(Munk's POV)
I followed Tug's scent carefully but quickly. I had to get to him now. My stomach lurched as I saw pools of blood and I prayed that it was pollicle blood. After what seemed an age I saw him.
"Tug!" I shouted, running to him. At the sound of my voice he weakly raised his head.
"Hi bro," he greeted me cheerfully although I could tell from his injuries, that these next few moments would be his last on this earth.
"Why Tug?" I asked, taking hold of one of his paws. He chuckled weakly,
"I didn't fancy your chances against those pollicles."
"And I didn't fancy yours," I said.
"Well at least I'm taking a few with me," he pointed in the direction of a few pollicles bodies. He appeared to be pleased with that.
"Tugger..." I began quietly. My eyes filling up again.
"I know, I'm going to meet the E.C. Didn't think it would be so soon but everyone's got to go sometime," he said bravely accepting death.
"No," I said firmly.
"Always stubborn eh Munk? Take care of yourself and your family. Misto, keep doing your little tricks, one day you might get one right," Tug winked to show the little tuxedoed cat he was joking. Misto gulped back his tears and nodded,
"I'll miss you Tug," he sniffed.
"I'll miss you too," Tug turned his attention to the queens, "Bomba, baby, stay gorgeous."
"You know I will," she replied, then fiercely kissed him, wanting to savour him.
"Etty, sweetheart, I want you to promise me you'll find a nice handsome tom for yourself, don't mope over me ok?"
Etty nodded tearfully, "Don't leave us Tugger," she whimpered.
"I don't want to leave Etty, but everything's getting dark."
Tugger was getting weaker with every breath he took. I couldn't help but think, that should be me lying there, not him. Tugger seemed to read my mind,
"I don't want you to go blaming yourself Munk. This is something I decided to do ok? You will make a great leader one day, and we can't have leaders dying on us. It had to be this way, come on Munk, could you imagine me leading the tribe? Think about it."
That raised a little smile from me, the idea of Tug being leader was slightly silly. But the smile soon faded as Tug had to gasp for breath.
"Can I go now Munk?" he asked quietly. A lump formed in my throat and stopped me from replying. I threw my arms round my brother and quietly sobbed into his fur. I kept hold of him until long after the last breath had left his body.
"Yes, you can go now," I whispered.
I followed Tug's scent carefully but quickly. I had to get to him now. My stomach lurched as I saw pools of blood and I prayed that it was pollicle blood. After what seemed an age I saw him.
"Tug!" I shouted, running to him. At the sound of my voice he weakly raised his head.
"Hi bro," he greeted me cheerfully although I could tell from his injuries, that these next few moments would be his last on this earth.
"Why Tug?" I asked, taking hold of one of his paws. He chuckled weakly,
"I didn't fancy your chances against those pollicles."
"And I didn't fancy yours," I said.
"Well at least I'm taking a few with me," he pointed in the direction of a few pollicles bodies. He appeared to be pleased with that.
"Tugger..." I began quietly. My eyes filling up again.
"I know, I'm going to meet the E.C. Didn't think it would be so soon but everyone's got to go sometime," he said bravely accepting death.
"No," I said firmly.
"Always stubborn eh Munk? Take care of yourself and your family. Misto, keep doing your little tricks, one day you might get one right," Tug winked to show the little tuxedoed cat he was joking. Misto gulped back his tears and nodded,
"I'll miss you Tug," he sniffed.
"I'll miss you too," Tug turned his attention to the queens, "Bomba, baby, stay gorgeous."
"You know I will," she replied, then fiercely kissed him, wanting to savour him.
"Etty, sweetheart, I want you to promise me you'll find a nice handsome tom for yourself, don't mope over me ok?"
Etty nodded tearfully, "Don't leave us Tugger," she whimpered.
"I don't want to leave Etty, but everything's getting dark."
Tugger was getting weaker with every breath he took. I couldn't help but think, that should be me lying there, not him. Tugger seemed to read my mind,
"I don't want you to go blaming yourself Munk. This is something I decided to do ok? You will make a great leader one day, and we can't have leaders dying on us. It had to be this way, come on Munk, could you imagine me leading the tribe? Think about it."
That raised a little smile from me, the idea of Tug being leader was slightly silly. But the smile soon faded as Tug had to gasp for breath.
"Can I go now Munk?" he asked quietly. A lump formed in my throat and stopped me from replying. I threw my arms round my brother and quietly sobbed into his fur. I kept hold of him until long after the last breath had left his body.
"Yes, you can go now," I whispered.