When Jay's fur stood on end, I knew something wrong. I felt it too, the air was slightly metallic and left a funny taste in my mouth. I didn't like it.

"Do you smell that?" He whispered in the near darkness.

"Not really."

"It smells like fire," his voice was tinged with the icy edge of fear.

It took me a moment to realize he had sped up, as I had. A few more minutes and I spotted a single prick of light up ahead, then I smelled it. It was different then fluid born fires, this one was angrier. It smelled more like wood, and it tasted like spicy ash. This fire was worse.

We burst into sudden sunlight, or, mosslight, and I gaped at what I saw. The burning smell suddenly making sense.

Our home had been attacked.

Jay's nostrils flared and he shuffled dangerously through piles of soot and splinters. Rocks were overturned and thrown allover the place, tunnels were collapsed, and whatever could burn was still smoldering slightly. I spotted a scroll, ripped and singed beyond repair, whatever traditions and ancient knowledge lost. My heart sunk, hitting the bottom of my chest with a soft thunk.

"Where's Zara?" Jay spoke suddenly, his voice crackly like a static radio.

"I don't know," I started carefully rooting around, and we both called out her name.

I can't believe we just let her go, we don't even know if she made it back all right. And where was everyone else? It was eerily quiet and my sunken heart began to pound against my chest like a drum, filtering out all other sounds.

"Zara!" I yelled.

There was a small squeak to my right, and I dug into a large mound, only to discover a coughing kit. I licked off the dirt from her face, her ragged breath sending little puffs of dust into the air.

"What happened here?" I asked softly.

She looked up at me. "Bees, they attacked the hill. Do you see my mommy anywhere?"

I did a quick survey of the area. I didn't see any other claws, or bodies, thank Glamora.

"I'm sure we'll find her," I said back to the small girl by my feet. "But for now, you can ride with me, it's dangerous."

I picked her up by the scruff, and twisted my head back enough to drop her between my shoulder blades. She blinked graciously.

"I think I know where they could have gone," said Jay from behind me, I jumped, nearly reseating my passenger.

"Where?"

"There are safety tunnels below, the probably evacuated there."

"Lead the way," I stared to gesture, then realized the notion was useless if he couldn't see it.

It took us a while to reach the under, underground. But we were instantly relived when the two of discovered, yes, this was indeed where everyone went. A mother claws with three other kittens rushed out to greet the one of my back.

"Lin! Oh I was so worried..." She broke down into tears as I searched this den for Zara.

A black, and fluffy she-claw rushed to meet Jay. Who shrugged her off with a huff, but I could see he was smiling on the inside.

Zara wasn't here. I begun to check the many dens that lined the one tunnel. Was it possible she never made it back?

I let out a sigh of relief when I spotted her with her father. She was crying, I noticed with a guilty feeling, but it turned to sort of an enraged smile when she spotted me. And I rushed to her quickly.

"Zara, before you say anything, I'm sorry for what I did back up there, I didn't realize-"

"I don't care, as long as you're still alive." She cut me off with a fierce, friendly hug. I sat still, surprised by her sudden affection.

Nepal coughed. "While you were away, Bees attacked, I don't now why, we've been neutral in this war for thirteen years. Is everything safe topside?"

"Yeah, just wreckage." I answered solemnly.

"This is direct provocation, they want us involved, I will have to hold a council." He muttered, walking off in thought.

"Where were you? I was so worried." Zara looked at me, her eyes full of tears.

"Well you left the flightless wonder and the blind guy to fend for ourselves, it wasn't exactly easy." I shrugged.

"Oh, sorry, I wasn't thinking, it's just," she whacked me softly on the back of my head. "That was really dumb."

"I know, and I won't go jumping off cliffs again."

"You had better not."

"Good, because if the fur ball does that again, I'm not rescuing him." Jay interjected suddenly.

"So what do we do now?" He asked.

"What do you mean?"

"They attacked us, we can go after them now, Zara, we can get revenge." He gave us a hard stare.

"What?" I gasped, surely she wouldn't go for this.

But when Zara didn't say no, I got worried. She didn't face me, and it was a long period of silence before She made eye contact with us.

"I don't know, I'll think about it."

I squawked. "That was thirteen years ago!"

"What they've done is unforgivable." She hissed through clenched teeth, turning and leaving me alone with Jay again.

I was about to go after her when my stomach growled. I was hungry, but people needed my help, more than I needed food, so I ignored it. Jay didn't however, with his catlike ear reflexes.

"Come on flyboy, let's go find something to hunt."

I sighed and followed him.