Chapter 16: Fire turns fur into Ashes

I race towards the camp, weaving through the trees. I need to warn Firestar! Jaypaw is following me, though I can feel him falling further behind. I slow down a bit so he can catch up, but he pushes further than me. "You don't need to slow down for me!" he growls as he passes. I run with him to the camp, and we burst into the clearing.

"Firestar, we need to leave the camp!" I yowl.

The ThunderClan leader runs out of his den. "What?" He meows, alarmed.

I see cats coming out from their dens, looking worried as well.

Firestar looks around. "What's wrong, Featherpaw?"

I realise the whole Clan is waiting for my explanation. "I-um..."

Graystripe shakes his head. "Featherpaw." He warns.

"No wait. Firestar, we have to evacuate."

Firestar frowns. "What's happened?"

I look up at the highest tree on the top of the ledge. "That tree is going to fall into the camp, it's loose!" I bluff.

Spiderleg bounds out of the camp and a few moments later, he's sniffing cautiously at the tree. He looks down at us. "She's right. The bark is peeling off and it's leaning to the side. Something could easily make it fall into the clearing."

The cats look at me, surprise in their eyes. The rain starts to fall a little heavier.

"Firestar! The tree is creaking!" Spiderleg yowls.

Brambleclaw, Firestar, Dustpelt and Graystripe start getting the cats out of the camp.

Jaypaw runs to the medicine cat den and comes back with catmint. "We can't let these go to waste. Go check the dens!" he meows to us.

I'm already on it. I head to the nursery, while Hollyleaf and Lionblaze go to the Warriors' and the Apprentices' dens.

Daisy is still sleeping in her nest, snoozing soundly. I nudge her gently. "Daisy, we need to leave the camp before a tree falls on it. Come on, quickly."

She gets up, and we get out of the camp, and I let Mille go ahead, towards the lake.

I hear lightning strike suddenly, then a creaking sound. I step back. Where are Jaypaw, Hollyleaf and Lionblaze? Are Ashfur and Squirrelflight in there?

The tunnel bursts into flames, and I look around frantically. There were other tunnels to the camp! I just had to find one...

I go to the left of the camp wall, but everything is already on fire! The flames lick the leaves above, and they catch fire.

I see a grey pelt through the flames, Ashfur! I take a few steps back, before having a running start and leaping over the fire onto a log. He doesn't even notice me as he sees Squirrelflight, Jaypaw, Lionblaze and Hollyleaf climb up from a tunnel.

"Ashfur! What are you doing?" Squirrelflight meows.

"Squirrelflight, I've always loved you, but you hurt me when you decided to leave me for Brambleclaw. Killing you wouldn't be enough to make you suffer the way I did. There's only one way-"

I cut him off. "Wait, Ashfur. Do you think hurting Squirrelflight's kits is going to ease the pain for you? How will you be able to live with yourself if you kill these innocent cats, which have done absolutely nothing wrong to you?"

Ashfur frowns. "Wha- How did you-"

"Ashfur, look out!" Squirreflight yowls.

The branch of a tree cracks and falls onto Ashfur; I watch him yowl, but I close my eyes as he burns alive. I try to block out the sound of his pain and death. There's nothing I can do you help him.

He rolls off the log and onto the ground, and Squirrelflight nudges Jaypaw and Hollyleaf to get to me. Hollyleaf leads him over to us, and I look at the flames that are blocking our only way out. We need to make it. We have to.

"It's about a tail length high. I'll go first." I jump over, skidding on the moist ground on the other side. Hollyleaf, Jaypaw, Lionblaze and then Squirrelflight follow me.

We run the whole way back to the lake, and I see Firestar running over to us. "Are you okay? We can't find Ashfur."

I quickly glance at them before answering. "We didn't see him on our way out."

Rain starts to soak our pelts as we stand on the shore of the lake. Leafpool and Jaypaw are making sure everyone is okay.

Graystripe pads up to me. "It's a good thing we left when we did. If we didn't have a warning, a lot of us would be injured."

Firestar looks at me. "How did you know that tree was going to fall?"

I shrug. "I saw it when I was hunting,"

Brambleclaw weaves through the crowd of cats and pads up to Firestar. "Can we get back to the camp, Firestar? The elders are getting soaked out here."

Lionblaze lifts his head over the cats. "There's a fire in the camp, the tree fell as it was struck by lightning."

Firestar frowns. "We're going to have to stay the night here until the fire dies. Icepaw, Foxpaw and Featherpaw, make some makeshift nests for the elders and queens under a good bush." he turns to the warriors. "You can all make your own nests, but be sure it is near the lake. If the fire spreads, we want to be as close to water as possible."

Berrynose looks at the ThunderClan leader. "I'll keep watch tonight,"

Firestar nods. "Thank you."

Foxpaw and Icepaw come over to me. "Honeyfern and Spiderleg have gone to get moss for us near the WindClan border." Icepaw meows.

I nod. "I'll go find a shady bush."

I see a large bush nearby and climb in. It's pretty roomy, the queens could sleep here. "Hey, I found a good one over here!" I call out. Foxpaw pads over, dragging some bracken and moss with him. "I'll make the nests. Can you find another bush for the elders?"

I duck out of the branches and see another one not too far from the queens' bush. Icepaw pads over to me. "This one's good." she starts to make the nests and I help her.

Brambleclaw, Whitewing, Mousewhisker and Berrynose are guarding tonight. I can see their shadows, and hear their footsteps as they circle the bushes. Once in a while, they're pelts will brush the leaves and it ruffles slightly.

I rest my head on my paws, eyes closed.