There Is

by IcyUmbreon

Drabble, on the death of a character. Angsty, and contains character death. Obviously. Don't read if you don't like that stuff. It also has MASSIVE spoilers for Long Shadows. Rated for slight violence, and for death. Written pre-Sunrise, so it's AU now.

There's blood. Blood, spurting over your fur, staining your one white paw dark red and clashing with your orange fur. Blood, sinking into the muddy ground, disappearing into the earth. Blood, trickling over my fur, the stench of it filling my mouth. My blood.

There's pain. Sharp, biting pain in my throat. Pain that your claws have just inflicted. The last of a life of pain.

There's hatred. Hatred that has burrowed into my mind, rooting it there, hungry for your misery. My hatred. And then there's other hatred, hatred searing my fur, the hatred behind the pain, burning in your bright green eyes. Your hatred.

There's shock. Shock from what you have done, shock from the pain and the blood and the hatred. Shock that you have actually done such a thing. Shock that you could change even more than you already have from the cat I thought I knew.

There's mud. Mud mixing with blood, sucking at my paws. Mud covering your paws as you put them on the ground again, concealing my blood. Mud, thick and slippery, making you stumble as you lurch towards me.

There's falling. Falling as you push me, brief, sudden falling.

There's water. Water that my body hits with a smack. Cold, black water. Water swallowing me, water soaking through my fur, chilling me to the bone. Water, flowing into my lungs, drowning me.

There's darkness. Darkness swirling through my mind, clouding my vision, so that all I can see is you looking down at me. Darkness engulfing my mind, easing the pain and the hatred and the shock.

There's death. Cold, silent death. Death, not at the jaws of a dog pack, or a fatal blow from a warrior three times my size, or the claws of badgers, but from a source much different. Not a heroes death, but a victim's death, the death of one who threatened to reveal the truth.

There's you. You, still with a few flecks of blood on your muzzle. You whose face is twisted with hatred, but without the shock that I feel. You who has drenched their fur in water and soaked it in mud to hide my scent. You who has caused me more pain than you will ever know. You who let me fall countless times, you who abandoned me in the darkness.

You who I once loved, before I saw what you really were. You the betrayer, you the liar. You the daughter, you the sister. You the mentor, you the lover.

And you, my murderer.