Frostfur's death left the two elders feeling empty. The island somehow seemed darker and colder without Frostfur. They were more hungry than ever, and two days later, they didn't have enough energy to move.
Shadepelt didn't have the energy to care.
Frostfur is punishing me. She hates me now, I just know it. But I deserve this punishment. "I'm sorry Frostfur…." Shadepelt mumbled this once again. She could sense Loudbelly's annoyance by this, but he never said anything.
The only thing that kept Shadepelt from going mad was the talking. She and Loudbelly would swap stories, share memories about their clan. Loudbelly did most of the talking, but Shadepelt liked listening. He always made even the simplest stories seem like an adventure.
"Did I tell you about the time I was an apprentice and got chased up a tree by a dog? I was so mad at Oakheart for not letting me fight." Shadepelt had heard this story many times before, and she enjoyed hearing it as she fell asleep.
"Boy, did Crookedjaw show him! That dog was never seen again!"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shadepelt slowly opened her eyes, getting used to the light of the day. She was well-rested after her long nap. She tried to look over at Loudbelly, but found she was too weak to move. All of a sudden, it didn't seem to matter very much anymore.
After a while, Shadepelt had finally moved herself so she could see Loudbelly's face. He was staring up at the sky, not focused on anything. He seemed deep in thought.
Shadepelt called out his name, but it sounded more like "Lrdalry…" He didn't seem to even notice her existence. And he smelled funny...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
It had been about four hours since Loudbelly had stopped talking to her. Shadepelt had tried to get his attention many times, but he kept staring at the sky with his glazed-over eyes. She had finally given up, one last time calling him. "Mrse-brin."
Shadepelt soon found herself getting very tired. She smelled a faint trace of Loudbelly's scent, along with two other cats that seemed so long ago. She knew what was happening.
Shadepelt gave her body a final twist, and waited. She wanted her last sight to be the stars.