[ti]Open[/ti]Set A-Blaze

[pants]

Ocelotjaw made it a couple of foxlengths before the deputy, Batstrike, appeared beside him, offering his shoulder for the warrior to lean on. The lilac tom grunted as he accepted the offer, not giving a proper thanks in order to not waste oxygen in the deadly air. He leaned his shoulder into the tom and shifted his weight, taking some weight off his injured leg and burnt paws, easing the pain just a smidge. His eyes were weary and tearing up, the smoke doing more harm now than the actual fire. The two made slow but steady progress, moving forward as other cats scurried ahead of them to flee the disaster that was now their home.

The tom looked back over his should, seeing the what remained of the forest. It was a chaotic swirl of oranges and yellows lashing out at the sky, which was now gray with smoke. Even though he hated this place, he felt a tinge of sadness knowing it will never be the same. Ocelotjaw continued to hobble alongside Batstrike, turning his head back forward and looking towards the ground, his yellow eyes watching the the ground they passed as they moved. Every so often, the pain would spike up as his adrenaline wore off, causing the tom to wince and grit his teeth. Nonetheless, he pushed forward, following his clanmates to MistClan.

Eventually, the scene changed from burning forest to rotting carrion hill. So close..., the tom thought, looking up. A determined gleam was in his eye as he moved to the place he longed after for so long. The border was coming up quick as the toms passed the revolting pile of decaying garbage and the reeking scent of rats. Ocelotjaw tried to progress faster, his limping leg screaming in pain. But he was so close... He could even hear the waterfall in the distance and taste the mist in the air. He was almost home...

-----

tl:dr - Ocelotjaw was helped by Batstrike, making it to the MistClan border. Will be shifting to the thread in MistClan

Storm - Ocelotjaw accepts Batstrike's help

[Ava]

Scorpionflame was taking a midday nap on a dry evening, curled up behind the nursery in his favorite spot. He was snoozing quietly, calmly, his dreams filled with a beautiful she-cat by the name of Cypresspool. She gazed over at him, shooting him one of her perfect smiles, as she opened her maw to speak. At first, her words were fuzzy and incomprehensible, but after a few moments her voice deepened, no longer the silky, angelic pitch from before. The voice was calling to him, shouting for him. Suddenly, he recognized the voice of his father, coming from this beautiful she-cat. He was yelling for all the camp to hear- and he meant business. 

Waking up to feel unnatural heat coming in waves, he lifted his nose off his paws and sniffed. Cinders. Scorpionflame jolted to his paws and glanced around, rushing to the middle of camp to look for the fire. It was approaching at a terrifying speed, his pupils widening and his legs trembling. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. He was frozen, the flames flickering in the reflection within his eyes, unable to move and stuck in this place he was in. He couldn't speak, couldn't call for help- all he could do was watch in fear as the fire lumbered towards him, ready to engulf him in pain.

->TLDR: Scorpionflame freezes and can't move - gingersnapsdacat  

Leafeyes strolled through the forest, on her way to meet Redbird, her handsome illegal mate and father to her kits. However, she stopped in her tracks as she heard a faint call resembling her leader's behind her. Turning around, she tilted her head to her side and quickly trotted towards the voice, eventually within earshot. Then she saw the fire, creeping closer to camp. The only thought she had was: get your kits. Her eyes scanned the camp until she found Bloompaw and Mantisclaw, though the only one she focused on was Bloompaw. She knew he was in bad shape, with his burns and wounds. "Bloompaw, come along. You're hurt, even if you aren't in pain," she snapped, her eyes sharp. When it came to her kits, she would die for them.

She pushed Bloompaw along, keeping him steady and completely ignoring Mantisclaw for the first while. After they managed to get out of camp, she finally turned to the younger she-cat. "I will trust you with my son- no, I am telling you that you will get my son safely to MistClan. I will be back soon enough."

And with that, the she-cat dipped her head curtly and licked Bloompaw between the ears, grooming what little fur he had on his head left, then dashed away to find Softpaw. She sighed with relief as she found Softpaw nervously backed into one of the corners of the apprentice's den. Softpaw was terrified, seeing the wounded cats and the burning camp. 

"M-Mama... I don't wanna go. I-It's scary outside. I'll be o-okay in here," the small tortoiseshell apprentice whispered, her eyes wide in fear as she stared up at her mother. Faintly, she could hear a crackling above her. 

Leafeyes immediately realized they were running out of time. "Get up, Softpaw, we have to go. Go, for StarClan's sake," she growled, though she tried to calm herself down as she noticed her tone only made Softpaw more scared. "Please, get up, it's dangerous in here." Tears were forming in the corners of her eyes- she was starting to cry for the first time in front of someone. Nudging her daughter, she felt the heat start to get to her, the smoke inhalation much more intense in such a small, enclosed space. "If not for yourself, for me," she whispered, lowering herself down.

Softpaw gave a little nod, shakily rising to her paws. "O-Okay, mama. Come with me. We can explore MistClan together!" she said, smiling a little. It faded immediately, though, as Leafeyes collapsed onto the ground.

"Go without me, sweets. I'll make it out in a bit," she coughed, doing her best to smile. She could tell that Softpaw was losing her energy, too- and they now had barely any time. 

Softpaw whined, walking back over to Leafeyes and nudging her neck. "Get up, mother. You gotta come with..." she murmured, feeling the smoke finally get to her. She sat down beside her mother, gazing down at her. "Please, mama," she whispered, touching her nose to Leafeyes's cheek.

Suddenly, their luck seemed to get even worse. With one final crack, the entrance to the den caved in, trapping them inside. Leafeyes looked around for a way out, startled by the noise, though she laid her head back down in exhaustion. At long last, she said her final words- "Softpaw, I love you." Coughing and wheezing, she finally gave in, her eyes blank and maw parted slightly, her still very alive daughter looking down in horror.

"Mama! Come on, get up, it's okay. We'll find a way out, I promise. We can do this together. Just, please get up... mother, please," she choked out, sobbing as tears dripped onto her deceased mother's fur, crying into her fur that was already losing her warmth. It was only a few more minutes before she herself passed out, falling victim to the same fate of her mother.

->TLDR: Leafeyes lets Mantisclaw help Bloompaw out, then goes to help Softpaw in the apprentice's den. The entrance collapses and they are stuck, Leafeyes eventually succumbing to death.

Heatherdawn makes it out safely with minimal wounds.

Galekit makes it out after being saved from the flames, with some nasty wounds.

[Broadwaykat]

Mottledfeather wasn't particularly strong, but between her meager efforts and Ocelotjaw's genuine desire to live, he managed to pull the tom free. He wasn't alone, apparently, as - greviously injured as he was - he ordered her to run along ahead with his travelling companion; little Featherkit.

Oh dear...so many cats at this time? The thought of her, usually so shy, saving someone so small, was a little nerve-wracking. Almost as frightened as a kit herself, she nonetheless crouched down beside the silver tom and asked in a trembling voice.

"I-I'm going to pick you up, alright?" She asked. "We'll...we'll keep each other safe."

And picking up the little kit in her jaws, she continued to flee quickly, but as gingerly as she could - so the kit would not have too rough of a ride. 

[TLDR - Mottledfeather listens to Ocelotjaw and flees with Featherkit (LupTacco) towards Mistclan's border.]

----

Bloompaw was almost giddy to see his mother - feeling comfort in her reddened pelt and knowing that everything, now, was sure to be alright - she would take care of them, and stop the other cat from yelling at him about...something. He went to bury himself against her - but his mother seemed prepared only to scold him and send him off with Mantisclaw.

"But - but I - " What was she talking about? He was fine! Almost experimentally, as she retreated into the apprentice's den, apparently in search for his siblings, he rose his paw and brushed at his belly fur. Yup - felt fine. Nothing to worry about. He wouldn't realize his futures as a 'handsome boy' were literally up in smoke until he could see his own reflection, peeling skin, singed fur, and flame-chewed ears and all. Nor would he realize that those were the final words his mother would ever tell him.

Reluctantly, he turned from his mother's retreating back to the other cat and seemed to take her words to heart. Maybe they should follow all the runners. But he couldn't help asking his clanmate in a slightly trembling voice, even as he began to follow her.

"She's...she's gonna be coming with us, right?"

[TLDR: Bloompaw will willing follow Mantisclaw out of camp and out of reach of the fire - and hopefully to the nearest Medicine Cat Asap.] 

---

Slightshrew began to flee from the camp, stopping only to pick up a small scrap of fur that happened to be a scalded tom, Galekit; being careful to pick him up do to his injuries, and lagging behind in hopes of being able to help Olivebloom as well.

[TLDR: Slightshrew escapes.]

---

"Oh for Starclan's sake!" As more of her logical side struggled to shout that leaving the tom there to burn - when he had technically already done so - was the smart choice, she knew that, if Tanglepaw had ever told either of her parents she likely would still get a scolding - and maybe they would make it hard to live with herself. 

Which meant she'd have to help rescue the stupid cat. 

"If you want to save him - grab a haunch then!" She snapped at the smaller apprentice. He wasn't her responsibility - lucky him - but for the time being she figured she could get away with ordering him around with her most snappish voice.

"Just know that if we - I - die for him, I'll kill you!"

[TLDR: Badgerstrike caves to decency and demands Tanglepaw (GnawingOnIce) help her pull Honeypaw (Mama) along with them - accidentally quoting Ron Weasley all the while...]

[GnawingOnIce]

Tanglepaw gazed with fervent desperation at Badgerstrike, panic gripping his heart tight in its fist. Realizing Badgerstrike wasn’t going to help him, he grabbed Honeypaw’s scruff in his maw and willed all the strength in his body to heaving his brother toward where every other of his surviving Clanmates were running. He pulled and pulled, feeling the fumes scratch at his lungs and fill his nostrils. Ashes got into his eyes, everything blurring around him as his eyes watered.

“Honeypaw!” Tanglepaw screamed into the fur, his muscles beginning to tire. “Get up, please!” he begged, letting go of him for just a moment to catch his breath. As he heaved in his first breath, nothing but smoke gathered in his lungs. He coughed and gagged at the taste of it. Then, Badgerstrike decided she was going to help him.

Blinking away the tears, Tanglepaw grabbed some of Honeypaw’s fur and began heaving with Badgerstrike, making much more progress toward safety than he had before.

Tags;; Broadwaykat

[gingersnapsdacat]

Flufftail

    FLufftail was no where near the fire. She was ‘patrolling’ along the Mistclan border, keeping her eyes out for a certain tortoiseshell she-cat.
    But as she walked, she began to smell the horrible smell that was taking over her whole camp.
Fire.
    Flufftail began to run back towards home, her heart racing. Where was her family? Had they gotten out? She could not see anything through the smoke. However, she could hear EveningStar’s call.
    “Get to MistClan!”
    MistClan...Cloverwing! She had to warn her lover, before the fire spread.
    Once again, Fluftail spun around, running back in the other direction.

Ruststripe

    Flames bit at Ruststripe’s paws, singing her fur and burning her pads. But she could not run from the camp. She had to save her kits. Ruststripe ran to her son’s side. He was trembling with fear, unable to move. For a moment, Ruststripe found herself
    “Scorpionfang!” She screeched, trying to break the terrified trance her son was in. “Come on!”

Tickstorm 

    Smoke...Fire...It bit at her eyes, and muddled her sneses. Around her, kits and elders alike were running for their lives. But Tickstorm would not run. She had to do something.
    “HELP PALESUN GET HERBS HELP WHERE YOU CAN!”
    Tickstorm knew what she needed to do. Tickstorm charged towards the medicine cat den, running as if fire was beneath her paws. Of course, that was not far from the truth…
    A large rock fell near the medicine den, practically sealing off the entrance. There was only just enough room for a very thin cat to sueeze through. But luckily, she was just the right size. Inside the Medicine den, the smoke was thick and black, unable to flilter through the thick walls. Well sorted piles of sticks, leaves and cobwebs were quickly turning to ashes all around her. Nothing seemed to be safe from the burning tongues.
Smoke burned at the she-cat’s lungs, making every bit of her feel weak and scratchy. But she could not stop now. She had to get the herbs!
    “He-Help me…”
    TickStarm had been so focused on the herbs, she had not even seen Carrotflower crouched in the darkness. His pelt was smeared with ashes, turning its blue sheen into a dull, washed out grey. Tickstorm moved towards him, trying to see what kept him from running. The rock that had blocked off the entrance had trapped his paw against the dirt wall. TickStorm could see where he had tried to free it, but was too weak from the smoke.
    He must have come in here for the herbs too...she thought.
    The herbs!
    She looked all around her. Well sorted piles of sticks, leaves and cobwebs were quickly turning to ashes. She had to act quickly. The herbs or Carrotflower. She could only take one. If she took the herbs, she could be the hero she wanted to be, and impress her beloved father. But she would be leaving her clanmate, and adoptive brother, to die.
    She desperately clawed at the dirt wall, forcing clumps of clay and rock to fall away from Carrotflower’s trapped paw. The smoke just kept getting thicker and thicker.
    Finally, Carrotflower’s paw was freed. She took hold of his scruff, using it as a barrier against the thick smoke. It took all of her strength, which was all but stolen from the flames, but she was able to drag him through the small opening, and back into the camp. With her clanmate safely out of the medicine den, she spun around, ready to charche back to save the herbs. But before she could even take a pawstep, a flaming branch fell in front of her, scorching her muzzle. There was no way for her to get back into the medicine den now. She could not be a hero.

Bunnyblossom

    One moment, Bunnyblossom had been playing with her kits outside of the nursury. The next, Everything was up in flames. Her life. Her family. Everything she had been working for. Bunnyblossom tried to shelter her kits, keeping them away from the flames that threatened to engulf them at any moment.
She desperately tried to herd them out, but the smoke burnt her eyes, makine near impossible to see anything. Dark storm was still out on patrol, so StarClan knew where he was. He could not help her now.
    “Mama! Papa!” she could hear her kits calls. But she could not reach all of them at once. What was she supposed to do?
    “JUst get out! I will find you in the outside!” she screeched, hoping that her kits would hear.
    She scooped up one of her kits, and made a mad dash for the outside.

[Fireflake]

Mantisclaw drew away from Batstrike's nudge, nodding but not following immediately after the tom. The fluttering in her lungs had grown to a throb, and she worried that there would be lasting damage if she didn't get out soon. Watching Bloompaw stumble away, she reminded herself that there would also be lasting damage if she didn't stay a little longer. Her lightning reflexes and the wary way she ducked the flames had kept her relatively safe so far, but the chaos was closing in. Now the flames crawled across the ground toward her and she had to leap to avoid them, driving her face directly into the hot black smog.

Mantisclaw amended her previous thoughts. The fire wasn't the worst enemy to face. That was the smoke. It wove around her, blinding her and smothering her simultaneously like her littermates had when play-fighting as a kit. She didn’t even notice Leafeyes at first. The almost rhythmic crackling drowned out her voice, and Mantisclaw had to blink frequently to see through the smoke and the dampness in her eyes. When she did notice the she-cat guiding Bloompaw forward, relief temporarily eased the tightness in her chest. It had distracted her for long enough for flames to catch onto her fur like burrs, and she wasted her breath on hissing as she patted them down or flicked them off.

After what felt like moons, the three had reached the exit. Mantisclaw knew that they had saved everyone they could, and anyone still inside would have to pray for StarClan to light their way out. But just as she started toward MistClan, Leafeyes told her to take Bloompaw, and that she would be back soon. Mantisclaw shook her head. "Wait-!"
A cough cut her off, but she knew it wouldn’t have made a difference as she watched the she-cat dash back into the storm of flames that had overtaken their home. Maybe the older warrior knew better than she did.

Mantisclaw tried to take a breath to quickly yowl to her clanmates that the way out was still accessible, but claws seemed to clamp her throat shut. The she-cat knew well what it felt like to fill her lungs. She'd done it many times, from projecting her voice across the nursery to breath-holding contests in apprenticeship. But now, the feeling was more similar to when she'd raced across frosty landscapes, sipping in air because a gulp would have triggered a cough. She clambered on now just as she had then. This time it was more important that winning a bet. It was about saving Bloompaw, and herself, before the fire had a chance to spread further.

She had only just recovered her breath when the apprentice anxiously checked that his mother would be following. "Of course," Mantisclaw confirmed confidently, though her voice was croaky. "She'll meet us there."
A vague feeling of triumph came over her as she imagined the scene at MistClan's border. Families would reunite, this apprentice's and her own, and chatter slightly hysterically about how they'd worried not everyone would make it. There would be sharing tongues, and fresh air to breathe, and eventually they would all return to rebuild. That would be worth this hell. "Come on."

[TL;DR- Mantisclaw knows they have to get out quickly and still wants to help Bloompaw. She gets burned a bit, but not too horribly. She finally gets out of camp. She tries to tell Leafeyes to wait when she goes back into camp, and is interrupted by a cough. After reassuring Bloompaw his mother will meet them there, she starts to walk with him toward MistClan.]

[Broadwaykat]

The pain of his injuries would not effect him - although they would certainly effect how others would look at him - but Bloompaw was definitely slower than his usual perky self as he leaned closer to the support of Mantisclaw; his sticky skin catching a bit on her fur as he did so. He looked behind him with wide eyes at the destruction of his home - waiting to see his mom following them out. But, unfortunately, she didn't seem to be coming yet. 

Leaning as heavily as he dared against her, he let out a little cough; as much as he couldn't feel it, his chest and throat certainly tickled a bit from the inside, like he had gotten a bit of a cold. The effects of smoke steadily clouding and collecting in his lungs, surely.

The sooner he had limped out alongside Mantisclaw, the better for both of them.

[TLDR: Mantisclaw has helped Bloompaw escape and their all on their ways to Mistclan. Fireflake]

"Heave! Put your back into it and worry about waking up - cack - later!?" Badgerstrike snarled at Tanglepaw who spent most of his time trying to shove Honeypaw out of the way. Her throat burned, her paws throbbed - and her mouth felt like she had eaten a pile of ash. The apprentice was doing his best to try and wake up his sibling - stupid, in her opinion. Badgerstrike figured Honeypaw was already dead. And if he wasn't, they weren't doing him any favors - he looked a fright.

"Keep talking and we'll both be out WITH him - you want that?! Smarten up, shut your trap and push!" She snapped, as she politely turned her head to the sighed, hacked up a disgusting bit of blackened phlegm, until finally grabbing what remained of the tom's ruff in her mouth and proceeding to drag him out of the flaming camp.

[TLDR: Badgerstrike does not enjoy apprentice-watching duty - but Honeypaw (Mama) is out of the flaming camp and on his way to Mistclan with her and Tanglepaw (GnawingOnIce)]

[Goose]

Thumproot felt the heat of the flames roll across his thick ginger pelt as he pushed through the crowd of cats trying to flee the camp. " PATCHNOSE !!" The tom yelled frantically looking for his mother and her calico pelt as the blaze pressed ever closer. Thumproot's cry's growing softer as the tom choked on the smoke billowing from the burning grass and falling to a raspy growl. The tom looked back at his fleeing clanmates and spotted his mother at the edge of the press of cats. The ground had become scorching hot as the young warrior searched for his mother and burnt the thick fur off his large paws. The tabby tom hissed as the heat became unbearable and now that he found his mother  it was time to go, With a quick turn thumproot pushed off his back legs in a huge bounding leap as he ran like hell to escape the flames chasing his tail. The tom made it to his clanmates and followed them , never leaving his mothers side and keeping his tail over her back as a reminder of where she was.