Split: Book One: Dimming Embers

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 13

"Are you ready?" Darkfire glanced up distractedly, tail flicking with nerves.

"Oh- Yeah," she said with a small frown, glancing at her paws. Leopardstrike pressed against her side, touching her nose to Darkfire's cheek.

"I'm serious, are you alright? You've been acting weird for a while." Darkfire shook herself, pulling away. Her amber eyes flickered.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Leopardstrike frowned slightly but nodded.

"StormClan just arrived," she said off-handedly. Darkfire felt sick.

"Already?" Leopardstrike nodded, stretching her forepaws out in front of her.

"Echostar wants to lead the attack at night. The StormClan cats should be resting up." Darkfire gave a brief nod. In the sky, the sun was just beginning to dip below the trees, casting purple shadows across the woods. Darkfire took a deep breath through her nose, flattening her ears.

"Yeah, okay," she said.

"Are you sure you're fine?" said Leopardstrike. "I know battles can be really tough. I'm nervous too," the light brown she-cat admitted. Darkfire stared at her paws.

"It just feels so wrong."

Leopardstrike twined her tail with Darkfire's. "You know it's for the best, don't you?"

"Of course I do," sighed Darkfire. "You're right." She rose to her paws, lifting her head with a sigh.

"Where are you going?" Leopardstrike called after her. She glanced back with a small frown.

"To meet the StormClan cats. I think that Crowpaw should be there. I want to see if he's gotten his warrior name yet."

"You and Crowpaw," smirked Leopardstrike. "Don't forget the code, m'kay?" Darkfire felt her cheeks heat up.

"It's not like that and you know it," she snapped, glaring at Leopardstrike, who gave her a coy smile in response. Darkfire rolled her eyes and padded off, amber-flecked pelt puffed up with embarrassment.

The StormClan cats were resting near the base of the volcano. Darkfire spotted a few of the warriors, as well as Crowpaw and another cat who she assumed to be the medicine cat. Their leader, Opalstar, wasn't there, but a light golden she-cat who carried an air of authority seemed to have been put in charge. Darkfire assumed the deputy.

"Crowpaw!" she greeted the dark brown tom, padding up to him. He glanced up, round eyes flickering in recognition.

"Oh! Darkpaw! Nice to see you!"

"It's Darkfire now," said Darkfire, and she couldn't suppress a grin at the smile that spread across Crowpaw's face. "You haven't had your ceremony yet?" Crowpaw shrugged.

"Not yet. I probably won't for another moon." He gestured for Darkfire to sit with him, and she grinned and obliged. "Windpaw did, though. So did my other siblings, Starlingpaw and Floodpaw."

"I don't think I've all of them," said Darkfire thoughtfully. Crowpaw shrugged.

"Makes sense. Starlingpaw and Floodpaw didn't come to the gathering."

"What did Windpaw get as her warrior name?" Darkfire settled down, paws tucked beneath her chest. Though the conversation was light, there was an air of darkness that still lingered at the edges of camp as the sun set lower, and the shadows grew longer and less prominent. Somewhere far away, an owl trilled as it shot between trees like a silent arrow.

"She's... called Windclaw, now," said Crowpaw. He sounded cheerful, but his voice was taut. "Floodpaw's called Floodspring, and Starlingpaw is Starlingsong."