Sparks of a Fire

Chapter 12

"Flowerleaf is missing!"

Starlingpaw sat bolt upright. She and the other apprentices had been fixing the nursery and adding to it, for Flowerleaf was expecting her kits in about a week. But...

"What happened to Flowerleaf?!" Moonfire yelled to Spiderweb, the tom who'd yelled that Flowerleaf was missing. The StormClan deputy was her mate, and Moonfire was ready to protect the young she-cat at all costs.

"I-I...um..." Spiderweb stuttered. The young black tom was clearly still in shock, so Windsilver and Featherfall, who were on his patrol, tried to calm him down. Windsilver looked up, sadness glimmering in her brilliant green eyes.

"We were on a patrol near a Twoleg path. Flowerleaf was taking a walk and saw us, and she came over to ask us something. T-Then a big female Twoleg must have spotted us, so we dove into the bushes. But Flowerleaf wasn't fast enough and the Twoleg picked her up! If we hurry, we can still catch her in time!" Windsilver finished, finally taking a breath.

Moonfire looked like he was about to scream, but then he realized the direness of the situation.

"Okay, fine. Alderbranch, Spiderweb, Windsilver, and Dappledawn will search with me. Spiderweb, can you show us where it is?" Moonfire asked, urgency in his mew. Spiderweb nodded, seeming to have regained some of his former strength. Starlingpaw looked up to see Foxpaw's mentor, Alderbranch, in the rescue patrol. This could be her chance to majorly impress every cat and be a hero! She timidly padded up to Alderbranch.

"Um, Alderbranch... can me and Foxpaw come with you?" she asked, hoping the answer would be yes. The she-cat mentor exchanged a quick glance with Moonfire, then when he nodded, Alderbranch flicked her dark brown ears.

"Sure, why not. C'mon though, we must hurry." Alderbranch said, running after Spiderweb through the bushes. Foxpaw squealed in happiness.

"I mean, I know this is a rescue mission, but...!" Foxpaw meowed, trailing off. Starlingpaw nodded, and swerved to dodge an oak branch that could have whacked her in the head, resulting in a not-so-fun adventure.

"I totally get what you mean." She purred. Foxpaw smiled, and picked up the pace.

"That's why you're my best friend," she meowed, purring. She laughed, and sped up to match her pace. Dappledawn, who had the best scenting nose, skidded to a halt near a bush next to the Thunderpath.

"The scent ends here," the pretty brown she-cat mewed. Moonfire looked like he was going to yowl something, but suddenly, Starlingpaw's ears picked up the unmistakable yowling and chattering of Twolegs!

Because StormClan and BreezeClan were right beside a Thunderpath, and a Twolegplace, Starlingpaw had picked up some Twoleg language. The first Twoleg, a big brown male with a curly black patch of fur on his head, walked over to the female Twoleg, who looked like him but had less fur on her head, wiped his brow and said in a raspy voice,

"Why does Jessica want this cat so much?" he muttered. Right next to Stripepaw, Alderbranch gasped.

"He's talking about Flowerleaf!" she exclaimed. Windsilver shot the dark brown she-cat a look.

"Shut up, we need to hear what he's saying!" Alderbranch nodded, and the five warriors and two apprentices settled down in the elderberry bush to listen, eyes narrowed, ears pricked, claws unsheathed.

"Jessy really wants a cat, Eli, so we got her one!" the lady exclaimed happily. The man, Eli, groaned and slapped his forehead in annoyance.

"Yea, but this kittie's pregnant, Gayle!" he said. He picked up a cage...

Containing an angry Flowerleaf, hissing, snarling and spitting at the Twolegs!

Moonfire hissed, looking like he wanted to spring on the big male Twoleg and claw his eyes out, or something else violent, but Spiderweb held him back.