Chapter 29: On The Run.
Toaststar breathed heavily as he trailed behind his clan. Their heads were forced to hang high as they trailed up the rocky mountains. Toaststar had silently made it his job to look after every cat and make sure nobody fell or got hurt at all. Pantherkit had joined him, her usual kit energy faded from her eyes as she slowly walked by her father. The tall brown tabby sighed and coughed as they climbed higher, the clan growing slower by the moment.
"Thunderclan! We should settle down for the night!" Ricetooth suddenly shouted, startling the leader. Toaststar and his daughter watched as the deputy lead Thunderclan to a nearby cave. Whitekit and Normaltail slowly made their way towards their family and smiled. "Hey, Pan!" Whitekit purred, playfully batting his sister. The speckled grey she-kit smiled weakly and coughed. Normaltail's eyes filled with a hint of worry. "... Come on."
All of Thunderclan quickly made their dens in the large cave. Hardwhisker and Salmoncreek sat protectively over the two elders, forcing their parents to get some sleep. Tanglepaw and Bootpaw shivered with anxiety in a corner, Dollface curled up around them. Newsky, Ricetooth, and Bluelightning volunteered to go on patrol and hunt, along with Axtail, Timberwolf, and Lizardsneeze. Normaltail frantically looked over the herbs she had scavaged in the fire while Whitekit and Pantherkit chatted nearby. Toaststar merely walked around, checking on everyone. Every cat he checked on had a look of lost hope. This fire was the final straw for them.
Breadclaw had won. There were no clans to fight. No bloodshed. No half-clanners. Just one clan who worked in unity and could work together. But at what cost?
Toaststar finished his round of the cave and slowly trotted back to his two kits. Whitekit looked up at his father and nodded. The leader smiled lightly. Whitekit was a smart kid. He wasn't strong physically, but he was mentally if he could be so calm in this situation. Pantherkit, on the other hand, was lying on the ground, shivering. He didn't blame her. Toaststar looked over at Normaltail, and beckoned her to come over. The medicine cat coughed and slowly got up from her herbs, walking over to her mate and kits. The two parents weakly shared a smile and lied down by their son and daughter, desperate for some sleep. As the four started to fall asleep, Toaststar looked over at the entrance.
His eldest son, Timberwolf, was standing at the entrance, carrying two large voles. The light brown and grey tom had grown up so sad and broken, but now he looked proud. Ever since he had met Axtail, Timberwolf had just improved as a warrior and as a cat in general. The black she-cat had really helped him through those times, and she will now. Toaststar smiled brightly, proud of his son and his mate.
The brown tabby drifted off to sleep soon after.
Brightness awaken the tom. As Toaststar opened his eyes, he was greeted with the territory of Starclan. "Oh lord..." He murmured. Had he died in his sleep? It might have been at the fire. Toaststar lowered his ears as he realized he now had one life left. He expected to be greeted by Stevehawk or anyone else, but all he was greeted with was a shocked voice. "Wowie! What is this place?" The brown tabby turned around and flinched as he saw Pantherkit at his paws. His red eyes widened as he realized what was happening.
"Pantherkit, can you see me?"
"Oh, hey dad! Can you tell me what this place is?"
Smoke was coming out of the kit's mouth, and soon Toaststar found smoke coming out of his mouth as well. The smoke. The smoke from the fire.
They had inhaled it.
Toaststar slowly fell to the ground, starting to cry. His poor daughter was dead and she didn't even know it. "Dad? Are you okay? Do I have to go get mom? Where is she, anyways?" The speckled she-kit looked around, audible worry in her voice.
"Your mother isn't here, I'm afraid.."
Toaststar peered up to see a tall brown and grey tom. The wings of Starclan on his back were folded and majestic in the light. "Oh, who are you?" Pantherkit backed away slightly in fear. Toaststar slowly got up and stared at the Starclan spirit. Goodstar looked him right in the eyes. "I'm sorry this happened, there's nothing we can do. For both the girl and the fire."
And with that, the world of Starclan started to fade from Toaststar's view. The last image in his head before he awoke was wings appearing on his daughter's body, and her beautiful yellow eyes becoming transparent.
"Pantherkit! Pan! Please wake up!"
Whitekit's cries were the first thing that Toaststar heard, the leader immediately stood up and looked down at his son. Whitekit was crying and shaking the cold corpse of his sister. Normaltail was nowhere to be seen. Everyone else was slowly waking up. Timberwolf was sitting sadly by his younger sister's side, grooming her fur lightly. Toaststar looked down at Pantherkit. The once so happy and energetic kit was now just a cold dull corpse. Both depression and fury rose up in Toaststar's chest. He was angry at many things. At Starclan, at the fire, at Breadclaw, everything. Tears ran down his face as he walked off, wanting to be alone to himself. Maybe he could work out his emotions by himself.
It probably won't work. It never has.
