Flamemouth

I ran at my adversaries, wanting to fend them off. Anything- even my own life- would be worth it to win this battle. After all, they were attacking Daisystem.

Daisystem was my best friend, and my sister. All through life we had been inseparable, even sharing a mentor. The leader knew that we would rather stay kits than be separated, and so he let us stay together.

We had shared our entire lives; anything I could say about my past she could say. Any achievements I had, she had. So I couldn't just let her die. I had to fight with all of my might to keep her alive.

I knew I couldn't win. I was up against five cats, and my sister was slowly bleeding out. She wouldn't be of any use, so I'd have to do this on my own.

I had a plan made up. I was already in a losing battle, but even if I couldn't win I could try to make it so the fight wasn't worth it to my enemies. I would probably die. But I might be able to save my sister, and that would make it worth it.

I reached one of them and scratched and bit at the same time. I tried to make myself seem slightly insane so as to intimidate them. If they thought I wouldn't respond to pain, they would have to re-plan entirely.

I felt claws raking down my spine, but did my best not to react. I kept scratching and biting, using all of my limbs- even trying to get my tail fur in their eyes. For Daisystem, I could fight dirty.

I could feel the life slowly seeping out of m as they landed more and more blows, but I kept fighting. They were screeching profanities and trying to kill me, but I was barely holding on to life. I could make it for now. I even had a hope of scaring them off, what with how upset they were getting.

Then they switched tactics. Suddenly, they weren't trying to hurt me anymore- at least, physically. Four of them tackled me, and I knew I was incapable of getting back up. Even if they got off, I think the impact broke my leg. If they wanted to kill me, I was doomed. But I could accept that. Their attention was completely away from my sister.

Or so I thought. I momentarily forgot about the fifth cat. I saw him stalking over to Daisystem and let out a bloodcurdling screech. "Nooo!"

He looked at me with ice in his eyes. I don't know how they knewI was fighting for her and not myself, but they did. My plan was over. My life was over.

I tried to close my eyes, but was quickly slashed cross the nose. I tried to do it anyways, but something in the forest kept making noise, making me reflexively open them again. That had to be planned.

The tom slowly made a long, deep cut across my sister's back. I screeched again, more tormented by her pain than I was my own. I knew that that wound wouldn't kill her, but somehow I knew her wasn't going to stop there.

And he didn't. He kept making gashes on her sides. I almost cried as I saw my beautiful sister, helpless and torn apart. I always knew she was prettier than me, but now she wasn't. It was a petty worry, but it was the one that remained with me as the torture went on.

The life kept steadily flowing out of her, and my captors laughed and mocked me. They jeered at my failure, and my helplessness. I didn't care. I just wanted to save my sister.

As the torture continued, I noticed that she wasn't crying. That just made me feel worse. She was trying to be strong for me, and I was failing her. I couldn't even keep quiet.

Once the light was almost out of her eyes, they left. I got up ad ran to her- or awkwardly stumbled. I was pretty injured from the fight.

I put my face in her fur and tried to comfort her. To my surprise, she spoke. "Help me."

I starting crying then. I knew she thought that I had abandoned her. I had failed her. "I can't."

She turned to me, barely able to breathe. "Sorry."

I couldn't stop crying. I had finally lost her. I was angry at my foes, but I knew I was more mad at myself. How could I fail her like this? I had lost. I hadn't saved her life.

And yet she had apologized. She thought she had done something wrong. I turned to console her, to let her know that she hadn't. But I was greeted by a gasp before she went limp-for what I knew would be forever.

If I couldn't protect her I was worthless. I couldn't save my family. I breathed in her scent, wanting to stay there forever. I knew I didn't have to leave. And so I didn't.

I didn't think I could ever stop crying. Now I won't stop until I'm dead.

Author's Note: I tried my best to write this well. I couldn't really write the feelings, but I tried. I have a sister, so I sometimes think about how devastating it would be to die. I also know that, like Flamemouth, I would completely lose the will to live if my sis died. Not trying to get all sappy on you, but I know it's not entirely impossible. And, if you didn't catch it, I went all Where the Red Fern Grows on you. Flamemouth stayed with her sister until she died of thirst.