Cinderpath felt a sharp nudge in her side. The pretty little she-cat looked up, seeing long expanses of field, seeming as if it were WindClan territory. Fireheart was standing there, his eyes not on her though. That was rare. Usually, even during battles, they were side by side, and Fireheart was even irritatingly protective of her state of affairs. So something must be terribly wrong. Cinderpath padded up by his side, watching a slender tortoiseshell smile at him sadly, her sweet voice not far away.
"Fireheart, you are my beloved. So long we have been separated, and soon we will be together again."
"What, Spottedleaf?" questioned Fireheart, prickling "You're coming back to life?" She smiled knowingly, the pretty tortoiseshell beginning to fade into a soft mist of sparkles. "Spottedleaf, come back!" he begged, the tom falling to the ground in surrender. Cinderpath blinked in surprise. She had never seen Fireheart so sad or weak. He looked frightened. Cinderpath bristled a bit, her blue eyes murky. What was going to happen? Spottedleaf was coming back? or was something else happening? She blinked. Where was she, anyways? Suddenly, it was all dark. In a strange flourish, one little star fell, then the next, the next, them all surrounding Cinderpath in a lovely swirl of colors. Each color broke off, becoming a cat. Sandstorm was right in front of her paws. She blinked. How had that happened? Suddenly, that same voice from before came in Cinderpath's mind. Redtail!
You have been given a gift, young warrior. You can see into their dreams. Use it well… use it with wisdom… Cinderpath blinked again. First she had been hearing voices, now this? Was Starclan really showing her a message? In front of her paws curled Sandstorm, shifting in her sleep, gently tapping the tips of Cinderpath' s alarmed, outreached claws.
A murky color filled Cinderpath's view. Where was she now? Was this Sandstorm's dream? Suddenly, a loving meow interrupted her thoughts
"Oh Fireheart…" It was, unmistakably, Sandstorms voice. Turning her head to the two ginger cats in the otherwise abandoned warriors den, Cinderpath had to suppress an mrrrow of laughter. The two cats licked each other gently, their cheeks and pelts brushing lovingly. This Fireheart was not the same as the one Cinderpath knew. His shoulders were slightly broader, and his ear was torn less than how it truly was from the harsh battle with Riverclan many seasons ago. But who was Cinderpath to judge Sandstorms detailed fantasies of her dream tom? Cinderpath chortled again, and then let she drift out of consciousness.
"Cinderpath! Stop kicking" hissed Brakenfur, nosing her roughly. Cinderpath blinked slightly "And get up! Dawn patrol!" Cinderpath nodded slowly, stretching as she linked her tail with her brothers.
"With whom?" she asked. He responded with his steady, low voice
"We're going with Sandstorm and Longtail." Cinderpath nodded. She stepped out of the warriors den into the scorching heat. Sandstorm and Longtail were out there, but Sandstorm was giggling and talking with their handsome deputy, and Longtail was just softly licking his paws. A slight arm breeze ruffled Cinderpath's fur, but it only succeeded in warming and drying her out even further. Cinderpath sighed and padded to Sandstorm and Longtail.
"Let's go." Sandstorm shook her head slightly.
"The plans been changed. We're going to get water for the kits and elders." Cinderpath nodded.
"Longtail and Fireheart will go to hunt." Cinderpath smiled, glad she was doing something. She wanted to help her clan in any way possible. The two she-cats nodded to each other. The two able warriors took a few shreds of moss the queens and kits had already dried out from drinking out of them. Sandstorm trotted slightly ahead of Cinderpath, her head raised high and proudly. The slightly older she-cat glanced suspiciously at Cinderpath,
"Can I ask you a question, Cinderpath?" Cinderpath's ears perked slightly, looking at the other she-cat, the moss strips in her mouth wiggling. The littler grey she-cat nodded
"Of course you can ask me something, Sandstorm. Is it about anything particular?" Sandstorm nodded, her eyes suddenly narrowing
"Why do you keep trying to steal Fireheart away from me?" Cinderpath's ears flattened to her fluffy grey head. What was Sandstorm asking her? She wasn't trying to steal anything, or anyone, for that matter. The little grey she-cat suddenly felt a thick ginger weight on top of her, Sandstorm shaking with violent fury. "Stay away from Fireheart. He doesn't need you. You're just a filthy little apprentice." Cinderpath attempted to bite at Sandstorm, but the she-cats pale green eyes were filled with fury.
"Stay away from him." She demanded again. Cinderpath whimpered softly, nodding her head. An almost evil smirk curved around Sandstorms pretty features. No, it was evil, Cinderpath decided. Sandstorm was insane from her love with Fireheart! Cinderpath nodded again, not wanting to fight her clan mate,
"Good" Said the ginger cat calmly, stepping off Cinderpath and grabbing the moss in her mouth again.
Cinderpath and Sandstorm padded into the camp, holding dripping strips of watery moss. As they padded in, a yowl sounded across camp
"Fire, there's fire in the camp!" Cinderpath's eyes widened. They needed to get everyone out, she immediately decided, the clan running into a frenzied panic. Bluestar leapt upon the Highrock, calling out. "Make way to the river!" Almost all of the cats obliged. Fireheart, however, seemed to not be present. Maybe he was already out? Cinderpath hoped so. The young she-cat looked around, seeing the ugly bright bandit beginning to coil into their camp. Immediately, she began to make sure all cats had gone, knowing the warriors should make sure the rest of the clan was able to leave properly. Most of the warriors and other cats were gone, except… A soft mewling came from a burning branch, the fire hungrily climbing up the sapling of a tree for young Bramblekit. Cinderpath leapt, her teeth catching in the young cat's scruff, the flames licked her foggy grey leg though the she-cat could tell it was attempting to thoroughly bite it off. The dusty grey warrior coughed as smoke brushed her eyes, but she held her teeth tight to Bramblekit's scruff, holding the little tom kit to her chest to soften the impact of the flames on him. Another deep, raspy cough echoed from the medicine cat den, at the same time as Fireheart's ginger shape seemed to appear above the smoke-filled horizon! He looked at Cinderpath, who met his bright green eyes with her own pools of blueness. The two cats set a secret nod, and Fireheart slipped into the medicine cat den, pulling out a smoky body of Halftail the elder, who was moaning in pain. The two cats nodded once again to each other, then ran from camp, Fireheart dragging Halftails body best he could, and Cinderpath trying to cover little Bramblekit's mouth. They ran from the burning territory, Cinderpath feeling large chunks of her cloudy fur slip away, but she continued running. The rest of the clan was obviously across the river, where they all stared openmouthed at the two cats from Riverclan camp. Feeling pain coursing through her, Cinderpath was only apparent on keeping little Bramblekit safe. They both looked at each other, Fireheart jumping into the river first, landing with Halftail's limp, burned body on the stepping stones of the river, his back legs in the rushing river, pulling the ginger tom sideways. Cinderpath felt her mouth drop open, rushing to help her best friend. He was fruitlessly pulling himself up, while Halftail's body lay on the stone, the weight pulling the young deputy down ruthlessly. Swarms of foam swirled into Fireheart's ginger fur, but Cinderpath couldn't help. She tried to scrabble down the muddy ledge to where the river bubbled, but young Bramblekit was already in her jaws and because she was sandwiched between Halftail and the river, Cinderpath couldn't help Fireheart. She lay down Bramblekit on Halftail's flank, leaning over to help Fireheart. He stretched out his neck, trying to let the smaller she-cat bite his scruff. But, then a voice called out.
"Get the kit, apprentice. I'll take care of the real work, like always." Sandstorm was still hung up like this? Cinderpath was trying to save the clan, but all Sandstorm cared about was the younger cat stealing her mate? Ignoring any hostility the other she-cat had towards her, Cinderpath carried little Bramblekit's tabby body over the stepping stones, letting Goldenflower take her kit, as she scrabbled up to the Riverclan territory, just outside the camp. A few Riverclan cats stared at the bedraggled ThunderClan, their eyes filled with hostility. Mistyfoot, a pretty silvery queen, was talking with the warriors, helping the wounded to their medicine cat. But why wasn't Yellowfang there? Bluestar was speaking with Crookedstar, the two leaders chatting in hushed tones as the cats watched the forest overcome with flames. Fireheart and Halftail were dragged up, Fireheart half-soaked and panting, Halftail's body was smoldering and fur was falling off his pale brown sides to reveal pink skin. Sandstorm began helping Fireheart limp to the medicine cat's den. Cinderpath gingerly grabbed Halftail's scruff, dragging him along to the medicine den. A few thoroughly burned cat's lay there, Mudfur tending to them quietly. Cinderpath padded in as well, pulling in Halftail. Mudfur took the elder without saying anything, his eyes meeting Cinderpath's, stricken with grief. The grey warrior smiled faintly at Fireheart, who had a salve covering his legs, and a little bit on his side. Cinderpath looked at Mudfur, and he widened her eyes upon seeing her. He bustled over, away from Halftail.
"And who might you be young warrior?" He questioned, looking her over gently for burn marks.
"Cinderpath" she replied, with a burst of pride. It was the first time a cat from another clan had seen her as a warrior.
"Oh, I believe I saw you as an apprentice!" He chortled "You're a sweet cat. You saved that kits life, you know. But your burns are pretty severe." Cinderpath nodded, smiling, though it pained her face. She wondered how she looked right now. Was she covered in burn marks, fur falling off as much as she had felt? She limped next to Fireheart, laying down on her unscarred belly, letting Mudfur soothingly run his paws over her burns, even some on her face, around her muzzle and her ear. The cool lotion stung her burns, and the she-cat bit her sandy tongue. Fireheart chortled slightly at her over exaggerated facial expressions, his bright ginger pelt mostly intact.
"You were very brave back there, Cinderpath..." he complemented softly. She smiled and nodded tiredly, gently licking his shoulder.
"So were you… You saved Halftail's life." He smiled
"But you saved a newer life. If you had had to drag out Halftail's body, you would have fallen worse than me, with how skinny you are…" He teased, poking a paw into her unscarred piece of flank, which made the grey she-cat yelp. She chuckled, but Fireheart looked serious.
"Cinderpath, you could have died in there. And if you did… Well, I might just die too." Cinderpath's blue eyes widened in alarm. Was this what Sandstorm had been talking about. Did Fireheart really fancy her? He smiled slightly, brushing his tail against her flank gently. Cinderpath turned her head away, her ears hot.
"Fireheart... we can't. Look, Sandstorm really likes you… She's a sweet she-cat, and…"
"She scares you?" He interrupted mrrowing softly. Cinderpath scoffed
"N-no!" He smiled.
"Don't worry, darling. I won't let her hurt you." Cinderpath giggled girlishly. Had he really just called her darling ?
"Oh, enjoying the company, Cinderpath?" A sneering voice interrupted their flirty little banter. Fireheart's green eyes widened slightly
"Hey Sandstorm." He grinned slightly, sending a secret wink to Cinderpath, who tried to hide the fact that she wanted to go run off into a hole and die right this second. Sandstorm snarled slightly
"You guys are quite the heroes, you know. Too bad you saved an elder and a kit, not the medicine cat!" Fireheart blinked
"Yellowfang isn't here?" Sandstorm shook her head, her eyes cold at the couple.
"And it's all Cinderpath's fault. She could have taken another cat!" Cinderpath gaped at Sandstorm. Was she really blaming the loss of their medicine cat on her? Obviously, yes.
"Well, I didn't see you saving anyone's life!" exclaimed Cinderpath, and then emitted a soft squeak, realizing how insulting she had just been.
"Ugh!" shouted Sandstorm, letting out a feral hiss and raking her long, seasoned claws over the younger she-cats face. Cinderpath gasped, feeling warm and pain searing through her.
"Sandstorm!" Called Fireheart, but she was already storming out, her tail swishing side to side angrily. Cinderpath shook out her face, seeing blood drops fall to the ground. Mudfur ran up to her, looking at Sandstorm
"What happened?" He demanded in a hushed tone, but the ThunderClan warrior only shook her head, and then let him gently apply herbs to her wounds. Fireheart licked Cinderpath's shoulder again.
"Don't worry, I'll talk to her." He muttered gently, but the she-cat didn't say anything, feeling salty tears sting her watery blue eyes. Fireheart coiled his tail with hers, the ginger tom licking her gently.