I would like to thank the readers for their comments.
And in answer to Briarwing's question, yes, I will be accepting cats.
Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out.
-Falconface
Fire
Dustpaw woke to the fading sun casting deep shadows across the forest. She could remember a blurry image of herself running through the forest after finding out her clan was... dead.
The last words stuck in her mind. Her clan was dead. How could something be so simple and yet so hard to believe. And even harder to understand was why she was still alive now. Why hadn't that tom killed her, it was so easy for him to simply rake his claws down her throat, and yet he hadn't. Why?
Dustpaw shook her head. She had been so confused the night before, not really knowing what she was doing or why. But now she had the desire to meet these new cats, and find out what was really going on.
She tasted the air to find their scent and was surprised to find a cat close by. Really close. She glanced up at the top of the ravine where the young black tom was crouched in the shadows.
'He followed me.' She realized.
Silently she climbed the steep side of the gorge and sat down beside the tom. Neither spoke for a long time.
Finally the tom glanced at her. "Are you going to go try to kill yourself by going after EmberClan again?"
"EmberClan?" She asked. "Are those the warriors that killed my clan?"
The tom nodded. "That would be them."
"So what are you doing in NightClan territory?" She asked cautiously.
"Tracking EmberClan." He replied simply. Then the tom stood up. "We better go back to the others. Rain should be panicking right about now."
...
Rain was pacing back and forth in the clearing of camp, her face full of concern.
"Could you relax for once?" Asked Birch, a large white tom. "They said that they found Scar's scent mixed with her's, which means that he probably already found her."
The gray tabby she-cat ignored him, casting worried glances at the sky, where the moon slowly making it's way towards the horizon. Suddenly the bushes at the edge of camp rustled. Two cats came out of the shadows and were greeted by the rest of the clan rushing forward
Scar pushed his way out of the crowd. His usual grumpy expression plastered on his face. He didn't say anything as he headed for Fire's den, paying no attention to the world around him.
Rain glanced at him. Scar was always this way, wanting to be alone from everyone.
Rain then focused on the black she-cat. The wounds on her pelt were almost healed, making thousands of questions spin in Rain's head.
Finally she managed to push herself to the front of the crowd. She then began to lead the apprentice back to her den despite the she-cat's protests.
...
Dustpaw winced under the sharp sting of the herbs. The gray she-cat, who Dustpaw assumed was the medicine cat, was going through herbs at the back of her den.
"So..." Began Dustpaw. "Who are you?"
The she-cat looked at Dustpaw. "My name is Rain." She answered.
"Rain, why did EmberClan attack my Clan?" Demanded Dustpaw.
Rain shook her head. "I don't know." She whispered. "But everyone you see in this camp had their clans killed because of them."
"You mean they kill entire clans for no reason?" Murmured Dustpaw.
Rain nodded. "It appears to be that way. For about three seasons now, we've been tracking EmberClan. Each time they destroy a clan, they leave one survivor. You are one of those survivors. But it is rumoured that EmberClan will kill only six more clans. We hope that by then, their cause for this destruction will be clear."
Dustpaw glanced outside. She silently realized that if that black tom hadn't stopped her, she would've been killed by EmberClan. If they could kill off this many clans, than it seemed like they might never be defeated.
Another thought crossed her mind. "That black tom. Who is he?"
"That's Scar." Replied Rain, as she returned to sorting through her herbs.
Dustpaw thought back to the small tom. He had many scars that covered his pelt. The name did suit him. She looked back at Rain. "I was wondering if I could speak to your leader. Just to understand some things."
"I guess you can talk to Fire. He's in one of the dens across the camp." Answered Rain.
Dustpaw got to her paws and trotted across the clearing. A tan coloured she-cat who had been talking to a white tom, caught sight of her. "Hey!" She called, coming towards Dustpaw. "I'm Dawn!" She meowed in a friendly tone.
Dustpaw dipped her head in greeting. "I'm Dustpaw."
"Nice to meet you Dustpaw! So you going to join The Fallen?" She asked.
Dustpaw blinked. "The Fallen?"
"That's who we are!" She meowed, gesturing to the make-shift camp. "We are The Fallen, avengers of our clan! Someday, we're going to stop EmberClan!" She made it seem so easy. Her happy tone making it sound like it was nothing.
"Dawn!" Called the white tom. "Stop annoying her, she's been through a lot lately."
"Don't worry Birch." Purred Dawn. "I was just curious."
"I was just on my way to talk to Fire." Interrupted Dustpaw. "I need to go."
Birch and Dawn meowed a goodbye as Dustpaw padded away.
Finally she reached the leader's den. She was about to call a greeting, when the leaves covering the entrance rustled. The black tom, Scar, strolled out of the den. He ignored her as he went over to the small fresh-kill pile, and selected a freshly caught sparrow.
"Come in." Called a voice from inside the den.
Dustpaw entered and stared at Fire. His pelt was orange, like the warriors that invaded her Clan. She couldn't help but make a comment on it. "Your pelt... it looks the same of the warriors that attacked my clan."
Fire avoided her gaze as he answered. "It's because EmberClan was once part of my Clan." Dustpaw's eyes widened at this news. After a slight hesitation, he continued. "I was a young apprentice of FireClan when the division between cats started. Warriors began to take sides. Our leader never really took the feud seriously, and the separation between the clan grew deeper. One night, the opposing cats attacked the rest of the clan, killing them all. As a young apprentice, I had never really taken a side. But when the battle came, I fought with our leader. When all our clan was dead, for some reason, I was spared. I followed them, in hopes of finding the answer to the madness." He shook his head sadly. "But all I found, was more destruction."
Dustpaw felt sadness for this cat. His clan was the reason other clans were being destroyed. "I would like to join The Fallen." She meowed suddenly.
Fire looked at her. "Then there is one thing that you should know about us." He paused before continuing"As avengers of our clans, we decided to take the names of our clans."
Dustpaw nodded in understanding. "Then I guess you can call me Night."
Please note that from now on, her name is Night, and will no longer be called Dustpaw.
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