The Horse of Sacred Flames and Stars

The Horse of Sacred Flames and Stars

By Dreamstar

Blazing Star, panic-stricken, turned in frantic circles, trying to find a way out of the ambush. The Emperor Bittervine was deftly weaving around the other battling horses, for they were not his target. Blazing Star reared up in a desperate attempt to scare the demonic plant king away, but his tries were in feeble vain. The Bittervine had reached his destination. With a hiss, it lunged for Blazing Star’s black with white flecked coat and slashed. Stardust poured out of the gaping wound and Blazing Star couldn’t hold in a scream of agony, but this battle wasn’t over yet. With a roar that shook the heavens, Blazing Star forced the blue-orange flames that made up his tail and mane to harm with full power and fly out to strike his opponent, spattering liquid stardust all over the Bittervine King. It worked perfectly. As he crumbled into dead leaves and ash, the Emperor Bittervine rasped his final breaths from his skin, and fell over, defeated at last. 

Once they realized that their leader had fallen, the Bittervine’s cruel tendrils slithered off the other horse’s bodies, fell limp, and promptly disintegrated. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, including Blazing Star. The Healers, Ocean Breeze and Misty Sky, immediately rushed onto the marshy battlefield to check everyone’s wounds. 

Suddenly, a wail of sorrow rang out. Blazing Star galloped toward the source of the cry. It was Rain-Bearing Cloud, and she was crouching over a cold and still body, the wet marsh soaking her fluffy cream-colored coat as she wept. Icy dread swept through Blazing Star’s belly as he recognized Flighting Sparrow’s brown coat. As he drew nearer, he could hear Rain-bearing Cloud’s choked voice as she sobbed over the body of her son.

“It’s all my fault,” she wailed as Blazing Star put his burning tail on her shoulder, “I could hear his screams and shouts for help, but I was strangled by Bittervine, and by the time I managed to dispatch them, the Emperor had hovered over my son and--and--” But she was too overcome with grief to do anything except bury her face into Flighting Sparrow’s fur. 

Horror crashed over Blazing Star like a tsunami as he tore his gaze from Flighting Sparrow’s broken neck and surveyed all the other dead and wounded horses. Come on ‘Blaze, he told himself, you’re the Leafclan leader, so act like one! Blazing Star called out to his Clanmates,

“Bring all the bodies to the clearing where we shall perform the Ceremony for them. Those of you who have not reported to Ocean Breeze or Misty Sky should do so immediately; we don’t want any more fighters joining The Tribe of Thoughtful Watching... and those lucky ones who have suffered minor injuries and can walk can help carry the bodies.” Everyone did as they were told. When Blazing Star joined them, Ocean Breeze scolded,

“Blazing Star! You’ve washed that Poinsetta poultice right off! Come here so that I can apply a new one.” 

After Ocean Breeze had put on a fresh poultice and given him strict orders not to move around too much, Blazing Star joined the rest of the Tribe around the bodies of their lost loved ones, where they proceeded to perform the ceremony that had been done so many times before.

First, each horse placed his or her hoof on a body and closed its eyes.

Second, as one voice, they spoke the words that would guide the souls of their loved and lost ones to the Tribe of Thoughtful Watching, the place where all dead horses go: “By the power that the Tribe has granted me, I guide this soul to join its fellows in its final journey to your calm and protected hunting grounds.”

As each mare and stallion opened his or her eyes, they could see the joyful spirits of the horses rising into the darkened sky.

I admit that this isn't my best work, I unearthed it from the depths of Google Docs and apparently I wrote this way back in January 😅 Bye now!

--Dreamstar