Memories
"Help me!" Cinderstripe cried as her head went under the black rushing water. She got a glimpse of smokefoot racing along the river bank, yowling his forbidden mate's name, before being swept down-stream.
The storm raged over her head, making the river that she had called her home turn into a watery grave. Cinderstripe flailed her paws uselessly, the river was too strong!
She let out a gasp as her fragile body hit a rock and blinked water out of her eyes, searching out the dark gray thunderclan tom that she so desperately loved.
Her mind flashed back to the time when she had first met him, when she had darted away from her mother's side, Smokefoot, then Smokekit, had done the same in Thunderclan.
She remembered there conversation as if it had happened yesterday. Hi! I'm Smokekit! He had squeaked cheerfully. "Cinderkit" she had replied. they instantly became the best of friends.
She remembered her first gathering when Smokepaw had suggested that they meet in secret only to play 'toss the mouse' and 'moss ball'
Her mind flooded when they wore newly appointed warriors, when she had confessed that she loved him and he had echoed it. "We'll be together" she had whispered as they watched the sunset "forever" he had agreed pressing his dark gray fur along-side her silver tabby one.
Finally, when she had joined Thunderclan to be with him, she remembered being on a solo hunting party when the first spasms came.
She pictured herself hiding in the reeds while giving birth to Smokefoot's kits and slipping into the water by accident, leaving four meowing kits on the riverbank.
Cinderstripe felt herself growing weaker by the heartbeat. and just as she was about to give up and let the river sweep her to her death, firm teeth met her scruff and pulled her onto solid ground.
Cinderstripe felt hot breath stir her ear fur and picked up the scent of Shadowclan. she let her cheek rest on the marshy ground for a moment, until Smokefoot's urgent howls made her lift her head. "Cinderstripe!" "Cinderstripe!"
"Here" she whispered horsely "where are my kits?" "Blossemfall has them" smokefoot nudged her "but what about you? you'll be okay, won't you?"
Russetstar, the cat that had rescued her, answered for her. "No, she wont be" she meowed "she has lost to much blood, I'm sorry, smokefoot"
Her mate looked at the shadowclan leader in horror, then bent down to lick her ear. "you'll be okay," he promised. "I'll get you to Nightwhisper, you will be just fine"
Cinderstripe looked at him, her eyes full of pain and love for the black tom, and meowed weakly "dont make a she-cat a promise that you wont be able to keep. I go to hunt with Starclan, my kits will be fine with Blossemfall and you to mentor them. make them have a father they'll be proud of, I love you, take care of our kits"
She took one last shuttering breath, her paws twitched, and she did not speak again. Smokefoot's wails of grief echoed sadly over the still forest.