Redpaw blinked open her sleep-weary eyes. She was beyond mere tiredness, and while all she wanted was to fall back asleep, something was preventing her from doing so. She blinked again, her eyes starting to water, as she glanced down to see what was tickling her nose. There was nothing there at first, but as her eyes began to close, she felt another itch, and looked to see her sister Lilypaw flicking her long, plumy tail at Redpaw's face while she slept. Redpaw snorted her annoyance as she got up and adjusted her position so that she was facing away from her sister. Lilypaw's tail still occasionally glanced off of her back, but it was only a slight annoyance compared to before.
Thinking she had solved the source of her agitation, Redpaw tried to settle into her nest again, but sleep would not come to her. Her nose twitched, and soon she smelled an acrid odor drift into the den. Alarmed, Redpaw quickly got to her paws and shouldered her way out of the small cave that housed the Apprentices' den.
Cats were roaming around camp in a daze of fear and confusion. Redpaw noticed her mentor, who was also AshClan's deputy, Goldenstripe, giving orders from the stump of a tree. The dark ginger apprentice raced over to her.
"Specklewing, take Hollyfoot and Willowwind to go and gather wet moss from the pools. Brightears, you and Owlstrike go around and make sure that every cat is accounted for." Goldenstripe paused a moment to draw in breath, in which she finally noticed her apprentice waiting anxiously. "Redpaw, I'm glad to know that you're safe, " she meowed.
Redpaw sniffed the air, resisting the urge to sneeze. She was finding it harder to breathe due to what she now knew the stench to be- smoke. "What's going on?"
Goldenstripe pointed with her tail toward the camp entrance, which seemed to be the source of the smoke. "During the storm last night, a tree was struck by lightning. It then collapsed and caught fire." The deputy's eyes darkened. "If we can't manage to put the fire out soon, then we'll be trapped."
Redpaw strained to catch a glimpse of the fire. She could see small curls of flame at the edges of her vision. "What can I do to help?" she asked.
"You can go with Specklewing's patrol to help them fetch more water." The pale tabby she-cat glanced around camp. "I know the pools are mostly empty here from the recent drought, but try and bring back what you can."
"Of course. I'll do my best." Redpaw dipped her head to her mentor and took her leave, making way for Mothstar, who looked as if he had news he wanted to confide in his deputy.
Redpaw looked around the camp for Specklewing or a member of his patrol, but she could not pick any of them out from her chaotic surroundings. Luckily, she knew a place where she could find plenty of water. Redpaw headed back toward the Apprentices' den, ducking under the curtain of fern fronds that grew around the entrance.
"Redpaw? Is that you?" Lilypaw was up, her blue eyes somewhat dazed. She had her feathery tail curled over her nose. "What's going on?"
"A tree caught on fire just outside of the camp." Redpaw brushed past her sister and headed for the secret tunnel at the back of the den. It led right outside of camp, ending up near the MistClan border. Hopefuly, she would find more water there.
"Oh, no!" Lilypaw's grey fur was ruffled from both sleep and fright. "How can I help?"
"Goldenstripe ordered me to bring back more water." Redpaw was already beginning to wriggle her way into the tunnel. It was tight, and the cold scrape of stone against her shoulders sent shivers down her spine. "You can help me bring some back!" she called behind her. Soon, she heard the muffled sounds of Lilypaw's breathing behind her as both she-cats struggled through the tight, dark confines of the tunnel.
It was not much longer before they managed to escape. But they had only escaped one potential danger to be encountered with another. The fire had spread to this part of the territory as well, and the spreading flames blocked Redpaw's view of the secret pools.
She felt a growl of frustration rise in her throat, which quickly changed to concern as Lilypaw darted off into the flames.
"Don't worry," Lilypaw mewed, "I'll be careful. We need the water don't we?"
Redpaw soon lost her sister as her sight became clouded by smoke. "Lilypaw!" she yowled. "Don't be mouse-brained! Come back!"
She thought she had caught a quick glimpse of her sister's plumy tail when she heard a loud crack, and saw a tree hit the forest floor not too far in front of her.
Redpaw ran forward. The tree had splintered upon impact with the ground, but the largest of the branches had fallen on Lilypaw. The she-cat appeared limp and showed no signs of struggling against the branch that had entrapped her.
"No! Lilypaw, get up. Listen to me, you have to get up." Redpaw nudged her sister's soot-stained cheek. "Lilypaw?!"
"I don't think she can hear you anymore, young one." The deep mew belonged to a cat Redpaw had never met before, most likely from MistClan. He was tall and youthful, with short, sleek grey fur and bright amber eyes. He padded closer, stopping beside Lilypaw.
"How do you know?" Redpaw asked, stifling a sob. The stranger pressed his muzzle to Lilypaw's. The forest was silent but for the crackle of flames as he listened for a sign of breathing.
The stranger stood up slowly and shook his head. "I'm afraid that she's with StarClan now." His eyes were filled with sorrow.
"No, she can't be!" Redpaw shoved past him and buried her nose in Lilypaw's fur, from which the warmth was quickly fading. Her sister smelled of ash.
The stranger gently nudged Redpaw away from her sister's body. "I know you wish to grieve, but we need to get away from the fire."
Redpaw stubbornly pressed herself deeper into her sister's pelt and remained silent.
The stranger sighed and picked Redpaw up by the scruff, much to the apprentice's protest. He half-carried, half-dragged her out of the flames and across the border into MistClan territory. Away from the intensity of the fire, the air was already cleaner, and the sun could be seen rising on the horizon.
"Who are you?" Redpaw asked, choked by grief.
The grey tom continued to nudge her forward, walking further into MistClan territory. "I'm Stonestep, a warrior of MistClan."
"I'm Redpaw," she mumbled, staring at the tom's paws. "My sister is- was Lilypaw."
He rested his muzzle lightly on top of her head. "She won't stop being your sister, Redpaw. Lilypaw will always watch over you."
"You think so?" she asked, looking hopefully into the tom's amber eyes.
"I know so," Stonestep purred. "I lost my sister, Leaffur, to greencough a few moons ago. I miss her, of course, but sometimes I can feel her presence around me. I know that I must continue to be the best warrior that I can be in order to make her proud."
"That's wonderful," Redpaw mewed, "but right now I just want to mourn for my sister." She turned away from Stonestep and began to walk back toward AshClan territory.
The warrior followed her, barring her path back to her clan. "You can't go back," he meowed, almost apologetically. "You need to wait out the fire. If you try to go back now, you'll be inured."
Redpaw felt her claws extract, tearing at the ground in her frustration. "Lilypaw died! The worst that could happen to me is that I'll end up with my sister and our parents in StarClan."
Stonestep touched his nose tentatively to her ear. Redpaw didn't move away. "I'm sorry, I really am. But I can't ignore your safety. If something happened to you, there would be no one to blame but myself."
Redpaw was silent for a moment, regarding the tom's words. There was real concern in his voice. When Redpaw opened her muzzle to speak, she found herself somewhat choked by the spreading smoke. "How long can I stay with you in MistClan?"
"However long you need," Stonestep murmured warmly into her fur. "MistClan will understand your situation and make sure you feel welcome."
She nodded and turned to press herself into his warmth. Stonestep purred briefly in surprise, then adjusted himself so that his muzzle was resting lightly on her head again. They sat there for a long time, watching smoke curl above the trees and stray embers spark like glimpses of sun through the undergrowth. Stonestep didn't nudge her onward until they were certain that the fire had died out, and the forest was silent. The two made it safely into the MistClan camp, where Redpaw collapsed into a comforting, mossy nest, Stonestep by her side.
Only then did the rain finally come.