You Only Lose What You Cling To

Redclaw was a fool. She was such a fool. If she hadn't let herself get attached to him, if they had worked together as simple comrades like her father intended, then she wouldn't be hurting so much now.

The she-cat had joined the brutal, suspicious BrightClan to uncover the truth behind her father's murder, but she had found so much more. The seemingly cold, powerful BrightClan leader Icebreeze was really Redclaw's long-lost littermate. Redclaw had gained a lifelong friend in the cheerful she-cat Appleleap.

But all that paled in comparison to the most shocking discovery of all: a living collar named Night. Night had been created by Redclaw's father to combat against Icebreeze's kin and their plans that would ultimately result in the destruction of all Clans if they succeeded.

Night was a weapon. An ally, if anything. Or so it seemed. The feelings that Redclaw had for Night were far more powerful than respect. The rebellious loner didn't want these feelings. She didn't have friends, she decided. And StarClan forbid she fall in love, especially with a collar of all things. But that didn't stop her from slowly becoming close to him, to opening up her heart to him. She was such an utter, mousebrained fool.

Redclaw's mother, an insane, psychopathic she-cat, had finally been defeated from high atop a mountain, said to be practically among the stars. But some foolish Twoleg had set a fire, and Night had bravely sacrificed himself among the inferno, plunging through the fiery depths as a shield to Redclaw. Icebreeze, Appleleap, and countless others had caught the grief-stricken she-cat as she fell. She finally had a family when she hit the ground, cushioned by all of BrightClan.

But she was empty. Night was gone. He had dissolved into a few burnt threads. She had seen him. He was gone forever.

From then on, Redclaw trudged through life. She tried to be happy, to appreciate the peaceful life that they had worked so hard for. But no matter how many times her littermate and her friend tried to cheer her up, the collar remained in her mind. She didn't want to love him. She wanted to enjoy life like he would have wanted. But all Redclaw wanted was to hear his calm, soothing voice once again, to have him chastise her for being too reckless, to feel his rough fabric around her neck. She would never feel him or see him or hear him again. If only she had distanced herself from him. If only she had stopped herself from clinging to him, from opening her heart to him. But she had, and she was a fool for doing so. She was alone. She would always be alone.

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