Chapter Thirty-Two: The Way Out

Bigstorm and Kehaar had reached StoneClan. The pair of would-be rescuers were crouched in the shelter of the bridge side, looking out at two rather large guards.

"What you do now?" Kehaar asked.

Bigstorm did not reply, but marched out into plain sight as if he owned the world.

"Oi, you StoneClan cats!" he yowled, "I hear you've been looking for me. The name's Bigstorm. And I'm waiting."

"Bigstorm, you much crazy kitty," Kehaar mumbled.

The two guards exchanged surprised glances. They were the lowest of the low as far as StoneClan warriors went, and if they could capture the infamous Bigstorm…it might just be the lucky break they were waiting for.

As they advanced on Bigstorm, the grey tom smiled. He waited until they were close enough, and then leaped upon them. The surprised cats were pinned almost before they knew what hit them.

"Now, listen to me," Bigstorm snarled, "Unless you want to get killed this morning, you'll answer my questions. Have any prisoners been brought in today? FlameClan cats?"

"N-no," one guard gasped.

"You wouldn't lie to me, would you?" Bigstorm asked.

"No," the other StoneClan cat squeaked.

"Good," Bigstorm said, "I'll be going now."

"No, you won't!"

Bigstorm turned toward the voice, and saw Weaselheart, Campionstripe, and a full patrol of warriors blocking the bridge. Campionstripe smiled grimly.

"Nowhere left to run, Bigstorm!"

When Hazelstar and Fivefur reached the intersection of ways, they saw Hawkfang running up a steep ridge.

"Hawkfang!" Hazelstar shouted, "Stop!"

The dark grey tom made no reply, but his frantic flight had set a large boulder rolling. The two warriors leaped out of its path just in time.

"Come on, Fivefur," Hazelstar cried, "We have to catch him!"

They raced after their friend, but Hawkfang's fear had made him quite fast. The grey warrior ran on and on, until he saw, to his great astonishment, his own reflection running toward him. Hawkfang squealed in terror, and skidded to a stop, just before he would have collided with the strange substance.

By the time Hazelstar and Fivefur had reached him, Hawkfang had curled up into a ball, and was whimpering to himself.

"We'll never get out," he muttered, "Never."

"We will," Hazelstar assured him, "Somehow."

Hawkfang paid no attention.

"Hazelstar," Fivefur whispered, "Go on ahead. We'll be with you in a moment."

The FlameClan leader nodded, and walked on ahead a bit.

"Hawkfang," Fivefur mewed, "I know you're afraid, but we have to keep going. We'll get out somehow."

"It's different for you," Hawkfang murmured, "You can see tomorrow, so you know there'll be one. And Hazelstar, he's never afraid."

"Oh, but he is," Fivefur said, "Right now he's afraid he's let us down. We have to be strong for him."

Hawkfang nodded, then shakily got to his feet.

"I'm ready now," he said, "But where's Blueflash?"

"Here," the young warrior whispered, appearing from down the path, "Why you go so fast?"

"Never mind, Blueflash," Fivefur said kindly, "You're here now, and surely the way out can't be far away."

Bigstorm was unsure how he had done it, but he had gotten off the bridge. That was the good news. The bad news was that Campionstripe and the other StoneClan warriors were right behind him. The grey tom raced toward the river, hoping he could hide in the overgrown grass. However, he was forced to crouch down under a log to catch his breath.

"Can't run quite as far as I used to," he thought ruefully. Then, he heard pawsteps on top of the log.

"Fan out!" the unmistakable squeaky voice of Weaselheart yowled, "He must be caught between us and the river."

Bigstorm stayed still, hoping the StoneClan warrior wouldn't look down. But when Weaselheart did, Bigstorm was ready. He darted away toward the river, and splashed in, hoping that he could find some means of escape, and mentally admitting that this had been a bad idea.

Meanwhile, the lost cats had finally found something that looked a bit more promising. The caverns had started to show signs of plants, and a small stream now ran through them. It was beautiful.

"Isn't it amazing, Hawkfang?" Fivefur said, "Surely, all this couldn't have put down here only for us."

"Then we must be meant to get out, so we can tell everyone about it," Hawkfang said happily.

"Now you're starting to believe!"

Berrypool was starting to get anxious. Now Bigstorm had disappeared as well.

"Where are they all going?" the silver she-cat mumbled. "Where can they be?"

Suddenly, Lionpelt came shooting out of the warriors' den at top speed.

"Help! Ghosts! The wall is talking!"

"The wall is talking?" Berrypool asked, "What do you mean?"

"It's talking, and it sounds like Blackblaze!" Lionpelt screeched, "It's a ghost!"

"Oh, dear," Berrypool sighed, "How can he have gotten in there?"

The silver warrior raced over to the warriors' den, and examined the wall.

"The little crack is gone," she mused.

"Blackblaze! Can you hear me?"

"Berrypool?" came the muffled reply, "Thank StarClan! I think I've convinced Lionpelt that I've died."

"You have," Berrypool agreed, "How did you get in there?"

"Long story. Swiftfoot is with me, but Hazelstar, Blueflash, Fivefur, and Hawkfang have gone to look for a way out."

"I hope they haven't gotten lost," Berrypool sighed, "I'll go get some of the others, and we'll dig you out."

They had finally found it. The way out. The stream ran out into the open. The only problem was that the entrance of the tunnel was covered by long vines, and they couldn't tell whether it was safe or not.

"I'll go first," Hazelstar said, "Just to be sure it's safe."

"No, I will," Hawkfang said, jumping into the stream.

"Um, Hawkfang...I don't think that's wise," Hazelstar objected.

"You've gotten us this far, Hazelstar," Hawkfang mewed, "Now let me do something brave for once."

Without waiting for a reply, the grey tom swam off down the shallow stream. As he neared the edge of the vines, he tensed, hoping that he wouldn't be swept over a cliff. However, he found that he could put his feet down in the water. Hawkfang cautiously poked his head out of the ferns...and was surprised to see none other than Bigstorm running through the water.

"Bigstorm!" he hissed, "In here!"

The deputy jerked to a stop, and stared at Hawkfang in disbelief for a few seconds, before he ducked into the tunnel. The two warriors froze, as they saw the silhouettes of several cats outside.

"Where'd he go?" Mossfall asked.

"I don't know, you idiot!" Weaselheart screeched, "Find him!"

The StoneClan cats disappeared, leaving Bigstorm and Hawkfang staring at the concealed tunnel in relief.

"Well, that's over," Bigstorm said gratefully, "Now how did you get down here?"

"Long story," Hawkfang laughed, "Come on, Hazelstar will explain it."

After they had filled Bigstorm in on everything, they headed back to camp. But when they got there, they beheld a strange spectacle. Blackblaze and Swiftfoot had just emerged from the warriors' den, along with Berrypool and several of the others, who were covered in dirt. Swiftfoot was standing between Silverfur and Brackenstripe, neither of whom looked happy.

"What's going on here?" Hazelstar asked.

"Um, Hazelstar...you do remember what Swiftfoot did earlier, don't you?" Fivefur asked.

"What did he do?" Bigstorm asked.

"Well, he tried to kill Fivefur a few different times, and today he was going to let Blueflash die!" Hazelstar growled. "Much as I hate to say this...I don't think we have a choice but to banish him."

"You may be right," Bigstorm agreed, "He hasn't been the same since Acornpaw died."

"I wish it didn't have to be like this," Fivefur said, "He was innocent."

"Not anymore," Hazelstar said, "I know you'd rather not have me do this, and if it was only these attempts on you, I wouldn't be so quick to decide, but now that he's gone after Blueflash too...no, Fivefur. It must be done."

The red-fawn tom turned away from his brother, and leaped onto the Highrock.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" he yowled.

When they had all gathered, Hazelstar stayed silent for a moment. His gaze drifted from one cat to another, but his eyes kept coming back to the pregnant Clover. He hated to do this to her...but he had to.

"Cats of FlameClan," he mewed, "As some of you know, Swiftfoot has tried to kill Fivefur at least twice. This morning, his reluctance to help Blueflash might have cost all of our lives. I am reluctance to sentence any cat, but I have no choice. Swiftfoot, from this moment forth, you are banished from FlameClan. Silverfur, Brackenstripe, and Bigstorm will escort you to the border. If you are seen on our territory after that, we will kill you."

The grey tabby stared defiantly up at Hazelstar for a moment, then turned away before Silverfur and Brackenstripe could force him. He stalked past Clover, paying the stricken she-cat not the slightest heed. But when he passed Blueflash, he stopped, and faced the young warrior.

"This isn't over!" he hissed, "One day, I will return, and then you will all pay! Especially you!"

Blueflash stared at his old friend.

"I can't believe I'm talking to you, and not some impostor. We have done nothing to you, Swiftfoot! You're mad!"

"When the time comes, Blueflash, you will see. Mad or not, I will make you pay!"

Swiftfoot turned away, and was led out of camp by his escort. Blueflash stared after him, his blue eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"For your own good, Swiftfoot...don't come back."

OK...some of you may have noticed that I have changed the title of this story to FlameClan: Book 1: A New Beginning. Simple explanation: at thirty-four chapters, this thing has over 43,000 words, which is a lot for a fanfic. So...I will be starting Book 2 just as soon as I update the allegiances, in order that they can be put at the beginning of that book. :) So, please follow that, I don't want to lose anybody, but this will make it easier for me...and more Warriors like. I don't know that there will be a full six books...we'll just have to wait and see.

Any-who...acknowledgements time! :)

Watership's Nightwish Rat: First reviewer, and great for tips about needing more detail...it still needs more...and for encouraging reviews! :)

Phoenix Oblivion: The person of awesomeness, and who still finds time to review around lots of school! :D

Fivers11: Hmm...what can I say...well, definitely my most dedicated fan overall, who reviews even this crazy thing, even though you've never read Warriors, and without whom, there would probably be no Fivefur in here... ;)

Well...until the next book, see you! :)