Shimmerkit sat frozen in place as she spotted her mother amongst the mounds of red fur, a deep blood oozing wound on the she-cat's head as her gaze turned to Shimmerkit and her siblings. "Run!" she shrieked.

Shimmerkit felt her siblings take off, but she couldn't move from her spot as she saw the foxes turn.

"Shimmerkit, go! Get out of here!" her mother yowled before the fox around her neck twisted and the she-cat went still.

Shimmerkit took off, as she could hear the foxes chasing after her. Her paws hammering the ground as she caught up with her siblings.

"Shimmerkit, where's mother?"

Before Shimmerkit could answer, a fox burst out of the bushes and snatched up her brother. Shimmerkit tried to fight it, but was snatched by another from behind. Her other sibling reared up and freed her. "Go Shimmerkit!" she commanded, pushing Shimmerkit away.

Shimmerkit hesitated, before she ran as fast as she could. Ducking through bushes and passing over a river on a branch. She ran and ran before taking cover under a large boulder.

"Shimmerkit!" the last cry of her other sibling rang in her ears.

Heaving, she sat quivering in her fur; looking out at the world beyond as the cries of her siblings reached her ears, placing both paws on them as she prayed under her breath.

It wasn't long though before the voices of cats appeared, and she looked up to see an old wrinkled black and white face staring out from beyond the gap.

…

The night was cold, Shimmerpaw lay silent in her nest as awake should it have been morning. Out in the clearing she could see the group of cats gathered around Shatteredlake's body, but Shimmerpaw could not find the strength to go and join them. She just lay curled up in her nest waiting for sleep to finally take her.

"Do not weep for her, she is living peacefully in StarClan."

The voices of her clanmates rang in her ears and she curled up even tighter, her eyes trying to look away… however she would always look back at those sitting vigil. Her paw pads tingled as she fought the urge to rush over, she didn't want to disturb them… although many of the warriors have opened space for her before. She declined both times as she wandered back to her den, though her heart tugged for her to turn back.

But even now she can feel the urge, she wanted to be beside the elder's side again. Her eyes staring across the way at what she could see of the elderly she-cat's body, the wrinkled eyes still closed shut.

"She passed on in peace; she wouldn't have gone any other way… especially with you there."

Shimmerpaw curled up.

"But I could've saved her!"

Moonpaw sat beside her for a while, and they both talked… well talked as much as he was willing to. Before Berryleaf came in and chased him out with the red hew of death berries, the medicine cat flicked his paws before he licked Shimmerpaw's ear comfortably. Then the tom slipped back into his den before the moon was high in the sky.

Shimmerpaw lifted her head as the warriors were interrupted by Lionbite. The HillClan warrior sent them all back to their dens, before he looked down at the elder's body.

The deputy lay his muzzle down on the she-cat's body, curling up beside it.

Shimmerpaw finally found the courage, and got up onto her paws to head out across the clearing. The thick maned golden tabby could smell her, and he flicked his tail as his eyes blinked open. "I thought I sent everyone back to bed." he meowed, stern and cross.

Shimmerpaw lowered her muzzle towards her paws. "I'm sorry; I just wanted some final moments with her… please?"

The golden tabby tom raised his muzzle, his head up high. Before he sighed and laid his muzzle back down. "Fine, but mutter one word about this, and I'll have your whiskers."

Shimmerpaw dipped her head in thanks, and scuttled over to lie down on the opposite side of the dead she-cat. The warmth was almost gone from her pelt, and yet still she burrowed into Shatteredlake's pelt.

The two cats sat in silence, the golden tabby tom fluffed out his fur to the cold wind. Shimmerpaw leaned forward and brought the black and white tail to wrap around her, leaning in closer as she listened to the breathing of the deputy across from her.

"I'm sorry that this happened, you got that… you can never repeat it but I do." Lionbite meowed as she looked over the side of Shatteredlake.

Lionbite raised his head, before he continued. "I know what she meant to you, and I understand this grief."

Shimmerpaw nodded slowly as she leaned in closer.

"Thank you."

A/N: So here we go, Shimmerpaw's interaction. Sorry it took a while for me to develop characters, but here we go… deeper into the rabbit hole.

Also I put out a layout for the upcoming books of this series, and although I am unsure if it will be a six part or a trilogy… I do have three summaries available to look at.