Thanks for the reviews! And Black Wolf, you're so evil to Barley. He's mad at you.
Barley: I'M GONNA GET YOU!
Ravenpaw: Barley…calm down. –takes him away-
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RAVENPAW POV: OLD TWOLEGPLACE
He stared at his old friend. Barley had been full-grown when he'd come to live with him. The thinning cat's sunken flanks heaved heavily. Flintclaw stopped and skidded, throwing up snow. He grabbed the old cat's scruff and slammed into the fence, trying to pass him up to Sparkfur. The orange tabby just managed to snatch the loose skin, and heaved him up. Ravenpaw clawed his way up and took him from the she-cat. She shot him a grateful glance and jumped down, followed by Flintclaw. The black tom let go, and heard a thud as Barley fell onto their shoulders. Then he pushed off into the yard.
Ravenpaw's naturally-bony shoulders bobbed up and down as he rushed to the old tom. His breathing had quickened dangerously. "Water…" he croaked. "Water."
"Get him water!" Ravenpaw shrieked. Sparkfur flinched, but found a patch of moss and a frozen puddle of water. She struck it and dipped in the moss, then brought it to Barley. He squeezed it with his forepaws, lapping up the drops.
It seemed as if the water was poisoned—he convulsed and screamed, as if something was stabbing him. Ravenpaw felt the pain too. Barley had a mad coughing fit, and blood flecked the snow.
"Barley! Don't leave me," he wailed as the cat began to stiffen, his eyes turning misty.
"I see a cat…she looks familiar…it's Bluestar!" he meowed. "I'm going to StarClan."
"No!" Ravenpaw mewed in a whisper. He didn't move as he felt Flintclaw's tail on his shoulder. The black tom pressed his nose to the old cat's pelt as his breathing became just short, ragged gasps, and then gapped until it died away. There was one last heave of his flanks, and his eyes glassed over and rolled back.
Sparkfur gently unsheathed one claw and pulled his eyelids shut. "He's gone, Ravenpaw," she whispered. "Do you think he'd want you to sit vigil with him in this Twoleg yard?"
Flintclaw's azure eyes snapped to her auburn ones. She stared back at him coolly, and as she turned to help Ravenpaw lift the dead tom, Ravenpaw noticed a fierce desperation in her eyes. Just how much did she miss the lake?
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SPARKFUR POV: REMAINING FOREST
Her fur was being rubbed the wrong way as she felt Barley's weight. No, not by the dead tom—but a living silvery one. He understands nothing! Sparkfur thought sullenly. Hadn't he noticed the way her eyes scanned his sterling fur, marked by handsome starless stripes? Hadn't he noticed the way she held onto each touch, the way she lingered on his sapphire eyes, the way she shared tongues with him more than usual?
Sparkfur hated to admit it, but she'd grown quite fond of the RiverClan tom. His voice, husky and soft, hit her ears as a melody. His laugh, deep and throaty, was a tune. She turned happily when she smelled his warm scent or heard his gentle pawsteps. As she shifted Barley on her back, Ravenpaw stopped by a barn. He gently let the old tom's flanks slide off and Sparkfur did the same. Flintclaw stepped forward, unsheathing his claws. His powerful paws dug easily into the cold, snow-soaked ground.
Ravenpaw's head swayed from side to side as he crooned to the dead tom. Sparkfur blocked this out as she watched his rippling muscles ruefully. As soon as the cat had finished the hole for Barley, she lashed her tail and meowed, "Flintclaw, can I speak to you…alone?" Ravenpaw looked up, almost amused.
Confused, the tom followed her into the brambles. Sparkfur hissed and whacked him on the nose with a sheathed paw. He blinked, stunned. "What was that for?"
Blind rage bubbled in her stomach, and she couldn't control it. Her claws slid out and she lashed him across the face. Flintclaw lurched backwards, blood welling between his whiskers. "What in the name of StarClan is wrong with you?!" he yowled.
"Can't you understand?!" she shrieked, bowling the larger tom over and leaping on him, claws pricking his sides. "I love you! There! I said it! I love you!"
His jaw dropped. Her heart plummeted to her stomach. Oh, no! He doesn't love me. Sparkfur backed away in horror. Flintclaw was about to speak, but she turned and ran, red tail flying out behind her.
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God. That SUCKED. I bet you were surprised at the pairing!