The tribes would have been safe in her paws.

"Today I bring you a prophecy and a message." Heart continued. "Dark times are coming, and only a flaming flower may save your tribe."

"A flaming flower?!" Cloud exclaimed, "What do you mean? And what is the message?"

Heart sighed heavily. There was a long lasting silence that made Cloud shiver, and not just from the cold winter that lay ahead. Am I the darkness that will destroy my tribe? He wondered. If so, why bring the prophecy to me? Why not Wind?

"My message to you," Heart spoke again with a wild purr, "Fire is back."

That's when Cloud jerked around and saw a flame colored pelt padding towards the middle of the clearing.

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Petal and Fire were slowly getting closer and closer to the pine forest tribe clearing, but it seemed like forever until they finally reached it.

"Is that it?" Petal asked suddenly; at the exact moment, the sounds of an active tribe hit Fire's ears. He started to pad faster and faster, with Petal falling behind, into the center of the clearing. As he halted, Fire caught Cloud glaring at him from atop the big-rock. Fire's sudden stop had sent Petal crashing into him.

"Ow!" Fire exclaimed, sending the tribe's attention his way. Cloud hopped down from the big-rock and over to the birth clearing; it was obvious that he wanted to avoid Fire. Does Cloud have a mate expecting kittens? He asked himself, He never really seemed close to any of the females. Yet again, it has been 3 seasons...