Silverstride stayed close to the black tom ahead of her, keeping a swift pace. They had been traveling for 3 days now, and she didn't know how much longer she could manage. They did stop for short rests, and every now and then a bite to eat, but still, exhaustion was growing steadily.
"Nighthawk.." She began, with heavy breaths, "Do you think we could find somewhere to stay for the night?" She asked.
Nighthawk turned, and his green gaze made her feel warm on the inside. He gave a sigh and licked the top of her head affectionately. He lifted his head to look around the area for a moment. His eyes landed on a small indent on the mountain, a cave. "We can stay there for the night, but we'll need to leave early." He began, "you know what will happen if they find us.." he trailed off, staring directly at her.
"I know," she started with a sad gaze, "but they won't, and one rest won't hurt." She commented. She wanted to comfort him as much as she could. Leaving their clan, everything they had ever known, just to be together, was a huge decision.
He nodded and flicked his tail so that she would follow. His sleek, black, fur shined under the oncoming moonlight as he climbed the unsteady rocks with caution. "Be careful." He warned.
As they reached the top, Silverstride's paws ached like never before, and she flipped down in a sitting position with exhaustion. "Thank you." She said softly. She had never been so in love with someone. Nighthawk had been willing to give up everything he had ever lived for, for her. That was love.
The medicine cat sat next to her, nudging her shoulder. "You should get some rest." He said with a smile. His tail wrapped around her, and she felt so comforted. She slid in next to him, and she was warmed by his heat. Soon, she was asleep.
"Silverstride! Silverstride get up!" Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of alertness from Nighthawk's voice. As she slowly got to her feet, her fur stood on end at what was before her. 6 wolves, not dogs, but wolves, stood before them, blocking the exit. She flew to Nighthawk's side, fur bristling, and teeth bared. The wolves mimicked her stance, and tense hostility grew between the two groups.
"Back away!" Nighthawk yelled to the invaders. "We've claimed this home for the night, and we don't want trouble." The wolves however just shook their heads and scoffed. They showed no intention of leaving and omitted no fear.
"What should we do.?" Silverstride asked hesitantly. She already knew what he would say, 'fight', but could they honestly stand a chance against 6 wolves?
He gave her the usual smile of confidence, which cause her to fall in love with him, and chuckled. "I could beat these wolves with a single swipe." He said. "Leave em to me." He began to pace forward to challenge them.
Silverstride stepped with him. "Don't think you are going alone." She protested with fake confidence. "You are not the only one who gets to have fun." Nighthawk looked as though he was about to argue but then gave a saddened smile. He was worried, and she could tell. She also knew that this would probably be their last moments together, and she did not want to spend them as a coward.
Soon, they were in the tussle. Silverstride felt a scratch running down her flank, and she screeched in pain, but it only made her bite down harder on one of the wolves' neck. Blood oozed from where her teeth were locked, and the wolf soon shook its head, causing Silverstride to go flying into a cave wall. Her head slammed into a rock, causing her eyes to slowly drift closed. She begged herself to heave back up, to assist Nighthawk, but she wouldn't budge. She watched him struggle against all of them at once, and a tear rolled down her face. "I.. love you.." she whispered before everything went black.
Her vision returned to her, causing her to wake. Her head was pounding, and she realized that she was laying in a small pool of red liquid, probably her own blood. She attempted to stand, and shakily succeeded. She looked around the cave, seeing that the wolves were gone. 'Where did they go?'
Her gaze landed on a limp body, black and lifeless. She gasped, with both pain and fear. She pulled herself over, her legs unwilling to move. Her front paws heaved her over to the lifeless body, and she nudged him lightly. "Nighthawk.?" She said quietly, edged with a quavering voice. "Nighthawk, please." She said, shattering to cry. His body was limp, and he wasn't breathing. A large gash in his side covered his body in the hot, sticky blood.
Silverstride's paws were red, and tears rolled down her face. She cried in pain, sobbing in anger. Her claws unsheathed, scraping the ground. She could feel her own health melting away slowly, and she didn't have long herself. She curled up beside him, feeling herself slip away. A final growl was heard before she drifted away. The wolves were back.