Warriors: Darkness Returns

Chapter 6

Firestorm dug his claws into the ground, he didn't like this one bit.
"Where the devil is Tigerheart?" He growled, turning on Dawnpelt. The cream colored shecat flinched at his aggression, but recovered quickly.
"How should I know?" Dawnpelt spat, curling her lip.
"That's quite enough you two," Tawnypelt said, putting herself between the two.
"How can you be so calm? Your son is missing, and Rowanstar refuses to name a new deputy." Firestorm growled, his tail lashing with anger.
"Worry will not bring Tigerheart back sooner. Besides their are no suitable cats to take his place," Tawnypelt reasoned, Firestorm pulled his ears back.
"What about you, isn't your brother leader of Thunder Clan?" Firestorm asked, Tawnypelt looked taken aback. "You'd make a far better leader then Tigerheart."
"No, Firestorm, that is not my place," Tawnypelt meowed, placing her tail tip on Firestorm's shoulder. "Keep your good judgement, it will serve yo well one day," Firestorm rolled his eyes.
"I'm going hunting. Someone has to feed this clan," he grunted, padding off and pushing his way through the bramble entrance.
Hunting was slow, Firestorm had only caught a skinny mouse and a meager shrew. Growling in frustration Firestorm scraped dirt over his pitiful catch. Perking up his ears Firestorm heard something crashing threw the under growth. Bracing himself for an attack; however he didn't need to. A small black and white kit burst out of the bushes.
"You can't catch me, Birchkit!" He squealed, pouncing into a pile of leaves.
"Slow down Ninjakit!" Panted a brown and white kit, who stopped to catch his breath.
"You're such a slow slug Birchkit," Ninjakit mewed, shaking bits of leaf from his pelt.
"What are you kits doing here?" Firestorm asked, both kits jumped staring wide eyed at him.
"Oops..." Ninjakit squeaked, "I guess we ran farther then we thought."
"No kidding, you smell of Sky Clan." Firestorm purred, "are you Tinycloud's kits?"
"No, we're Bellaleaf's," Birchkit mewed.
"Well then, I should bring you back to Sky Clan," Firestorm said beckoning the two kits with his tail.
"Do you know the way back?" Ninjakit asked.
"I helped find the place of course I know where it is. Don't worry I'll make sure nothing happens to you. We are practically family after all," Firestorm mewed, padding through the under growth.
"Really, how?" Birchkit asked, skipping on his paw tips to catch up with Firestorm.
"Your father and I have known each other for a long time. We've fought many battles together." He purred fondly.
"Oh, you're Firestorm!" Ninjakit squeaked, hopping with enthusiasm.
"Is it true you can make fire with just your paws?" Birchkit asked.
"Check this out." Firestorm said. He halted, lifted his right paw,  and unsheathed his claws. A small amount of sparks flew before Firestorm's paw became engulfed in a small blaze. Both kits stared at it in disbelief, their eyes reflecting the flames. Sheathing his claws Firestorm let the small blaze go out, scuffing dirt over his paw for good measure.
"That's amazing!" Ninjakit squealed, hopping up and down.
"When will we get our powers?" Birchkit asked as they continued walking.
"Give it time. It was a long while before we got complete control of our powers. But if you're anything like your father it'll be a sight to behold." Firestorm meowed, pausing as they reached the fern tunnel.
"Firestorm!" Violetpaw came out of the tunnel her amber eye gleaming. "It's so good to see you! And you found Ninjakit and Birchkit, thank Star Clan!"
"More like they found me. Anyways, if you could walk in with me I feel your clan mates would be less likely to unsheathe their clans," Firestorm mewed jokingly. Violetpaw purred, turning and walking back through the ferns.
"You found them! Thank you Firestorm!" Bellaleaf cried, bringing her son's close with her tail and giving them many licks. "You two know you're not meant to leave camp." She scolded.
"But we were having fun!" Ninjakit protested.
"Firestorm showed us his fire!" Birchkit cheered.
"Did he now?" Firestorm turned to see Zanefrost. He didn't look well; his fur was matted and almost every bone in his body was visible under his pelt.
"Zanefrost, Alderheart told you not to leave your nest," Bellaleaf mewed, as if she were scolding one of her kits. Zanefrost let out a feeble purr and gave her a lick on her shoulder. Then he turned stern eyes on his sons.
"You too should know better. I my not be in the best of health, but that does not mean you can make things harder for your mother." He scolded, both kits looked down at their paws.
"We're sorry," Birchkit and Ninjakit said together.
"We were just having so much fun..." Ninjakit mewed, Zanefrost's eyes softened.
"Well go and have fun with Falconkit. I'm sure Fallowfern would not mind watching you." He meowed, the elder shecat purred.
"Come along kits," Fallowfern mewed, beckoning with her tail. "I'll tell you the story of how Firestar reformed Sky Clan."
"Zanefrost, you really should get back to your nest." Hawkwing prompted. Firestorm stifled a snort of disdain. He had on personal qualms with the Sky Clan deputy, he just didn't like the look he was giving Zanefrost. How dare he presume to know my brother more than I do. I know better than to think Zanefrost will think of himself before others.
"I heard voices and I had to know if my kits had been found," Zanefrost reasoned, his tail tip flicking over Hawkwing's ears playfully; which only straightened Firestorm's annoyance.
"What's going on? How are you sick? It's to early in the season for white cough," Firestorm pointed out. Trying to ignore the pain stabbing at his heart. How could he have let this happen? He was supposed to protect all his brothers. 
"I am not sick. I just have not been sleeping well." Zanefrost corrected, Firestorm narrowed his eyes.
"You look sick to me." Firestorm said pointedly. "And since when have nightmares bothered you?"
"It's not just the nightmares..." Zanefrost's voice became shaky, his fur bristling with pain, and his eye stretched wide open. Bellaleaf rushed to his side, and began covering him with soft licks. "It's the pain it my chest... where my old heart used to be." Catching his breath Zanefrost placed a paw on the left side of his chest. Realization sparked in Firestorm's mind.
"You should talk to Lightwhisker then. If this has anything to do with him the old tom is bound to know something," Firestorm said, springing to his paws and ready to help his friend all the way to Thunder Clan. Zanefrost shook his head.
"I do not have the strength to make the journey," he said, "besides, he intends to make me suffer as long as he has the power to do so. And there is no hope to weaken his without Goldblaze's golden power, and he gave that u for us long ago."
"That doesn't matter, you beat him before with your ice. Why can't my fire, or the other's powers do the same?" Firestorm was beginning to feel desperate, as Zanefrost began swaying on his paws.
"I had the unstable power of my heart, as well as the golden armor. Since we now have mother of those he will be much harder to weaken," Hawkwing rushed to support him after that and began to lead Zanefrost back to Alderheart's den. Bellaleaf stood beside Firestorm, looking utterly helpless.
"What if he doesn't make it? What if he can't see his kits become warriors?" She cried softly.
"He will." Firestorm said firmly, "I'll everything in my power to make sure of it,"