Chapter 13

A Flame Goes Out

I dropped a mouse onto the top of the fresh-kill pile, feeling a flood of pride, even if it wasn't much. The sun shone high above the cold sky, and a fresh dusting of snow coated the ground. I was glad I didn't attend the Gathering, as I had caught rumours from my Clanmates that it didn't go well at all, Clans pointing claws at each other and bickering like kits.

Just outside, I saw Flametail dragging his paws as he left the medicine den with bundles of herbs in his jaws. My heart fell and my joy was quickly washed away seeing him in such an exhausted state. I tore myself away from Pinepaw and Shrewfoot to join Flametail's side.

"Are you alright?" I asked, eyeing him up and down.

"I'm just a little tired," he mewed through herbs.

I narrowed my eyes. "Let me help you, you're so tired. You're more stubborn than a badger sometimes."

At first he was poised to reject my offer until I saw his body shudder with a stretch. He really was working himself to the bone. I nosed my way toward the bundle of tansy in his jaws and took some away from his teeth. "Just tell me who to deliver this to."

His eyes twinkled with amusement before he motioned a shoulder toward the nursery. "Kinkfur said that Mistkit's come down with a cough, you can take care of her. Have Kinkfur chew up the pulp and feed it to Mistkit. I'll deliver these to Cederheart."

I nodded and split from Flametail as I moved toward the nursery. I pushed aside the layers of lichen until I was in the cramped space. It was warm and dark inside the nursery. I watched as Sparrowkit chargedacross the sandy floor, a moss ball only whiskers from his grasp. He batted it upward, and Dewkit jumped, snatching the ball in her paws. Sparrowkit lunged, nearly knocking Dewkit right into me before I neatly sidestepped the kits.

"Careful," Kinkfur warned, pushing into the den.

Mistkit peeked out from a nest woven from hazel stems. I could see with her silent stare that she was tired and smelled of sickness.

Sparrowkit untangled himself from Dewkit. "Mistkit's really sick!'

I carefully placed the tansy down in front of Kinkfur's paws. "She's going to be fine, she just needs to take some medicine." I turned to the queen. "Flametail told me that you need to chew it up and feed it to Mistkit."

Kinkfur nodded and pawed the stem out of the way as Sparrowkit and Dewkit bounced over to investigate.

"Blargh!" Dewkit shuddered.

Sparrowkit's face twisted with disgust. "Does she have to eat herbs?"

"If she wants to get better, yes." I agreed with a purr of amusement. "Leave your sister to rest for a while."

Sparrowkit nodded and once again pounced on Dewkit, sending the two kits in a playful tangle across the nursery. With a smile, I nosed my way out of the den and back into the main camp area where the air was brittle with frost. Just in time, I had spotted Flametail padding away from Cederheart who was situated in front of a log entrance to the elder's den.

"Did it go well?" Flametail asked worriedly.

"Don't fret so much, I'm sure she's going to be fine." I attempted to assure the medicine cat. I was about to ask him about how Cederheart's health was holding up until I heard distant shrieks coming from the lake's direction. I twisted my head around and perked up my ears in curiosity. "You hear that?" I asked.

He nodded. "I think it's Pinepaw and Redwillow, it sounds like they're playing."

They indeed sound happy, just as Flametail had claimed. As he spoke, a tortoiseshell pelt flashed, and Olivenose skidded to a halt beside the two of us. She was out of breath, smiling all the while. "We're playing on the lake! It's completely frozen," she panted. "You could walk right over to RiverClan territory if you wanted."

Trailing right behind her, Dawnpelt caught up to the red and black warrior. "I'm going to fetch Scorchfur and Owlclaw!" She declared, trotting past and searching for the two warriors. Before leaving, she glanced over her shoulder to her brother with an uncharacteristic grin. "You should go play with us, Flametail! You've been looking much too worried lately. Go and have some fun." She disappeared into the brambles of hte warriors' den.

I noticed Flametail's paws twitch with anticipation. He did deserve a break, he'd been running around and taking care of every little thing in the camp all by himself. My lungs ached with pity for him. A break didn't sound too bad.

"We should go join them," I tried to tempt Flametail. "It sounds like it could be fun!"

Olivenose twisted around. "Come on!" She cried out as she bounded away back down the hill.

I smiled at Flametail. "Last one to the lake is mouse dung!" I teased as I bolted after Olivenose's direction. I thought I heard Flametail's playful declaration of it not being fair, but the two of us were happily bounding down the ShadowClan territory together chasing after our Clanmate to the lakeshore. After weaving in between pines and bushes, we arrived onto the shore where the docks jutted out into the lake, clamped by ice. The frozen expanse of water glowed a dim pink from the light of the setting sun.

Olivenose trotted across the boards until she stood at the end, beckoning us with her tail. I followed after, standing at the edge and looking down at the ice. The lake surely was completely frozen, and Redwillow was already racing over the gleaming whiteness. He flung himself across and skidded on the ice, sliding on his stomach. There was a yowl of amusement erupting from Crowfrost and Ratscar who was watching.

It warmed my heart to see that even the senior warriors were enjoying themselves.

Olivenose hopped off from the dock and landed on the ice, skidding for a few heartbeats. "Come on, it's safe!" She called out.

I smirked at Flametail and took several steps backwards before making a running start over the bridge and leaping onto the ice. The shock went through my pawpads, and I felt a dizzying spin all around me as I was sent spinning across the slick sheet. Memories flickered back to when I was a twoleg and going to the ice-skating rink with my friends in the winter.

Hand in hand with my closest friends, warm and laughing until we sweat profusely and drank hot chocolate at the cafe afterwards. It almost felt like I was back home.

I felt myself yowl with excitement when I stopped and turned back up to Flametail. "It's fun!" I promised.

I noticed not far away, I caught the scent of ThunderClan cats across the shore also playing and experimenting on the ice. Though at that moment, I couldn't find myself to care.

I watched the ginger tom tentatively look down and jump to the ice, experimentally shifting his paws before padding away from the half-bridge to join where I was standing with Starlingpaw and Pinepaw. I glanced over to see that the pair were sliding smooth, round stones to one another.

"What are you playing?" The medicine cat asked.

Pinepaw's eyes glittered with excitement. "Well done, Olivenose!" She meowed with her tail held high. "Now we have enough players."

Oh dear StarClan- they're playing hockey. I realized to myself as I stifled laughter. To think that cats knew how to come up with such an elaborate game: it was almost adorable.

Starlingpaw trotted up to Flametail. "We want to play prey-stone. It's this game we just made up." He called to Pinepaw. "Slide the stone over here!"

Pinepaw flicked the smooth fat stone over to Starlingpaw as it slid quickly over the ice. With an expert paw, Starlingpaw stopped it. "This is the prey," he explained, pushing the stone toward Flametail. "Over there is the prey-hole." He flicked his tail and Flametail peered across the ice. "It's not a real hole, but all the ice between that tree and that holly bush"—Starlingpaw flicked his tail toward the shore—"is where the stone's

safe. If you get in there, you win. If me and Pinepaw stop you, we win, and we have to swap places. Fallenpaw! You can be on my team!"

I smirked and trotted over the ice to join Pinepaw and Starlingpaw's side. I cast an amused glance to Flametail, beckoning him to join us.

I thought I saw the flicker of a challenge in Flametail's eyes. "Got it." He meowed as he put his paw on the stone.

I sat myself down on the ice and decided to watch instead.

Olivenose padded past him. "Redwillow and I are on your team," she told him. "Slide the stone to me if they block your path."

I had already moved toward the holly bush to take up the position of guarding the "prey-hole". Starlingpaw and Pinepaw were already paced in front of me, and I couldn't help but purr at the situation.

It wasn't often that I let myself get flashbacks to my human life, since I decided to repress most of the memories. Yet this was one that I was fond of. In my younger years, I had joined a hockey team in my town. I wasn't the best at it since I was still rather young, and I often slipped on the ice. I still had fun nontheless, sliding and slipping over the ice with my friends until our faces were numb with frost.

Flametail quickly began batting it away from Starlingpaw and Pinepaw, who chased after him to claim the stone. Olivenose and Redwillow kept pace at his side, the she-cat scampering several tail-lengths away from him. Flametail pushed the stone across the ice so that she could catch it and begin trying to get to the "goal".

I turned to Starlingpaw and shouted, "Guard the hole, I'm coming up to take it!"

The ginger tom slipped back and traded positions with me. I began to skate over the ice, the breeze whipping at my fur at a delightfully chill ripple through my fur. I flicked my tail and gave a challenging glare to Olivenose's team.

"Let's attack!" Redwillow yowled.

Olivenose slid the stone back to Flametail, as the cat caught it easily with his paw. I kept my eyes trained on the stone, ready to lunge and prevent it from getting to the goal. Flametail released a carefree laugh as he flicked it toward Redwillow who was now closing in on us. They were drawing closer to the prey hole.

Yet I found myself ready, as it was parried back to Flametail, he flicked it to the prey-hole at near-lightning speed. I narrowed my eyes and lunged toward it, feeling a chilling freeze over my stomach as I slid across the ice to land on top of the stone.

"I got it!" I cried out triumphantly. I stood up and flung it back across the ice, but I watched as it overshot itself past Flametail and toward the middle of the lake.

Flametail twisted around to begin chasing after the stone. It was warming to see him so carefree and relaxed for once, this was precisely what I wanted for the poor tom; just a day to relax and let his worries go. I scampered past Crowfrost and Ratscar. Maybe I should be on Redwillow's team next! I thought cheerily.

Flametail skated closer to it as the stone skidded to a halt. He lowered himself to the ice, ready to slide after it.

My stomach lurched in sudden despair when I heard the sickening sound of ice cracking.

A thin webbing of white sprung out underneath him, and I realized just a heartbeat too late what was happening.

"Flameta-"

I couldn't even get his name out by the time the ice shattered and the tom was sent plunging into the water. I watched as several of the ThunderClan cats bounded across the ice towards us. I didn't recognize many of them, the only notable one being Jayfeather, the blind medicine cat.

Without hesitation, the gray tabby leapt down to the punctured hole in the ice following after Flametail.

No! They're both going to get hypothermia! I thought desperately. I looked around, scents getting muddled and my senses about to go into full panic. I needed to think fast, I needed to remember the things I was taught before I died.

He needs to get warm and dry immediately, a warm den has to be prepared. First: we need to get them both out. I whipped my head in Crowfrost's direction, pleading. "Get back to camp and prepare a dry nest for Flametail! I'm going to get him out."

Before he could object, I took a deep breath and plunged myself into the hole as well. I could hear screaming and darkness surrounded me like a cold abyss. Frosty shock immediately invaded my system. I felt stiff, it was difficult to move. Below me, I could see Jayfeather swimming downwards to the sinking Flametail, his ginger pelt was a light in the shadows.

I am not letting you die!

The cold dragged at my fur, so cold it felt like claws. Was this the suffocating darkness that he was warned of?

I fluttered my way past Jayfeather, keeping my tail on his face to guide the blind cat. I could see Flametail's slow blink as his eyes focused on the bubbles rising. He was tired, and he was barely moving. There were so many bubbles that it was difficult to see. I pushed through it and found my way to clamp my jaws around Flametail's scruff. He was limp, his eyes glazed over, but the warmth of his scruff reminded me that he still had a heartbeat. There was movement above us, shadows over the ice. Jayfeather dragged his claws into Flametail's fur and began to help me raise him to the surface.

Yet there was another figure near Jayfeather, one that nearly took my breath away. There was the ghostly image of a cat, hairless and scarred with bulging white eyes the color of sour milk. We couldn't get to the surface, the ice had blocked us in. A shade of hopelessness dawned on me and I began to ache for oxygen. There was no way out.

I tried to scramble for who this could be until I heard a voice in my mind, not speaking to me, but speaking to Jayfeather.

"Let him go!"

A burning rage grew in my stomach.

"It is his time to die, not yours. Let him go!"

Jayfeather's claws unhooked from his pelt, and I desired to cry out in fury, watching the medicine cat kick back to the surface, breaking through the ice.

I didn't know what to do, it was so cold, and I could barely move. I looked down at Flametail once again as his eyes glazed over before darkness swept over the both of us, and the sunlight vanished forever.