A/N: Warriors is the property of Erin Hunter! Please support the official release.

Ch.12: What Was Lost (Part 4)

"May we travel with you?" Fireshade asked.

Graystripe felt his chest tighten as they awaited the WindClan leader's answer. The flash in his eyes said that Tallstar knew it was tactfully way of telling them that they needed help. Nevertheless, he looked at Fireshade steadily until finally nodding. "Yes. Thank you."

"This is Graystripe," the orange warrior meowed, pointing his tail to his companion. "And I am Fireshade. We are warriors of ThunderClan."

"Fireshade," repeated Tallstar thoughtfully. Sunlight was flooding through the gap in the roof now, making Fireshade's orange pelt glow in the dim tunnel. His sturdy body emphasized the illusion of a powerful flame. "The name suits you."

Another monster roared overhead. Graystripe flinched, but Fireshade seemed to be caught up in holding Tallstar's gaze. It was as if he was searching for something, but Tallstar didn't seem to notice. Or he was ignoring it. "We shall leave at once," was all he said.

While the black-and-white leader turned to inform his Clan, Graystripe nearly pressed against comrade as he whispered, "What's wrong with you?" He tried to use his usually lax tone, though his concern poked through.

"Do you want just one thing?" Fireshade whispered back with amusement in his green eyes. Though overall, his expression gave away nothing.

He's deflecting again, but he's good at it.

"How about at this current moment-"

Tallstar's call interrupted them. "Are we ready?"

A black tom with a misshapen paw looked around the Clan and answered for them. "Ready," he meowed.

"We're not home yet," Fireshade meowed, not being able to push past Graystripe fast enough.

"Stop doing that!" Graystripe hissed lowly.

The usually cheery tom caught up with his stone-walling friend at the tunnel entrance, with WindClan little ways behind them. "Don't just ignore me!" He reiterated.

"Not now," Fireshade growled at him warningly while WindClan emerged blinking into daylight.

Graystripe's shoulders were near-trembling with indignation but he forced his fur to lie flat. Whatever the case, they had a Clan to see back to the forest. They couldn't afford to disagree openly. We'll have a grand argument once we're back at camp if he keeps this up! Why wouldn't Fireshade trust that Graystripe would only ever want to help him?

Tallstar padded out of the tunnel last of all and walked to the head of his Clan.

"Shall we take the way we came?" Fireshade addressed him coolly. "I believe it's a shortcut."

"Is it safe?" Tallstar asked.

Graystripe saw the hunted look once more in the leader's eyes. "We meet no trouble coming here," he meowed, forcing the last of his agitation away to sound stoic.

Tallstar flicked his tail decisively, as though he were brushing away any doubt. "Good," he declared. "You come with me, Graystripe. Show me the way. Fireshade, travel beside the Clan. Tell my deputy if you see trouble."

"Which one is he?" Fireshade asked.

Tallstar nodded toward the black tom. "Deadfoot," he meowed the warrior turned at the sound of his name and pricked his ears.

Fireshade dipped his head in greeting, before disappearing into the crowd with the deputy.

Graystripe couldn't help wondering why Tallstar had picked him to walk beside him. Anyone could see that the orange ThunderClan cat was leaner and more confident (or arrogant). He pushed the thought aside and began showing the leader the way back to their homeland.

They made their way back towards the arching Thunderpath. The stink of fire filled the gray feline nose, but he was grateful that the Twolegs themselves had gone. Graystripe headed straight for the tunnel where he and Fireshade had spent the night. Somehow, that felt like ages ago. The Clan pushed onto the grassy field before the final Thunderpath. Most of WindClan was right behind them. Deadfoot and Fireshade were dragging behind for some reason.

"How far do you think we can get before sunset?" Tallstar asked him suddenly.

"W-well," Graystripe stammered a bit. It still felt a bit strange to be talking to a rival-Clan leader, even if they were allied for the moment. Tallstar had a sense of regality to him to that would not be ignored. "I think we can get little over half way there if we keep up our current pace.

The older tom nodded, his whiskers twitching in faint amusement. He set off into the long crisp grass ahead once Fireshade and Deadfoot emerged into the field. "Try to relax," he suggested over his shoulder. "You're doing fine."

The ThunderClan cat's ears folded as he followed. There was no reason he should have been embarrassed by Tallstar's words, but he didn't like that he was so easy to read. Unlike a certain orange tom.

Before they were even partway across the field, it was clear that many of the cats were having trouble keeping up the pace. "Tallstar!" Deadfoot yowled. "We need to travel more slowly!"

Graystripe's tail twitched as he looked back at the further bedraggled Clan. Well, so much for over halfway…

Fireshade went over to one of the queens and offered to carry her almost-newborn kit for her. She hesitated only a little before trusting the now soft-eyed warrior.

Tallstar slowed the pace, but only a little. Despite his obvious exhaustion, and the fact that every rib showed under his fur, he burned with a fierce energy that lent swiftness to his paws. With the sun steadily climbing over the horizon, it was easy to understand his urgency. Some of the WindClan casts were sick, some old, and all of them were weak from hunger. If they were going to cross the Thunderpath without losing any cats, it needed to be soon, before monsters came in their swarms.

It didn't take long for them to reach the acrid-smelling trail.

"We cross the Thunderpath here," Tallstar announced above the noise of a monster racing past. The WindClan leader squeezed under the hedge. Deadfoot, Graystripe and a young warrior followed him.

A few moments later, Tallstar and Deadfoot sat staring wordlessly at the wide gray path. Graystripe stood beside them, trying not to feel queasy from the stench. Fireshade caught up to them, no longer holding the tiny kit.

Graystripe flicked his tail to the younger warrior. "This is Onewhisker," he introduced to Fireshade the cat he'd had met just a minute ago. The sound of a monster roaring past made his words almost indistinguishable while whipping up stinging dust.

With watering eyes, Fireshade greeted Onewhisker and turned his attention to the Thunderpath. "We should try to get the Clan over in small groups," he reasoned. "Graystripe and I will stay with any that need help." He looked at the Clan leader. "If you agree, Tallstar," he added.

Tallstar nodded. "The strongest group will go first," he declared.

With equal parts tension and diligence, the ThunderClan duo kept watch for breaks in the lines of monsters. The Clan slowly made its over to the other side, the elders being the slowest about trying to move quickly. Fireshade saw the queen called Morningflower and her kit across the path himself.

Graystripe had to carefully nose the old cats across, their stiff, battle-scarred legs making movement burdensome. Fireshade assisted in aiding them to safety. The noise of an approaching monster grew louder and louder. Just a little more; their almost safe!

With time being of the essence, Fireshade grabbed and hauled one elder across by the scruff. Graystripe quickly went to do the same to the old cat closest to him when his instincts made him turn to witness the monster hurtling toward him only a few fox-lengths away. His blood ran cold as the world slowed, but there was no way for him to move in time!

His mind raced as he faced his final moments. The memories of his Clan and friends rushed by in a bittersweet haze as his body clenched and his eyes closed. His heart wept for the experiences he'd never gain. The solace it took was knowing that he would see Lionheart once more. He waited for it all to stop.

But it never did.

Instead, Graystripe felt hot wind sweep past his face and heard the monster impact into something else.

A/N:Read, Fav, Follow, Review! Thanks a million for all that you do!