••••••Chapter One••••••
•Flames… Smoke… Burning flesh… Screams of terror and pain… They all consumed the small, gray-dappled she-kit. From the darkness, bright flames danced in their taunting heat, dark smoke spewing from the fire to choke her senses. Although Ash couldn't see anybody, wild screeches of terror erupted from every direction. The five-moon-old kitten let out a yowl of confusion, charging in a random direction. Her flee from the yowling voices was cut off as a flaming tree fell out of nowhere, crashing to the ground. Rancid, burnt flesh arose from under it, and Ash let out a cry of terror.
•Suddenly, all the fire, smoke, screams, and horror froze in place, as if turned to ice. Ash looked around, confused, until all the strange images faded away slowly, until darkness once more consumed the land. Strange word echoed softly from the darkness, the voice a course, rough, yet warm murmur. Ash perked her orange-tipped ears as she strained to hear it. "I-I love you…"
•Ash woke up with a start, her crystal blue eyes snapping open. The darkness was gone in a simple blink, more familiar surroundings comforting the small kit. Yawning, she lifted up her small, furry gray head. Looking around, she didn't spot either of her two older companions in their small, musty den that had been formally owned by a fox. The kitten shivered, fear still tingling her pelt and causing her to bristle. She had been having the same nightmare for the past moon, and she could only wonder what it meant.
•Curious as to where they went, the she-kit got up and arched her back into a stiff stretch, before padding out into the beautiful leafy forest outside. The sun shone past the many leaves and dappled the forest floor, most of which was covered with the leaves that fell from the same trees season after season. Birds sung and danced overhead, crickets chirping to the melody. A soft breeze flitted through the forest, brushing past Ash as she sat down right outside the den.
•Knowing she wasn't allowed out of the small Camp, Ash obediently waited for her two den-mates, Rose and Dragon. The kit swished her tail around, kicking up some of the dead leaves. Instantly all over them, she pounced on the nearest one. The movement caused another to stir, and one of her white paws flashed out and batted at it. Suddenly, a movement on the other side distracted her as a leaf tumbled over the others. Abandoning the other leaves, she crouched, wagging her haunches high in the air. Ash watched the flying leaf carefully, pretending it to be a mouse, before yowling a squeaky battle-cry and pouncing on it. Pinning the leaf to the ground, she growled cutely, sliding her only half-sharp claws into the already dead plant.
•"Uh oh! Looks like our big bad hunter's taken down yet another juicy bit of prey!" An amused voice from behind the she-kit caused Ash to start, whipping around in joy as she recognized whom it belonged to. An orange Bengal adult sat, gazing down at her with soft, leaf-green eyes, a plump vole in her jaws. Growling playfully, Ash jumped up and down, batting at the swaying prey above. The she-cat let out a mrrow of laughter, raising her head to hold the vole up higher. "Now now! You wouldn't want to bruise your lunch!"
•"Common Rose! Put it down!" Ash laughed, her stomach rumbling in hunger. Rose leaned over and set the vole down, allowing the she-kit to dive in and tear off a scrap of the flank. The flavor of the juicy vole filled her mouth, and she finished off her small portion quickly. Licking her lips, she gazed up in admiration to the hunter that caught that delightful piece of prey.
•For the few moons Ash had lived so far, she always considered Rose as her mother. Although Rose told her otherwise so many times, always laughing warmly when the she-kit called her 'Mommy', she had taken care of Ash and protected her like a real mother would. Ash remembered the story that Rose and Dragon had told her countless times in the past of how they found her, a small bundle of fur camouflaged in the bed of ash that surrounded the Lake.
•According to them, they heard that a fire swept fiercely through the forest and moorlands as fast as a cat in pursuit of a rabbit. From rogues and other loners, they knew that there were massive amounts of other wild cats living in that forest when it happened, and Rose and Dragon took one sunrise and one moonrise of travel to make it to the lake they had been to only a few times before. They searched for survivors, but all the cats they found that belonged to the massive groups were dead, burnt to death or drowned in the lake. Well- most of them anyhow.
•The one survivor they found was Ash, a small gray kit that didn't look like it had been born more than a day ago. Normally a kit would have died by then of cold and lack of care. However, fate worked differently for Ash. The ashes created by the former ThunderClan Nursery had burned down and surrounded her, creating an even temperature. She had food in her, because she nursed well before the fire killed her real mother. She didn't choke because a breeze somehow brought just the slightest bit of fresh air in, and no hot coals, sparks, or ashes touched her because she was half-way in a small hole in the cliff side. She was truly lucky to live.
•Ash gazed up at Rose with big, glossy eyes and a small, cute smile. She knew making that face can get her anything her little heart desires. The older she-cat looked down and laughed, nuzzling her forehead.
•"Fine, fine. I'll tell you a story." Mrrowing with laugher, Rose gazed up into the clear skies, warmth in her eyes. "Let's see… I've already told you the one about how we found you about a million times, as well as the time we fought off a fox from our territory…" "I know!" Ash gazed up at her with excited eyes, fidgeting from where she sat, her paws moving up and down in a paced motion of excitement.
•"Sit still young one! It's time to tell you the story." Rose purred, amusement in her voice. Ash took a deep breath and calmed down. She loved the stories Rose told, they were always exciting stories of adventure and action. "The story of how Dragon and I met.
•"I've always lived in this forest, all my life, and I was determined to defend the small territory with my life. As you already know, this use to be my mother's territory before she died. I wouldn't give it up if it killed me. Anyway, I was out hunting, when all of a sudden I heard an intruder. I quickly leaped up in a tree to see who it was, because the scent alone only told me that it was male, adult, use to live in a pine forest, and had rabbit for lunch. The cat I saw was a humongous dark grey tom, speckled with black flecks. You can say that it was love at first sight.
•"However, an intruder was an intruder. He ignored the scent markers I left, and now he must pay. Knowing that he was easily twice as big as my small features, I took him by surprise and used it to my advantage. I leaped down from the tree, landing square on his back! And boy was he surprised as I raked my claws down his back and leaped off to the side before he could counter. As if a blur, my paw snapped out and claws sliced his cheek when he tried to defend himself. Dragon was always a peaceful cat. Didn't like fighting if it wasn't necessary. And because of that, he didn't land a single blow on me.
•"When he didn't fight me back, I got confused and continued attacking him. All he did was dodge, never landing a single blow. Finally, when I got exhausted, I stood in front of him snarling, hoping to drive him off with a scary face and a few threats. However, the Tom claimed my respect when he just sat down and started licking his wounds. He ended up staying the night in my territory, and for the next few days, he kept his distance, only approaching me if he saw that I was in a good mood. Soon, we became great friends. Sharing the territory, I was soon expecting kits!"
•Ash cocked her head as Rose continued. She had never heard this story before, and she thought it was funny that the two mates quarreled when they first met. Listening carefully, Rose went on to tell about how leaf bare came and a fox killed the kits. Enraged, Rose and Dragon both fought side by side and drove the fox out with scars to remember them by. That story the she-kit had heard a few times.
•"Ooooh! I love this story!" A deep voice sounded from behind Ash, catching her off guard once more and making her flinch. Whipping around, she dashed over to the dark Tom that padded into the small clearing, his head ducked and a lopsided grin on his face.
•"Dragon!" Ash cried happily, loping over and rubbing herself against his cheek in welcome. But then the she-kit drew away from him, her glossy eyes pools of confusion as she looked behind him. A strange calico cat staggered beside him, leaning slightly against his shoulder. Dragon's gaze quickly grew dark and serious.
•"Here, lay down…" He murmured, lowering the obviously hurt cat down. Ash stared in horror at the she-cat; most of her fur had been singed completely off, and her eyes were half closed and glossy as if she was dying. Rose gasped in horror, and suddenly Ash felt teeth in her scruff. Limply, she allowed herself to be carried into the den and set down on her small mossy nest.
•"M-M-Mom… W-Who is th-that..?" Ash whispered, the image of the calico cat laying in Camp half-dead filling his mind.
•"Shh-shh-shh, little kit… It's going to be alright… You just need to stay in here for a while, kay?" Rose murmured in her ear soothingly, giving her a quick lick on the forehead. Ash nodded, looking down at her paws with sympathy. Rose left, padding back to Dragon and the strange she-cat.
•Ash could only here bits and pieces of what they were saying, but she heard Rose and Dragon discussing fiercely about something. 'Lake… Fire… Groups… Cats… Fire…' Those were the only words that Ash could make out. Instantly curious, her fear was forgotten. 'Those words must mean something about those groups of cats at the Lake that were wiped out by the fire! Maybe that strange cat is one of them!' She thought to herself.
•Ash slowly padded up to the entrance of the den, as silently as she could be. Peeking out, she tried to keep low so she wouldn't be caught listening in. She was still obeying Rose; technically she was still half-way in the den. The words were clearer and more obvious now, but Ash still strained to hear them.
•Suddenly, Ash jumped up in fright, her eyes wide as straight when she lifted herself just a little higher to see better, the strange calico's sharp yellow eyes snapped open, a crazed look to them. They shifted over to where Ash was laying, and she stiffened in fright.
•Rose and Dragon followed the cat's wide eyes to Ash, and suddenly, the cat spoke for the first time. The cat would recognize the fiery orange color that tipped Ash's ears anywhere, and the darker gray flecks also marked Ash as one familiar subject.
•The cat summand up the last strength she had in her already dying body. Eyes wide in pain, she just managed to speak her last sentence before she choked, and her eyes grew glossy. Ash hadn't even been this horrified in those strange dreams. The cat's words scared her down to the core.
"Keep the memory alive, Ashfur, Squirrelflight! LET THE CLANS LIVE ON!"