Distant Sun: Flashing Lights - Shimmering Stars

Chapter 22

"Easy now," Jadepaw meows as she helps Heronsight into the camp. The poor she-cat had her paws burned in the fire and could barely walk. Darktail, who had joined Jadepaw not too long after three cats came running to Jadepaw for help, guides Tansytail and a few others carefully.

The WillowClan camp is chaos. There are makeshift dens being built, cats running around anxiously and leaders standing above the cats on the High Rock. At least, one of the leaders. Only Whitestar and Feathersong of BirchClan are talking on the High Rock while Silverstripe tries to organize the chaos in Darkstep's absence. Her booming voice makes a few of the cats listen, but most of them just keep dashing around.

"Let's get these cats into the medicine den," Jadepaw meows to Darktail. "They'll be able to rest more easily there."

She leads Heronsight into the den, where Blueclaw has moved her nest to the back, and allows the fluffy she-cat to lay down. Heronsight sighs with relief and splays her legs out in front of her.

"Will you have enough room for them all?" Darktail asks as he helps Climbtail into a nest.

"We have to," Jadepaw replies.

She slips back into the camp and sees the nursery looks more busy than usual. She walks over and sticks her head in. Amberheart and Pinefur had given up their nests for Rubyheart and Appleberry, who had kits to care for, and were taking a close look at the kits.

"Did you find Magnoliakit?" Jadepaw asks.

Appleberry's expression tells Jadepaw everything. Magnoliakit and Ratclaw still hadn't shown up. She gives a small sigh and ducks out of the den. She needs to focus on the injured.

"Where's Goldenlight?" comes the voice of a RowanClan warrior. Jadepaw thinks this cat's name is Heatherflower, but she's unsure. "I saw her running out of camp, but she's not here."

"I'm sure we'll find her," a grey she-cat (Jadepaw thinks her name is Petalcall?) assures. "Maybe she went to BirchClan? I saw a few cats running across the border."

"I hope so, we can't afford to lose our only medicine cat," Heatherflower sighs.

"Jadepaw, you're running low on burdock and comfrey," Darktail meows, sticking his head out of the medicine den.

Jadepaw walks back over to him and meets his eyes evenly. "Rocktooth had some. I'm sure she'll be able to give us some when she comes back. Did you bring any with you?"

"I left all my supplies back at your little camp," Darktail replies. "There was plenty there, but I don't know if I should leave these cats here and–"

"I can go grab them for you."

Jadepaw glances over her shoulder at the voice and sees Larktooth from RowanClan there. The large golden she-cat looks remarkably like Goldenlight for a moment but the similarities fade at the pelt color.

"Where are your supplies? I can get them," Larktooth repeats.

"Over by the hanging rocks," Jadepaw meows. "There's a little cave of sorts on the side facing the river, that's where I was keeping the injured."

Larktooth nods and turns around to leave. A silver she-cat, who Jadepaw recognizes as Silverberry, rushes up and meows something to Larktooth and the two she-cats leave together. Jadepaw steps back into the medicine den and starts observing the cats inside.

Heronsight's paws are being wrapped up by Darktail. Climbtail's burn on his tail has already been treated. Tansytail is dosing in their nest, shoulder bound tightly. Yewfur is thrashing his tail angrily as he stares at the burn on his front leg. Berrytail has a nasty burn on her side, but it had already been bound. No one to care for right now. Good. She can go check on the other RowanClan cats for signs of distress or smoke inhalation.

"The rain is coming down harder," a voice near the medicine den says as Jadepaw exits. She looks over and sees Ironsong and Snailsong sitting there. They obviously weren't talking to her. Ironsong continues. "Let's hope it puts out the fire before the night ends."

"I hope everyone else got out safely," Snailsong meows sullenly. "All of my siblings are accounted for, but I worry about the younger warriors. Oakclaw, Opalblaze and Nightclaw are still in there. And Tallstar is missing too."

Ironsong's eyes flash anxiously and he sighs. Jadepaw remembers that Ironsong is Tallstar's mate as the tom speaks. "Tallstar is strong. She's probably helping the elders and senior warriors out of the territory."

"I hope so."

***

The rain has nearly fizzled out and warriors have begun to report that the flames have lessened. Whitestar does a head count of her warriors while Tansytail, now much stronger, does a count of the RowanClan cats.

"We have a few warriors here and all of the queens and apprentices, but everyone else is missing," Tansytail meows anxiously to Whitestar as Jadepaw sits just outside the medicine den, eavesdropping on the High Rock conversation. "Reedtail, Ratclaw, Mirrorpool, Oakclaw, Opalbaze, Nightclaw, Raventooth, Firepelt, Snowheart, Tallstar and Goldenlight are all still missing. Not to mention Magnoliakit, my sister is distraught. I can only hope they're in BirchClan."

"We're missing quite a few warriors as well," Whitestar sighs. "Darkstep and Rocktooth are with them, though. I'm sure they will be just fine."

"I think I'll head back to BirchClan and see who is there," Feathersong meows quietly to the other two cats. "Lakestar might know what to do if I don't find everyone there."

"Good luck," Tansytail meows.

"May SpiritClan be with you," Whitestar adds.

***

By the time the sun rises the next morning, the rain has stopped and the flames have been put out. A messenger from BirchClan reported that most of the cats that were missing from RowanClan were in the BirchClan camp, including little Magnoliakit who had been brought with the messenger to be with her mother. However, concerningly, there was no sign of Ratclaw in the BirchClan camp. He was the one carrying the kit, why wasn't he there?

Whitestar ordered for everyone to get what little rest they could and organized patrols to go out hunting to feed the extra mouths. Jadepaw settles in her nest while Darktail hovers over the patients. He had insisted Jadepaw rest up and let him supervise the patients and Jadepaw is too tired to fight him on it, so she does as she is told. She slips into a dreamless sleep as she listens to Darktail pace around the den.