Rise of FireClan

Chapter 8: A New Home

It was getting cold.

Fireheart could feel it bite through his fur that was still growing into it's leafbare pelt. They had just entered a forest that flanked the ranch Orion calls home. They all agreed on one thing: that this forest would be perfect and even in the cold and musky scent of decaying leaves the air was rich with the scent of prey. He could hear a brook in the distance as squirrels and chipmunks chattered with the birds. But while they had everything they would surely need here they still needed a place to call home.

"How much farther mama?"whined the chimera she-kit.

"Yeah how much farther?"squeaked the little tom kit.

Fireheart chuckled as he listen, his ears swerving behind him towards the source. Siren's kits were lively but still clumsy and unsteady on their paws as they had only just started learning to walk. He couldn't tell but Sandstorm had said the kits' eyes were slowly every so surely starting to gain their adult colors. He stopped when he heard the tom fall with a thud. "Probably tripped over his own paws again, the little scamp."he thought as he turned around and picked the kick up by the scruff and set him back on his paws.

"Careful now Phantom. Don't go getting too excited or you'll keep tripping."purred Fireheart with amusement.

Phantom chuckled though his ears were flat with embarrassment, "Yes uncle Fwireheart."

"You both are just as impatient as Snake, good grief. We'll get to our home when we get there, Phantom and Empress."purred Siren in a scolding tone as amusement shined in her jewel-like eyes.

The group laughed at this as they continued forward. It was then Longtail decided to speak up, "I think some of us should split up and search for a camp and meet by the brook. What do you think kit? it's your call."

"Hm, that might not be a bad idea. I'll stay with Siren and the kits the rest spread out."instructed the ginger tom.

The others nodded and swiftly dashed off in opposite directions. Longtail with Princess went west; it didn't surprise him as Longtail seemed oddly very fond and protective of the cinnamon tabby lately. Orion went east and Sandstorm went north. Fireheart flicked his tail for Siren and the two kits to follow as they went south towards the brook where they would wait and meet up. Occasionally having to carry the twins when they got tired.

Cinderpelt lashed her tail anxiously as she washed her paws in the stream to clean the blood off her paws. She let out a sigh as she sat there looking at her reflection as a oak leaf dancing in the breeze fell and shattered the reflection. Her clan was in trouble as she had just bid farewell to Mistyfoot and Stonepelt...her late leader's own kits. Bluestar had failed to name a succesor before she had died of exhaustion and nearly drowning. At the last possible moment the leader had turned around, snapping out of her insanity.

But that still left them with a problem: they were without a deputy and without a leader.

They had lost great assets to the clan after Fireheart was exiled and Longtail and Sandstorm had gone with him into exile. That had been moons ago now. Then the next blow had been Goldenflower leaving with her kits and Cloudpaw and even Swiftpaw and Brightpaw. Their clan had become so desperate and small now...was this StarClan punishing them or some cruel twist of fate? The medicine cat did not know.

"Please...give me a sign StarClan. I-I don't know what to do! My clan is falling a apart at the seems and my clan is in turmoil and panic. W-we need a leader..."she mewed as she looked up to the cloudy sky.

They needed a sign.

They needed...hope.

"Hey guys, I got a scent!"squeaked the brown tabby tom, practically bouncing on his paws in delight.