Shimmerheart's Vision

Chapter 7

Shimmerheart opened her eyes to see Leopardpelt staring at her. She closed her eyes and sighed. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, you can. Tallears told me to choose three warriors to go on a border patrol. You, Whiteclaw, and Buckwheat will be going with me to patrol the WindClan border."

"Fine. Just let me eat first," Shimmerheart replied blandly.

She sleepily stood up and walked out toward the fresh-kill pile. Cindertail was purring at Ravenkit, who had stumbled into the fresh-kill pile and tripped over a squirrel.

"Ravenkit, slow down! You'll hurt yourself if you keep running around like that!" Cindertail called.

Ravenkit smiled and stopped as she noticed Shimmerheart.

"I can hear you walking around me," Ravenkit squeaked.

Shimmerheart smiled and stopped. She flicked her tail tip and poked the tiny she-kit with her tail.

"Catch my tail, if you can!" Shimmerheart exclaimed.

Ravenkit bounced up into a tiny ball and leaped up into the air, her paws flailing around to try and touch Shimmerheart's tail. Shimmerheart looked back in shock as Ravenkit managed to score a blow to her tail tip.

"That was amazing! Great job Ravenkit!" Cindertail called.

Shimmerheart smiled and walked over to the fresh-kill pile. She picked a skinny looking vole and began eating. As she was finishing, Leopardpelt angrily trotted over to her.

"Shimmerheart! You said you would eat, then go for the patrol, not play with kits!" he yelled.

Shimmerheart snapped her jaws inches away from Leopardpelt's muzzle.

"Shut up! You're just angry with Cindertail because of last night. If you actually cared for her or the kits you wouldn't be yelling at me. I'm sorry I'm nothing like Rosepetal!" Shimmerheart yowled in the tom's face.

Leopardpelt hissed and stormed off toward Stipestar's den. Shimmerheart rolled her eyes and glanced back at Ravenkit, who looked as if she was about to cry.

"Leopardpelt doesn't love me?!" she cried.

Cindertail and Shimmerheart both rushed toward the crying kit and wrapped their tails protectively around her.

"No. He's just a bit confused. Once he realizes his mistakes, he'll come around," Shimmerheart whispered.

Cindertail gave Shimmerheart a nervous glance and shook her head. Shimmerheart nodded once, understanding what Cindertail meant. Ravenkit whimpered but smiled again when she heard Juniperkit and Emeraldkit jump at her. Ravenkit squeaked with pleasure and ran around the camp. Shimmerheart smiled as she watched the blind she-kit run.

"Don't worry about Ravenkit. She won't let her blindness slow her down!" Shimmerheart encouraged.

She frowned when Cindertail gave a weak smile and sulked back to the nursery. Shimmerheart sighed and turned around to watch the kits play. Emeraldkit was pinning Ravenkit to the floor while Juniperkit was yowling encouragement. Ravenkit growled playfully and threw all her weight against Emeraldkit. The speckled grey she-kit squeaked in surprise and went tumbling to the ground. Shimmerheart smiled warmly and turned toward High Ledge. Leopardpelt was glaring at her from the ledge. Shimmerheart hissed quietly and walked up toward the spotted tom.

"I'm going now, okay. See you later."

Shimmerheart whipped around and made her way toward Whiteclaw and Buckwheat, who were waiting for her. Buckwheat smirked at her and watched her.

"Nice job. You stood up to that stubborn mousebrain when none of us could!" praised the bracken tom.

Shimmerheart smiled and flicked her tail. "Let's go. He doesn't need or really want to join us. Let's just leave without him."

Buckwheat and Whiteclaw nodded and swiftly followed after Shimmerheart.

* * * * *

Shimmerheart lifted her head and tasted the air. She cocked her head as the heavy scent of rain finally reached her nose. "There might be a storm. Have you two noticed the wind picking up and the scent of rain?"

Whiteclaw and Buckwheat nodded in unison. "Yes, and judging on how fast this wind is picking up, I'm thinking that it'll be here faster than we can get back to camp by walking. Come, let's warn our clanmates to get to higher ground," Whiteclaw meowed.

Shimmerheart nodded and began running back to camp. She squeaked in surprise as lightning flashed not far ahead of her and stuck a nearby tree. Shimmerheart fell back, temporarily blinded by the bright light. Buckwheat rushed to his daughter and wrapped his tail protectively around her.

"Can you see anything?"

Shimmerheart blinked to clear away the darkness and nodded.

Buckwheat gave a swift nod in response and leaped toward the burning tree. He cautiously looked around it and gasped.

"The camp will catch fire when this spreads, hurry!" he yowled.

Whiteclaw helped Shimmerheart up and the three warriors raced back to camp.

As Shimmerheart raced into camp, Orangedusk ran straight at her.

"Are you okay?!" he asked frantically.

Shimmerheart nodded and pointed at the flames with her tail. Orangedusk's eyes filled with fear as he saw the orange flames dance into the sky.

"I'll help evacuate Cindertail and the kits, you warn Stripestar!"

Shimmerheart nodded and rushed toward Stripestar's den. She found him watching the flames reach higher, a look of doubt written across his face.

"Stripestar, you need to evacuate the clan!" Shimmerheart demanded.

Stripestar shook himself out of his fear and raced down toward the center of the camp.

"ThunderClan, head towards the lake! Be wary of the flames, they will move unpredictably so move swiftly! Follow me!"

Shimmerheart nodded and trotted quickly toward the nursery and flicked her tail happily as she noticed that Cindertail, the kits, and Orangedusk were nowhere to be found.

They must have escaped before he announced where to go. Orangedusk and Cindertail aren't stupid, they'll head to the lake.

Shimmerheart turned around and anxiously glanced around and saw no one. Everyone had raced toward the lake in a hurry. She turned around again and raced off to meet them at the lake. As she was halfway there, a burning branch fell from above and crashed a tail length away from Shimmerheart's face. She hissed and backed away. Shimmerheart coughed as smoke filled her lungs. She glanced around frantically and dashed for toward the WindClan border. She felt her muscles begin to tire and stopped. She hastily looked around and yowled in fear as she noticed that the fire was even denser where she was. Shimmerheart coughed and collapsed to the ground, the smoke to overwhelming.

"Shimmerheart! Are you out there!" a voice rang through the trees.

Shimmerheart's eyes grew heavy as the voice reached her.

"O-over here..." she breathed.

Her breathing began to slow and she closed her eyes. She opened them slightly again as she heard someone land beside her. A grey and black cat with emerald green eyes was watching her while another cat began to move her. Sparks showered down from above her and she flinched as she singed her fur. Shimmerheart inhaled deeply, then let the darkness overwhelm her.