Falcnpaw and Fernsplash: Response to The Fire

Falconpaw watched in horror as fire licked up the forest floor, creeping up the tender bark of a nearby birch tree. "Fernsplash!" he hissed, horrified. We have to get out of here and warn the others! The tabby tom turned to leave, expecting Fernsplash to followed but, when he glanced back at her over his shoulder, the brown tabby she-cat with orange patches was rooted to the spot, her mouth dropped open in a mortified 'o' and her leaf-green eyes stretched wide. 

"Fernsplash!" he snapped again, trying to break her from her horrified daze. When none else succeeded, Falconpaw rammed his shoulder into her side, effectively snapping her back to the real world.

"Get back to camp," she mewed sharply and, whipping around, she led the way back to MoonClan camp. Rushing, their paws flying over the surface of the grassy undergrowth, avoiding entangling roots and leaping over prickly bushes. The forest raced by in an indistinguishable blur. Fernsplash was easily three-to-four fox-leaps ahead of the younger tabby tom, her long legs propelling her forwards as the seconds rolled by. Finally, the scenery grew more and more recognizable and the entrance to camp came into view as they rounded a corner of trees.

"FIRE!" Fernsplash yowled at the top of her lungs. Already, the glare of yellow and orange and red alighted to the westside. Great StarClan, what are those twolegs doing? As they burst through the camp, paying no mind to the already-assembled cats who jumped away with startled hisses, Falconpaw streaked straight for the apprentices' den. Fernsplash, meanwhile, went to Fallenstar.

She hadn't seen the leader so frightened before, though he held himself together well. "Twolegs near the train," she huffed, her throat and lungs burning. "That's where the fire started. I'll gather some warriors and get the kits and queens out of the nursery. Where should we go?"

––––––––

Falconpaw dipped into the apprentices' den, ignoring the branches that tugged at his fur. "Fire," he screeched, hoping his call would wake any sleeping apprentices in the depths of the den. Startled heads popped up and fearful, if not a bit sleepy, eyes glittered in the shadows. "Get out, you stupid furballs!" he snarled, cuffing a nearby cat, which startled him or her – Falconpaw wasn't sure who it was – to their paws, fur standing on end. "Help the elders out of their nests, two of you on each cat. Get into a buddy system, don't leave each other's sides, ever." We need to get every cat out safely. He cast a worried glance around. By now, all apprentices were awake and sweeping out of the den and spilling out of the clearing.

––––––––

The orange-patched brown tabby she-cat none-too-gently nosed a dark brown she-cat with a creamy white underbelly to her paws. "On your fours," Fernsplash meowed loudly. "Gather your kits." She didn't want any of the kittens to panic, but there was very little, precious time to get them out. Around her Berryrose was waking Minknose and snatching up Hopperkit in her jaws, speaking softly yet urgently to them.

"What's going on?" Skylily asked, her eyes widening in fear.

"Just get your kits," Fernsplash meowed. "Tell them it's going to be an adventure." Hopefully it isn't too eventful, she added inwardly. "Tell them they get to go out of camp. Early." As she said this, she leaned down and scooped up Howlkit. The gray-speckled warrior, Springthorn, snatched two kits – Pinekit and Tricklekit – in his powerful jaws and darted out into the hectic clearing, which, by now, was streaming with frightened and confused cats.

Clearspirit was already gathering his kits – Glenkit, Havenkit, Maplekit, Patchkit and Scorchkit – to the nursery's exit where several warriors poked their heads in to snatch up his kittens and disappear into the ensuing chaos. Birchcloud, Coyotetail, Jackalcry, and Saplingheart.