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Silverfeather's Death



Silverfeather flung herself onto the Thunderpath up ahead as Hawkshadow crouched by the edge, his tail whisking behind him as his claws were unsheathed and stained with blood.

Silverfeather breathed heavily as her pelt turned into nothing more than blood streaks. Her pale light blue gaze stayed wide as she believed Hawkshadow would leave her.

The dark tabby almost threw himself at her until his ears twitched and he stepped back. A monster roared past and flung dirt and a small cloud of foul smoke towards him. There was a loud thud followed by a yowl and Swiftdapple could hear unsheathed claws scraping across the ground.

Her eyes widened. "Silverfeather!" she yowled, darting out from her hiding place past Hawkshadow, who looked surprised to see her. A silver shape lined with tabby markings lay on the side of the Thunderpath in a small pool of blood, legs splayed out in front of her.

Swiftdapple felt horrorified and saddened at the look of the tabby's battered body. "Silverfeather!" she called again, and carelessly threw herself onto the Thunderpath and ran across it without thinking the possibilty of another monster approaching.

As she got closer, she could see how disgustingly twisted her friend's body had turned to from the impact of the monster. She still hung onto life very faintly; her flanks gave the faintest indication she still had shallow breathing.

Blood came from her mouth and Silverfeather coughed, her eyes trying to stare at Swiftdapple. "Farewell," she choked out. Her claw-tips were torn and broken as she would have unsheathed them whilst being hit, and scraped them across the ground.

"Don't." Swiftdapple's mew got caught. "Don't leave me!"

"I have to," Silverfeather protested weakly. "It is my time. When your time comes, we will meet again, and I will not have forgotten you in those seasons and moons to come." She let out a weak purr before her eyes rolled and turned dull and unseeing.

Her beathing began stopping and she soon lay still on the ground, the scent of death becoming fresh as she gave no movement. Grief hung over her like a cloud as Hawkshadow narrowed his eyes at Swiftdapple before turning to flee into the thick undergrowth of the Pine.

''Coward! ''Swiftdapple felt too numb to yell after him. She closed Silverfeather's eyes for one last time and let out a sigh, trying her best not to feel too saddened by her friend's death. ''Every cat dies. Silverfeather is no different, ''she told herself.

"Get out of my territory!" Swiftdapple yowled as something large rammed into her and threw her off balance, sending her flying onto the Thunderpath. Her eyes filled up with alarm and she looked ahead of herself to see Ryewhisker, the Moor's deputy.

"Ryewhisker! What are you doing?" Swiftdapple hissed. "You're the Moor's deputy!"

Ryewhisker tilted his head slightly. "And? You're crossing in my Group's territroy. Have Pine Cats ever noticed they're not welcome in the Moor? I'll have to kill you for trespassing into my territory, you know."

<p align="CENTER">''He sounds like a rogue rather than a Group cat! ''But the tom's words did not really surprise her. It had been rumoured his mate, Fawnspots, left him for a rogue that had been found on the Moor's territory. He didn't seem to cope with it and had even been removed from his position as deputy.

<p align="CENTER">Swiftdapple braced herself for any attack Ryewhisker wanted to throw at her. The tom leaped forward and Swiftdapple opened her jaws, pushed herself up and dug them into his neck.

<p align="CENTER">She rolled over and flung him as she rolled sideways, throwing him away like prey. ''Snap. ''Swiftdapple shuddered as she felt a shiver go up her spine from the crack of bones.

<p align="CENTER">Ryewhisker lay on the Thunderpath with his neck twisted to the side, his gaze staring blankly ahead of him. Swiftdapple gulped and crept away slightly. She gave one last glance over to Silverfeather's body. ''I promise I'll come back for you! ''she vowed as she crossed back into the Pine and started to head back to the camp.