Chapter Eight: Thorns
A/N: Another half-chapter, hooray! I will be posting a short songfic for Starsky and Alderleaf as well. Please review!
Alderleaf, Swiftstream, and Coalfoot were hunting quietly near Sunningrocks, in a small stream where a few choice salmon sparkled in the sun. The lazy fish were easy to catch until Stonepaw and Stripepaw bounded up, meowing breathlessly. "Poolstar… needs your help! Now! Fire at… camp," Stripepaw wheezed. "Have to... evacuate camp."
"There's no time to lose!" added Stonepaw.
Alderleaf, Coalfoot, and Swiftstream led the way back to camp, blundering through the few brambles and bushes with Stonepaw and Stripepaw in tow.
"How can those ThunderClan cats walk through all of this?" asked Stripepaw, spitting out another leaf.
"I don't know. They must be crazy," hissed Stonepaw, wincing as thorns scraped his skin under his thick fur.
Stonepaw counted all of the cats huddled in the river as flames began flickering near the edges of the camp. Brightpetal's kits were wide eyed with fear and the fire began to consume RiverClan's camp.
A few cats were moaning or snarling with fear for their lives and their Clanmates'. Their home was being destroyed as they watched, powerless to stop it. Cats cried out for Clanmates and warriors rushed around, desperately attempting rescue parties.
Stonepaw stopped, looked, and looked again. Where was Starpaw? Where were Duskfeather, Stormwave, and Icepaw?
His heart stopped cold. The fire had surrounded the RiverClan camp and quickly proceeded to the WindClan border.
Great StarClan. Starpaw hadn't come back. She was still on the WindClan border.