I sat, looking into the clear water, minnows swirling around in its depth. I knew he was near. I had gotten a sense for whenever he would come visiting. Death has become a familiar friend to me. He has appeared quite often in my long life, but he never seems to want to touch his nose with mine. Many, many moons ago, he visited my mate as she slept, sick with greencough. I rushed in moments later carrying the very herb that would save her life. Our kits survived, taken in by another queen and nursed by her milk. Roughkit didn't even make it to his apprentice ceremony. A fox got into camp and carried him off. Daisykit lived a while longer, having a mate and kits before succumbing to wounds from a battle with another clan. The rest of her family was killed in a large forest fire. It crackled over their burned bodies, as I watched horrified. That was when I first saw Death. Moons later, I feel whenever Death takes another. I feel his cold paws grasping another cat's shoulders and leading him away. I sighed. Another had just died. I shook my head I knew, that when Death came for me, I would welcome him. I have lived far too long, experienced far too much. Felt too much. Seen to much. Death is so final, and comes so quickly. But not for me it seems. I have already met Death eight times, and each time, I have begged him to release me. He always stares at my with empty, black eyes, and I know, my family won't let me. So I keep moving on, looking forward to when I'll finally meet them again, along with all of my clan mates. The clan doesn't remember them now. I laugh bitterly. They won't remember me either. It is time now. As a beautiful sunset appears in the sky, a black cat approaches me. His eyes are completely black and shrouded in a dark mist. This is Death. I strain forward, eager to feel his icy touch. I close my eyes, welcoming it, knowing that my punishment of life is fading, and the promise of Death everlasting.