Nightfang
"Tell me the truth Nightfang, are you the father of Morningdew's kits?" Lemonshade's honeyed gaze was stern despite the tears dampening the side of her face.
"I-I don't know what you mean, they are Scorchflames. I am the Windclan deputy, how can you think that I would take a mate outside our clan?" I stuttered, I had to take control of the situation, if Lemonshade suspected anything about my relationship with Morningdew being anything other than an acquaintanceship then I was in serious trouble.
"Then how can you explain the fact that Wishpaw's eyes are the same color as yours? Or that Ravenpaw matches your build? Or that Morningdew couldn't stop looking at you during the gathering? Im not stupid Nightfang!" she hissed, her golden fur rising along her spine in irritation.
"Lots of cats in the forest have my eye color, and if I remember correctly Morningdew is related to Lionblaze who has Windclan blood. Ravenpaw could have gotten his build from that. If you don't believe that Morningdew's kits are Scorchflames than that is your business but don't you dare question my loyalty to Windclan!" I spit in return, matching her stance with as much anger as I could muster. For a second she looked as if she might want to take back her accusation but instead of responding she turned her head, "I don't blame you, Morningdew is brilliant and a skilled warrior not to mention she is beautiful. I can see why you would choose her."
She turned back to me, her tears gone replaced by pleading, "But I can be a good mate too, I would support you and love you always. We could raise the perfect family you and I, one that even Morningdew would envy!" I stood there shocked at her words, was she serious? Even though she figured out my relationship with Morningdew she still wanted to be my mate?
"Lemonshade, I don't think you are thinking clearly."
"But I am Nightfang, I don't care what you did in the past, I will keep your secret and we can put them behind us and start over." She pushed her head into my chest and curled up close to me as if I couldn't say no to her. I wasn't sure what to say, should I confess? Should I let her believe we had a chance so she would keep my secret? What would Morningdew think if I took Lemonshade as a mate for appearances? What would my kits think? In the end I pulled away from her,
"Lemonshade, you don't understand, I cant support you and father your kits. I have a duty to Windclan and nothing can get in the way of that, you deserve better than me." She looked confused, her eyes never loosing her determination, "You were able to love Morningdew, why cant you love me too?"
"Because I still love Morningdew, in life I will fight for her and with my last breath I will speak her name. I can not love another Lemonshade." her eyes widened in surprise, and then shrank to narrow slits, "I will tell Onestar, I cant stand behind our future leader if he loves a cat from another clan. its against the warrior code, its against our whole beliefs!" she shook her head back and forth, her tone giving way to hysteria. "How can you stand there and choose her over your own clan!?"
Pushing my fear aside I spoke the truth that lay in my heart from the first moment I met Morningdew, "I love her Lemonshade, when I first met her that summer morning that seemed so long ago yet I could picture it as if it were yesterday. Her morning blue eyes giving me more energy than fresh kill, her voice giving me more breath than air, I needed her and without her I would not want to live. Go ahead and tell Onestar, but our relationship has been blessed by Starclan and even he cant argue with that."
"Oh, that's were you are wrong Nightfang." A harsh voice split the tension and as I broke my gaze from Lemonshades angry gold gaze, I looked into the eyes of a cat I had never wanted to see again, a cat I believed to be dead. "What's the matter deputy? You look like you have seen a ghost?" Scorchflame sneered, his burning eyes radiated hate and anger.
"Scorchflame, how can this be?" I said breathlessly, staring at the hulking, glowing cat that had almost taken my life four years ago. A shocked gasp came from Lemonshade who was stuck firmly in place a whiskers length from Scorchflame. "You aren't the only one who has been blessed by Starclan traitor! You may be supported by the weakest of Starclan but the strongest support the warrior code and they support me."
What was he talking about? Before I could respond his ginger patches began to glow like embers, his claws unsheathed caused the grass to smoke beneath him. "You stole Morningdew from me, and I plan to steal her back." His eyes lost their pupils as they and his moth turned into pure flame, "Lets see if the great Nighfang can cheat death a second time!"
He leapt at me then, I braced myself for his weight but he instead landed behind me. I turned to counter if he attacked my rear but he didn't, instead he ran, fire engulfing the grass everywhere he stepped. He was setting the field on fire! It grew quickly and its heat filled the air around me and Lemonshade scooted closer together to get away from it, "Lemonshade, go warn the clan. You have to get everyone to safety." I yelled.
"What about you? You cant beat him, he isn't even a cat anymore!" her eyes reflected the rising flames, her fear and shock paralyzing. I pushed into her side, knocking her to the ground, "I will be fine, just go. Go warn Onestar!" she shook her head to clear the fear and with a quick nod she turned and ran. I looked back to the hellish scene that lay before me,
Scorchflame had filled have the moor with fire by now, his smokey laughter will haunt me for the rest of my days, considering I can figure out how to survive this. I ran after him, avoiding the flames as best I could the fire spreading faster than my paws could carry me. I spotted Scorchflame in the distance, setting the lavender bush I used the disguise my scent a blaze. Dashing up behind him I landed on his burning shoulders, grabbing his neck in my jaws.
With a yowl of surprise he bucked to shake me loose, I dug my claws into his fur and hung on. He froze and I felt him tense below me and then his ginger patches began to glow again, suddenly I felt intense heat on my paws as his fire burned me wherever I touched. I had to let go or, stumbling to the ground I felt my paw pads sting at the roughness of the ground. He sneered at me and continued to burn as he continued his path of destruction. I didn't know what else to do so I ran after him, dodging the newly burned grass as I tried to figure out a plan, he was destroying my only cover and if I touched him openly then he would burn me again. I had to figure out how to surprise him and kill him quickly, but how was I supposed to kill a cat who already dead?
Scorchflame jumped onto a rock that was near the edge of the Thunderclan border, his voice carrying over the crisping field. "Who do you want to live more, your clan or you kits?" and he jumped, landing on the forest floor and ran heading straight for Thunderclans camp. My heart sank into the ground, was he mad!? He was going to attack his own clan, to take revenge on me? "Starclan what is happening?" I shouted, my fear made way to adrenaline as I pursued him, maybe I could beat him there and warn the clan.
Scorchflame dodged and weaved between branches and stones as he set everything around him a blaze. Then suddenly he stopped at the log Morningdew had pretended to give birth in and where I had first met my kits. He yowled at it, his uncontrollable rage robbing him of reason as he scratched and bit at the dismembered tree limb. I couldn't stop, this was my chance to warn Morningdew. I ignored the pain in my paws as I pushed myself harder and harder until I ran right into a Thunderclan patrol.
"Who the- Nightfang? What are you doing on Thunderclan territory?" Berrynose snarled, "I don't have time to explain but its Scorchflame, he is burning down the forest." I said pushing past him and the other cats, my kits and Morningdew weren't among them, I had to keep going.
"Wait a minute, what are you talking about. Nightfang!" Berrynose yowled after me but I didn't stop. I heard their pursuit but still I ran, they couldn't catch the fastest deputy in the forest, pushing myself harder I saw Thunderclans camp just a few fox lengths away and I dove in, shouting for Morningdew. Thankfully she was right in the middle of camp sharing a rabbit with Wishpaw.
"Nightfang, what in Starclans name-"
"I don't have time to explain, you and Thunderclan have to get out of here now!"
"Papa, why are you all smokey?" Wishpaw said, disregarding our secret. Cats where beginning to gather around us, snarls and hisses filling our ears. Bramblestar emerged from his den, confusion on his face but before he could speak the patrol I ran into burst through the clearing. "Nightfang, how dare you barge into our camp uninvited!" Berrynose yowled pushing through the crowd, Bramblestars yowl froze him in place,
"Whats going on Berrynose? Nightfang why are you here? Whats going on?"
"Im sorry for this Bramblestar, but you have to believe me you all have to run, Scorchflame has set Windclans territory a flame and he is doing the same to the forest, he will be here soon of you don't leave now, he will-"
"Scorchflames dead Nightfang, how can he be setting fire to anything?" Bramblestar interrupted.
"Oh I am alive Bramblestar and I have come to take back what is mine!" a angry snarl came from then entrance, Scorchflame emerged, his blazing eyes and glowing pelt made every cat cower in fear. "Scorchflame, how is this possible?" Rosepetal yowled, running up to her son but freezing a few tail lengths from him,
"My son, my precious kit what has happened to you?" she gasped, Scorchflame ignored her, his gaze was fixed on me and Morningdew, "My darling Morningdew, I have come back for you. There is a place in Starclan for us, where we can be together forever just like we were supposed to, before he ruined everything." He growled at me, I stepped in front of Morningdew and Wishpaw, "Leave my family alone Scorchflame, your anger is at me not them."
"They were supposed to be my family! You took that away from me, and now my precious Morningdew is forced to bear the burden caused by your wretched seed! But not for long, I will right this wrong and save my mate and the clans just like I was destined to do."
He began to set his self on fire again and I looked to Morningdew, "Get the kits away from here, I will stop him." Though she was shocked, she nodded and moved to get Wishpaw to her paws. I turned back to Scorchflame, "Scorchflame, don't you want to settle this outside? You don't want to hurt your clanmates right?" I taunted moving around him to get his focus of Morningdew and back on me, it worked he snarled and turned to lunge at me but I slipped through the opening and began to run.
It wasn't long before he came barreling through the trees, his yowl breaking through the forest and scaring birds into flight and prey to flee. "You cant out run me!" he shouted and jumped, grabbing my tail in his jaws, his bite causing flames singe my tail as he hurled me backward. Landing with a roll I rebounded quickly and head butted his side, knocking him to the ground. He hissed at me in anger, his hiss sounding more like a hoard of snakes instead of a cat. We began to circle each other, "You cant beat me you worm, I have the power of Starclan on my side!"
"That may be true but I am trying to save my kits and my mate, I will give my life for theirs."
He smiled, his glowing teeth outlined with embers. "That's the plan." And lunged again. I moved to the side but the heat coming from his fur singed my whiskers, with an unexpected paw swipe he dug his claws under my chin and I went flying backwards. Where did he get this much strength? My thoughts cloudy I barely had time to recover as he jumped on top of me, pinning my shoulders to the ground, his burning paws sending pain all through my body, "Say goodbye Nightfang! I have you now!" he shouted and I squeezed my eyes shut waiting for his death bite, I had failed Morningdew, I had failed my kits, and I had failed my clan. My soul would find no peace in the afterlife I was sure of it.
Morningdew
"Morningdew, what is going on?" Bramblestar cried, his voice covered by the hysteric screams of the clan as they hurried to avoid the flames that were quickly absorbing the forest. "I-I don't know but we have to hurry and get everyone out of here and to the lake." I didn't wait for his answer and darted to help the disoriented cats. Squirrleflight and I pushed everyone towards the lake, shouting orders as we went. Silverpaw and Ravenpaw pulled Wishpaw with them,
"What about papa? Where is he?" she shouted hysterically pushing against her brothers. "Wishpaw, get a hold of yourself. Nightfang will be fine, we have to get everyone safely across" I tried to reassure her and keep every cat moving. Riverclan warriors were already swimming across to help us, "We saw the flames, is every cat alright?" Reedwhisker shouted at Squirrleflight and Bramblestar who where in the lead. "We think so, we will need help getting the elders and kits across." With a quick nod Reedwhisker and his party surrounded us and began to guide us into the water, "We will take you to our borders, the fire shouldn't reach there." I heard them shout but I didn't intend to follow, I had to help Nightfang.
Waiting until I saw the kits enter the water I turned and ran head first into the angry flames, their heat unlike any I have ever felt. While heat normally dried your eyes and suffocated you with smoke this fire was different, it covered trees but it didn't burn. The flames seemed to be made from anger in its purest form and I knew then that it was Scorchflames grief that was engulfing our forest.
I ran and jumped over the tangled and snarling roots and bushes, looking in every direction for my mate. I tried to call out to them but my voice was swallowed by the flames and I feared I would never find them. "Say goodbye Nightfang!" I heard a yowl and my heart sank as I saw Scorchflame pinning Nightfang to the ground in the clearing fox lengths away from me a wave of fire separated us. Without thinking I ran full speed and dove through the blaze, I ignored the pain as I slammed my full weight into Scorchflame, knocking him off his paws. "Nightfang, get up!" I pleaded, keeping my eyes on Scorchflame as he righted himself and pinned his deathly gaze on me,
"Morningdew, get out of the way! I will get rid of this slug and then you will never have to worry about him again." He glared, his mad smile turning my blood to ice despite to fire surrounding us. "Scorchflame stop this! Your destroying our home!" I begged standing in front of Nightfang as he tried to catch his breath, "Morningdew, what are you doing? I told you to run!" he rasped, anger rising in his voice. "I will not leave you to fight this alone, it is my fault this happened and I will make it right." I added ignoring his protesting growl,
"Scorchflame, I am sorry that I didn't tell you the truth but I love Nightfang and I am sorry that you died because of my weakness but you cant believe that killing Nightfang and destroying our home will change anything!"
"You're sorry!? Do you have any idea what I was supposed to accomplish? I was going to lead Thunderclan to a level of greatness that not even Firestar can compare to, I was going to be remembered for generations, I was going to change the very meaning of being a warrior but instead I was lead my death at his claws and all you can say is you're sorry!? I was robbed of everything! Now you will be too."
I braced myself as he charged us, his fur blazing like a star. Nightfang faced him head on and at the last moment jumped clear over him causing Scorchflame to slide on the ground right into my path. With a hard swipe of my claws I slashed his nose causing him to yowl in pain, he swiped back at me but I dove underneath him and pushed my self into his stomach, risking the heat blistering my back as I flipped him over onto his stomach. Nightfang dove on top of him, his paws pinning his chest to the ground. "Just stop Scorchflame, you belong to Starclan now and you have no place here." Nightfang warned, unsheathing his claws into his neck.
"Never!" and he bit down on Nightfangs foreleg causing his hold to loosen. Regaining his balance Scorchflame rounded on me, with blinding speed he grabbed my throat in his burning jaws, his fangs digging into the delicate flesh. I tried to scream but it was cut off as Scorchflame began crushing my windpipe, "No, Morningdew!" Nightfang screamed, jumping on top of Scorchflames sparking shoulders grabbing his ear and jerking his head backward, releasing his hold I gasped for are as the two toms rolled on the ground, with a powerful lurch Nightfang tore his ear clean off!
Angrier than a hive of hornets Scorchflame hissed at us, his flaming pelt growing dimmer as his energy began to deplete. I got to my paws and stood next to my mate who was growling threateningly, his midnight colored pelt glowed with the blazing fire around us. We were tired and injured, the intense heat reminded me that we couldn't continue to fight him for much longer. Scorchflame came at us again his paws flailing in all directions he landed a blow to my head, making me see stars as I fell to the ground. Nightfang yowled in pain as he was grabbed by the shoulder and was being thrashed about like a piece of prey, trying to get past my dizziness I moved to help him but I was cut off by a flash of gray and black and white as three bodies threw themselves at Scorchflame.
"Get off our father you monster!" Ravenpaw shouted clawing Scorchflames eyes, "Yeah, if mess with him then you mess with us!" Silverpaw snarled grabbing his neck with his jaws and digging his claws into his sizzling fur. "Mama, are you ok?" Wishpaw said nudging me with her nose. "Kits, what are you doing here?" Nightfang bellowed, still in Scorchflames hold. "We are a family, we will fight together!" Wishpaw shouted joining her brothers in their assault and bit into Scorchflames remaining ear causing him to finally release Nightfang and with howling bucks he attempted to dislodge the kits but their combined weight was too much for him and he sank to his paws, his flaming fur was sniffed out.
"You wretched creatures, I will kill you all!" he snarled weakly. I could feel the heat of the flames around us drain as he weakened, I quickly dashed in and grabbed his throat in a tight grip and I felt the give of flesh as I tore his life giving veins out, "Why Morningdew? Why couldn't you love me?" he breathed lightly and his large body writhed a moment and fell still for the second time. The kits and I stepped back and watched a moment to make sure he didn't move, after we saw no signs of life we ran to Nightfang who was sitting, his shoulders moving up in down in quick gasps of air. He looked horrid, his fur singed and burned, the wound on his shoulder seeped blood but his eyes where still the same blazing orange they always were when he was determined.
"Papa, are you ok?" Wishpaw whined licking his face lightly, "We have to get you to a medicine cat right away!" Silverpaw said pushing himself under his father to hold him up, Ravenpaw rushing to his other side. "Morningdew, are you all right?" he wheezed weakly, I was too scared to look at myself to see the damage but I nodded and kept moving. As we walked the flames dispersed, leaving the forest the same as it had been before it arrived. "Amazing" Wishpaw breathed quietly and I chuckled, even now she was able to keep her sense of wonder.
We eventually pulled onto the edge of the lake were our clanmates were clustered, their whispers of confusion about the disappearing fire and the singed cats crawling into their midst would have made me self conscious if I wasn't being bombarded with exhaustion and pain. Mothwing, Willowshine, Jayfeather and Leafpool crowded around us, shouting for cobwebs and poppy seed amongst other herbs I didn't recognize.
The kits were relatively uninjured aside from a burn or two but Nightfang and I were covered in burns, scratches, blisters and bites. I would normally give into the embrace of sleep but I feared if I slept I would never wake up, Nightfang must have felt the same because he remained alert and silent as he was poked and prodded and slathered with plants. "Morningdew, you have some explaining to do!" Bramblestar said, pushing through the crowd, "They are in no condition for questions Bramblestar." Leafpool said blocking his path.
"Perhaps I might be able to help clarify the situation." A deep voice came from over the lake. With every face turned toward the mysterious voice a dark gray, star studded outline of a cat walked slowly forward, with him more spirits followed leaving a glowing path of stars behind them. "I am Graywing, and it is really us who need to do the explaining."