A Spark in the Night, part one: The Spark Ignites

Chapter twenty-two

The three remaining cats from the patrol burst into camp, holding Bluemist between them. As soon as Emberstar saw them, he sprang to his paws and rushed towards them. "What happened?" He demanded, horrified.

Grasswhisker answered first. "Badgers."

Softcloud saw Emberstar stiffen. "Where?" he asked, worried now.

Speckleheart dipped her head. "We chased them off." she meowed respectfully.

Visabally struggling to regain himself, Emberstar nodded. "We'll start the vigil at sunset."

The sun was already low in the sky, so the vigil had started soon after Bluemist was brought into camp.

It was about moonhigh, when a thought struck her. Bluemist leapt in between me and the badger, she knew it would kill her! Bluemist sacrificed herself for me.

She sat stiffly for the rest of the vigil, and when the sun rose, the elders approached Bluemist's body. They picked up the dead deputy, and left to bury her. She turned to find Foxtail, who was glancing at her. Softcloud approached her friend. "Bluemist sacrificed herself for me." She said her thought out loud. Glancing at the elders as they disappeared with Bluemist over the hill, she whispered, "That could have been me."

An hostile growl interrupted the friends' silence. "It should have been"

Softcloud whipped around to glare at Leafclaw. "Leave us alone!" hissed Foxtail, before Softcloud could say anything. The older warrior smugly rolled his yellow eyes and stalked away, snickering quietly.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Meeting Rock for a Clan meeting!" Emberstar's mew rang across the clearing.

As MistClan gathered, Softcloud sitting next to Strikestone, Emberstar glanced down at the gathered Clan. "We will always mourn the loss of Bluemist, but it is time to pick a new deputy. I've given it some thought." Emberstar paused, seemingly deciding to let the Clan whisper about who they thought the new deputy might be; he was the type of leader to do things like that. Softcloud glanced at her mate. "It has to be you, Strikestone, you're the most loyal cat in the Clan, and-"

All the whispering stopped as Emberstar continued speaking. "MistClan's new deputy will be Softcloud."

Softcloud froze. Me? Deputy? She slowly walked towards her leader. The Clan exchanged excited glances and whispered amongst themselves. "Softcloud!" Strikestone started to cheer.

Foxtail and Shiningpelt were next to join, followed by Featherleap, and then the rest of MistClan. Softcloud smiled and dipped her head. "Thank you." She meowed respectfully to Emberstar.

The Clan had broken apart from the meeting, those closest to Softcloud congratulated her, others chatting about the news, some still in shock about Bluemist.

Patrols had been sent out, when Strikestone bounded towards her. "This is amazing!" He meowed. "My mate is the deputy! I'm officially awesome."

"You were awesome before I was made deputy." Softcloud meowed, touching noses with him.

They were about to head out of camp, when Emberstar called her to his den. Softcloud glanced at her mate regretfully. "This seems important. We can hang out later."

Strikestone nodded, and she padded towards Emberstar.

"Yes?" she asked her leader.

Emberstar smiled. "Let's talk in my den. There's something important we need to discuss."

Softcloud nodded, and followed him in.

Emberstar looked at the new deputy. "This was a more important choice than the other deputy announcements have been," he meowed. "I am on my eighth life, and am growing old, too. There is a high chance you'll be leader after me. More likely than not."

Softcloud headed towards her mate, preparing to give him the news. Maybe I shouldn't. This information is for the leader and deputy. She found her mate eating a plump vole near the warriors' den. He glanced up at her, and stood to his paws. "Hey, can we head over now?" he asked. Softcloud nodded. "Let's go."

Strikestone sat more comfortably in the patch of grass they'd been sitting in. "So, when those three cats approached me in the battle with NightClan, I was able to fight them, see? It was an act to pretend to be nervous." he finished.

Softcloud rolled her eyes playfully. "Sure." she mewed.

Strikestone got up. "Let's go on a walk," he meowed out of nowhere.

Softcloud smiled. "Sounds fun," she meowed. "But I need to make sure my duties are completed first."

Strikestone nodded, and she headed to the camp.

Glancing around the camp, she saw that the fresh-kill pile was full, and the border patrols had returned, looking calm. Good, no news, and there's enough food. Softcloud padded back towards Strikestone. "We can go, but not for too long, just in case."

They'd been walking for a little while, and glancing around the stretch of forest they'd entered, they sat down again. "This is beautiful." Strikestone whispered. Softcloud smiled as she glanced around.

Their peaceful moment was cut short when a yowl split the air, changing from fear to pain in a heartbeat. Softcloud exchanged a frantic glance with Strikestone. They both recognized the voice. Foxtail!

As they ran in the direction of the yowling, thorns caught in Softcloud's fur, but she didn't care. Something happened to Foxtail! They burst into a small clearing, to see Foxtail writhing on the ground, a snake clamped on her shoulder.

Softcloud leapt towards her, grabbed a stick in her jaws, and after what felt like moons, she managed to pry the snake off of Foxtail. Without needing to say anything, Strikestone and Softcloud carried their friend between them into the camp. Softcloud was relieved at the feeling of the gentle rise and fall of her friend's chest.

As soon as they arrived, she and Strikestone burst into the medicine den, yowling at Poppyflower to come treat Foxtail.

Poppyflower looked at Foxtail in alarm, as she was putting small leaves on the bite. "A snake?" she repeated. Strikestone nodded, while Softcloud pressed on her friend's chest, rhythmically adding and taking pressure, the way Poppyflower had shown her. She could hear the medicine cat's murmuring. "The last time this happened, Gentletouch wasn't an elder yet, and I was an apprentice. Oh, StarClan, help me!" Softcloud knew Poppyflower was skilled, but the medicine cat's words sent a chill down her spine. What if Foxtail dies? The Clan can't handle any more loss, not so soon!