Two orange cats raced beside a fence. They were on the edge of Twolegplace, and just over the fence was a sandy area by a lot of water. The two orange cats stopped after jumping over the wooden blockage, both gasping for air and laughing.
"I beat you that time!" the she-cat said, flopping onto the soft grass. The tom shook his head.
"I clearly beat you once again!" he said, poking his sister's side with a claw, "Admit defeat, Jinx!" Jinx giggled.
"Fine Fire, you won," she admitted, hitting him with her tail, "We should keep going. Brenda said that the clans lived near sun-drown place, and it's right over there!" Jinx pointed with her tail at the large mass of water with sand all around it.
"It's amazing," Fire whispered, then shook himself, "Let's go find our brothers!" They headed past sun-drown place to the forest, both excited. Their father, Fireleap, had been a Clan cat, and had told their mother Brenda, a kittypet-turned-loner, all about his old life before he was killed by a monster. Both looked like smaller versions of Fireleap, so Fire hoped that someone would recognize the resemblance and not drive then away. Fire felt a pang of homesickness as he thought of his parents; Brenda had asked then to find their own place, and she thought they could settle in the clans. He shook his head, missing his mother.
"We're headed for Shadowclan territory, which is the pine forest," Fire said, refocusing as they began walking past a farm, "We'll have to pass through Thunderclan territory." Jinx nodded, "Better stay out of sight. I don't want a fight. I just want to meet Bluepaw and Jaypaw. I wonder what their warrior names are." Fire nodded as well. Fireleap had told Brenda about his sons in Shadowclan, who would now be warriors. Everything their father had told their mother had been told to them. They would need every bit of information if they wanted to try to meet these cats.
"Hello!" Fire and Jinx whipped around to see a ginger tom, "I haven't seen you around before. My name's Dwayne, what's yours?"
"He's not a clan cat," Jinx whispered, "Maybe a kittypet?" Fire stepped forward, "I'm Fire, and this is my sister Jinx. We're going to Shadowclan to meet our brothers." Dwayne's eyes widened.
"Wow!" he said, "Reynolds and Nicole told me about the clans, but I've never been brave enough to go find them! I live in the barn with my friends." He pointed at the red nest with his fluffy tail. Fire nodded.
"Well, nice meeting you!" Jinx said as they walked away.
"Goodbye!" Dwayne called after them, "Hope you come back in one piece!" Fire and Jinx exchanged a glance, wondering what he meant by that. They sneaked through Thunderclan territory without anyone finding them, walking confidently in Shadowclan territory.
"How do they stand this?" Jinx asked, shaking mud off her paws, "It's so marshy!" Fire nodded, "Come on, we've got to find a patrol." As if his words has summoned them, they were suddenly surrounded by four cats.
"Rouges!" a black tom growled, "What are you doing on Shadowclan territory?"
"Calm down Sharpstrike," the silver tabby she-cat said before talking calmly to them, "I am Streamspirit. What is your business here?" Fire stepped in front of Jinx, trying to protect her.
"We mean no harm," he said, "Our father was a Shadowclan cat and we just wanted to meet our brothers."
"What Shadowclan cat would abandon us?" a calico she-cat scoffed. The smaller black and white tom beside her nodded. Streamspirit glared at her, "I'll do the taking Spottedfeather, Boulderpaw. Who was your father?"
"Fireleap," Jinx responded, pushing Fire away from her, "Our brothers are Jaypaw and Bluepaw." Spottedfeather stared at them.
"Fireleap is alive?" she whispered, "My brother is alive? He disappeared last leafbare." Fire shook his head.
"He was hit by a monster not long ago," he said sadly. The clan cats were silent, then Streamspirit beckoned them with her tail.
"Come with us," she said. All the cats walked through the pines to the camp, which revealed many more cats. A brown tabby she-cat looked out from a den that had a smell of herbs. A white she-cat glared at them from where she was sitting with a light brown tom. A blue and grey tom and a smokey blue and white she-cat stopped their play fight to look over at the returning patrol.
"Who is this, Streamspirit?" a light brown tom with white paws, underbelly, and tip of tail walked up to them. The rest of the patrol left as Streamspirit addressed the tom.
"Shrewstar, these rouges claim to be Fireleap's kits, and they wish to meet Jaywing and Bluestorm," she said, glancing at Fire and Jinx, "They look just like Fireleap. I believe them." Shrewstar narrowed his eyes at the orange pair, sizing them up.
"There is a resemblance," Fire heard Shrewstar whisper, then said louder, "Very well. Sleetpaw, fetch Breezefur's hunting patrol." The blue and grey tom who had been play fighting nodded and ran out of camp. Shrewstar turned to Fire and Jinx.
"You may stay in our camp and have some fresh-kill. Jaywing and Bluestorm will be here soon," he said, pointing his tail at a pile of fresh-kill. Fire nodded respectfully, and stayed close to his sister as they shared a squirrel. He looked around. A couple of kits were playing outside a well made den, a she-cat watching them. An older tom was sleeping. Jinx smiled, pressing herself into Fire.
"This feel right," she whispered happily, "And soon we will meet our family." Fire licked her head, feeling excited and a bit nervous. When they were done eating, Sleetpaw came through the entrance of camp with a red tabby tom, a younger calico she-cat, and two blue and grey tabby toms. The slimmer one with sharp eyes noticed them, and walked over with the more muscular, friendly-looking one.
"You are the rouges who claim to be our father's kits?" the sharp-eyed one questioned. Fire immediately growled slightly.
"You doubt my word?" he said, struggling to stay calm. He hated being called a liar. The other tom shook his head, stepping forward.
"Forgive Jaywing, he's never gotten over his anger at Fireleap. I'm Bluestorm," he said, dipping his head, "Welcome to Shadowclan. What are your names?"
"I'm Fire, and this is Jinx," Fire responded, "Why is he mad at Fireleap?" Jaywing narrowed his eyes.
"Isn't it obvious?" he sneered, "Fireleap left Shadowclan for no reason, leaving me without a father to cheer for me when I caught my first prey; to praise me when I mastered a difficult battle move; to call out my name at the Gathering and my warrior ceremony! Plus, Sootfur was so filled with grief, she couldn't concentrate on anything! She ended up falling down a steep slope in the river and died! I grieved for him because we all thought he was dead, and I now find out he was with you? You can imagine my anger." With that, Jaywing whipped around and headed to the warriors den where the white she-cat who had glared at them earlier was waiting for him. She licked his ear, whispering to him swiftly.
"I'm sorry," Bluestorm said, "Despite my disagreement with Jaywing on how to react to this news, I'd also like to know why Fireleap left. Did he tell you?" Fire shook his head.
"Some things he kept secret," Jinx said, shaking her head, "I never thought to ask. I'm sorry." Fire licked Jinx's ear; his sister felt guilty, and he knew it. Bluestorm shook his head.
"Don't worry about it," he said, though clearly disappointed, "He never was a great father: very secretive and distant. But Sootfur, our mother, loved him and he was always there when we needed him. By the way, Shrewstar said you could sleep in the warriors den tonight. Ignore the other warriors if they are rude; rouges aren't usually welcome." Jinx and Fire nodded, glad for the change of subject. The three cats talked until nightfall, and Jaywing never came back over. When Fire and Jinx settled down in the nest they had made earlier, the white she-cat snarled.
"Filthy rouges!" she said, "Make sure you stay far away from me! I don't want to fall ill from whatever you carry."
"Frostfire," Fire and Frostfire turned to see Jaywing, "Do not forget these 'filthy rouges' are my brother and sister. I don't appreciate your attitude towards them." Frostfire stared at him, gaping. She then bowed her head, going back to her nest. Jinx approached Jaywing, "Thank you. But, I though you hated us." Jaywing stared at them for a moment, then hung his head and looked away.
"I can't," he muttered, "My father may have left me and made my life much harder, but you brought part of his spirit back. I see a lot of him in both of you, especially Fire. I hope you can forgive me for how I acted before. Frostfire is my mate, and I guess some of her personality has rubbed off on me." Jinx smiled, but Fire frowned.
"That feisty she-cat is your mate?" he stated, surprised. Jaywing smiled, whiskers twitching in amusement.
"You should see her on a good day," he chuckled, "She's always positive and my best friend." Fire smiled, and then settled in his nest beside Jinx, Jaywing heading over to sleep beside Bluestorm and Frostfire. As Fire pressed his pelt to his sister's, he heard her whisper, "Maybe Brenda was right about us staying here." Fire was a little surprised to hear her say that after an emotional response when their mother had first mentioned it, but he understood. As he looked over at his brothers, he felt complete for the first time since Fireleap had died.
"Yes," he thought as he closed his eyes, "Maybe she was right."
Author's Note: Wow! My longest one yet! I'm very proud of Fire and Jinx, who eventually became Firestorm and Sparkflame. They were very loyal warriors and did eventually become friends with Frostfire. :) Why not come join Emberclan? We have role play, challenges, games, and new stuff coming out all the time! It's awesome!