Distant Sun: Flashing Lights - Shimmering Stars

Chapter 21

Jadepaw, laden with herbs, runs alongside Mossflight, Snakescratch, Lilyfur and Barknight as they rush towards the burning territory. Their sister Clan was trapped in a flaming territory and someone needed to help them evacuate.

"Jadepaw, stay here," Mossflight orders as the group reaches the other side of the river. "We can't lose our medicine cat apprentice."

"But I can help!" Jadepaw argues.

"You're too young and all those herbs will make you flammable," Mossflight argues, her usually tired eyes blazing with adrenaline. "Go to the other side of the river, just in case the fire gets farther into the territory and set up a camp for wounded cats."

Jadepaw is about to argue when the group leaves her behind, running straight into the burning trees. Reluctantly, Jadepaw crosses the river again and sits down, arranging her herbs neatly so that they would be sheltered from the rain by her body. She wonders if her mentor got to go in and help cats when she pushes the thought from her mind. She shouldn't wish to be in there.

Sitting in silence, Jadepaw soon gets an idea. She crosses to the hanging rocks and sets up her herbs in a sheltered spot so that she could help injured cats to this spot instead of forcing them to cross the river, which was swollen with rain water. Jadepaw jumps up onto the top of the hanging rocks and keeps her eyes on the border. It's not that much later that Jadepaw sees cats running out of the trees.

Brightpaw, Wolfpaw, Swanpaw, Badgerpaw and Blackpaw all run out of the trees, accompanied by Shadefeather, who already looks exhausted. Jadepaw jumps down to meet them.

"Any injuries?" Jadepaw asks her Clanmate.

Shadefeather shakes his head, panting heavily. "I'm going back in. direct them to the camp?"

Jadepaw nods and like a rabbit, Shadefeather takes off again. She turns to the apprentices, who are shaking from the rain, and points towards the camp with her tail. "Cross the river and keep walking until you find a dip in the ground. The queens and elders will get you settled in."

Brightpaw, the least shaken of the group, nods to Jadepaw and carefully wraps her tail over Badgerpaw's shoulders. The poor kit is shaking and looks horrified. The apprentices cross the river nonetheless and Jadepaw returns to her lookout position. Not too much later, she sees Featherwing supporting a hacking and coughing Smokesong. Jadepaw rushes over to them and helps Featherwing carry Smokesong over the river when Jadepaw realizes she hasn't been injured.

"Wait," Smokesong splutters as Jadepaw is about to cross the river again. "Blackpaw, he's still–" she's cut off by a coughing fit, "he's still in there!"

"No, he's safe," Jadepaw meows. "He just crossed this way with some of the other apprentices. He should be back at camp."

Smokesong relaxes and allows Featherwing to carry her away. Jadepaw jumps over the river as her name is screamed.

"Jadepaw!"

There are a few RowanClan apprentices running towards Jadepaw, Spotpaw supporting Tasnytail as they walk over to her.

"Jadepaw, Tansytail got burned trying to help us get out of camp!" Peachpaw cries, her voice bordering on hysterical.

"Carry them this way," Jadepaw orders.

She leads the apprentices to her sheltered spot and has them lay the RowanClan deputy down on the rock. There is a nasty burn on Tansytail's shoulder and it sends shivers down Jadepaw's spine. She snaps out of it, though, and starts chewing comfrey and burdock into a pulp. The apprentices watch warily as Jadepaw smears the pulp on Tansytail's shoulder and starts covering it in cobwebs.

"I'm alright," Tansytail meows hoarsely, giving a weak smile. "It doesn't hurt too bad."

"Are they going to be okay?" Tornpaw asks quietly. This was the first time Jadepaw had heard him speak, but she doesn't even realize it until later.

"They're going to be fine," Jadepaw replies. "They just need to stay here until I can move them back to camp. You three should head there yourselves. I need the space in case there are more injured. Just head that way and you'll find it."

The apprentices leave, but Jadepaw stays by Tansytail and places a few more cobwebs on their wound.

"I'm going to go look for more cats who need help," Jadepaw meows to the deputy. "Are you going to be okay by yourself until I come back?"

"I'll be fine," Tansytail replies, but their eyes are still clouded over with pain.

"Just call for me if you need anything."

Jadepaw jumps back onto the rocks and watches. It was a few minutes later that a group of cats comes bursting out of the flames. No one looks injured, but it's not lost on Jadepaw that every single cat is holding a newborn kitten in their jaws.

"WillowClan camp is that way!" Jadepaw calls down to them, recognizing Misteye among them. "We have space for you there!"

"Wait!" Appleberry nearly screams, her brown eyes widening with fear. "Where's Magnoliakit?!"

"I thought Ratclaw had..." Misteye trails off and her eyes grow wide. "Ratclaw is still in there! He has Magnoliakit! She'll die!"

"You can't go back in there!" Jadepaw meows. "These kits need you! Take them back to the camp and wait there! Someone will find Ratclaw and Magnoliakit!"

Appleberry looks terrified, but hops over the stepping stones anyways. They take a moment to carry each kit across and then start trekking towards the camp. Jadepaw turns her gaze back to the blazing forest, watching the flames grow closer and anxiety creep into her mind. She knows now that all three Clans are in there, having assumed that BirchClan was helping upon seeing Misteye among the RowanClan queens.

Suddenly more cats burst out of the trees, three of them screaming in pain as they run away. Jadepaw jumps down and guides them to her camp where she'll fix them up. She has a feeling this is going to be a long night.