A muscular tabby tom shouldered his way through the bracken; starlit mist shrouded him, clinging to his fur. The tom knew he was visiting Starclan and revelled in the sheer beauty of the clearing, the stillness and peacefulness that calmed his beating heart. Looking around with satisfaction lifting his heart, a familiar golden pelt flashed at the corner of his eye. "Goldenflower!" With a joyous yowl he bounded towards the she-cat.
"My dear son, Brambleclaw," Brambleclaw rubbed against his mother and breathed in her scent, he was reminded of those many moons ago when he and Tawnypelt curled at her belly, kneading for her delicious milk.
Goldenflower gently pushed Brambleclaw away, "You must wake up!" The urgency in his mother's voice startled him. "You must wake up!" She repeated. Brambleclaw backed away, his peaceful feeling vanishing as his mother stepped towards him. "You must wake UP!"
Brambleclaw's eyes whipped open, he was still safely curled up in his nest in the Thunderclan camp. Goldenflower had been trying to warn him of something but what? Brambleclaw looked around the warriors' den, there was one empty nest. Squirrelflight's.
Brambleclaw suddenly became aware of a cat's shrieks being carried faintly on the wind. He looked at Dovewing, wondering why she hadn't picked up the wails of distress, but she was sound asleep. Knowing in his heart that Squirrelflight was in trouble, Brambleclaw pushed his way out of the den, careful not to wake the sleeping warriors. Once in the clearing, he made a mad dash to where Squirrelflight's voice came from. He breezed out the thorn tunnel, knowing he would meet no resistance as Squirrelflight was on guard duty.
He reached a clearing and in the darkness saw ginger fur flash with russet, a fox. Without thinking, saving Squirrelflight as his only objective, Brambleclaw flung himself at the fox. The fox whirled around to meet him but realising it was outnumbered, it turned and fled from the clearing. Brambleclaw watched the fox retreat before turning to look for Squirrelflight, he saw her crumpled ginger pelt lying in the middle of the clearing. "Squirrelflight, no." Brambleclaw breathed as he made his way to her side. As he leaned over her, Squirrelflight's eyes fluttered open, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Brambleclaw, I heard the fox … and I thought … I would handle it … on my own. I just wanted to see you look at me the way you used to…" Squirrelflight broke off in a fit of coughing, blood spewing out of her mouth. Brambleclaw didn't care, he moved closer.
"Save your strength, you need to heal, you will heal," The last part came out in an almost pleading voice, Brambleclaw was afraid of losing Squirrelflight.
"I have no strength left, my will to live vanished with your affection. My life … is not complete … without you…" Brambleclaw could feel the life ebbing out of Squirrelflight as her breathing got shallower.
"Squirrelflight, I forgive you and I … I love you," Brambleclaw felt Squirrelflight breathe a sigh of relief, her last breath before falling still. Brambleclaw knew her spirit was on its way to Starclan. Grief weighed his heart and he let out an agonising wail. His love, his sweet, his Squirrelflight was gone. He would have a difficult time explaining this to Firestar the next day. But at that moment, Brambleclaw let all other thoughts leave his mind. He was content to bury his nose in his former mate's fur and breathe in the last of her scent. Her sweet, sweet scent.