Aria: *waves tail in greeting* Hello and welcome to another segment of Warriors Talk~! Today we welcome a crowd favorite from ThunderClan, say hello to Whitestorm~!

Whitestorm *politely bows his head* Greetings young ones, thank you for having me.

Aria: So Whitestorm has ThunderClan delt with the dogs yet?

Whitestorm: Yes, but it sadly cost us Bluestar's life in the process.

Aria: If I may ask who did Bluestar take for deputy?

Whitestorm: *sighs* She didn't take anyone and may I quote, "Ha! A clan of traitors doesn't deserve to have a deputy!"

Aria: Seriously, nya!? Then who's taking over? *fur puffs out in surprise*

Whitestorm: *sighs* Cinderpelt is looking to Starclan for a sign before all chaos breaks loose.

Aria: That sucks and I hope they answer soon. Anyways back to Rise of FireClan~!


Chapter 8
A New Home

~.~.~

It was getting cold.

Fireheart could feel it bite through his fur that was still growing in it's leafbare pelt. They had just entered a forest that flanked the ranch Orion had called home. They all agreed on one thing that this forest would be perfect and even in the cold and musky scent of decaying leaves the air was rich with the scent of prey. He could hear a brook in the distance as squirrels and chipmunks chattered with the birds. But while they had everything they would surely need here they still needed a place to call home.

"How much farther mama?"whined the chimera she-kit.

"Yeah how much farther?"squeaked the little tom kit.

Fireheart chuckled as he listen, his ears swerving behind him towards the source. Siren's kits were lively but still clumsy and unsteady on their paws as they had only just started learning to walk. He couldn't tell but Sandstorm had said the kits' eyes were slowly every so surely starting to gain their adult colors. He stopped when he heard the tom fall with a thud. "Probably tripped over his own paws again, the little scamp."he thought as he turned around and picked the kick up by the scruff and set him back on his paws.

"Careful now Phantom. Don't go getting too excited or you'll keep tripping."purred Fireheart with amusement.

Phantom chuckled though his ears were flat with embarrassment, "Yes uncle Fwireheart."

"You both are just as impatient as Snake, good grief. We'll get to our home when we get there, Phantom and Empress."purred Siren in a scolding tone as amusement shined in her jewel-like eyes.

The group laughed at this as they continued forward. It was then Longtail decided to speak up, "I think some of us should split up and search for a camp and meet by the brook. What do you think kit? it's your call."

"Hm, that might not be a bad idea. I'll stay with Siren and the kits the rest spread out."instructed the ginger tom.

The others nodded and swiftly dashed off in opposite directions. Longtail with Princess went west; it didn't surprise him as Longtail seemed oddly very fond and protective of the cinnamon tabby lately. Orion went east and Sandstorm went north. Fireheart flicked his tail for Siren and the two kits to follow as they went south towards the brook where they would wait and meet up. Occasionally having to carry the twins when they got tired.


Cinderpelt lashed her tail anxiously as she washed her paws in the stream to clean the blood off her paws. She let out a sigh as she sat there looking at her reflection as a oak leaf dancing in the breeze fell and shattered the reflection. Her clan was in trouble as she had just bid farewell to Mistyfoot and Stonepelt...her late leader's own kits. Bluestar had failed to name a succesor before she had died of exhaustion and nearly drowning. At the last possible moment the leader had turned around, snapping out of her insanity.

But that still left them with a problem: they were without a deputy and without a leader.

They had lost great assets to the clan after Fireheart was exiled and Longtail and Sandstorm had gone with him into exile. That had been moons ago now. Then the next blow had been Goldenflower leaving with her kits and Cloudpaw and even Swiftpaw and Brightpaw. Their clan had become so desperate and small now...was this StarClan punishing them or some cruel twist of fate? The medicine cat did not know.

"Please...give me a sign StarClan. I-I don't know what to do! My clan is falling a apart at the seems and my clan is in turmoil and panic. W-we need a leader..."she mewed as she looked up to the cloudy sky.

They needed a sign.

They needed...hope.


"Hey guys, I got a scent!"squeaked the brown tabby tom, practically bouncing on his paws in delight.

The small group quickly hurried over to the young apprentice aged tom and sniffed things out for themselves. Sure enough there it was; it had changed but there was no mistaking that scent of rich in brambles and maple. That was Fireheart's scent!

"Way to go Bramblekit, and it's fresh too!"praised Goldenflower.

"Score, not long now. They must be in this forest somewhere."mewed Cloudpaw in delight.

"Scourge's little brother? He fights almost as well as Scourge does despite him being much bigger."squeaked Copper.

"Scourge is not small, furball!"hissed Dragon.

"You're one to talk pipsqueak."chuckled Swiftpaw as he poked the kit in the side.

Unfortunately Swiftpaw just said the one thing that sent the little kit flying off the handle.

"WHO YOU CALLING SO SMALL A FLEA WOULDN'T EVEN SEE!"snarled Dragon in fury while being held back by his scruff by Tawnykit.

"Dude, whatch whit!"she mewed through a mouth full of fur.

"Brother's a little um, sensitive about him being a runt."said Copper with a sweat drop.

"Well he's certianly lively and a scrapper. That's a good thing, means he's feeling a lot better."purred Goldenflower as they all ventured into the forest.


Sleeking through the brush as leaves danced on the frigid breeze the pale tabby was walking behind the former kittypet tabby she-cat. Ugh he hate to admit it but she was hot...no bad Longtail get those thoughts out of your head! He shook his head, ears and face hot with embarrassment. Princess wasn't forest born but then why was he so drawn to her? That sleek body that held class and dignity with each step, long fur that looked like bark with her tabby patterns, eyes that burned like embers, and a voice like honey. He swiftly shook his head again.

Damn was he actually falling for the brat's sister?

B-but if she was anything like the brat in terms of potential-and she'd shown she was-then she had a warrior's soul too. Oh the code go and shove it for all he cared, Princess was one fine she-cat! He was shaken from his thoughts when he heard a surprised shriek and a crash. His legs just moved on their own as he raced forward and out of the bushes only to fall flat on his face as well.

"Oh dear you alright Longtail?"chirped Princess as she stood over the tom.

"Shut up, I'm fine."he grumbled as he got up.

His sight was greeted by a true massive oak tree, probably hundreds of years old. It was positively massive as he stared and gawked at the sight of it. No wonder Princess had been shocked!

Princess giggled as she hurried over to it, "Look, look! Some foxes and a bunch of birds seemed to live in the burrows and holes in the trunk once upon a time."

She was right.

Longtail went over to investigate further and there were easily enough dens here for a clan. The scents of predators long gone but the ancient evidence remained. With a bit of work and maintenance this old tree would make the perfect camp! During the warmer moons the leaves would provide easy shelter too from the elements.

"I think this could work, think you can go fetch the others while I inspect a bit more?"asked Longtail.

"Sure. Shouldn't be hard, just follow the scent of water and milk-scent right?"Longtail nodded his head in agreement.

With surprising speed Princess was off while Longtail got to work. He started checking out each den. The one farther up in the trunk was by a massive branch so climbing was easy as he poked his head inside. He sniffed and didn't detect any sign of owl or any kind of birds of prey and thankfully no scent of sickness. This was not a very big den and from his view point he thought it'd make a perfect place for a clan leader. Yes, the brat would love this den. Longtail then climbed back down to check out a area surrounded by tangled roots where some moss and lichen were growing a thick curtain down to the ground. He carefully moved them aside and the area was big with the bark having nooks and crannies by the base of the roots. From the looks of thing you could easily fit at least three or four cats.

Maybe this would make a good den for a medicine cat?

He continued over to a burrow towards the back of the tree that was hidden in a tangle of roots. It was very well hidden he actually almost missed it! Inside was massive with tiny roots coming off the ceiling. You could easily keep kits and queens safely hidden away and warm in here. He sleeked though it to find a connecting tunnel that lead out to two no three different burrows of roughly the same sizes. They would defiantly make good dens for any elders, apprentices, and warriors. His ear twitched as he heard voices outside so quickly he scurried out one of the four exits and came out to see Fireheart and the others.

"Well what do you think guys, impress if I do say so my self?"smirked Longtail proudly.

"Furball I'm the one that found it first!"chirped Princess as she playfully swatted Longtail over the ears with her paw, earning a chuckle from the pale tabby.

Fireheart was already having inspection of his own and it didn't take him long to find each den, letting his other senses tell him everything he needed to know. He eventually came out of the den in the trunk of the tree, calmly lying down contently on the branch as he locked onto the other's scents and voices below.

"Well done, both of you. Everyone we are home."declared the ginger tom in delight.

The remark earned cheers and purrs of delight from the others. Eagerly Siren was shown by Longtail where the nursery was going to be, and she approved as she ushered her kits inside. Sandstorm was fast to take Princess and Longtail out to go mark the boundaries while they worked on gathering prey. Fireheart in the mean time was left to kit-sit while Siren went about getting nests built for everyone. But Phantom and Empress were not gonna just sit idle; they wanted to help. Fireheart assured them there would be plenty of chances as he basked in the sun.

His ears perked though when he heard rustling and the scent of cat reached his nose. He instantly jumped down from his perch on one of the roots and stood on alert as the tiny kits hurried behind him out of fear. Then out stepped from the bushes and ferns Cloudpaw, Goldenflower, Swiftpaw, Brightpaw, Bramblekit, Tawnykit, Copper, and Dragon.

"Uncle Fireheart!"squealed Cloudpaw as he dashed forward practically brawled over the poor blind tom.

"C-Cloudpaw!?"he squeaked in surprise.

Cloudpaw yelped as he felt something dig dull baby claws into his tail." Hey!"

"Lwet gwo of uncle Fwire!"hissed Phantom.

"Yeah weave him alone bully!"snapped Empress.

"Get them off, get these brats off of me!"shrieked poor Cloudpaw as he tried to get them off as he ran around looking positively stupid as he bucked around like a lame horse.

The other laughed at the sight as Goldenflower helped poor stunned Fireheart to his paws. he still couldn't believe his own senses as he finally managed to get Cloudpaw free of two feisty BloodClan born kittens. The poor white tom looked like he had fallen into a burr bush as he sat there panting and eye twitching.

"How in StarClan's name did you find me? Actually scratch that, why are you guys here?"he mewed.

"We left, Bluestar is running ThunderClan into the ground. She refused to make the three of us warriors."meowed Brightpaw. "Swiftpaw decided we should go find you."

"What about you Goldenflower why are you and your kits here and who's are these two kits?"asked Fireheart as he flicked his tail tip nervously.

"The clan kept judging my kits cause of who their father is, particularly Bluestar. I-I couldn't stand it anymore so I left with Swiftpaw with my kits. Before I knew it Cloudpaw and Brightpaw joined us too. We followed your scent for quite some time but ran into some trouble."she informed.

"Yeah then we barely escaped these bunch of weirdos before getting caught by BloodClan."meowed Tawnykit.

Fireheart went over and took a better scent of Copper and Dragon and his eyes went wide. "You two, you're from my brother's clan aren't you?"he urged.

Dragon looked surprised as he looked closer the tom did look like the one their mother had told them about had stayed with them awhile before they had been taken by Plague and MetalClan. "Hey you're Scourge's kit brother, aren't you? Dad told us about you."

"W-wait wait wait hold your whiskers here! Scourge is your older brother Fireheart!?"gaped Cloudpaw while everyone but the two Bloodclan kits gawked at Fireheart.

"Half brother, but yes. That makes him your uncle Cloudpaw and this little ones that so boldly attacked you,"Fireheart chuckled as Cloudpaw just leered at the half-moon old kits, "Are Scourge's kits."

Goldenflower's gaze softened with a mother's love as she creeped over with her stomach close to the ground to be at eye level with the tiny kittens. This was around the time the others got back. Siren looked very concerned as she dashed over stood protectively over her kits. Startling the golden queen in the process. Sandstorm and Longtail were surprised but delighted to see familiar faces as greeting were exchanged. Princess was through the moon at seeing her son again, just showering the poor tom in kisses of a frantic and worried mother. Once everything had settled down Fireheart was fast to introduce Siren, Phantom, and Empress to the others and happily welcomed them into their group. Once the kits were asleep Fireheart pulled them all aside up to his den, amazed they all just managed to fit. He quickly explained not just his situation but also his intentions.

Silence hanged over the den for awhile before all the cats purred in delight with a determined fire in their eyes. They all agreed and offered full support to Fireheart and all decided the clan should be named for Fireheart.

FireClan was now becoming a reality.

But they had a long way to go yet, but the spark was now an ember that would become a roaring flame.

To Be Continued...