Super Edition - Lightstar's Wrath

Chapter 20

A wave of heat washed over Lightclaw during his slumber. There was incoherent shouting, which had awoken the tom. Lightclaw jolted up when he heard a cat shout "Fire!" His eyes grew wide with horror when he saw the camp ablaze. How? There was no storm, so it couldn't have been lightning. He peeked his head out of the warrior's den. His clanmates were fearfully making it toward the gorse tunnel, while some stayed behind to help any cat who needs it.

Seeing the nursery lit, Lightclaw felt fear rush through him. "Snowfeather?!" He called out, his voice trembling with terror. 

"She's already out!" Mothbelly called, standing near the gorse tunnel. It was already starting to crumble in the heat. "Owlpaw and Stormshrew are still in the medicine den! Grab them on your way out!" The golden warrior shouted before diving into the elder's den to assist them.

Lightclaw spun around and bounded for the medicine den. The fire couldn't follow him inside the stone den, but the smoke hovered inside. He felt his eyes sting and throat burn as he stepped into the medicine den. Stormshrew was rummaging through the herb storage while Owlpaw huddled low near the back, his eyes watering from the smoke.

"Lightclaw!" Stormshrew's ears perked up as the tom entered. "Take Owlpaw to safety! I'll meet you there once I've gathered the herb supply!" The grey and brown medicine cat instructed. 

"But what if-" Lightclaw's protests were interrupted by a flaming branch falling nearby, sending embers flying.

"Just go! I'll be fine!" Stormshrew turned back to his herb storage. Lightclaw couldn't risk the young apprentice being exposed to any more smoke. He merely gave a nod and ushered Owlpaw with his tail. The brown tom shivered with fear as he was guided out of the medicine den. Everyone else was out of camp now. The gorse tunnel was fully swallowed in flames, so they couldn't escape from there. Lightclaw frantically looked around, spotting the dirtplace tunnel still intact. 

As Lightclaw turned around to inform Owlpaw, he noticed a pelt still in the warrior's den. Thistlesong's still here, Lightclaw gulped. "Owlpaw, head for the dirtplace tunnel! Don't stop until you're far from camp! Try to regroup with the others," He instructed, nudging the medicine cat apprentice toward the dirtplace tunnel. Though reluctant to leave his side, Owlpaw complied and made a dash for the tunnel.

Lightclaw whipped around and sprinted to the warrior's den, where Thistleclaw was curled up, dull to his surroundings. "Thistlesong, get up! You're gonna die if you don't!" Lightclaw howled to his former mentor.

"So?" Thistlesomg dryly replied. "You're right, I can't just mope around for the rest of my life. So what's the point of living if I've already ruined my own life?"

"What? No! You didn't ruin your own life!" Lightclaw's jaw clenched, the heat causing his paw pads to sweat.

"You said I did this to myself!" Thistlesong snapped. "If it weren't for me, I wouldn't be so miserable. I shouldn't have been so blind," He whimpered.

"No, you didn't!" Lightclaw frantically mewed. "Think of it like this, Stormshrew barely even looked at his kits! When I revealed who their father really was, they practically became fatherless! You can be the father Stormshrew never was!"

"Stormshrew..." Thistlesong bitterly grumbled. "He took everything from me," He growled, standing.

"W-what? No, that's not what I meant-" Lightclaw's protests were cut off by another angry growl.

"It's all Stormshrew's fault!" Thistlesong yowled, enraged. "He took my mate, he neglected my kits, he ruined my life!" His claws unsheathed as he eyed a pelt cautiously navigating through camp. "So I'll ruin his!" The tom darted out of the warrior's den, furious and bloodthirsty.