Firestar strolled slowly out of the leader's den, he tried to hold his head high but failed and slumped down miserably by the fresh-kill pile.
The medicine cat, Cinderpelt, padded over to the broken-hearted leader. "Firestar!" She sat down beside him. "What's wrong?"
"Spottedleaf…" Was all he could say, and even that came out in a choked whisper.
"Is she ok? Where is she?" Cinderpelt looked alarmed.
"No, she's not ok, and she's in my den. She spent the night with me last night." Firestar mumbled and he'd barely finished speaking when Cinderpelt had stood and galloped into the leader's den and returning a few moments later, with the exact same expression as her leader etched on her kindly face.
"Oh, StarClan, why would you do this to us?" She looked up to the grey winter sky. As if in some vague response, a sudden mass of clouds covered the sun and tiny white flakes started to fall to the earth, coating the ground in a thin icy sheet.
The rest of the Clan had no idea about this incident, and so continued with their lives for awhile until Firestar called a meeting.
"I have some terrible news." He began, already barely able to hold his voice together. "Spottedleaf…is…" He broke down and leapt from the rock to hide in his den, unable to face the sadness.
Greystripe, who was the only other cat who knew (apart from Cinderpelt) had to step up and finish the announcement for his best friend. "…dead. Spottedleaf is dead."
What followed was a momentary stunned silence before a sudden uproar of clashing mews and screeches broke the tension.
"Why? She seemed fit and healthy yesterday!" some yelled.
"Where's her body? We should pay her last respects!" some cried.
"Can you get Firestar out of his den so he can tell us the rest?" A few shouted.
Others just stayed silent, honouring the dead female, who'd famously given up her role as ThunderClan's medicine cat to be with the cat she loved – now that was a brave thing to do indeed.