Hidden In Fire

Prologue (Zaffie)
"This is all your fault, Devon," a voice hissed from the shadows. Astro stood perfectly still, not daring to move a muscle. He knew that if he turned around, he would see a white pelt glowing in the dark - see the elusive cat who was the self-proclaimed leader of their little band, but he wouldn't turn. Devon wouldn't either, he could see from the rigid way his brother held his head. Only Lollipop had ever seen Silthrim, and she had told them little about him.

"I know," Devon said, trembling. "I'm sorry. I will do better next time, I promise!" His voice rose sharply in pitch at the end of the sentence, and Astro winced at the fear obvious in his brother's meow.

"Sorry doesn't fix the problems, Devon. Do you know what does, though?" There was silence. "Astro? Do you know?"

Astro jumped. "Um...," he stuttered, his brain wheeling through the possibilities.

"Killing the mistakes," Silthrim murmured, his voice deceptively smooth. "They aren't supposed to be here. No trace was supposed to remain of the Clans. So you must remove them."

Astro gazed down towards the blaze. The fire he had helped start was still burning, and his pale grey pelt was streaked with ash. Here and there, along the shore of the lake, he could see small figures stumbling, and his heart clenched within him as he steeled himself to what he had to do.