Distant Sun: Flashing Lights - Shimmering Stars

Chapter 20

Jadepaw was helping Patchheart lift a cover for the medicine den when she feels a raindrop land on her nose. She flinches and the older tom gives a chuckle.

"Looks like SpiritClan is having a fight about something," Patchheart purrs.

"What?" Jadepaw looks at him in confusion. SpiritClan has no say in the weather, they only can move the clouds to cover the moon if they are displeased. Where did he get this?

"Sorry, it's an old superstition my mom used to tell me about," Patchheart purrs. "She and my dad believed that when it rained, their ancestors were fighting over something and she'd make a game for me where I try and guess what the argument was about. It's silly, but it stuck with me."

"Where did she learn that?" Jadepaw asks.

"Shadefeather says it's something their parents told them about before they were abandoned," Patchheart replies with a shrug, hefting the cover up a bit more and shoving a stick into the ground. "There. This'll be much better than past leafbares. We might even be able to keep the elders warm for once. I don't know why Rocktooth didn't tell us about this before. Old WillowClan had some good ideas."

"She saw it recently, after last leafbare," Jadepaw reminds him. "Maybe our ancestors didn't think we needed it until then."

Patchheart shrugs again, shoving the other stick into the ground and balances the cover on the two sticks. "Either way, it's cool. Gives everyone something to do during leaffall. Gives the added bonus of keeping warmth in so Ashpelt has nothing to complain about."

Jadepaw steps back and admires the work she and the older cat had done. It keeps the entrance sheltered and still allows for a view into camp! She likes it a lot, and Patchheart also seems satisfied.

"Welp, I'm going to go get more sticks from the RowanClan border," Patchheart meows. "'Better safe than sorry,' as my uncle says."

And with that, Patchheart turns around and calls out to Greymoon. Greymoon gets to her paws and follows the black and white tom out of camp, surely going along to help him gather sticks. Jadepaw ducks back under the cover and watches the rain fall out in camp.

The kits have snuck out and are splashing in forming puddles while Pinefur scolds them for getting Ravenkit all wet when a particularly big splash soaks the poor kit. Dawnpaw has joined in as well, though she quickly stops when Shadefeather starts scolding her for not setting a good example. Featherwing and Grassfur have stepped out into the rain and start running towards the camp entrance. Jadepaw wonders where they are going when her eyes catch on Darkstep. The deputy stares up at the sky, eyes closed, and takes a deep breath, a smile forming on his face.

"It's better for it to rain instead of snow," Rocktooth meows from beside Jadepaw. She looks at her mentor, but Rocktooth's eyes are on Pinefur. Rocktooth smiles and sighs contentedly. "It's nice to see the camp full of joy again after so much death."

Jadepaw nods and looks out over the top of the camp walls. She can just barely see over the dip where Gemspot and Fluffypelt are sitting together, tails intertwined. Jadepaw wonders if they're going to announce becoming mates soon as thunder rumbles in the sky.

"Ah, looks like it's going to be a loud night," Rocktooth hums.

Jadepaw nods and looks out into the sky again. She watches as a large lightning bolt strikes something and flicks her tail. She's never liked lightning, it scares her how something so beautiful could kill with a single strike.

Suddenly, Gemspot and Fluffypelt rush back into camp, their eyes wild.

"RowanClan is on fire!" Gemspot screeches.