Red-orange light cast slithering shadows over the looming mountain range. Tendrils of darkness cascaded over six pelts as the tight clump weaving through the densely packed trees. Buds of silence bloomed, only shattered as a stray paw cracked an unnoticed twig. Harsh panting furthered the lack of a noiseless environment, aided by preachings of sore body parts and hunger pains. It had been yesterday since they had last eaten, the lack of prey around this area unnerving. If this prevention of food continued, tempers would flare and the remaining journey wouldn't be a pleasant one.

"Hurry it up, would ya?" a sharp, agitated bark cut against the speech void. The voice, of course, was referring to the figure dragging their paws at least a fox length behind the one ahead of them.

Fallenpaw trudged on in the front, determined to keep the group on the right path as he led them through the forest trail. Mistpaw lay comfortable upon his back, the strain of the day too much for her frail body. Overexerted, the orange and white tom offered his back as a place of rest. Currently, the gray she-cat was sleeping peacefully, carefully watched by her brother as he strode alongside. Wildpaw sauntered a few paces behind, thick furred crown tossed over his shoulder, forest green eyes glaring tiredly at what lay beyond the sleek pelt of their medicine cat.

He felt a pang of worry when the mentioned cat's head didn't falter immediately. Instead, it swung low with a depressive aura. Their paws continued to scrape lazily against the earth, gathering tiny sticks and bits of dry soil in their pads. Flicking his ears back, he caught the hints of a soft murmur, but it was incoherent.

"Either say it louder or stop dragging your paws and get up here, Flarepaw!" the cream tom growled in exasperation, relieved when her head snapped up, distressed irritation flashing in her amber pools.

"I said, I'm tired and hungry! You can't expect me to keep pace with you all the time. Some of us have shorter legs!" To emphasize her point, she halted completely to sit back on her haunches, waving her suspended forepaws wildly. The other chuckled half-heartedly, amused to find the reddish female still her hot tempered self.

"Wildpaw, don't antagonize Flarepaw," the orange and white tomcat sighed from the front. "Flarepaw, be patient. We're all hungry and tired. We've been walking for over a day and none of us have eaten since we set out. We should try and cover more ground though, just until night falls. I doubt any of us want to stay away from our Clans much longer. I know I miss eating hare."

"What I wouldn't give for a nice fat eel," Floodpaw's mouth salivated at the thought. It had been who knows how long since he or Mistpaw had eaten something from the seas they hailed from. It made his heart ache at the thought of being away from home so long. Seafoam and Quivertail must be so worried, he mused internally, starting to drag his feet.

"Ick," Flarepaw's lips curled back into a sneer of disgust, her coal stained legs moving at a quicker pace to, reluctantly, catch up with the rest of the group. "Eel, fish, hare- all revolting. Nothing tastes quite like a cave mouse- body temperature naturally warmed to accommodate the heat of the caves themselves."

A loud growl rumbled behind them. All halted mid stride, eyes wide as moons as they glanced over their shoulders to stare confusedly at the source.

"A-Anemonepaw?"

The brown tom had his head bowed, teeth gritted and body physique tense. "Can we just stop talking about food?" he bit out, timbre sharp and leaving no room for argument. The conversation was clearly affecting his mental state.

"You mean like us all wanting to sink our fangs into a plump, juicy fish?" Floodpaw took it another step further, eliciting another pained growl from the brown tom's empty stomach.

"You mean little meddie cat gets hungry just like the rest of us?" Flarepaw couldn't hold back the smirk of satisfaction.

"Well duh!" sage eyes flashed with aggravation. "I haven't eaten since yesterday morning either. As I said before, I'd appreciate it if you stopped talking about eating while we're all starving. It won't help us mentally or physically."

The conversation hung in the air, vocalizations slowly losing tone to the overlapping wave of silence. Speeches came to a halt as their paws continued moving against the brittle ground. Walking patterns were nothing alike; quick and short or long and purposefully slow. Fatigue clung to their eyes, hazy optics drifting downward to the earth. It would only be a matter of minutes before the exhaustion pushed them to the point of collapsing then and there.

"How much further?" slurred the stumbling MagmaClan apprentice.

"Not much," the orange and white BlizzardClanner yawned in response. By now he had let Wildpaw lead, the strain of Mistpaw on his back more than a little overwhelming. He was tired- they all were, but even mighty leaders had to accept their limits and know when it was time to back off a little.

The dark gray tomcat padding on the far right sighed mournfully, "Did we really go the entire day without eating?" A moan of confirmation answered him, realization dawning over the cream cat in front.

"And we'll go another day if it means getting closer to the Clans," Fallenpaw meowed weakly, trying to sound determined but failing with the addition of recent energy burnout.

"What's the point? MagmaClan mountains aren't exactly easy to traverse. Not to mention, the Clans probably think we're dead. So I repeat, what's the point?"

"The point is to return to our homes, Flarepaw," an upset emotion flashed through dull yellow eyes- an unusual sight in the eyes of its host as said cat whirled around. Floodpaw was an unusual character. Oftentimes he seemed aloof and lacked sensibility. He planned that waterside relaxation stunt with his sister- the duo both oblivious to seriousness. So when his optics hardened into stone, brow creased and muzzle crinkling, the sight of a disgruntled Floodpaw was certainly unnerving. "We all have families. Families who miss us very dearly. A proud mother and strong father- probably distraught over losing us. The point is, we all have lives to return to. You can't expect us to just walk away from that."

Another lapse of void encased the woods around them. Scarcely breathing, the felines looked around at one another as if gauging their emotions on the matter thrust upon them mere seconds ago. It wasn't long before their gazes settled on one cat in particular, her pelt tussled and ragged from the wind and nature's gifts. Said pelt bristled, the owner's eyes darkening as her head slumped. A low growl resonated in her throat, a muted guttural cry.

"Family," she scoffed bitterly, plump tail twitching against the forest floor, warping into thought. "I have no family. Smoke, Blackshadow- dead. My parents? Who even knows anymore? Alive or dead it doesn't matter. They obviously didn't care enough about me to come looking after all these moons. As for life in the Clan? Don't even get me started. Day one in that pit was a living nightmare. Constantly teased and berated for everything I did, it was a wonder why I hadn't run away. You want to know why I never went through with it? Because I was a stubborn, worm-hearted coward who sought nothing but respect and admiration from her 'clanmates'. But it didn't matter in the end- they all hated me. They doubted my loyalty countless times, despite my attempts to prove it. I was a loose end, volatile and untrustworthy. I was never a true MagmaClan cat. So in the end, I have no life there. No parents. No family. No life." By this point, she had taken a few steps back, as if shying away from the inevitable fate.

"Flarepaw," Fallenpaw called her cautiously, noting her actions as she distanced herself from their society circle. "Don't -"

"Don't what?" Flarepaw snapped, amber gaze bubbling with newfound rage. "Don't leave? Stay here with me? Stuff it! Save it for a she-cat that cares. Save it for Mistpaw!" Her lip pulled back in a revolted sneer, accenting the other female's name with blatant repugnance.

"Don't bring my sister into this!" Floodpaw warned harshly, sidestepping alongside Fallenpaw to protect the little ball of sleeping gray fluff.

"Or what? Scared she'll run away again?" The challenge was set and no one was backing down.

"Flarepaw, calm down. Your temper's flared and it's unhealthy. We're all hungry and tired. If we just take a rest we can put this behind us," Anemonepaw interjected, frowning at the turmoil unraveling around him.

The reddish she-cat snarled furiously, "Take a hike, leaf-eater!"

Uncalled for, the medicine cat apprentice speculated, his own muzzle subconsciously contorting into a scowl.

"Guys? What's going on?" a sleepy meow ceased the current squabbling. Floodpaw instantly was at her side, rubbing his coat against her's as she slid off Fallenpaw's broad back. He meowed reassuringly, "Nothing sis, Flarepaw's just throwing a tantrum again."

"Don't put the blame on me, worm-faced fiend!" Flarepaw spiraled out of control, emotions erupting like an active volcano. Feelings of pure fury rolled off her pelt in massive surges of explosive energy. It was too far late in the game to force her to calm down. What happened in the next few minutes wouldn't be decided by a level head- rather a muddled one. "I've done nothing! Your worthless flea of a brother started it!"

"Please refrain from insulting my brother," Mistpaw sniffed worriedly, already teary eyed at the intensity of the other she-cat's profanity.

Wildpaw stepped in. "Please just try and calm down. I'm sure if we all just take a break -"

"No!" her screech shook leaves in the trees. "I'm done trying to calm down! I'm done with taking breaks! I'm done with everyone telling me what to do! Well guess what? I'm making my own decisions! And my first is to disband myself from this pathetic band of optimistic saps!" Angry tears leaked from her eyes as she glared defiantly at the shocked group of gasping felines. She took in a shuddering breath and added in a calmer tone, "I'm leaving. I should've done this a long time ago. Don't follow me." Without a moment for argument, she turned sharply on her coal marked legs, darting away from the party as fast as said legs could carry her.

The remaining five stood in complete shell shocked figures. Bodies shook with horror, eyes wide with sudden realization.

Flarepaw was gone.

Their party of six was missing one.

And then there were five.


Apologies for it's obvious shortness. I wanted to make it longer but my mind wasn't quite set in it's awesome detail state. That'll probably be once the holidays are over and I have more inspiration.

Also, this is the start to the spiraling drama. I did say it would get progressively bumpier, did I not? But sadly, it'll only get worse for a few more chapters. I've got it all planned out in my notes and you'll have a semi-happy ending. No other spoilers!

Until the next update,

- Snarky