AN: Sorry for the short (and delayed) chapter. I had several versions of this typed up before, and I had to choose between which ones to write. So... yeah. Thanks everyone for your patience and reviews, they're always appreciated!

Chapter 19

For the next few days Ravenflight learned how to master the use of fire. Storm was a good teacher, and somewhat patient enough to deal with her bad temper.

"Ya have to think of the fire as a gift, not a weapon," Storm told her as she stared at the branch he'd pulled out. He even showed her how to snuff a fire out when one started. As firebringers they could do all sorts of things, like walk through fire if they concentrated enough, or create an entire cloud of fire.

Ravenflight breathed in deeply as she thought of the burning flame inside her belly. Her heart was made of fiery spirit, or so Storm had told her. She continued studying the branch until a tiny spark of flame erupted from the edge.

She nearly leaped back in surprise as it flickered against the breeze. Storm's eyes gleamed in amusement as Ravenflight realized what she had done.

"Now ya have to put it out," he meowed. "Just concentrate on the fire and see what happens."

The dark brown she-cat glanced at him warily before nodding. The flame wasn't getting any bigger, much to her surprise.

She continued staring at the branch, thinking of anything that could put the fire out. Heartbeats seemed to pass before anything happened. Then suddenly the flame began to diminish, until it was nothing more than a burn mark on the branch.

"Yer doin' great," Storm meowed once he kicked dirt onto the branch. "Fire is a dangerous gift to have, and ya may be avoided because of it. But don't take it as personal, that's just how cats are."

"I lost a friend because of fire," she muttered crossly.

She remembered how close she and Silverpaw had been. But that was before she had met Riverpaw. Then Silverpaw started padding after Thornpaw, and everything went downhill soon after.

Ravenflight stared down at her paws shamefully. She should have known Silverpaw wouldn't understand her gift. Fire was something most cats feared. Fire destroyed everything in it's path.

With a shake of her head she knew that she would never belong in RiverClan again. Eden was now her home. And the sooner she accepted that, the better off she was.

"You can take a break now," Storm suddenly muttered when he looked over his shoulder.

Ravenflight stared at him in surprise before rising to her paws. She didn't bother arguing after succeeding in putting out a fire or starting one just by thinking about it. With a shrug she simply padded towards the hollow where her nest was located.

She wasn't surprised to see Coal waiting for her, tail wrapped neatly around his paws as he watched her. His eyes were bright with curiosity as she gave her chest fur a couple of licks of embarrassment.

"What are you doing here so early?" she asked after relaxing a little.

"I was just checking to make sure you were all right," Coal replied.

"I'm fine," Ravenflight muttered. She looked away as she thought of what they could say.

Coal was nice and all, but after a while he got annoying. She didn't have the patience for a cat like him.

"So... do you wanna go hunting?" he asked.

"I suppose," she replied with a shrug.

Hunting was something she enjoyed. It would also help alleviate any awkwardness they felt towards each other.

Ravenflight rose to her paws once more before following Coal towards any patch of forest that was left. She was surprised to see new life growing in different parts of the forest. Faint stalks of grass were beginning to poke out of the ash that covered the ground. Coal seemed just as interested in them as he noticed what she was staring at.

"Fire may be considered destructive, but it can also bring new life by taking out the old or weak," he explained. "Mother used to tell us that."

"Fire has only destroyed when I use it," Ravenflight grumbled.

"That's because you're still learning how to use it," Coal meowed. "Don't worry, you'll soon know how to control it."

His last words had come out as a purr, but Ravenflight knew that he doubted her abilities. After all she wasn't born in Eden. She was just a descendent. And a halfblooded one at that. If she knew anything it was that HalfClan cats were always cast aside and treated like foxdung. In a world like this, she knew that she would be treated no better if everyone found out where she came from.