Chapter 30: Final Hours

The days after Pantherkit's death had been hard for Toaststar to handle. The leader found himself distancing himself from the others, even little Whitekit. He just simply let Ricetooth take over most of the work.
Normaltail was working harder than ever with Tanglepaw and her work. She constantly ran out of the temporary camp, looking for herbs to help with everyone's breathing and such. She and Toaststar barely even talked.
Timberwolf had made it his job to care for Whitekit, as he and Axtail watched over him and his needs. The white kit had gone into a state of depression over the loss of his sister. The clan didn't really bother him about it, they mainly all just murmured a quick 'stay strong' or 'I'm sorry' if they passed the grieving kit.
Toaststar sighed as he looked over the cliffs, the birds soaring in the air. He looked down, and observed the rocks below. A sudden warmth rose by his side, and he turned his head. Sitting beside him was a calico she-cat with transparent red eyes. She merely just stared at him as Toaststar jumped back in alarm. The she-cat blinked and tilted her head in confusion. "I-Ivykit..?" He murmured, his red gaze meeting hers. The spirit just shrugged, flicking her ears. Ivykit suddenly stood up and broke into a sprint, running up the mountains.
"Wait!" The tom screamed, running after his deceased daughter. Toaststar desperately rushed through the mountains, jumping over rocks and gaps. After what seemed like forever, Ivykit finally stopped, and turned to a small cave opening. Toaststar immediately stopped himself and stared at the opening, then back at the spirit. Just as he was about to go in, distant screams were heard.
Thunderclan.
"What the-!? Ivy-!" Just as he turned to the spirit, she was gone. Toaststar hissed to himself and started running back down the mountains. The only problem was that he couldn't really remember where he was going. But as the screams grew louder, the tom slowly made his way back to camp. But just as he reached Thunderclan, a rush of wind brushed against his side. Before he could process what was happening, Normaltail was shouting and running after something, shouting curses at the top of her lungs. Timberwolf and Axtail quickly followed her.
"LET GO OF MY SON, YOU MAGGOTEATER!"
The medicine cat's curse immediately set Toaststar to turn and run behind the other three. As he caught up to them, his eyes filled with horror. The four were chasing after an eagle, with Whitekit bleeding at it's talons.
Normaltail was crying as she ran up front, with Timberwolf just shouting nonsense. Axtail merely stayed quiet, focusing on the bird. Toaststar cried out as the four were reaching a gap. "Guys, stop!" He shouted. Everyone stopped except Normaltail, who just started to run faster. Toaststar shared a look of horror with Timberwolf and ran after his mate and son.
As the grey she-cat closed in on the gap, she made no stopping points. She just took the leap of faith across the gap. The she-cat landed harshly on the edge of the other side, and she kept going. Toaststar paused, took a running head start, and soon was again running after the eagle with Normaltail.
Finally, after two miles of running, the eagle soared off into the sunset, Whitekit crying out in terror. Everything started to fade to black around the leader, screeches of each death he had witnessed ringing in his head. Brightlight's mute scream as his brother viciously killed her filled his head. The gunshot that killed Stevehawk seemed to seize his chest. Pantherkit's mere image brought sadness to his soul. Every cat he had watched die suddenly screamed at him all at once, their voices blocking out Normaltail's crying and Timberwolf's shouts.
"You didn't save us!"
"You left us!"
"I trusted you and you failed!"
"You're a failure!"
"You caused this."
Toaststar slowly started to weep and he fell to the ground. His breath shuttered and he looked like a dying corpse. The screams started to grow louder, and more distorted. He couldn't do it. He had failed. He should have died long ago.

And then everything stopped. The screams, the crying, everything. Toaststar opened his eyes and he found himself alone on a cloud. He slowly grew calm. As he stood up, he could see the friendly faces of his life. Stevehawk. Goodstar. Stormkit. Ivykit. Pantherkit. Scotchdrink. Everyone. They were calm and happy. It was hard to imagine that just a few moments ago they seemed to scream his sanity away.
His father smiled, and waved. Pantherkit beamed and greeted her father with a flap of her wings. Toaststar quickly ran up to join them. But as he embraced his former friends, he started to fall. As he plummeted, the familiar faces soared down, following him in his free fall.
Memories started to appear in his mind.

"Hey, Breadkit! Wait up!" Toastkit shouted as he ran after his brother, his short kit legs dragging in the dirt. "Come on, mousetail! We don't have all day!" His brother shouted after him, running through the brambles. The dark tabby tom sighed and finally caught up with the fluffy kit. Breadkit was sitting by the large lake, staring at his reflection. Toastkit slowly walked up and sat by him.
"Why are we here again?"
"To see the lake, duh!"
The two stayed quiet, looking across the lake in awe. Toastkit lowered his ears and turned his head towards Breadkit. "Bro, do you think of the future?"
"Of being the best leader ever? Of course!"
"... No, of just living. How will the clan be when we're older? We'll have families, and probably won't get to see each other a lot."
"That's never gonna happen."
"I think it will... You don't seem to care about me too much already..."
"But I do! Trust me, I'd do anything for you!"
Toastkit looked up at the sky, and sighed. "You don't seem that way..." Breadkit fluffed up his fur, and sighed. "Trust me, bro. Some day, I'll make you believe I care. I'll unite the clans, and make sure you are deputy when I'm leader." The bigger kit smiled, and the dark tabby couldn't help but smile back. That was only just a dream, that'd probably never happen to a kit like him.
"Okay... Whatever you say..."

Toaststar continued to fall, happy images of his life appearing before him. Images of him, Normalpaw, and Monkeytail laughing together. Training with Heartburn. His new name of Toastfire. Stevehawk coming into his life. Normaltail and him becoming mates. Their first litter. His new rank as deputy. His new name of Toaststar. Those eight moons of peace. The second litter. Normaltail, Toaststar, Pantherkit, Whitekit, and Timberwolf cuddling together. All the happy memories made Toaststar feel sad somehow.
Suddenly, everything paused. He collapsed harshly onto the rocks, but he felt no pain.
His breath halted for a moment before seizing the air around him. He would of continued this if it hadn't been for a small familiar murmur. "… It's time."
Tears ran down onto the rocks as his breathing suddenly stopped. He choked on the air and dirt for a few moments. He suddenly stopped, his body becoming eerily still. Everything around him grew dark, but then there was a light.
It was Starclan.
They were welcoming him.