Chapter Two: The Departure

A little after moonrise, Hazelflame and Fivepaw emerged quietly from the camp. With them was a third tom, Littlepaw, a friend of Fivepaw's. Littlepaw, having just been made an apprentice a few days before, was very friendly and inquisitive, and had consented immediately when they asked if he would like to come.

"Hazelflame?" someone whispered, "Is that you?"

"Yes," Hazelflame answered, "Is that you, Berrypool?"

The blue-grey she-cat emerged from the bushes, followed by a very light fawn-colored tabby, also a she-cat.

"You know Violetleaf, don't you?"

Hazelflame did know Violetleaf, in fact, he rather liked her.

"Of course he knows me," Violetleaf purred, her green eyes shining, "Don't you, Hazelflame?"

"Why, um, yes," Hazelflame stammered.

The red-fawn warrior was saved from a rather awkward moment by the appearance of a small dark grey tom.

"Who's that?" Hazelflame asked, wondering if they might have been discovered.

"It's Hawkfang," the other cat said grumpily.

Hazelflame felt confused. Why Hawkfang? The moody grey warrior hardly seemed the type of cat to go off on an adventure on this sort. Apparently, Berrypool felt the same way.

"What are you doing here?" the she-cat mewed.

"Lionpelt's going," Hawkfang said, "And where Lionpelt goes, I go too, like it or not."

"I see," said Hazelflame, although he did not. At that moment, Lionpelt himself appeared, followed by no less then three cats.

Hazelflame recognized a dark tabby tom called Brackenstripe, a fairly sensible cat, as well as a good fighter. The other two were both apprentices, a light grey tabby called Swiftpaw, and a dark brown tom, Acornpaw.

"Now we just have to wait for Bigstorm," Hazelflame said.

They waited for long time. The moon rose to the middle of the sky, and still Bigstorm did not come.

"Great StarClan!" Hazelflame growled, "Where is that blasted Bigstorm?"

As if on cue, the grey warrior came racing up out of the gloom. With him was another tom, Silverfur, so called because of his light silver pelt.

"I'm here, Hazelflame," Bigstorm said, "I've brought Silverfur. I thought I was going to get a few more, but that Toadclaw fellow started following me, and demanding to know what I was up to, so this is it."

Suddenly, a group of warriors came up and stopped in front of them. They were led by the deputy, Hollythorn. He did not look happy.

"Bigstorm?" Hollythorn asked.

"You know me," Bigstorm answered, "And I know you, Hollythorn. What do you want?"

"You're under arrest," Hollythorn said bluntly.

"Arrest?" asked Bigstorm, "Whatever for?"

"Inciting mutiny, for a start," Hollythorn said, "I expected better from my former apprentice, Bigstorm, I really did."

Bigstorm growled and lunged at Hollythorn, knocking the surprised deputy off his paws.

Hazelflame, Silverfur, and some of the others took that as their cue, and they swiftly sent the other cats packing.

Only Hollythorn was left. The grey tom backed away, but he did not run.

"Go," said Hazelflame, "Or we will kill you."

"It is you who will be killed," Hollythorn said. Then he turned and raced away.

"He won't be long in coming back," Hazelflame said, "We'd best go now."

"If you'll take my advice..." Bigstorm began.

"If we stay here any longer, I shan't be able to," Hazelflame replied.

Without another word, the little group of cats turned and raced away from ThunderClan, and all they had ever known.

How far they ran that first night, Hazelflame never remembered. The next thing he remembered was waking up in daylight in a field of tall plants, with Fivepaw twitching and moaning in his sleep nearby. Concluding that this was what had awakened him, Hazelflame lay back down and tried to fall back to sleep, but soon gave up on the idea, due to Fivepaw's constant nonsensical jabbering.

The red-fawn tom stood up stiffly and looked around. Through a gap in the plants, he saw a small hill, and a small light fawn colored cat sitting there. It was the tabby she-cat, Violetleaf. Hazelflame trotted over to her.

"What do you see out there?" he asked.

Violetleaf jumped, but when she saw him, she smiled.

"Oh, Hazelflame, it's you. Come and see."

Hazelflame joined her, and saw a great woodland stretching out before them in every direction, or so it seemed.

"Where are we going, Hazelflame?" Violetleaf asked.

Hazelflame sighed.

"I don't know. But I'm going to take care of all of you."

"Really? All of us?"

"Always," Hazelflame said, "I promise."

Fivepaw awakened, eyes wide with fright after a terrible nightmare.

"Hazelflame?" he squealed, "Where are you?"

He looked around, and saw Hazelflame curled up asleep next to Violetleaf.

"Great StarClan!" Fivepaw breathed.

Violetleaf stirred and then sat up.

"Hello, Fivepaw," she yawned, "Lovely evening."

"Yes, it is," Fivepaw agreed.

"I'm going hunting," Violetleaf announced, "Want to come?"

"Sure."

He followed Violetleaf out of the field, but stopped at the edge to sniff for danger, while Violetleaf went on ahead.

Too late, Fivepaw saw the huge hawk swooping down, talons outstretched.

"Violetleaf!"

But she was gone.

Even worse, Hazelflame and Bigstorm emerged from the field at that same moment.

"What's wrong?" Hazelflame asked.

"Violetleaf's gone," Fivepaw said, still in shock.

"What?" Hazelflame cried, "No! Not Violetleaf!"

The red-fawn tom turned and raced off.

"What's wrong with him?" Bigstorm asked in confusion.

Fivepaw could only shake his head.

Yeah, I know she was a warrior and the hawk shouldn't have been able to lift her, but she was little, OK. Like, really small.