You blink and your entire world seems to disappear right under your paws.


Ashfur dug his claws into the ground as he stared at his reflection in the lake. It rippled, giving the illusion of stars moving. They shimmered in surface of the water, and he raised his head to look at the stars in the sky. Among them, the full moon glowed brightly. There were no clouds in the sky tonight.


Hollyleaf padded along the edge of the lake. Tiny waves lapped gently at the shore, reaching her paws. She shivered as the cold water touched the fringe of fur on her left paw. She flicked the tip of her tail ever so slightly and shied away from the lake. It would be awful to swim in that. The thought prowled unpleasantly in the back of her mind.


Ashfur caught a familiar scent as it brushed past him, carried in the soft breeze. He glanced at the woods in the corner of his eye. A shape darted about them in an almost uncertain manner. He let out a breath; almost a laugh, and turned to the hesitating shadow.

"Hello, Hollyleaf."


The dark she-cat flinched at his call. She considered simply turning tail and running. She squinted her yellow-green eyes at his formidable gray frame. He was actually quite scrawny, but there was a warrior in there, and she did not wish to meet him. She sunk back further into the night-veiled trees.


He shook his head.

"You could have at least disguised your scent," his voice rang loud and clear in the empty air.

The tom slid closer to the tree which she crouched behind. Her eyes were wide and huge, and against her black fur in night, they seemed to float in air. Ashfur could hear her voice waver as she tried to reply aimlessly. She pressed against the rough bark of the tree, shivering.

"Oh, come now. You'd think I had forced you here."


Hollyleaf closed her slanted eyes in fear, and whimpered. She opened her mouth once again, but it was as hopeless as before. She did the only thing she could think of, as rash and impulsive as it was.


Ashfur stumbled in surprise as she lunged at him. Her teeth were bared, stark in the night, yet her her paws as she forced him to the ground shook to their fullest.


She didn't want to do this. Didn't even know what she was doing in the first place.


He could see confusion in her entire being. Her fur trembled, her eyes too large for her face, her claws barely pricked him.


He could easliy overpower her, they both knew.


Her jaws closed around his neck as she killed him.


Who's the crazy one now?