"Why StarClan? Why did you have to do this to us?"
The fire burned everything-everyone-down, including Hiddenstar, the leader of HiddenClan. Minnowstream looked down, trembling with anger. "We didn't deserve this..."
Kestrelpath glanced back at the ruins, tail flicking from side to side. He understood how Minnowstream was feeling. It was just a regular day, perfect even, that no one expected this to happen. His claws slipped out unexpectedly and his paws had the urge to run, just to sort out his thoughts.
But he couldn't leave the other two.
Flowheart bowed her head, eyes focusing only on the ground. So many lives were lost, so it was easy for Minnowstream to ask. She didn't argue, only thinking about how this happened. How the flames lapped at their pelts when they were looking around frantically, just looking for a place to live. The heat was unbearable, smoke clouding the sky.
When they survived, she couldn't believe it, and even expected none of the stars to come out. But they did, and she had a flickering sense of doubt that their ancestors were watching over them at all.
-------
Minnowstar padded out of her den, leaping neatly onto the camp floor. Her blue eyes searched the cats, one, two, and nodded. These cats were like her kin, too close to leave behind.
It's been three moons since the fire, and Minnowstar had been working on the camp with Kestrelpath and Flowheart, wanting to trace back everything before she forgets.
Flowheart sat near the fresh-kill pile, eyeing the miserable pile. Minnowstar had picked her to be the deputy, in which she was proud of, but didn't have the energy to 'celebrate'. Her thoughts drifted back to the fire, and she shook her head, blocking out the painful memories quickly.
Kestrelpath sat near the warriors' den, eyes looking over what little they had. He watched Minnowstar become a leader, which he felt slightly ashamed of, and watched her appoint Flowheart as her deputy. He sighed, and closed his eyes.
Minnowstar was right. They were more than just a group.
They were a clan.