I was in shock.

I stood staring at the corpse in front of me. It's tabby ginger fur seemed as alive as its owner had been moments ago. Its lifeless New-leaf green eyes stared into nothing. Although, it wasn't just any corpse.

It was my sister, Sparkheart, who had been sick with green-cough, and she died in my care.

I felt grief crash into me like a speeding monster. She had been my rock since kithood. Sparkheart would always cheer me up whenever I was feeling blue; she would always play with me when no one else would; she stuck up for me when a group of Thunderclan apprentices were picking on me for being a small, scrawny, medicine cat apprentice. Sparkheart was always by my side, even after she found a mate and had kits. My sister always had time for me.

And just like that; she was gone.

I don't know how long I sat there sobbing, It could have been anywhere from minutes to hours. I was too focused on the fact I had just lost someone near and dear to my heart. After I had calmed down, I knew I now had a job to do.

First, I reported Sparkheart's death to our leader. She offered her condolences to me grimly. Then, she told the deputy to get the elders ready to bury the body.

Second, I told my sister's mate, Oakfur, that she had passed away. He went into shock, a blank expression was plastered on his face. He asked me if he should get her some fresh kill to make her feel better. I told him again that Sparkheart wasn't with us anymore. Oakfur nodded silently, and padded off.

I then told the rest of the clan. They told me they were sorry for my loss, and that she had been a great warrior. They were shocked, we all were. Her death was so sudden. I-I felt guilty. I-If I had taken better care of her, she would still be alive. It was my fault. Or, at least, that's what it felt like.

While me, my mother, father, and Oakfur shared tounges with my sister one last time. I caught glimpses of a conversation between two elders.

"It's a shame," one of them spoke, "everytime leaf-bare comes around, it takes someone with it," they said with distain.

"Green-cough got her," the other replied, "that, and prey's been scare with the river freezing up," they continued, "Leaf-bare's always been the hardest season for Riverclan, one of them was bound to take her" they finished with a sigh.

They weren't wrong. Our clan's main food source was the river that ran through it, and during Leaf-bare, it ran the risk of freezing up. But thankfully, the ice was always thin. Not this time, unfortunately.

I sat virgil with my parents and my sister's mate that night. We talked about our memories of Sparkheart. From the good ones and the bad ones to the short conversations and the elaborate stories. I realised something during our recollection. We weren't grieving a loss as individuals; but as a family. I felt a bittersweet feeling course through me, it was comforting to know such a thing.

Soon, the sun began to rise, and we were excused to return to our nests. In the corner of my eye, I saw the elders burying my sister.

I entered the medicine den, the scents of herbs filling my nostrils. Before I curled up in my nest. I checked the small, bright red berries I had been storing. I realised that I only had a few left, and would have to get more soon.

I stored them in case of an emergencies. For example, your clan is having a food shortage, and you have a sick cat who's only an extra mouth to feed.