Firestorm (Book Three; Series One)

Chapter 20

"Fire! Fire! Fire!" Cried Bramblesight. Branchstalk whipped his head around, gasping. "You're kidding! You have to!" Webbedfoot hissed. "Look!" He ran up onto Highrock and stared from the ledge. A tree right next to camp was on fire.. "Fire!" Branchstalk rang. Warriors poked their heads from the den, the kits widened their eyes. As Multistar walked out, and was about to command, the flaming tree was struck by lightning and crashed into the camp, crushing the medicine cat den instantly. Branchstalk cried out. The only thing he could use to save these cats! "Alright, Fireshine and Mosscloud, get the kits out of camp! Cross the bridge and stay at the top! Take the apprentices and the elders!" The two queens nodded, and grabbed the three kits, calling for the apprentices. Only Leafpaw, Riverpaw, Brightpaw, Dawnpaw, Cricketpaw, Mistpaw and Whitepaw came out.. Where was Silvermoon's kits..? Were they safe?

"Has anyone seen my sons? My daughters?" Silvermoon bellowed as she circled camp. "Come on Silvermoon! We need to leave the camp together!" Cloudtuft called. Silvermoon quivered. Cloudtuft said they were safe.. But she doubted it. Tumbleweed rounded up the warriors As he was about to follow Multistar out, as he was commanding it, a flaming branch came between them. He stared at it, growling before turning the warriors. "We need to leave from the emergency tunnel!" Tumbleweed meowed. "We'll all die that way! It'll too slow! Some of us should climb the dens and hop over." Cloudtuft suggested. "You idiot!" Pineheart hissed lowly. "We'll break our legs! We'll break our spines!" Smalleye replied. "Let's just get out of here!" Silvermoon growled, leaping onto Highrock. "I'll help you all off." Tumbleweed scowled at her. "I'll help the cats in the tunnel.." Hollyeyes meowed, dipping her head to Silvermoon. "I'm not leaving until everyone leaves." Tumbleweed growled.. "Neither are we.." The warriors agreed to stay close to each other until they are all safe.

Branchstalk panted, staring at the flaming branch that seperated Tumbleweed and Multistar. As they suggested the emergency tunnel, the cats that escaped rushed over. Branchstalk nervously padded over to the emergency tunnel.. It was blocked my dirt! "Don't go through the tunnel! It's blocked!" Leafpaw cried to the cats. They couldn't hear them. "We'll go tell them!" Cricketpaw meowed. "Mossheart said I can jump high!" Dawnpaw replied. Multistar looked unsure. "Branchstalk.. Watch them.." He nodded. Branchstalk watched them jump and he thought he heard his name, but it was lightning.. Lilacpaw where are you..?

Dawnpaw and Cricketpaw cried in the middle of a lightning crack, and everyone stared at them. "The tunnel is blocked! You all have to jump!" Cricketpaw meowed. Silvermoon looked at the tunnel. "Come on!" She hissed. Bearface jumped onto the rock first, and Silvermoon helped him jump onto the tree wall, and jump off. Cat by cat, until it got to Pineheart, Hollyeyes, Tumbleweed, and herself. "Come on bird-brains! Waiting is suicide!" Silvermoon growled. Hollyeyes stumbled on the rock, and Silvermoon helped her mother, and than Pineheart. "Come on Tumbleweed." She meowed. "I'm going to be with StarClan soon.." The deputy uttered. "What..?" But Tumbleweed fell over. Panic filled her. Silvermoon grabbed the body. She wanted to find her kits! Only two of them were here! Silvermoon leaped off, being dragged down by the weight of Tumbleweed's body. Branchstalk ran over to her. She coughed harshly, and so did most of the warriors. Smoke inhalation.. She didn't think of that.. "Silvermoon are you alright?" Cloudtuft asked, Mistpaw and Whitepaw behind him. "I'm fine! I'm finding my kits!" She growled. Branchstalk pinned her to the ground. "You need to rest.. We'll find your kits.. I swear on my life.." Silvermoon kicked off her brother, and ran swiftly. She was fine! Perfectly fine! "Silvermoon wait!" Cloudtuft cried. She didn't wait or stop.

Silvermoon skidded across the cold stone of the Twoleg paths. She scanned the area, seeing a burning Twoleg nest. Her gut told her to head there. Silvermoon snuck around as fast as she could. She ran to the nest, staring in horror. The nest crackled with fire, and parts of it was falling as they spoke. It was abandoned.. It smelt awful..