Desertstar
Leader of Windclan
Flames surged upward, reaching hungrily for the stars and casting a hellish glow over the moorland. It had spread so quickly that they’d scarcely had time to recognize the peril before the flames had engulfed their home. Panic swept through the camp, sending cats fleeing from their dens, wide-eyed and fearful. Towards the center, Desertstar choked on the acrid smoke as it filled her lungs, her agile form dodging falling embers and jumping over patches of scorched earth.
Through the haze, she spotted Hailgaze, and relief washed over her at the sight of her deputy. "Hailgaze!" she called, sprinting towards him. "Get everyone across the border to the river. I will stay behind to gather everyone that I can and meet you there once everyone is out.” Unlike her deputy and fellow clanmates, she had lives to spare, and with Hailgaze leading the evacuation safely from outside, she could focus on ensuring no cat was left behind. Time and again she had trusted him with the lives of their clan mates, and he had always kept them safe. Windclan was fortunate to have a cat like him as their second-in-command, and so was she.
Golden eyes watched him disappear into the swirling tendrils of smoke before redirecting her attention to the fire. She had to make sure everyone was out, had to lead them to safety. She was their leader, and she would not leave anyone behind. One by one, she checked each den for stragglers, her strong legs carrying the weight of her clan mates as she half-dragged, half-carried them to safety. The smoke was thicker in the heart of camp, and she took a stumbling step forward, then another, her legs growing heavy and sluggish with each trip.
As the last of her clan fled into the night, Desertstar staggered towards the edge of camp and collapsed, the smoke taking its toll. It was then that a pair of haunting cyan eyes emerged from the smoke, causing her to freeze. She knew those eyes. “Kaelan,” she snarled, scarcely recognizing her own voice. It was raw, dangerous. She tried to crawl towards him, to fight him, but her limbs felt like stones; heavy and unresponsive. “Why don’t you come a little closer so that my fangs might find your throat?” she panted, and though she bared her teeth in a fierce display, her words slurred slightly as exhaustion crept over her, her strength quickly fading.
Amusement danced in Kaelan’s eyes, the corners of his mouth lifting, his grin turning into something more menacing. “There’s no need for all that, my dear Desertstar. It’s already over,” he responded casually with a languid drawl, not a single step closer than he was before. He had no intention of approaching. Instead, he watched with an unsettling calmness, as if savoring the very moment when her limbs would inevitably give out. She’d stayed to help her clan exactly how he’d hoped she would, and now, he only needed to wait until the smoke rendered her unconscious.
Cerberus
A wave of relief washed over him. He hadn't expected the young tom to follow him, to defy Kaelan’s orders and risk his father's wrath. Yet, here Dorian was, running into the flames to help save Spark regardless of the consequences, just as Cerberus had. A flicker of admiration sparked in Cerberus' pale green eyes as he met Dorian's gaze, and a quiet warmth settled in his chest. They were in this together now, come what may.
"Dorian," he breathed out, and as he locked eyes with Dorian, Cerberus felt the walls he had built around himself continue to crack, giving way to a side of him he didn’t even know he possessed. As the fire roared around them, his jaw tightened, his gaze burning with a fierce intensity as Dorian’s suggestion coiled in his stomach. The thought of seeking help from Windclan, of being forced to beg them for aid, made his fur bristle with revulsion. His grandmother, Desertstar, was the last cat he ever wanted to ask for help from. The animosity between them had existed long before Cerberus even drew breath on this earth, and he vowed never to forget the injustices his mother endured as a result of Desertstar’s negligence.
Every bone in his body screamed at him to reject the notion outright, to find another way, but one look at Spark's limp form draped across his shoulders, and he knew Dorian was right. The journey to the other clans would take too long, and Spark didn't have that kind of time. He nudged her limp form with his nose, feeling the shallow rise and fall of her chest, the terrible burns that marred her pelt. For Spark's sake, he was willing to set aside his hatred and swallow his pride, if only for a moment.
"Fine. We'll go to Windclan," he spat begrudgingly, his lips curling in distaste. With great care, Cerberus shifted Spark's weight on his shoulders, ensuring she was stable and secure. "Stay close,"Cerberus murmured to Dorian before following Windclan’s scent, his ears twitching at every sound. "I doubt they’ll be very welcoming of us."
As they approached the river, Cerberus could feel the heat of the fire fading, replaced by a growing sense of unease and the sound of running water, and on the other side, he could see Windclan, and shouted loud enough for them to hear. “Help! Please,” he called out, a rare note of desperation creeping into his voice, betraying the calm indifference of his usual self, “Our friend is badly burned and will die without a medicine cat.” He knew the risks they were taking, the potential for everything to go wrong, but he also knew that Spark wouldn’t survive otherwise. Windclan was their only hope.
Desertstar
The Leader of Windclan
The world around her began to fade, colors blending into a swirling mist, and as she struggled to remain conscious, she caught choppy glimpses of a figure attacking Kaelan. Her vision blurred and darkened at the edges, and she felt an unexpected calm wash over her, as if a gentle paw had laid itself upon her back, urging her to let go. She felt herself drifting, weightless and free. The roaring fire faded away, replaced by a profound silence. She sensed the life within her slipping away.
Then, darkness consumed her.
Soft grass gently caressed her face as her awareness slowly returned. It was lush and vibrant, cradling her body as if welcoming her back from a long journey. Blinking, she found herself in a breathtaking meadow, a place that felt both familiar and otherworldly, where the stars shimmered brightly against a deep indigo sky. The air was warm and rich with the scent of wildflowers, their colors bursting like a painter's palette— vibrant yellows, purples, and reds. In the distance, she spotted the shimmering silhouettes of her ancestors, their forms glowing softly in the moonlight. It had become clear to her then that she was in StarClan, and that she’d lost her third life.
They gathered around her, forming a circle, their pelts like starlight. As the moon shone brightly above, she felt a pull, a gentle tug back toward the living world. When she opened her eyes again, the air was cool and still, carrying the faint scent of damp stone and moss. She found herself in a dimly lit cave, the walls glistening with moisture. Confusion washed over her as she raised herself up to look around, her gaze landing on Orion, then Novafall and little Viperkit.
With a deep breath, she released a long sigh of relief, the tension that had gripped her easing at the sight of them. "Orion," she quietly breathed, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke his name, still weak from losing a life.