Tales From The Broken {COMPLETE}

Squirreltail's Darkness -Prologue-

Squirreltail heard thunder rolling overhead but she didn't give it much thought. She quietly ate her mouse, watching Redclaw teach his brand new apprentice, Mudpaw. For a moment, Squirreltail was jealous that her brother was given an apprentice and she wasn't but she quickly got over it. She had been watching over Rosepaw's apprenticeship and Icepetal had been very kind to let Squirreltail help out.

Squirreltail honestly wished that she had more than one kit, and perhaps one day she would but now she could give all of her love to Rosepaw. SunClan was idle, the gray clouds covered the sun and the patrols were currently in progress. Squirreltail looked over at Riverstorm and Rainears who were having a conversation. At first it was strange to have the four AshClan cats living with them, but Squirreltail along with the rest of SunClan had quickly adjusted to them.

Suddenly, the sky lit up as lightning struck. Squirreltail winced at the intensity of the light, flattening her ears. Wow, I've never seen lightning like that before. Squirreltail blinked away the spots in her vision, the rest of SunClan was reacting to the sight as well, Mudpaw was amazed at the display.

"What's that smell?" A few taillengths away, Squirreltail heard Stormwind questioned. The silver she-cat was looking up at the sky, sniffing the air.

Squirreltail didn't smell anything,, but lifted her nose and breathed in the air. Her nose filled with a rancid, burning scent. The scent alone made Squirreltail's pelt stand on end. Behind the trees close to the camp, a bright orange glow rose over the leaves.

"Fire!" Sandfoot shouted from the edge of camp, her patrol racing back into camp. Squirreltail jumped to her paws. "Evacuate the camp! Head to the river!" Squirreltail's alarm shot up, her eyes scanned the camp searching for Rosepaw and Brackenpelt. Where are they? Squirreltail felt panicked.

The fire was spreading quickly, engulfing the dry trees and racing towards the camp. Squirreltail could see the flame as they began destroying the forest. "Rosepaw! Brackenpelt!" Squirreltail cried for her mate and daughter.

"We're over here!" Squirreltail spun around on her paws, seeing Brackenpelt guiding their daughter out of camp. "Hurry, Squirreltail!" Squirreltail lifted a paw to run towards her family, but heard a cry from Redclaw.

Squirreltail whipped back around as a flaming branch fell from the sky, cutting off Redclaw from Mudpaw. Squirreltail ran to the apprentice's side, the flames on the branch were high, Squirreltail could feel the burning heat of the fire, but there was no way that Squirreltail would be able to reach her brother.

"Just run to the river!" Squirreltail shouted through the flames. "I'll get Mudpaw out of here!" Squirreltail looked at Mudpaw. "Follow me." She said quickly and together, the two cats began running out of camp.

The entity of SunClan was in a panic, smoke filled the air and Squirreltail's lungs began to burn. She spotted Dawnfire talking to Lionclaw as he escorted Honeykit and Falconkit out of camp, Squirreltail prayed that Rosepaw and Brackenpelt were okay.

Squirreltail and Mudpaw ran through camp, she heard the snapping and breaking of branches, but couldn't tell where they were coming from. Movement above Squirreltail caused her to look up as a large, flaming branch fell from a towering tree.

"Get back!" Squirreltail jumped in front of Mudpaw, knocking the brown apprentice backwards. The branch slammed to the ground and she and Mudpaw were showered with embers. Squirreltail felt a burning pain across her face and her eyes were forced shut from the pain.

Squirreltail let out a screech of pain and stumbled backwards, the pain was ripping through her entire face and her eyes refused to open. She shook her head, trying to stop the pain, letting out pain mews as she did so. Oh, StarClan help me! This hurts so much! She could feel the burning in her eyes.

"Squirreltail!" Squirreltail heard the call of Brackenpelt. Did he leave, Rosepaw? She thought and struggled to lift her head, her eyes still refused to open. "Squirreltail are you alright?" He was at her side now, pressing up against her.

"I don't know." Squirreltail whimpered. "My face really hurts, I can't open my eyes."

"Mudpaw, your ears!" Squirreltail recognized the voice of Fawnheart, running to her son. What happened to Mudpaw's ears? I tried to protect him!

"We can't stay here." Now Pebblestep was in the mix. "Brackenpelt, Fawnheart guide them out of the camp now!"

"Come on." Brackenpelt nudged Squirreltail forward and she forced herself to walk despite the pain. She could feel the searing heat on her pelt as well as the panicked cries of her Clanmates.

Squirreltail knew that she was out of the camp as her paws hit the longer grass of SunClan territory. She had spent her entire life in this forest, but without being able to see it, Squirreltail felt lost. Her face still burned and her lungs ached from the smoke.

With the help of Brackenpelt, Squirreltail was led to the river. She could hear the rushing water as well as the voices of her Clanmates. "Who else is missing?" Squirreltail recognized the voice of the MoonClan deputy Violetfur.

"Well, there's Squirreltail, Pebblestep, Brackenpelt, Mudpaw and Fawnheart." Now Squirreltail heard Snakewhisker. "The only cats missing are Dawnfire and Flowerstar, Dawnfire went to save Flowerstar and I think Lionclaw and Turtleblaze went back for her."

"It's too dangerous for any cat to return into the forest, right now." Pebblestep explained, her voice raspy. "We just have to pray to StarClan that they can find their way out." Squirreltail's mind was drifting in and out of the conversation, the burns on her face were all that she could focus on. "Squirreltail, come with me." Pebblestep mewed. "I need to treat your burns."

Squirreltail followed the medicine cat, she could still feel Brackenpelt at her side. Where's Rosepaw. Squirreltail thought, she had to be somewhere around here. Squirreltail crossed the river with Brackenpelt and on the other side she was laid down on the ground without a nest.

"Am I going to be blind, Pebblestep?" Squirreltail asked, fearing the answer.

"I don't know, Squirreltail." Pebblestep said quietly. "But I promise that I will do everything I can to make sure you don't."