The night was dark over ThunderClan. A storm howled, ripping entire branches off of trees. Cats huddled in their dens, desperately attempting to find shelter from the pelting hail.
After yet another branch crashed into the center of camp, a streak of black even darker than the night hurled across the ThunderClan camp, its fur sodden and icy the second it left the warriors den. It was a cat.
Leaping onto Highrock, the black cat was met immediately by another tom. Big and barrel-chested, his blue eyes were clouded with fear. The dark tom yowled over the rain. "Silverstar! Stop this! We'll be killed if we don't escape!" The tomcat knew his leader was stubborn, but not so much that he would be willing to let the entirety of ThunderClan die.
"Lightningfoot, we can't. If we abandon camp-"
In an instant, the black tom had thrown himself at Silverstar. "If we don't, we are guaranteed to all die!" Sighting a dappled she-cat appear over Silverstar's shoulder, he relaxed slightly. "Spottedfur. Please talk some sense into him." It was almost a plea. If Silverstar's mate couldn't make him see straight, then no one would.
Lightningfoot was lucky. The look Spottedfur had given was enough to make anyone obey her.
"Oh fine...ThunderClan, to me!" the broad-shouldered silver cat dashed to the entrance of the camp, his long, plume-like tail a beacon leading out behind him.
Lightningfoot scrambled up the slippery slope. Not a moment after he emerged at the top, he turned to see a calico apprentice lose hold on the path, a torrent of water sweeping her down a fox-length. Lightningfoot slid down to her, his paws scrabbling for a hold in the muddy hill.
The apprentice looked up with fear in her eyes. The deputy grabbed her, hauling her into an upright position. Practically shoving his daughter up the cliff, Lightningfoot's amber eyes suddenly showed pure fear, actually constricting as he looked at the cats huddled around the entrance.
"Where is Meadowpelt? Did she get out?" Lightningfoot tried to shout, his voice hoarse. He turned to another black cat, a she-cat who almost mirrored his appearance. "Stormshade, listen. Where is our mother?"
Stormshade anticipated her brother's actions before they happened. She moved to stop him as he leaped down into the hollow, but she was too late. A gray cat holding herbs sat up straight, yowling.
Just as Lightningfoot's black tail tip disappeared into the thorn barrier, a bolt of lightning arced down to earth, striking the lace he'd disappeared into. The camp burst into flame.