Pray for Safety

    "The fire flowers are gorgeous this green leaf..." Snowbird's voice was hushed in awe, her head leaning against the shoulder of her mate. Hazefire purred and leaned over to lick her over the ear affectionately.
    "Yes, but you're twice as gorgeous, and always so." the older she-cat laughed and flicked her tail across his flank, her long fur smacking him lightly. She shook her head and lifted it up, hearing the loud BOOM of the next fire flower. "That was a big one." 
    BOOM Snowbird jumped at the next one. She'd heard it, but hadn't seen the colorful explosion in the sky like she usually would. She looked up, turning around. "Where'd that one go?"

    "FIRE!"

    "RUN!"

    The queen's eyes widened as she jumped up with Hazefire beside her. Her heart thud in her chest violently as the smell of smoke filled her nostrils. Her mate, as calmly as he could, helped her steady herself, and got her running. The two followed the flow of cats out of camp, and she could already hear the screams. Her breathing sped up, and her fur bristled by instinct. Smoke and walls of fire surrounded her, the only thing keeping her from breaking down was the dark tail along her flank, guiding her. She took deep breaths, as even as they could be; then she thought, and her heart stopped.
    The kits. She was going to have kits and they were breathing in the smoke as she was. If she got hurt, they got hurt. She began to panic again, and tears filled her eyes. She couldn't do this again. She couldn't let them go. Not this time. Her panicked state seemed to increase, but there was no longer fear. Only determination. Survival. She quickened their pace, and Hazefire watched with confusion, but he didn't question her actions. He followed by her side, as she swerved out of the way of burning branches and brambles. Her lungs felt on fire. Her eyes burned and watered. Nothing mattered.

CRACK

    A large, burning branch fell towards the two and Snowbird swiftly ran out of the way. She sighed with relief and turned to keep going with Hazefire, but when she turned there were only walls of fire. She was trapped and alone. "H-Hazefire?" her voice cracked with effort, her dry throat impossible to work with.
    "Snowbird!" His voice calmed her only slightly; he was alive but on the other side of the flames. "Snowbird, are you OK?" She tried to answer, but all that came out was a wrangled mrow. Hopefully that would be enough to communicate. The flaming branch beside her began to shake and she backed away. It shook once, twice, and then it gave way to a rattled and wheezing Hazefire, his gray fur now darker and covered in ash. He approached the smaller she-cat and nuzzled against her for a quick second, before pulling back and sighing shakily. 
    Snowbird smiled the best she could, and nudged her mate forward, back through the path he'd just made. "Thank Starclan..." He mumbled under his breath, the two now working their way through the territory at a good pace again. Yes, thank Starclan... she thought, and pray that everything is going to be alright.