Me: What's this I'm marathoning!? *gasp* So here we are for another segment of Warriors Talk, live here from the Moonstone. Please welcome Gorsepaw.

Gorsepaw: *is now a StarClan spirit and is in depression corner*

Me: Oh dear, um Gorsepaw we're live...

Gorsepaw: Why? It's not fair! DAMN THAT BASTARD WHY! *sniffles and bursts into tears*

Me: Oh my, it seems gorsepaw is still dealing with some uh...personal issues so we'll just jump right into the next episode.

Gorsepaw: T_T

Chapter 10
Ignite The Flame

~.~.~

Cinderpelt sighed in relief as she sat the bask of the weak glow of the moonstone. Sleeping by it was the short golden brown tabby pelt of Brackenfur. It had come as a surprise to the grey crippled medicine cat when she had found a branch of bracken in front of her nest. The medicine cat was pleased and relieved as were the clan had finally gotten a sign from the ancestors. Just in time too as when they arrived it had shown signs it was gonna start snowing.

Before Brackenfur had left with her he had been fast to name Whitestorm as deputy in case something went wrong while they were ears perked as finally the tom began to stir in his slumber, his paws twitching before his golden eyes opened groggily.

"Well how did it go brother?"she mewed.

"They accepted me as our clan's leader, Cinderpelt."he yawned.

Sure enough Cinderpelt could see the very faint star shaped scar set between her brother's eyes. Proof and approval of the trial he had endured while he got his old life stripped away and given nine new ones in it's place. But as it stood her brother would be weak with fatigue from the ceremony. Gently she lead her brother out.

It was time to take Brackenstar home.

Fireheart mumbled in his sleep as he tried to shove away whatever was disturbing his slumber. He turned so his head was snuggled up to his sleeping mate's belly. Ghost huffed as she started prodding Fireheart in an effort to wake him.

"ome on, wake up Fireheart!"she hissed.

"Hmmhmp...no I don't wanna play mouse...zzz..."he mumbled turning again.

"I'm not joking aroun' here Fireheart, wake up!"Fireheart groaned as finally the tom opened his sightless green eyes and yawned.

"What? it's moonhigh for crying out loud, Ghost. What's so important to wake me up at this StarClan forsaken hour?"yawned Fireheart grumpily.

"I need you to come with me, those starry cats were in my dreams."This instantly got his attention.

Fireheart gently nudged Sandstorm causing her to wake, "Hm...what is it Fireheart, dear?"

"I have to head for a bit with Ghost. You and Longtail are in charge until I get back."Purred Fireheart softly as he licked his sleepy mate between the ears.

Sandstorm gave a tired nod and nuzzled her mate before returning the kiss between his ears. "Stay safe, dear. i'll see you in the morning."she purred before curling back up to sleep.

Fireheart nodded towards Ghost and hurried out of his den and down the tree with nebelung she-cat in hot pursuit. Ghost soon took the lead, not saying a word. But Fireheart couldn't understand where she was taking him. That is until he heard and smelt running water. Was it the same creek that branched off into the brook at the heart of their territory? Sure enough they came to a stop on the rocky banks of the creek. The sound of falling water not far from them.

Was this the source of the creek?

"We're here Fireheart. Those starry cats wanted me to bring you here."she mewed as she waded into the water and jumped onto the boulder.

Understanding now hit Fireheart; there was no need to tell what he had to do. Slowly he walked over to the water and crouched down as the moon shined overhead. and cast it's reflection along with the stars onto the shimmering surface. He then started to lap at the cool clear water before he felt himself grow heavy and collapsed to his side out cold. Ghost watched quietly as all around her should feel an unseen massive presence all around them, whispering on the breeze.

Fireheart opened his eyes to find he was standing on a massive hill. A crisp, warm greenleaf breeze blew that felt soothing and comforting to the young tom as it smelled clean from a recent rain storm. It felt nice against his freezing, weak, shivering body. As he stood up he watched as all around him stars fell from the heavens to land around him in the form of counts generations upon generations of cats.

"What is this...?"he muttered as he scanned his gaze around the area.

"Welcome Fireheart."came a familiar purr.

Fireheart turned on a dime with hurt and fury in his eyes as he locked onto the source of the voice's owner. It was Bluestar standing at the head of all the souls of Starclan that had gathered. If she was here he knew one thing was for certain...she had lost her final life.

"You! What right do you have to be here?"he snarled with fangs bared as his fur bristled from old wounds to his heart that had started to heal now begin to "bleed" once more.

Bluestar had seen the look of disgust and pain in her former apprentice's eyes. She felt ashamed of her actions. It was her fault, she had accepted that...and it was a mistake she'd have to bare for eternity until her time came to fade away. But still the russian blue mix gathered her courage and went towards the tom. She had hurt him, both physically and had every right to feel angry, she knew that.

"Fireheart I will not ask you to forgive me. I was blinded and my eyes refused to see and refused to hear just how fortunate I was to have you and my clan's support. It cost me many things, I see that now."she mewed, now standing barely even a claw's length away from the tom that looked at her with such pain. Gently she stretched out her neck to touch her nose to his forehead, "With this life I grant you diginity, clarity, and forgiveness. Use it well my old apprentice to not let your feelings cloud your judgement."

At those words Fireheart felt everything of Bluestar's life flow into him. Some of it was sharp and painful, but smoothed into a motherly sort of warm, causing tears to flow from the ginger tom as he broke down then and there. It was soft but just loud enough through his sobs for the blue-grey she-cat to hear, "...I forgive you." With that done Bluestar left to make way for the next cat, a sad smile on her face.

The next to come over was a large golden tabby tom with a gentle but firm sort of look to his face as he gently lifted Fireheart's head by placing his paw under his chin. "Lionheart."mewed Fireheart earning a smile from the tom he had first met as a young kittypet.

"Hello Fireheart, you have been through much but I'm proud of you."purred Lionheart before he touched his nose to Fireheart's forehead and to the tom's surprise it burned like the flames that engulfed ThunderClan moons ago. "With this life I give you courage, use it well in defense of your clan."

Like a lightning bolt a shock ran through him from his skull and down his entire being. He felt the fury of a lion as if he had been tossed into danger to protect his clan. It felt like eternity before he was given a chance breath, his legs trembling as the golden tabby vanished back into the sea of starry cats. One by one they came and the process repeated itself. Redtail gave him a life for justice, Silverstream gave him a life for loyalty to what he knew was right, and Runningwind gave him a life for tireless energy. Brindleface had been a shock of dismay to young Fireheart to be seen here; it meant she had died some how. She gave him a life of a mother's love, which had shocked him at just how frightening and fierce it was in reality. He quickly made a mental note was he crouched there trembling not to go and piss off Goldenflower and Siren and if it ever happened...Sandstorm.

The next to come over was another shock and it broke his heart; it was Gorsepaw. The tom he had help to carry back to WinDClan territory when the apprentice was no more then a tiny kit at his mother's belly. Gorsepaw had simply smiled and gave him a life for mentoring. Spottedleaf came next and gave him a life for love. Then lastly came Yellowfang, whom gave him a life of compassion.

"Great going idiot, you got us captured by a clan patrol!"

Reedpaw wasn't impressed as the dawn light shined weakly through the bare trees that were caked in frost. A faint snow had begun to fall not long ago as well. The older black tom had sneaked away with Stormpaw and his sister, Featherpaw while the adults were still fast sleep back at Orion's barn. Now here they were being ushered away by a pale tabby tom with a unusually long tail, some cinnamon and white tabby she-cat, a white tom, and a black and white tom.

Great, just great!

"Not my fault somebody alerted them by stepping on a twig!"spat Stormpaw back.

"Would you brats shut up! I have no quims about knocking you out and dragging your sorry tails back to camp!"hissed the pale tabby.

The trio were quick to listen; for now they would just have to behave themselves towards these FireClan cats. It did not take long before they soon reached a glade with a ancient oak tree. For Reedpaw and the younger apprentices the sight was both amazing and intimidating. A snow white queen with odd-eyes was tending to four kits as they played. Then there was the pale ginger she-cat lounging on a branch by what looked like might have been at one point an owl den.

"Oi, Sandstorm we caught a couple of trespassers!"meowed the white tom.

"I can see that, Cloudpaw."Sandstorm quickly leaped down and hurried over. Upon closer look she was surprised and instantly distinguished the trio. "Wait you two you're Greystripe's kits! And you you're Mistyfoot's little one aren't you?"

"What? seriously!?"meowed the pale tabby as he got a better look. "I thought they looked a little familar."

"Fireheart will be excited when he gets back with Ghost."purred the black splotched tom.

"Wait, I'm confused."chirped Featherpaw, "How do you know us?"

Sandstorm laughed at the younger she-cat's baffled expression. While Stormpaw and Featherpaw looked confused Reedpaw seemed to realize much quicker.

"Wait a minute you're Sandstorm, Longtail, Cloudpaw, and Swiftpaw. You all vanished from the forest."meowed Reedpaw.

"Vanished? Ha, I wouldn't say vanished kit. We left by choice with the exception of Fireheart."snorted Longtail.

"I'm gonna go hunt with Cloudpaw, that ok Longtail?"mewed Swiftpaw.

"Go ahead kit."chirped the pale tabby in approval.

Cloudpaw and Swiftpaw both gave each other wide grins of delight before racing off back into the forest. Princess and Longtail along with Sandstorm decided it would be best that Greystripe's kits would be taken to wait in Ghost's den while Reedpaw taken to the guests' den with both dens guarded. Much to the young apprentices' protests. But until Fireheart returned it couldn't be helped.

By the time it was close to sunhigh Ghost sleeked through the brush while supported an exhausted ginger tom that now bore StarClan's mark on his head. The small, faint star shaped scar of one entrusted with a clan. The group noticed this right away and cheers and excited yowls echoed through the glade into the forest.

Firestar of FireClan had returned.

To Be Continued...