Finally some action! The last chapter was mainly filler, awaiting this one!
"Quick! Fetch Pinespring!"
Silverkit cracked open an eye. Moontail was frantically nudging her kits.
It had been two moons since Featherkit and her siblings had become apprentices. Slightly less since Moontail and Barkstripe's kits had been born.
There were three. Leafkit, Frozenkit, and Hawkkit. Leafkit was born ill, and progressively getting sicker. Pinespring had said that she wouldn't live past the moon.
Silverkit pitied the little she-kit. Her chest heaved with every breath she took. Coughs wracked her tiny body every few seconds, snatching away what little breath remained in her lungs and whisking it away.
Silverkit got up, sighing. Seeing that no one else had awoken, he clambered out of his nest and rushed to the medicine den.
The moon was covered by thick clouds. Moisture clung heavily to the air. It was going to rain soon.
The grey kit stopped at the entrance of the rock, panting, unable to speak. But Pinespring was already awake and waiting by the entrance.
"Leafkit?" The dusky brown tom inquired. Silverkit nodded. Pinespring's eyes clouded as he muttered to himself. Silverkit caught the words 'too late' and 'not strong enough'.
"Kestrelpaw, bring coltsfoot, juniper berries, honey," The medicine cat's eyes darkened, "And lavender,"
"Lavender?" Silverkit murmured, confused.
"To cure fever and chills," The tom mewed firmly.
"But you said that Leafkit's illness is caused by a problem with her lungs," Silverkit pressed.
"It's also used to cover the scent of death," Pinespring confessed. Silverkit understood.
Leafkit was likely not going to make it this time.
"Hurry up, Kestrelpaw," Pinespring called into the rock.
Kestrelpaw ran out. Two bundles of herbs were gripped firmly in his teeth.
The two medicine cats raced toward the nursery. Silverkit darted after them.
The mood was dark as he entered the nursery. Moontail's wails of anguish made it clear that Leafkit was gone. The grey queen frantically licked the tortoiseshell she-kit's cold pelt. Distressed wails sounded from Frozenkit and Hawkkit, who sat up, looking at their mother and sister in horror.
Pinespring stepped between Leafkit and her grieving mother. The queen angrily flung the small tom across the nursery.
Cloudflight shot up from her nest. She moved in a blur, pinning Moontail's paws beneath her.
"Calm down, Moontail," The white queen murmured. Moontail writhed and snarled. Finally, she quieted, shoulder's stooping in defeat.
"Can I have a poppy seed?" Moontail mewled at last. Kestrelpaw and Pinespring exchanged a silent look.
"It's not rec-" Kestrelpaw started, but was silenced by a glare from Pinespring.
"Sure," Pinespring nodded, pushing the larger of the bundles to Moontail. She pushed her two remaining kits each a poppy seed, before taking two for herself.
Kestrelpaw waited until Frozenkit and Hawkkit had fallen asleep before starting to work on their littermate. Silverkit's friend worked somberly, rubbing lavender into the kit's pelt and placing two leaves of mint behind her ears.
Pinespring's eyes were sad, but unsurprised. Kestrelpaw's yellowish orbs swirled with regret and misery.
"What's the matter, Kestrelpaw?" Silverkit asked. Cloudflight had gone back to sleep, but he was unable to. He wanted to sit vigil for Leafkit.
"I killed her, Silverkit. Don't you understand? If I'd been faster, maybe Leafkit would've lived," Kestrelpaw sighed.
Pinespring stiffened, turning on his apprentice.
"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Leafkit was never going to make it anyway, Kestrelpaw. You tried your best,"
Silverkit settled back down beside Flamekit. Closing his eyes, he awaited the relief of sleep.
INSERTEPICLINEBREAKHERE
Silverkit was running through a path of fire. Flame licked at his paws as he stumbled through the charred undergrowth.
"Help!" Silverkit tried to cry, but was choked by the smoke. A coughing fit wracked his lungs as he tumbled, tripping over a burnt root in his haste to outrun the wildfire. Silverkit was nearly there, nearly to the tunnel of light that was his only hope.
Suddenly, an old fir tree, hastened by the crackling flames, toppled over, blocking the light that would provide Silverkit safety and freedom.
Silverkit jolted awake. It had been but a dream.
Instinctively, Silverkit recognized the scent of smoke in the air. Nervously, he got up, slowly padding toward the entrance of the den.
The camp was ablaze. Rain had started to fall, but the flames seemed to be fueled, not quenched, by the precipitation.
"Fire!" Silverkit shrieked. He raced back into the nursery, tugging on Cloudflight's pelt.
"What's the matter，kit?" Cloudflight mumbled sleepily.
"Fire!" Silverkit mewed urgently. Cloudflight shot up.
"Quickly, wake up Flamekit. I'll warn the rest of camp," Cloudflight scrambled out of the den.
Silverkit nipped Flamekit's tail. She yelped, glaring at him.
"What was that for?" The ginger she-kit mewled indignantly. The white patch on her chest was beaded with moss.
"There's a fire. Cloudflight went to wake up camp," Silverkit answered, tugging his sister from the nest. Flamekit looked alarmed.
Moontail was not yet awakened by the commotion.
It must be the poppy seeds!
"We must get Moontail!" Silverkit gasped. Flamekit nodded and dragged the sleepy queen out of the nest. Silverkit grabbed Moontail's scruff, while Flamekit pushed on her back.
They didn't see the two slumbering kits hidden in the moss.
A flaming branch lurched, falling from the trunk of the willow tree.
The nursery went up in flames.
"Warriors, exit from the dirtplace tunnel!" Sleetstar yowled. The disgruntled elders were ushered toward the entrance by Cloudflight. Barkstripe heaved Moontail onto his back and followed them.
"Come on, Silverkit!" Amberclaw commanded at the same time as Redtalon called for Flamekit.
The world began to become hazy and distorted.
Silverkit fought to stay awake, tripping over his paws.
StarClan save me.
Silverkit woke up dangling from Amberclaw's mouth. His scruff hurt, and his lungs felt like they were on fire.
"You can put me down now, Amberclaw," Silverkit meowed. Amberclaw set him down on the dirt.
ThunderClan walked through the forest toward the river. In front of him, on Barkstripe's tabby back, Moontail began to stir.
"Where are w-my kits! My kits are gone," Moontail wailed. Barkstripe's eyes narrowed in grief. Sleetstar glanced back at the queen.
A sinking dread made its way into Silverkit's stomach.
"There was a fire," He meowed quietly," The white tom looked away. "They didn't make it out."
"We must go back!" The she-cat yowled. "We must go save them!"
"Unless you want ThunderClan to get killed, we cannot go back," Sleetstar's dark eyes bore into Moontail's blue.
"I'll get them by myself. I'll go back by myself," Moontail declared, turning in the direction they had gone from. Barkstripe grabbed her scruff and dragged the screaming queen back.
"It's too late, Moontail. Get a hold of yourself," Redtalon snarled. Moontail looked around from side to side. Her piercing gaze stopped at Silverkit and Flamekit.
"You. You killed my kits!" Moontail screeched, throwing herself at the two of them. Silverkit stepped back, but Flamekit was not so lucky. The estranged queen let out a strangled cry and started tearing at Flamekit's ears. Redtalon roared in fury.
"Do not touch my daughter!" Silverkit's father bellowed. He pried open the queen's claws and threw her into the dirt. Flamekit was not so much hurt than shocked. Kestrelpaw walked up with a pawful of cobwebs, meticulously plastering them on Flamekit's bleeding ears.
"Stop being ridiculous, Moontail," Sleetstar growled. "Without those two kits, you would not be alive right now. ThunderClan does not need more problems than we already have."
Moontail shot one last scorching look at Silverkit, and strutted off. Barkstripe, seeing that the entire clan was looking at him, seemed embarrassed.
"She's just grieving. She didn't mean what she did," The tom meowed quietly. He glanced at Silverkit and Flamekit gratefully.
ThunderClan watched as the flames died down from the safety of Sunningrocks. Then, as the last plumes of smoke disappeared into the horizon, they started heading back.
"Are you alright?" Silverkit walked beside his sister. Flamekit looked unnerved.
"Yeah," She answered. Silverkit waited for her to say more, but she didn't.
Talonpaw and Aspenpaw walked side to side, voices low as they engaged in quiet conversation. Owlpaw was talking to Featherpaw and Meadowpaw. The black and white tom looked like he was telling a story, eyes wide and facial expressions changing rapidly.
Silverkit smiled at how ridiculous he looked.
Rainpaw and Stormpaw were talking expressionlessly. Occasionally, they looked back at Silverkit and Flamekit.
The forest was oddly untouched, with only a few burnt branches here and there.
Camp was a different story.
The dens were utterly destroyed. Ash and debris made cats sneeze and cough. Highrock was streaked with soot, like claws reaching up to grasp something.
ThunderClan looked at the remnants of their home in shock. Mosspelt, in a trance, reached out to touch a smoking branch. Fogstep quickly pulled her back.
Flamekit rushed into the nursery. Silverkit stuck behind his sister, closely following her.
A scream sounded from the nursery, making Silverkit's hackles raise. Poking his head into the den, he wretched in disgust.
Two blackened and burnt shapes, barely recognizable, lay as stiff as wood on the cinders.
Flamekit threw up beside him, collapsing and heaving.
They had found Frozenkit and Hawkkit.
QOTD: Do you think Moontail deserved this?