Title: Patchkit's Last Night

Challenge: Take Me Away

Word Count: 275


Bitter water surges over me as I struggle. My tiny claws flick out, and I scrabble at the bank. My sister sweep by me as I grab a hold, but then as Mapleshade, my mother, reaches for me the river takes me again.

My head goes under and my ears flatten against my head. Pain erupts from my paws when the claws are ripped out, and my body is being hit from every which way by debris. I see Petalkit gasp for air and go under. Desperately I try to reach her, pull her up, but she doesn't reappear again. Mapleshade is crying, wailing from the bank. Suddenly a patrol of RiverClan cats is there, yowling at my mother from across the stream.

Larchkit wails and I dig my teeth into her scruff, trying to get her to rise to the surface. She tries to help me paddle, but black spots are appearing above my eyes and then they close. No! Larchkit! I try to swim but then I am unconscious.

A russet tom is standing over me as my eyes flutter open. I can feel every scratch on my body burn in pain and vaguely see my sisters lying still beside me. Larchkit... Petalkit... I'm sorry... The tom begins to speak. "Are you Mapleshade's son?" I nod. He bares his teeth and steps forward. "Well then, you have to die." His claws pierce my throat before I can gasp and then the starry cats are surrounding me, leading me away. Larchkit and Petalkit stand next to me, and we watch in stunned silence as the russet tom disowns us and shoves our mother out.