The nightly heavens twinkled, the silver pelt across the sky in its beautiful fashion, along with it the great place of StarClan. But tonight was unlike any other. Tonight the sky was stained a orange, a fiery orange that spread throughout the forest. Cats could be heard yowling from all directions, in fear, pain, panic and confusion. A light grey tom sped through the trees, his gold eyes watering from the ash and smoke. StarClan had not alerted him of this fire that would plague the Great Forest. The trees, once as black as the coldest leafbare night were being devoured one by one. A loud crack above his head caused the cat to screech to a stop and look up. A flaming branch had fallen, and was heading straight towards him. His fur bristled and his shoulders haunched, awaiting impact. The wind in his fur soon picked up again, something painful in his neck followed by a heavy thud behind him. Confused, the tom opened his fear driven eyes and looked around. Up above him, gripping his fur between his teeth was a powerful green eyed calico tom.

"Thimblestar!"

The MistClan leader! What was he doing saving he, Sootclaw, the RockClan medicine cat? His unspoken question was relieved with a muffled meow.

"We are all working as one now, for the time being. This fire is too great so we have no choice but to run."

Nodding, Sootclaw waited patiently as the calico lowered him back down to his paws.

"Can you run?" Thimblestar asked.

"Of course I can! We can exchange tongues later."

The elder cat swished his tail in agreement, then pointed towards a less fiery path before them before taking off in a blur of movement. Sootclaw followed suit, keeping a couple taillengths behind him. Leaping and bounding over debris the ash in his lungs kept threatening to drag him down if he dared inhale another puff. Ducking under one last fallen tree the two cats burst onto a open plain. The light grey tom gasped for air, looking behind him, ears alert. It was faint, but the sounds of dying and panicked cats could still be heard yowling for miles. There were excited cries from MistClan as one by one they realized their leader had emerged from the horrific blaze. Two pawsteps later the calico fell over, those cries soon becoming fear driven. Sootclaw wasted no time rushing to the tom, looking him over. Joining his side was a pure white tom whom he recognized as Featherpath. There were only so many cats that had two eye colors, and the MistClan medicine cat was one of them.

"We need water, but there's no way I'm going back in there." Featherpath stated, looking back to the smokey forest.

"I don't even know if we can find water out here Featherpath, I've never been to this side of the woods." Sootclaw took a breath. "If there are any StormClan cats with us, do any of you know where we can find water?"

One by one the cats looked between one another, and then it became apparent. There were no StormClan warriors to be present. The two cats, realizing that they would be unable to prevent this death sat and held vigil. Soon the entire group held vigil, heads bowed. After what seemed like an eternity, an annoyed meow broke the silence.

"Where have you mousebrains been, we've been looking for you ever since we cleared the forest!"

With an angry hiss Featherpath whipped around to see who dared break the vigil. It was Echostar, the leader of StormClan. The she-cat did not look too pleased, her dark brown bristled in anger.

"We've been waiting ages on the side of the forest and we didn't pick up on a single pawstep! Then we find you all hanging out over here!" Echostar growled.

"Yeah, you've got some nerve!" A tan and brown tom chimed in.

"Shut up Pinemouth, before you live up to your name!" She spat back.

"That is enough Echostar."

The two medicine cats looked down at Thimblestar, who coughed twice. He had a bit of struggle getting back up onto his paws, but once he did Echostar's tune changed.

"Thimblestar! I didn't know you were here!" She cried incredulously.

"If you observed the situation once in a while, you would be able to pinpoint the smaller details." Thimblestar spoke with a sigh.

He turned his head back around, looking over at the sea of cats. Counting himself, the arrival of StormClan and all that was present, there were only twenty cats accounted for. There used to be hundreds. All gone, consumed by the blaze that had destroyed their home. His tail swished, dismissing the medicine cats before raising his voice.

"Clan leaders, to me. I hear by call a meeting for all the clans."

It would be days until the next full moon, but this was a matter that could not be ignored. Once everything was as it should be, Thimblestar began.

"Today...is the day the day our home was stolen away. We have lost good friends, allies and rivals, and so much more. We cannot return to the forest, prey has been dwindled down to nothing, no doubt. We have to find a new home."

"And go where?!" A cat cried from the small crowd.

Worried and anxious comments called from the crowd, the discussion growing louder and louder when a smaller she-cat spat.

"Quiet the lot of you!"

The crowd fell silent and looked back towards the leaders of the clans, their eyes filled with worry, fear, dread, confusion. A black she-cat leaned in towards a cream colored she-cat, who nodded.

"Silentstar suggests that a warrior from each clan to step forward as a search party. They will given the task of searching the lands beyond to find us a new home." The cream she cat spoke.

It wasn't a start, but every cat seemed to agree that it would be better than stand around and wait for something to happen.

"Silentstar nominates Cloverflight for the task. Cloverflight, do you accept the request?" She continued.

From the crowd a brown she cat with hints of white stepped forward, bowing her head in acknowledgement.

"I understand and accept her task Berrycloud." Cloverflight mewed.

One of the other leaders stepped forward, a dark brown tabby in very similar appearance to Echostar, but was smaller in size.

"I, Troutstar nominate Dewstrike. Do you accept the request?"

A snow bengal she-cat bounded forward, her green eyes anewed with excitement.

"I accept!" She chirped, tail swishing, "I won't let you down Troutstar!"

Nodding solemnly she let Echostar take the stand, who scanned the crowd in a bored manner. To her this plan wasn't going to work, and they were just wasting their time.

"Hailpool, are you present? I'm sending you to go with the others." Her tail swished as she spoke, still scanning the crowd.

A pure white tom silently weaved his way through the crowd, slipping beside Dewstrike who watched him with wary green eyes. Finally the fourth leader, Thimblestar resumed his place up front, looking out on the crowd once more before announcing his nominee.

"And I nominate Mudlark. Is he here during this time?" The calico spoke with a clear calm voice.

The cream and orange tom joined the others, they were an odd bunch, one could say that, but the leaders were confident in their choices.

"It is settled then." Berrycloud spoke for Silentstar, the RockClan leader whispering words into her ear, "Medicine cats, prepare these cats to the best of your abilities with what you can find. They'll be gone for several moon rises, if I may guess. This meeting is adjourned."

The cats, both in the crowd and the searching party began speaking with one another again, looking between each other and that. As Thimblestar padded back over to his clan Featherpath trotted up to him.

"Thimblestar, wasn't that..?"

"My eighth life?" The leader interrupted in a quiet tone, so no other cat could hear, "Unfortunately so Featherpath."

The white tom's eyes saddened. To know that his leader's next death would be his last saddened him. He looked over to Ivyrain, who was talking with Windfang, a RockClan warrior. Even before Thimblestar welcomed Featherpath into the clan MistClan and RockClan shared the strongest bond, despite the number of battles and disputes they have had in the past.

"Are you certain that Ivyrain should become the next leader of MistClan? Is she even ready?" Featherpath asked.

"More than certain." Thimblestar replied with a twinkle in his eye. "There's a reason why I chose her."