Swept Away:

Flower glanced at Shimmer as they trotted back to the group's makeshift camp. She held a squirrel and a rabbit in her jaws, struggling to hold both of her catches. Shimmer, however, had nothing. The two of them might have caught a bird together if Shimmer had pounced when she sent the bird in the silver she-cat's direction, but her group mate seemed to have no sense and no talent. Sighing, she pulled ahead, dusking into the temporary camp to see that they were the last to return. Oak had brought back three mice; Willow had returned with a robin; Bramble had two voles and a shrew. Bramble waved his tail at her. "Great catch, Flower!" he called. Then his eyes narrowed. "Shimmer, you really need to start hunting for yourself and for the group. We can't keep on feeding you forever."

Shimmer hung her head, staring at the ground, and Flower tossed her the squirrel. "Take this," she growled. "Maybe you can catch your own tomorrow." The silver she-cat grabbed it and trudged over to the shade of a thorn bush, where she crouched to eat it. "And don't choke on all the fur!" Flower called after her, eyes narrowed. Bringing the rabbit over to the others, she lay down and dug in, casting annoyed glances at Shimmer. Why couldn't the useless she-cat catch her own food for once?

Swallowing another bite of rabbit, she leaned against Willow. "Why do we take her with us?" she muttered, and Willow looked at her, eyes narrowed. "You were there when we made the promise to Leaf that we would look after her daughter. She's only a few moons younger then you, Flower. Maybe she'll catch on someday." Bramble shifted closer to the duo, ears pricked. "Exactly," he murmured. "Leaf is my brother, and that means we have to take care of Shimmer, no matter what."

Sighing, Flower finished the remains of her rabbit and stood up, glancing at her friends. "Oak, you're done, too. Let's find some bedding to sleep on before night falls." She licked her chest fur self-consciously. "It's been a long day. I can't wait to sleep." She stared into Oak's amber eyes, before glancing at Shimmer again. The silver she-cat was sniffing the squirrel anxiously, taking small bites. Whatever it was, Flower was too tired to care. She padded out of the camp, sniffing the air for fresh moss.

Mud squished under her paws as she trotted next to the river bank. She was in the middle of the group, with Bramble and Willow in lead and Shimmer and Oak trailing farther behind. Flower carried a mouse in her jaws, fighting the urge to eat it there and then. She was saving her catch for later, knowing that there was no guarantee that she would catch any prey where they were later today, and she would not beg for scraps like Shimmer. Clouds were beginning to stain the horizon, but their sandy path was dry and sturdy.

Lightning flashed; Flower stiffened, flattening her ears as a ring of thunder boomed overhead. Bramble pressed on one side, Oak on the other, as Willow lead the group along the river bank. "We can't leave it," she was moving. "We can't get lost!" "Even it staying might risk our lives?" Flower snapped. Willow had stared at the ground, eyes dark. "Well, maybe it'll be Shimmer." Sighing, Flower had dropped back, yet Shimmer had dropped back even more, trailing behind by multiple fox-lengths.

Eyes round, reflecting the flashes of brightness from lightning strikes, Flower glanced at her companions. Sturdy Bramble; brother of Leaf, the reason they had taken in Shimmer in the first place. Smart Willow; Flower's mother figure, a kind and wise older cat, who was only a few moons younger than Bramble. Strong Oak; the powerful, calm tom who had taught Flower everything she knew. Then there was Shimmer. Stupid Shimmer; the she-cat, son of Leaf and his dead mate, nephew of Bramble, useless and clumsy.

Flower glanced behind her, suddenly distrustful. Was Shimmer some sort of enemy spy, sent her to attack and kill them when they weren't looking? No. She shook her head. A normal cat couldn't resist hunting instincts for as long as Shimmer had. Besides; they had taken her in after her real mother had died, and since Willow was a queen who's kits had died the moon before, she had taken Shimmer in so that she could give her milk. The silver she-cat had not been weaned yet.

Shimmer stared back at her, claws scrabbling for a hold on a stone. "Flower!" she gasped. "I think I'm going to slip!" The rain pounded her useless companion, making her look smaller then ever in the dark light. The storm roared overhead, and Flower glanced at how close Shimmer was- only a few bounds. Was it really worth the effort? Shimmer wasn't that far away. But the tree! But the shelter! About 15 fox-lengths ahead of the group, trees grew close to the riverbank; they would be able to travel under them without losing sight of the river.

Her hesitation decided for her. Shimmer shrieked, sliding off the rock and into the river with an uncanny yowl, claws flailing, silver fur glowing in the pale light. Her blue eyes caught Flower's green ones, and she looked away, not able to bring herself to the fact that if this had been Bramble or someone else, she might have just condemned them to a death sentence!

Bramble whipped around behind her. "Shimmer!" he howled, rocketing forwards. Instincts kicked in. Flower leapt on Bramble, tackling him to the ground, and the other two stood nearby, clearly unsure what to do. "You can't get yourself killed for her!" She growled, thrusting her muzzle in his face. "You are Bramble, strong, proud, sturdy and brave! We need you! Shimmer doesn't. Let her die now, so that the four of us may live forever!"

"I can't!" Bramble whined. "She's Leaf's daughter, and Leaf's my brother! I-I promised him, and I won't turn back now!" he struggled beneath her paws, and Flower tightened her grip as he went on. "Would you let a perfectly innocent cat die? If it was Willow or Oak, would you just sit there and watch? Shimmer is just a cat, like you and me! What harm has she done, Flower? Tell me. Please tell it wouldn't be wrong to save her." His mew was barely a whisper.

Flower backed away, horrified, letting him go, but Bramble stayed there, staring up at her. "Tell me." She glanced at either side; another shriek from Shimmer made her jump. "She is a cat!" she yowled. "Sure, she has done no help, but she had done no real harm! Her heart is true; she wants to learn, we're sure she does! She is your nephew, and blood is important, right? Right? Get up, Bramble, please!"

Willow and Oak pressed together, watching them, staring, eyes wide. This couldn't weaken Bramble! Flower stiffened. Was he going to die? What was wrong? She charged forwards, making a decision. Maybe... Maybe if Bramble saw Shimmer, alive and well, he would be okay. Maybe it was just despair. Maybe, maybe, maybe... A flailing silver paw caught her eye, and she struggled towards I, grasping it before it could be trapped by the murky waters again.

The waves tossed her from side to side, and Flower struggled to breathe without losing grip of Shimmer. Then it seemed as if some force, some spirit, something, was holding back the waves, calming the waters, helping her back to shore. Flower sighed in relief as her paws touched stone under the water, and she trotted forwards, dragging the limp silver shape of Shimmer with her, onto the soft sand.

Oak darted over, grabbing her scruff and helping Flower, and soon followed Willow. The three cats brought Shimmer to Bramble, placing her on the sand in front of him. Bramble raised his head weakly. "Shimmer," he rasped. "Shimmer! Is she alive?" Already Bramble seemed more energetic, more alive. Sighing in relief, Flower listened for a heartbeat, then drooped. "No," she whispered. "No. We were too late."

Bramble's cry of grief shook the air, and his yowl seemed to echo endlessly in Flower's mind. An endless cry of the same eight words. "No! Why Shimmer? I'm sorry, Leaf, I promise!" Flower repeated his words softly to herself. "No. Why Shimmer? Why did you die? Bramble promised Leaf... and now the grief is killing him!"

"This isn't the only way out of this," A soft voice whispered. "No one has to die. Ever. But that is how the stars planned it, with death and loss and regret. It is to make us strong; without something to fight for, something to live for, goals to achieve, we are nothing. Cats would be merely endless, blank and mindless creatures with no heads."

Flower glanced to either side. "Who are you?" she begged, but nothing came out of her mouth for some reason, and she remained silent. "I am a Spirit. A half-cross between Faith Spirit and Mystic Spirit. And I can help you." The voice was soft and low, calming Flower and a sense of trust and faith slowly spread over her. This cat was not lying. "Let me bring you to my world," the cat whispered. "I can help you. I can give you a choice. I can give you the option to clean your consciousness. Come, follow me."

Then everything went black.

Flower woke in a sparkling world, with flowers and trees, and a calm, peaceful river rushing near her feet. A snow white she-cat greeted her, green eyes sparkling, tail waving. "I am Moonwish, and you are Flower," she greeted. "And I can give you that option. It will take a leap of faith, and a mystic meeting, but it will be worth it in the end, I promise." "What are my options?" Flower murmured, staring into her green eyes.

"Die for Shimmer, and let Bramble live a longer life happily knowing she will be safe, or let Shimmer and Bramble die unhappily; sad."

The words struck her like the lightning that was flashing in the waking world. Moonwish pointed to the river, and Flowed looked at it. Now, instead of water, it showed a picture of Bramble, rasping quietly on the sand, Willow and Oak licking his ears gently well Shimmer panted, gasping to draw in breath, flanks barely rising. Bramble's eyes glowed with panic, and his tail lashed. Flower glared at Moonwish. "You expect me to die for Shimmer the idiot?"

"I expect you to want to die for Bramble; I expect you to want to want to die to keep him safe and happy. I expect you to love." Moonwish's voice was soft. She beckoned with her tail for someone, something, and another starry shape leapt into the clearing, this time a ginger-and-white she-cat with amber eyes. Her long tail swished, and she stared at Flower dreamily. "I am Hopeshine, a Love Spirit, and I'm here to help Moonwish help you!" she squealed. Flower took a step back.

She glanced at the two Spirits looked back at her calmly. Finally, she sighed. "You're right. I have to- want to- sacrifice myself for Shimmer. For Bramble. Maybe she will learn one day. Maybe she will bring them all happiness. Maybe. How do we do this?" Moonwish glanced at Hopeshine, who spoke tentatively. "The first part of this is that you must trust in us, in our power, in our true hearts. Moonwish, as a Faith Spirit, will be in charge of this first part. The next is mine. I will test your love for Bramble, and your own good of heart. Finally, Moonwish will conduct the ceremony, being as she's also half Mystic Spirit."

Nodding, Flower watched as Moonwish stepped forwards, her eyes clear of emotion. "Relax," she ordered. "Relax and when I'm done chanting, touch your nose to the river."

"Judge of goodness,

Judge of darkness,

Pure of heart and rid of evil.

Let me see the inner cat,

Hidden under fur shell.

We call her Flower,

They call me Moonwish,

We're here to help her,

Now help me evaluate."

Flower touched her nose to the pool, wondering what it would do. Instantly, mist rose from the pool, hazy and thick, and her curiosity deepened. So did the fog. "Think." Moonwish told her. "Think about what you're about to do. What you think this will do to your friends. What you hope it will do to your friends." Flower shuffled her paws, an image forming in her mind of Bramble standing proudly next to Shimmer, licking her ear gently and Willow and Oak watching a little ways away, three kits at Willow's belly. Bramble's eyes glanced proudly towards her every so often, as if he was the father. The whole image in her mind reflected in the mist, and Moonwish watched it carefully, every movement caught by her sharp eyes.

"Beauty of the inner cat,

Found through truth of heart.

This cat is good,

We know that much,

But do the know to love?

This cat is Flower,

And I am Hopeshine,

Let us find the answers,

That will make her sacrifice."

Hopeshine whispered. The image vanished, and then Hopeshine was staring into her eyes intently. "Bramble; Willow; Oak; even a little for Shimmer," she murmured, beckoning to Moonwish. "Your turn again."

"Crimes committed long ago,

All to be forgotten.

True to the good,

Loving many,

Flower shines,

And glows uniquely.

It is her wish,

To sacrifice herself.

So Shimmer and Bramble may live happily,

Until they die naturally.

My name is Moonwish,

This is Flower.

Let her die,

For what she believes is better."

Then, again, everything went black, and this time, nothing returned. Ever. Flower had no ancestors in the stars, no spirits to join. She knew she had nothing after death. Yet she chose it anyways. Flower chose her path, even though she knew it cost a greater cost then anything else. Eternal death.