Distant Sun: Flashing Lights - Shimmering Stars

Chapter 23

Warning!

this chapter contains descriptions of burned bodies and many characters' distress at seeing them. I advise you skip this chapter if this sounds like something you can't handle. don't worry, the next book will have a recap of everyone who died here so you won't miss anything aside from character interactions based off of these character deaths

The afternoon sun is high as Jadepaw follows the warriors into the burned rowan forest. She is joined by two cats from each Clan. Each cat is tasked with finding the cats missing from their Clan. Spotleaf and Snakescratch, as the WillowClan cats, are looking for Lilyfur and Mossflight. Nutclaw and Quailbreeze, as the BirchClan cats, are looking for Lakestar, Squirrelclaw and Yewclaw. Opalblaze and Oakclaw, as the RowanClan cats, are looking for Ratclaw, Mirrorpool, Reedtail and Raventooth. Jadepaw is on this trip, as the only well-rested medicine cat among the five, to provide medical aid to any cats still alive after their ordeal.

They aren't three steps into the forest when they find the first burned body. A silver wire is caught around this cat's throat, but from the charred remains, they seemed to have died peacefully despite the pain they surely endured.

"Ratclaw," Oakclaw meows, his voice holding a quiver. Opalblaze presses her nose into his shoulder fur and murmurs something to him. Oakclaw sniffs and looks at the body. "At least it doesn't look like he suffered. Maybe he died before the flames could get him."

"I'll take the wire off of him and we can carry him to the cats who're gonna bury the bodies," Spotleaf offers, her tail flicking over Oakclaw's shoulder sympathetically. "You don't have to help us if you need a moment."

Oakclaw shakes his head and takes a deep breath. "I'll be okay. Let's get him back to his family."

Jadepaw watches as the warriors carefully remove the silver wire of the trap from Ratclaw's throat. She studies it carefully and realizes it is the same stuff they have back in the medicine den. Jadepaw steps forward and the warriors look at her.

"Can I take the wire?" Jadepaw asks.

Nutclaw narrows her eyes at Jadepaw. "Why? What use would you have for something that killed a cat?"

"Rocktooth and I use it to bind sprained paws," Jadepaw replies.

Snakescratch nods. "They used some on mine when I sprained it. It helped a lot."

Nutclaw shrugs and rips the wire off of the stick in the ground. "Help yourself."

Jadepaw picks it up and wraps it around one of her leaf bundles. Rocktooth will be proud of her for recognizing the wire.

"I'll take Ratclaw to Wrenflight and Stoneheart," Quailbreeze meows. "You all go ahead, I'll catch up."

The cats shrug but allow Quailbreeze to carry the dead tom to the burial team after helping her adjust him on her back. Then they continue on. Jadepaw feels a sense of unease as she stares into the canopy above her. The charred trees remind her of the trees in the Forest of Lost Souls. She shivers and speedwalks to catch up with the patrol.

"That one looks like the one that was struck," Nutclaw meows suddenly. She motions to a tree that looks very different to the rest. It is smooth and pale, not blackened like the ones around it. "My mentor showed me a few when I was an apprentice. All trees that have been struck look like that. Usually they don't spread fire, but it must've been too close to the others and set them ablaze."