Fire Water

Fire Water

Prologue
A full moon shone on a snowy moor. A lone rabbit raced by a gorse bush where a ginger tom was sitting. His pelt was like fire as he step out from under the gorse bush and into the moonlight. His unnaturally blood red claws dug into the snow. His eyes were the color of flames, and they glared evilly around at the empty landscape. In the far distance stood trees. He smiled, that was where the clans were having their gathering.

Their last gathering he  reminded himself, sitting up. By the next moon, they will either be dead, or I will control them

A flash of smoke rose from the gorse bush as it caught on fire. The snow around it soon turned to slush, and a puddle of water formed as he watched the bush burn. Once the bush was nothing more than ashes, he pushed snow over.

I shall strike the clans tomorrow at sunhigh!

Chapter One
"Silverpaw, wake up!"

Silverpaw opened her tired icy blue-eyes to see her friend, Wildpaw, poking her with his white paw.

"Silverpaw, it's time for training!"

Silverpaw groaned and sat up. She had been too excited last night to fall asleep. Every since more and more foxes showed up at Fourrocks, where StreamClan, RockClan, MarshClan, and BreezeClan,  had their gatherings, new apprentices and elders hadn't been allowed to go. So, it had been Silverpaw's first time at a gathering. Yawning, she stood up, and followed her friend out.

The early morning sun shine on her back as she padded out. Sedgeheart, her mentor was waiting.

"What took you so long?" she asked sternly. Without waiting for Silverpaw to answer, she continued, "It's not like that will be the only gathering you will go to,"

"I know Sedgeheart," answered Silverpaw, "What are we doing today?"

Sedgeheart sighed, "Battle practice,"

Silverpaw walked forward, only to ram straight into Sunfur, Wildpaw's mentor and Sedgeheart's mate.

"Silverpaw! Stop walking into other cats. It's not like that was the only place you could step!"

"Sorry," replied Silverpaw, apologizing to Sunfur, and Sedgeheart. She padded around Sunfur, and out of StreamClan's camp.

Chapter Two
Silverpaw walked back into camp, at sunhigh. Her mentor had sent her back to camp by herself to report a strange scent near the river where they were practicing river fighting.

She could have sent back Sunfur, but no, she had to send me back because she thinks I'm useless. thought Silverpaw angrily.

Sunfur had volunteered to go tell Rapidstar about the scent, but Sedgeheart had insisted on sending Silverpaw.

The silver tabby apprentice headed across the camp clearing, until she arrived at the entrance to Rapidstar's den.

Silverpaw heard, Rockflower, StreamClan's deputy, talking to Rapidstar, so she began to sit down to wait.

As the tortoiseshell deputy exited the reed den, Rapidstar called Silverpaw into her den.

"What is it Silverpaw?" her leader asked.

"There's a..."

"Fire! There's a fire!"

Rapidstar stood up instantly, and Silverpaw followed her gaze to Creekpaw, who stood at the entrance to the den. Creekpaw's brown fur was ruffled in fear, and her amber-eyes were wide.

"Where," ordered Rapidstar.

"Our border with MarshClan,"

"Tell everyone to go to the pond next to the RockClan border. That's on the other side of the river from MarshClan, so the fire shouldn't reach there. Silverpaw."

Silverpaw turned to Rapidstar.

"Maggotpaw, Buzzardwing, Flowerpaw, Snakepelt, and Brindletail are patrolling the BreezeClan border, tell them to get across the river. Also, tell Sunfur, Segdeheart, and Wildpaw. Creekpaw, you help evaluate the queens and kits,"

Chapter Three
"Wildpaw, don't splash so much when entering the water!"

Wildpaw sighed, whenever Silverpaw was here, training was bearable. Sunfur and Sedgeheart always were too strict, and it always got on his nerves.

The dark gray tabby tom dug his white laws into the snow. A noise in the bush behind him caused him to turn his head, and perk his white tipped ears.

Snakepelt, a black tom, jumped out of the bushes. "There's a fire at the MarshClan border, Buzzardwing, Maggotpaw, Flowerpaw, and Brindletail are trapped! Silverpaw came to warn us, but we lost her!"

"I'll help," stated Wildpaw

H raced through the willow trees. Smoke began to come out of the trees, and he lowered his head to keep the smoke out of his eyes.

"Silverpaw!" he yelled.

Everything was covered in smoke and he could barely see in front of him. He barely avoided a rose bush, as he continued forward. Flame began to show around him. A burnt branch fell a few fox-lengths in front of him, making him stop.

"Silverpaw!" he yelled again.

Worry clawed at his stomach. What I he never found her? What would happen to her then.

Coughing, he padded through the smoke, carefully avoiding burning branches and bushes.

"Silverpaw!" he struggled to yell.

It was beginning to get hard to breath. The world was getting darker and darker, as the smoke became thicker. Looking up, he couldn't see the sky. His breathing was getting shallower, and he was out of breath. StarClan help me he thought before falling to the ground, too weak to move.

Chapter Four
Silverpaw stood panicked next to a pond at the edge of StreamClan. Flames were all around her. She had tried to go to MarshClan for shelter, but she ha only met more flames.

I'm surrounded she thought backing up into the shallow water of the pond.

Only one fox-length long, it wasn't going to provide much protection.

Suddenly, the water began to move around. Startled, she realized it was going where she wanted it to go, towards a tiny gap in the flames that was slightly too small go her to go though. Willing it with her mind, the water fell on a bush next to the gap, putting it out a creating a hole bug enough or her to get out through. She race by before it could catch on fire again. Stopping on the other side, Silverpaw noticed a dark gray tabby apprentice on the ground almost dead.

"Wildpaw," she gasped. Leaning down, she picked him up by his scruff.

Chapter Five
Wildpaw coughed. His eyes began to open up. Startled, he sat up quickly. This wasn't were he had passed out. He was in the medicine cat's den.

Actually more like the remains of the medicine cat's den he thought looking at the burn branches around him, and scattered burnt leaves, and berries. Seeing Silverpaw, he sighed in relief.

"How did I get here?" Wildpaw inquired.

"I found you while escaping the fire," she explained, "I stop here, to rest while I waited or you to wake up,"

"Where's the rest of the clan?"

"At the RockClan border. I couldn't get you there while you were unconscious,"

Coughing slightly, Wildpaw stood up. "I am well enough to walk there now,"

"Okay, let's go,"

Wildpaw  began to walk forward, his legs ached, and his head hurt, but he didn't want Silverpaw to know.

Burnt remains of willow trees and bushes covered their path. Wildpaw padded carefully avoiding sharp sticks. The sun shone down on them. Usually trees would block the light, but almost all of them were burn down.

Wildpaw quickened his pass as he heard water.

"We are almost to the river!" he called.

He stopped at the river's edge and waited for Silverpaw. Willow trees stood tall on the other side.

"The fire must have not made I across the river," he commented, as he began to get into the water.

Silverpaw followed, and they both swam across the river. Reaching the other side, he climbed out, and padded under the trees.

"At least we know the cats who made across the river are fine though," Silverpaw stated.

Wildpaw nodded in agreement, as he looked for the pond. Seeing he padded out from the trees to find his clan nervous sitting around a clearing.

"Wildpaw, and Silverpaw!" exclaimed a voice.

Wildpaw turned to see his sister, Maggotpaw happily walk over to him.

"We thought you burned in the fire,"

"We almost did, but then we found a way out,"

Silverpaw was greeted by her two sisters, Creekpaw and Flowerpaw, along with her mother, Shortfall.

"Where's Rapidstar?" asked Wildpaw.

Maggotpaw shifted her paws nervously, "While you were gone, a rogue came to us. He was completely red, even his claws. He claimed that he could start and stop fires. He demonstrated using that bush over there,"

Wildpaw turned to see a burnt pile of twigs, and leaves.

Maggotpaw sat down and continued, "He then said if we didn't leave by tomorrow at moonhigh, he was going to burn everything, including us. Rapidstar, Rockflower, Minnowheart, and Grayfang, are discussing what should we do,"

Wildpaw nodded sadly, glancing over at Silverpaw.

Chapter Six
Silverpaw returned from hunting with two fish in her jaws early the next day. She set down her catch to find Wildpaw, signaling for her to follow him. Padding after him, she carefully avoided cats, so she wouldn't get another lecture about not running into cats.

Exiting the camp, she ran after him. Wildpaw stopped next to the river in the middle of StreamClan's territory. Snow covered the ground, and her paws disappeared below the snow, everytime she stepped forward. Wildpaw jumped onto one of the few survivng willows, hanging over the water, and Silverpaw followed.

Stopping at the top, Silverpaw turned to Wildpaw, who was looking out across the river, at the burnt forest across from them.

"Why did you bring me here?" inquired Silverpaw.

"I.. I wanted to ask you something," stated Wildpaw looking down at his paws, "I..."

Silverpaw turned her head and looked at him curiously

"I... I..." Wildpaw stuttered, "Do you want I to hunting?"

Silverpaw could tell that that wasn't what he had originally planned to say, but she nodded in agreement anyway.

After catching two trouts, Wildpaw turned back to Silverpaw.

"I...," he began before turning bak to the river.

Silverpaw looked at him in confusion. What would be so important to him that he couldn't just say it?

"What is it?" she inquired.

"I... Do you want to go back to camp?"

"Sure?"

Wildpaw got up and grabbed his fish, while Silverpaw grabbed her's.

You must fun the rogue, and stop him before he can force the clans out

Silverpaw stopped, she had to be to stop the rogue?

The voice came again, this time softer, Use your power

Silverpaw looked up realizing what she had to do.

Chapter Seven
Confusion filled Wildpaw's mind. He loved Silverpaw, but he couldn't get himself to tell her that.

"I have to go," stated Silverpaw.

"Where?" asked Wildpaw.

"I have to go defeat the rogue,"

What!? thought Wildpaw confused, "But he will slash your throat, or... or you'll get burned to death,"

"I have this power," Silverpaw stated, "I can control water,"

This made Wildpaw even more confused, "Power!?"

"Yes, and I think I was given this power to save the clans,"

"You think?" exclaimed Wildpaw. Concern for her filled him.

"I know I can do this," answered Silverpaw, more confidently this time, "Go back to the temporary camp and tell the others,"

"Can I come with you?"

"Sure," answered Silverpaw, "Now let's go find that rogue,"

Silverpaw began forward towards where the cats held their gatherings, "He's probably at Fourrocks. It shouldn't be burnt down because of the river around it the log to cross the river is probably gone though,"

Wildpaw crossed the river after her and raced carefully through the burn remains of willow trees.

More and more concern filled his head. What if Silverpaw died?

Chapter Eight
Even though she has told Wildpaw that she was sure she could win this fight, doubt filled her. What if I don't have what it takes to win or my power stops working?

It was too late to back down, she entered the river around Fourrocks, and exited on the other side.

Maple trees loomed above her, and she peered through the trees to see none other than the rogue, pacing back and forward in the clearing.

"We stalk forward as close as possible and then we strike," ordered Silverpaw.

She talked forward, losing some fur on a rose bush. She continued until the edge of the trees.

She signaled with her tail for Wildpaw to stop, as the rogue paced closer.

Once he got close enough, Silverpaw leaped out of the bushes, followed by Wildpaw.

She slashed at the rogue's ear, only to have him slash at her side. She began edging backwards towards the river as she and Wildpaw began to block his attacks.

Probably thinks we will be easy to beat, noticed Silverpaw, since he hadn't started a fire yet.

Almost at the water's edge, she scent a wave a water, and hit the rogue in the face, startling him. Silverpaw used that as a chance to slice his side open, as she got out of the way, to send another wave at him.

That was when the bushes around them caught on fire. Flames rose around them.

"You will never defeat the clans!" yelled Wildpaw, raking his claws asking the side of the rogue's face. Wildpaw's tail caught on fire as Silverpaw leaped at the rogue. She sent a wave of water to put out the flames on Wildpaw. Suddenly, everything seemed hotter, and she realized she was on fire. The pain spread through her body, and she fell into the river, trying to cool off. Swimming she say Wildpaw catch completely on fire. Pulling herself out of the river, he fell down, as she sent water over to him. Once the fire was out, she headed over to him.

"Get up Wildpaw!" she yelled urgently, "Wildpaw, don't die on me!"

The rogue stood a few fox-lengths away watching.

Wildpaw turned his head tiredly as he turned to look at her, "You know earlier today, when I tried to tell you something but couldn't?"

"Yes?"

"I wanted to tell that I love you, and always will," Wildpaw laid his head back against the ground, and closer his eyes.

Through the shocked that filled her, she couldn't tell if Wildpaw was still alive or not.

"Look what you did you fox-heart!" she yelled at the rogue, leaping with claw unsheathed.

Suddenly, everything she knew about fighting, instantly came to her. As the rogue slashed at her feet, she jumped and landings on his back, raking her claws along his spine.

She jumped off, as she caught on fire. Blindly lashing out, she hit skin, and slash at the rogue. Through the pain, and confusion that filled her, she say the rogue, fall down, and knew that he was dead. She too exhausted to put herself out, so she  fell to the ground, and fell unconscious.

Epilogue
"They showed courage today by defeating that rogue. They saved the clans," commented Rockflower looking up at her leader.

"I know," answered Rapidstar walking over to them, "That is why I have decided to make them warriors.

I, Rapidstar, call my warrior ancestors, to look down on these two apprentices. They have given their life in their service to their clan, I command as a warrior in their turn. Wildpaw will be know as Wildstep, for the dangerous path his life had taken him on. Silverpaw will be known as Waterstrike for the power she holds inside,"