[Derpple and Ashie]

Originally Posted by toothlost!

The fire was looming in the distance, burning down everything it touched and tearing it apart. The roar of it was but a faint whisper to the cat who raced across the moors, pelt bristled. There were so many emotions slashing through her as her claws dug into the dirt, sending it flying as she raced forward. Terror, worry, anger, sadness. Those four were what overcame her most, but only the fear and worry was visible now. She reached the top of a hill near the border shared with ShadowClan and slowed, turning to stare at the orange, yellow, and red glow that had claimed so many trees and was starting to lap at the grasses of the hearth. Sucking in a breath, she fought the urge to return home. Her mother had already called for an evacuation, everyone would be safe and alright. But Liontuft, she didn't know if he was okay. The fire hadn't even neared the marshes, but worry for the tom lured her more than anything else. Taking a deep breath she turned and began to race down the sloop, picking up speed with the momentum and then slowing as the border was only a few fox-lengths away. Standing there, her eyes scanned the invisible line, searching for a specific tom. Liontuft. They hadn't seen much of each other. The newness of being a young warrior rubbing off, they had sunk into a line of duty that didn't give much free time. But the care she felt for him was stronger than waht she felt for some of her own family. Perhaps all of her own family.
"Liontuft?" She called out softly, not wanting to be detected by other ShadowClan warriors, but needing to see him. Make sure he was alright, show him she was safe. Keep him informed. "Liontuft!" She suddenly called out louder than intended, and she backed a few paces away, racing down the scent line, farther from her own camp, away from the fire. Her eyes never left the foliage of ShadowClan territory. All she could do was search for his pelt. There would be no rest until he was found. "Liontuft!" She called out again, her voice cracking and she suddenly came to a stop, staring ahead into the unknowns of the marshes. She took in a shaky breath, fell into a sitting position, and a choked sob left her. Hatred for herself burned through her veins for abandoning her clan for someone in ShadowClan. There could be kits burning alive, elders falling and dying because of the smoke. And here she was, crying at the ShadowClan border, waiting for a tom who probably wouldn't come.
When was the last time she saw him? Suddenly it felt like an eternity.

Never before in his life had Liontuft moved so swiftly, rushing through the mashes that was his home to get to the border. He could see the flames burning bright, and while every other time he'd snuck off to the border he'd been careful not to be see the tom couldn't care less this time. All he cared about was the starry furred she-cat that ran in his dreams. He could hear a voice, loud and beautiful, and turned on his heels to race after it, determined to find her. She had to be safe, she just had to be! As he emerged through the pines to see her sprinting down the border, Liontuft kicked it up a notch and took off into a deadcat's sprint. "Driftstream!" He called loudly, trying to catch her frantic attention. "Driftstream you're alright!" Liontuft closed the distance, and leaped forward to tackle her, determined to feel her fur and realize it was truly her and not Dapplestar in disguise. "StarClan I feared that fire had claimed you!"