It's the 18th, which means this story has officially been around for one month :o
I never thought I'd already be on chapter 6.

I already have 7 and most of 8 planned out; I've even typed up 8's ending already and it's something you probably never would have expected.
I'll update again when I get back after Christmas, or New Years. Depends on when I do come back... or if I have time I'll update one last time before I go.

"What's wrong?"

Poppy's surprised mew startled him. Had he known this was where she was taking him all along, he'd never had agreed to come, because not even four foxlengths away stood two cat's he'd known since he was an apprentice.

"Fireheart, this is Jet, Barley and-"

"And Ravenpaw." he finished, interrupting her with his bewildered mew.

Poppy started in surprise. "Y-yes. That's right." She gave him a curious look. "Have you been here before?"

Fireheart shut his eyes. "Yes, I have. Many times." He opened his eyes and looked into Poppy's. "I used to live with Ravenpaw in the forest. I met Barley while I was still an apprentice." He clarified.

"Fireheart, what are you doing here?" Ravenpaw's mew was welcoming, but full of surprise as he stole glances at Poppy. "Is ThunderClan okay?"

Ravenpaw was a young black furred tom with a dash of white on his chest. When he was still a ThunderClan apprentice he had seen his mentor, Tigerclaw- now Tigerstar- kill Redtail, who was the ThunderClan deputy at the time, in hopes of becoming deputy himself. When he found out Ravenpaw knew of the murder, he began tormenting his apprentice and, eventually, drove him away. Fireheart and Graystripe had brought him to Barley's barn to keep him safe.

"ThunderClan is fine." Fireheart meowed shaking his head and paused thoughtfully. "As far as I know."

Ravenpaw looked at him inquiringly. "What do you mean?"

Fireheart licked his chest fur to delay responding.

"Fireheart?" He was beginning to worry his friend.

With a quiet grunt he launched into the story- hopefully for the last time- and watched for Ravenpaw's and Barley's reactions. The two tom's looked at each other uneasily when his tale came to an end.

"So Bluestar really thinks your a traitor?" Barley meowed thoughtfully. "That's not the Bluestar I know."

Fireheart hesitated "She's become," he paused searching for the right word to describe his former leaders state of mind. "...Ill since Tigerstar's betrayal."

Barley ducked his head in acknowledgment, his old eyes sad.

Fireheart saw a dark movement at the barn door. There was a cat Fireheart had never met before, he realized this must be Jet; the tom Poppy had mentioned earlier. Jet was a dark gray cat, though in the ever gathering darkness his pelt looked almost black. His expression was weary and alarmed as he stared at Fireheart.

"Come in, you two look like you need a place to rest, and a good meal." Ravenpaw added after a quick glance at Fireheart and Poppy. The two were thinner than the forest cats and Fireheart looked in envy at his friends sleek pelt and well fed figure.

They entered the barn in silence and caught themselves a meal. Fireheart hadn't seen such fat mice in so long that he'd almost forgotten they'd truly existed.

After a quick wash and a full stomach Fireheart settled himself down for a nap. After today's journey he felt exhausted.

He dreamt he was back in the forest while it was in it's height of greenleaf, though leaffall was undoubtedly upon them. The trees and grass were no longer scorched away onto charred and hollow void.

He felt himself swept over by a deep home sickness as he looked at what he had lost, what he would never see again.

A faint stirring of the breeze brought him a scent that hit him like a wave and he raced blindly towards it.

After a few foxlengths he began to see a small sandy colored figure and started to slow his pace, his breath coming out in ragged gasps. He was nearly close enough to make out the shape and he paused, wondering if it was really safe to continue forwards. The sandy colored figure still had not moved so he took a few more steps and realized with shock what he was looking at.

Sandstorm was staring at him with a fearful expression, her body frozen in the spot. After a few heartbeats, the fear turned into joy as she began closing the distance towards him.

Guilt and dismay struck Fireheart with a jolt. He had never thought he would scent, or even see the she-cat he loved again, but he knew this was a dream. Sandstorm wasn't really there; so there was no point in giving into his subconscious gift, no matter how it hurt him.

After she had crossed halfway Sandstorm paused mid step, staring at him with a confused and hurt look in her eyes. Her tilted head made her look so innocent, so beautiful. Though he had wanted to see her again, he never wanted it to be like this. His mind was cruel. StarClan was cruel.

As his dark thoughts passed over his mind he began to back away from Sandstorm, his pelt glowing brightly though he saw no sunlight reaching it.

He heard a startled yowl from the pale ginger she-cat as a fire broke out a few tail lengths away from him. If he had not been so mesmerized by the flames, he too would have cried out.

As he stared into the bright orange and yellow lights the sights and sounds of the forest began to fade away as the raging fire died and grew smaller. He did not understand what was going on, but it was just a dream, right? What did it matter then.

When the fire reached his height the forest around him began to shift. He was near snakerocks now and the overwhelming smell of blood made him sick. He could hear snarling dogs and pained cries of young cats, but he saw nothing in the forest other than himself.

"Fire alone can save the Clan, but the flames are fading as darkness rises." a familiar voice breathed into his ear.

Fireheart looked around, startled. "Spottedleaf?" He whispered.

He could not see the young medicine cat though her scent was strong. "Beware." she whispered, the sweet smell of her fur disappeared with her voice.

His heart beat painfully against his chest as his fear began to overwhelm him. He turned to flee but stopped dead as he came face to face with four dogs.

"Pack, pack." They snarled. "Kill, kill." The group of hostile dogs stalked forward, their eyes glinting with an eerie satisfaction and dark blood lust. He felt frozen to the spot as they lunged for his throat.

A paw shaking him roughly brought him awake as he jumped nearly a foxlength in the air.

"Are you okay?" A cat murmured, his voice concerned. Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness he realized Jet was staring at him.

"Oh- yes, yes I'm fine." He stammered, licking his chest fur in embarrassment and dread.

Jet didn't reply right away, Fireheart could tell he was deciding whether to continue to press for answers, or to simply leave the subject alone. "You were twitching and whimpering in your sleep," he murmured.

Fireheart sighed. "I had a nightmare," he confided, curling back into his nest.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Jet meowed awkwardly. "I'll leave you be then." The loner meowed quietly to not disturb the other sleeping cats.

"Yeah," Fireheart mumbled. He was uncertain about what his dream had meant. Did this mean he was needed in the forest? He knew he was ordered away by Bluestar. There was no reason for him to return anyway.

As he curled his tail over his paws he though about the last half moon. He has been doing fine on his own and felt somewhat better than he had in a long time. If he even went back, would he want to stay anymore?

This chapter was sort of slow and depressingly short so I'm not too happy with it; but at least I managed to get over 1, 500 words.
Hope you guys have a great break and a fabulous Christmas.

Remember to review. I may be going away soon, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate them.

-
Posted
December 18, 2009
-