A yowl split the air. "Cloudleap! Help me!"
A white tom spun around, his light blue eyes frantically searching for his mate. "Poolheart! Where are you?" Screeching, clawing, cats surrounded Cloudleap. They pounced onto each other, tumbling on the blood-soaked ground and ripping fur.
There! Cloudleap spotted a bulky, black RiverClan tom cornering Poolheart against a pile of gray boulders. The white tom leaped through the fray as Poolheart swiped at the warrior. Suddenly, a silver tabby she-cat intercepted him, bowling him over. Cloudleap recognized this she-cat. Streamtail! Cloudleap flipped Streamtail, and holding her down, raked her exposed white belly fur with his thorn-sharp claws. She wriggled like a fish out of the white warrior's grip, and fled, trailing fresh droplets of blood behind her.
Finally, Cloudleap got to the the black tom. The RiverClan cat had reared up on his hind legs, both front paws raised in a killing stance. Poolheard cowered, pressed against the rock wall.
"I won't let you die, Poolheart!" Cloudleap screeched, leaping over Poolheart to protect her. Cloudleap looked up, ready to slash the warrior. Instead, the black tom's claws were already in motion. Cloudleap's blue eyes widened in surprise as the tom slashed his throat twice. Too late, Cloudleap realized as he saw crimson blood spray. His blood. Cloudleap rolled off Poolheart, suddenly feeling very cold.
"What have you done?" Poolheart yowled angrily to the RiverClan warrior. The tom stepped back, staring at his bloodstained claws as if he didn't believe what just happened. Cloudleap swayed, then fell down, blood pumping from his neck.
"Cloudleap!" Poolheart sobbed, burying her face into her mate's fur, which was now red. "Please! Come back! Don't go! Don't leave me…" Cloudleap closed his eyes, Poolheart's voice suddenly growing dimmer and dimmer…
"Hello?" A voice said. "Hello? Cloudleap?" Cloudleap slowly opened his eyes. He was startled to see bright light. Starry trees filled the dreamy-looking landscape.
A gray she-cat with white patches stared down at him. "Cloudleap? You're awake!"
"Birdstar!" Cloudleap jumped up to his paws, looking for Poolheart. "But you're dead! Why are you here, and what is this place? And where is Poolheart?"
Birdstar gazed at him sadly. "I am sorry, Cloudleap."
Cloudleap stared at Birdstar quizzically. "Birdstar?"
Birdstar bowed her head. "You are in StarClan now."
A jolt of shock hit Cloudleap like lightning as his heart plummeted to the ground.."Am...am I dead?" Cloudleap whispered.