Shadeflower glanced over at her friend. The mottled tortoiseshell was grateful for her presence. It was a reminder to hold her tongue and leash her reactions. The mottled tortoiseshell took a deep breath before she gently ran her nose along the warrior’s cheek. “I’m sorry, my friend...” Shadeflower whispered. Though, she was unsure whether she was apologizing for her actions or for the fallacy of a wedding they were forced to watch. This couldn’t be easy for Goldengrace, watching her sister be forced into a marriage with such a tom. She resisted the urge to curl her lip as she watched Bloodystar seal the marriage. “It will be over soon. Then we can return to camp...” She said softly. Shadeflower pressed her pelt against Goldengrace, offering her a mixture of physical and emotional support as they ceremony continued.

Scorchedwhisker allowed himself a stretch as he glanced towards the exit of the sacred hollow. This wedding couldn’t be over soon enough for him. The Siamese tom stood up and slowly began to inch forward closer to the exit. Occasionally he would sit, act like he was interested in what he was watching, then continue moving towards his escape. He didn’t want to be caught in the mass exodus when Bloodystar decided to finally release the rest of the clan.

Jetclaw

Jetfire was dragged forward suddenly, as the flames began to scatter and Bloodystar jumped to his feet. She didn't have much choice in the matter, they were still physically tied to one another and he was much larger than her. Yes she was close enough to see his face but the sudden movement combined with her already nauseated and upset stomach caused her to begin throwing up the contents of her stomach. She tried to pull away but being bound to his leg prevented that as the contents landed upon Bloodystar's paws. Jadie

Silverfringe had leaned in close to Sorrowfularia, giggling slight at the scene unfolding because of the pebbles that Sorrowfularia had cast. It was petty, but being so powerless to help her family this brought he a little glimmer of hope. That not all things that happened here were under Bloodystar's control. She nuzzled up against the crook of his neck, as a flame came barreling towards her. She jumped backwards, but the flame followed. She backed up and the flame didn't relent remaining hovering firmly over her head Honeystorm

Lionpride had been lying in his dark cell, his eyes were half closed as he began to doze off. Suddenly the den was filled with brilliant blue light as a flame came shooting through the air to hover over his head. He let out a loud gasp, stumbling backwards clumsily in his half awake state falling over top of one of the other prisoners "What the...." he questioned, now laying on his back gazing up at the blue fire Nova Phantom

Queaneverlasting had been quiet during the whole wedding. He hadn't attended many weddings, but he always found them to be rather interesting. The one thing he was not expecting was the blue flame that rose from the candle up into the sky above Bloodystar and Jetfire's head. He watched it burst and spread across the camp. He heard the leader calling to follow the flames. He hesitated for a moment then rose to his paws.

Confusion crossed Fernskip face as chaos broke out. But without her permission her paws seemed desperate to get to a destination. She glanced around her as blue flames appeared above the heads of some cats gathered. A blue light catching her attention above her own head. When she glanced forward she was plunging into the darkness of the sandstone caves, the prison.

Dancingpaw was sitting in the middle of the crowd next to Tawnypaw, and up until the flames came, her eyes had been sparkling up at the ceremony. The wedding was so beautiful and her happiness for Bloodystar clouded any doubts about how Jetfire was feeling. Now, chaos seemed to erupt as everyone was looking wildly around for the flames while the stench of vomit crept into the air. A few of the cats gathered had a blue flame over their heads, but most of the fireballs shot away from the crowd. Some of her clanmates took after them, and the apprentice started to stand to do the same. Tawnypaw caught her paw with his though, and her attention diverted.

"Let the warriors handle it," he muttered and she reluctantly returned to her seat. Ever since her family had abandoned SunClan, Dancingpaw had felt so alone. Normally, she wouldn't have made friends with the scrappy apprentice, but his nonchalance kept her at ease. Even though she wanted to chase after the flames, she'd listen to him and wait it out. Although, as her eyes found Goldengrace and Fernskip, Dancingpaw felt there might be a pattern to which cats had flames.

She didn't want to but the Janus got up, stretching her legs briefly before following the rush of warriors to find the flames that had disappeared into the dungeons. Just a usual day in SunClan. She glanced back over her shoulder at poor Jetfire, she wanted so badly to help the poor queen but she knew her brother would think her too inept to be of any real help to the silver she-cat. Not that she could do much with Ryn and Kosma constantly watching her these days. With a defeated sigh the flame-point cast one last sorrowful look at Jetfire before disappearing into the dungeons with everyone else.


Earthpaw had been curled up in the far corner of his cell, he'd been placed out of sight from his father but he could still hear the older tom's surprise which made his ears perk up and twitch in his direction. He hadn't noticed the flame above his own head nor did he care to, but what caught him off guard was the amount of cats entering the prison all at once. "What's going on here?"

When Discordantmelody saw Jetfire vomit on Bloodystar's front paws, she stopped her attack on Funkson and cackled alongside them. Part of the ceremony was walking down the seed-lined path together while still bound by the vines. The fact that they were covered in stomach bile made her think they'd probably skip that step now, which was just hilarious, seeing as they had almost managed to get hitched without, well a hitch, "I think they've tied the knot, so have at it. He only asked me to guard until the ceremony was over and if this isn't a good ending point then I don't know what is."


"What the... Jetfire!" Bloodystar growled, pulling away reflexively but only making himself more messy in the process. The vines were bound tightly and not easy undone, "Didn't you take the anti-nausea herbs I left out for you? We can't have this..." He was tempted to use the amulet to mask the mess until after the ceremony was over, but that would be as good as telling Jetfire that he was manipulating the entire Clan with this flame gimmick, and he didn't want to do that, either. Sighing, he began to unwind the vines, "Clearly we should get you back to your nest so you---"

"HA!"

Bloodystar hear Nikkohydrangea's bitter laughter and froze. He knew the tom well enough to recognize it was out of character for him and immediately scanned the crowd for his familiar blue-gray pelt. The High Priest felt a lump in his throat as his eyes met Nikko's blue eyes. When was the last time they had spoken? Back before Satinlights, the two of them would spend almost every day together, even shared a nest most nights. Nowadays they seldom spoke except in passing. Bloodystar didn't know why but whenever was around the tom he felt weaker, more vulnerable. Spending time alone with Nikko was one thing. He could let his guard done. In public, though, he couldn't bare feeling vulnerable and, unfortunately, as High Priest, he rarely left the spotlight.

"You don't love her!... DAMMIT, JUST ADMIT! ADMIT YOU LOVE ME!"

Bloodystar felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. Love? Nikkohydrangea? They were close friends, but... romantically? No, it couldn't be, Nikko had Shadowbard and Bloody had Satinlights, then Jetfire... He and Nikko had made out a couple times, done some other things he'd deny to Nikko's face, but that didn't mean anything. It was just something friends as close as them did... even though he'd never gone so far with any other cat... no, not even Satinlights, and certainly not Jetfire... He must be misinterpreting this. But that conclusion did not settle the storm in his heart.

For awhile pain and confusion consumed him but he was getting pretty good at shutting it down. His eyes stopped wavering and hollowed out entirely, vacant. It was like he was a different cat. In fact, he was so still that even Jetfire may question if he was breathing at all. 

"Jetfire is my wife." But there was no love in his voice, it was monotone, robotic. It was all he could say on the spot. He and Nikko had always done best behind closed doors and that was exactly where he intended to continue this conversation.

"Bring the cats marked with blue flames to the main camp. This evening we will have another Clan meeting where I will decide what this omen means as well as how SunClan will answer it." He addressed the entire Clan now with the same heartless tone as he'd had moments ago, never taking his eyes off Nikko, "Nikkohydrangea, meet me at our spot."

He'd lost many cats in the past few moons, cats that meant the world to him at one point in his life, but the one constant he had always expected to have was Nikkohydrangea.

And he was not going to lose him today.

With a flourish of his fluffy tail, he turned his back on the Clan and the now freed Jetfire, leaving her standing alone at the alter, and disappeared into a Janus camp tunnel.

Funkson wasn't far behind Jetfire, and the ex-Janus didn't really need to be told to wait by their sister, they were already up at the rock. "Want some help getting back to camp? Other options include leaving this Sun-forsaken place entirely while you have the chance, or throwing up again if you're so inclined. I'd aim for the crowd this time." Luckily for the League cat, they were out of range of any projectile vomiting, but still within reach enough to help the she-cat out if needed.

Sorrowfularia nodded. "No doubts, Bloodystar knows exactly what the flames means. If you want to avoid whatever it is, we better stay away from camp." Few would probably challenge the Janus taking Silverfringe somewhere, and fewer would chance forcing them and their mate to do something. At least, for the moment.

"This is a mess." Romulus sighed. Why was he here? Really, why had Spellmania dragged him back to this place. It made no sense, made him realize how light Chimerastar's rule was, made him miss his brothers even more. It was an awful ceremony, with screaming and sadness just strewn around. If it wasn't his misery, it was just depressing. But he couldn't do anything, eyes seemingly always scanning the tom's calico pelt.

~~~

Sunnysmiles had been sleeping soundly. Not something she got to do lately, but the sleeping herbs given to her by Mountainsound were doing wonders. It'd been a harsh few days, but as she was slowly getting better and helping out, she began holding out some hope. That they could get out. She didn't awake by the bright light of the blue flame over her, but the voices in the cells next to her and the rumbling rampage of paws coming towards her. Sunnysmiles let out a yawn before staring up at the flame.