There is Life (CLOSED / SOLO)

The throbbing in Scorchstar's head didn't seem to want to ever cease. He moaned softly in pain, gritting his teeth and digging his claws into the sandy floor of RiverClan's medicine den. Here he had remained ever since he and the rest of his loyalists came to their allies in search of shelter after Burntstag took over his territory, morphing it into what was now called StagClan. It was bad enough that his former apprentice, the kit he had rescued from a life of solitude so many moons ago, had stabbed him in the back ... but to think his own kin would side with him? Asterspark and Silentpaw had both decided to stay behind with the delusional tom -- and it was Asterspark who had knocked him off the Jaggedrock, causing the harsh blow to the head that he was now suffering from.

Where did he go wrong as leader of ShadowClan? Was there a way he could have prevented this?

He remembered the prophecies delivered to him from StarClan themselves, the prophecies foretelling ShadowClan's downfall. Was it always meant to be? Or did his own actions or lack of actions play a part in the destruction of his beloved Clan, the Clan he had promised Littlestar and Thrushstar and all the other ShadowClan leaders before them to protect?

Another harsh throbbing began its painful crescendo in his head, and he couldn't fight back a low moan of agony, extending his claws out so far and so deep into the dirt that they began to badly ache. He welcomed the pain, hoping it would distract from the main source in his head. It didn't. It never did.

It didn't seem like Mothpaw's or Myrtlepaw's herbs were doing much good for him either. Try as they might, their herbal poultices never seemed to ease the pain, as it would always come right back ... almost as if it were a harsh reminder to him how awful a leader he had become, to let his Clan die the way it had.

Trembling, Scorchstar shut his eyes tight, trying to fight back the nausea rising in his stomach as a result of the overwhelming pain. He had already gotten sick once before due to the pain, and it had only made the thumping in his head a million times worse. He moaned again. He needed something to fight off this nausea, and he needed it now! It certainly didn't help that he was beginning to develop emetophobia all because of this painful experience. Please, StarClan, don't let me get sick again!...

Praying to his warrior ancestors proved futile. With yet another harsh drum to his skull that seemed to drill its way into his very brain, he arched his back and retched up the small about of fish he had tried to choke down hours ago. The pounding grew worse and worse, and he cried out, scoring his claws into the earth. Make it stop, make it STOP!

The pain proved too much for him to bear, and he fell mercilessly into unconsciousness.

---

When Scorchstar opened his eyes, he found he was no longer laying next to his coughed-up lunch in the dark and herb-scenting sandy den, but rather on a starlit plain that he had grown all too familiar with. He had been hoping this head trauma wouldn't eventually claim his third life....

"Welcome, Scorchstar."

Scorchstar's head shot up at the familiar voice. He spotted the beautiful molly Honeydrop, who had been ShadowClan's medicine cat moons ago, back when he was still an apprentice. He dipped his head respectfully to her, but it lowered more and more until his nose brushed against the soft blades of grass blown by the calm wind, tickling his muzzle. He was too distraught to even smile at the funny feeling. "I ... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Honeydrop. I let ShadowClan die. I did my best to keep it alive after the flood, but...." His eyes teared up. "But the truth of the matter is I've failed. I've failed to keep your Clan safe. I do not deserve to be leader after what I have done."

Silence greeted his sorrowful confession, and he stood there weeping, his tears sliding down his muzzle and dripping into the dirt between the grass blades. Then, he heard soft paw steps slowly approach him. His ears perked, but his head did not lift.

Then he felt a soft tail running down along his back. He dared to look up and saw Honeydrop stroking him comfortingly, wearing a gentle smile. "Scorchstar," she finally spoke, her voice soft, "Do you remember the wildfire caused by the Carrionplace explosion last leaf-fall?"

Surprised and bemused that the former medicine cat would bring up the topic of the Carrionplace fire, Scorchstar lifted up his head a little to look at her. Wordlessly, he nodded.

"Then you must remember the destruction the fire had left behind, how it forced those disease-ridden rats deeper into your territory." She tilted her head. "Have you even visited the Carrionplace once since then?"

Scorchstar shook his head. "N-No. I ... I guess I kinda forgot about it, since no one has hunted there in so long."

Honeydrop stopped stroking Scorchstar's back, and she beckoned with a light jerk of her head for him to follow. He did so, still confused, watching as his surroundings began to shift and morph from the majestic plains to the inner walls of the Carrionplace, where he could still see many scorch marks on the ground and ashes of burnt Twoleg rubbish. Why had Honeydrop brought him here?

Then the two ShadowClanners exited the Carrionplace. Scorchstar braced himself to see the place still in utter destruction after the results of the explosion and the sudden flash flood that occurred last newleaf. Instead, to his utter surprise, he only saw lush greenery. Pine trees stood tall, ferns and mushrooms flourished in the shade, and there were even quite a few saplings and sprigs where new life was beginning to grow. The prey seemed to have returned to, as he was able to see mice darting across the earth and lizards sunbathing on rocks. "H-How?... How did all this grow back? I ... I thought the fire and floods had utterly destroyed this place!"

"Fires and floods do destroy, yes," Honeydrop agreed, approaching a particular patch of light gray ash stacked into a small pile. She gently swiped her paw over it, brushing away the ash, revealing a tiny tree sapling growing underneath. "Where there is life, there is death. And where there is death, new life grows from the ashes. The five Clans are all one with the forest. Call it a circle of life. Trees grow and produce seeds that the prey carry around in their fur. We cats eat the prey, as well as the seeds in their fur. And when we deposit, the seeds are brought to a new place where they can grow into even bigger and stronger trees. This creates more seeds, more prey, more full cats, more trees. It is a never-ending cycle that cannot be broken."

Honeydrop looked into Scorchstar's eyes. "As the Clans are one with the forest, ShadowClan is no different than the Carrionplace. Burntstag was the fire that destroyed your Clan ... and you are the seed that will help the Clan grow bigger and stronger than it has ever been. Do you understand what I am saying to you, Scorchstar?"

Scorchstar nodded, absolutely amazed. Everything the molly said made perfect sense. With the destruction of the Carrionplace, it just gave even more plants the room to grow and flourish. He was the seed that would help his Clan grow and flourish from the ashes of StagClan that Burntstag had created. He smiled and dipped his head again. "Thank you, Honeydrop. I know what I must do now. I mustn't give up. Instead, I must rebuild my Clan and make it bigger and stronger, so that no more fires or floods or Burntstags can destroy it again."

Honeydrop nodded approvingly, beaming at him, and the world began to grow blindingly white.

---

Scorchstar gasped with a jolt, awakening in RiverClan's medicine den. He was still laying in the nest, which was now messied with his regurgitated lunch, but he realized that the thrumming in his head had completely ceased. He sat up, finding an absence of a head-splitting headache at even the wildest of movement when he shook his head. He had lost his third life, but his wound had been healed by StarClan.

His third life had been lost, but now he will be stronger in the light of his fourth life.

Just like his beloved Clan once he reclaims and rebuilds it from the ashes caused by Burntstag.

Scorchstar climbed out of his nest, shook out the moss and down feathers from his bushy fur, and slipped out of the medicine den, making his way towards the leader's den. He needed to speak to Jaystar.