Life 1:12

Thunderclan received a second wind upon Bluestar's arrival. With a rageful cry, she threw herself into the battle. Tigerclaw unleashed his own rage following suit. The balance of the battle was flipped. Thunderclan was beginning to drive out the invaders. Of course, the invaders didn't want to leave empty pawed. Blackfoot, the deputy of Shadowclan, attempted to go after their secondary goal, the kits.

Two apprentices noticed him in that moment, one fresh and ready for a fight, and one only kept standing through adrenaline and pain tolerance. Being of like mind, the two rushed down the invader. They briefly noticed each other on the approach. In an unspoken agreement, Snakepaw agreed to strike high while Firepaw would strike low. They both struck simultaneously, breaking into a vicious melee with the enemy deputy. At first, Blackfoot was being pushed back significantly, but he managed to land a jab on Snakepaw. Normally, that would do near nothing to a cat, but Snakepaw's ribs were broken. Snakepaw had to take a moment to fight for breath as he cleared his lungs of blood in a vicious coughing fit. This fit actually startled Blackfoot. Despite his mission and Brokenstar's request, he wasn't here to take lives.

Yellowfang, a previously unexpected combatant, made her move. She finalized Blackfoot's defeat with a severe thrashing. Blackfoot was no match for her viciousness, already demoralized by having injured an apprentice in such a bloody fashion. The rest of Shadowclan was quick to follow.

Firepaw looked to his friend, concerned. Snakepaw's chest was partially caved in. Blood trickled from his mouth as he had another coughing fit, attempting to free his lungs of blood so he could breathe. Seeing Shadowclan retreating filled Snakepaw with a sense of joy. They'd won. A tiny smile creeped across his face as all the pain he'd been suppressing caught up to him at once. He collapsed on the spot.

"Snakepaw!" Firepaw screeched, running to his fallen friend's side.

Runningwind wasn't too far behind Firepaw, having heard Firepaw's yell. "What happened?" He asked in a panic.

"We were fighting Blackfoot, but he suddenly hit Snakepaw in the chest. Snakepaw just started coughing blood. It wasn't even that hard of a hit, but Snakepaw…" Firepaw stuttered out.

"Move!" Came the voice of the medicine cat Spottedleaf as she shoved the two aside. She'd done what she could for Lionheart already, but things weren't looking good on that end. With one look, Spottedleaf knew Snakepaw was already on his way to Starclan. He might not die today, but ribs broken that severely don't just heal. Worse still, based off what she heard from Firepaw, he likely had punctured lungs. It was an agonizingly slow way to go. Spottedleaf had never done it herself before, but her mentor had taught her, sometimes a cat doesn't need a cure. They need mercy.

Spottedleaf and Runningwind gingerly moved the apprentice into the medicine den. Unfortunately, Spottedleaf needed to leave to check on Lionheart. His condition had worsened in that brief moment she checked on Snakepaw and had passed. Two casualties with one more to come. Today was a dark day for Thunderclan. Spottedleaf swung back around to the medicine den to check on the fading apprentice, finding Firepaw and Runningwind already inside. Somehow, Snakepaw was already conscious, a feat usually only possible by those who suffered a lifetime of pain.

"Hey Spotty." Snakepaw greeted before having a brief fit of coughing.

"You really shouldn't be talking right now. It'll only make it worse." Spottedleaf answered, knowing full well that she was just trying to give some semblance of hope to the injured apprentice.

"I know… I'm dying. There's nothing anyone can do about it. It's a slow way to go, and I don't want to drag it out." Snakepaw answered with a surprisingly wise tone.

Spottedleaf looked at the apprentice, somewhere between impressed and concerned. What Snakepaw had said was something she more expected from an elder or senior warrior, not an apprentice. Spottedleaf sighed as she knew what Snakepaw was asking for. She hoped she'd never be the one to do it. Her mentor hadtold her about his first and how it continued to haunt him. Her mentor had given mercy to a cat who had such a bad fever that their brain gave out. This was still a conscious and talking cat. It made her shiver, but she knew her duties.

"I… can grant you mercy." She mewed slowly.

"No…" Snakepaw managed to wheeze out, stopping Spottedleaf in her tracks.

"No? You wante mercy, correct?" Spottedleaf queried.

"Yes… But not from you. Firepaw, I have one last lesson for you. You've got a very important destiny to follow, and like all those that came before you, you will eventually need to take a life." Snakepaw mewed before taking a moment to ensure he had enough air to speak again. "The first is always the worst, the one you ponder the most. I don't want you to find your first on an unlucky battlefield. I want to be your first. I want you to grant me mercy."

"No! I can't kill you! You can get better, then we'll become warriors together. Then…" Firepaw refuted, tears spilling down his face, knowing in his heart that it was a lie.

"Firepaw. I'm not surviving this. You already know I'm too hurt. You know what I am. We'll meet again, but we won't be the same. Take solace in my nature. You'll always be my friend, even if we're no longer together." Snakepaw consoled.

Runningwind stood stoic in that moment, knowing that this was about the two's friendship. After a moment, he spoke. "You don't have to do it Firepaw. I can grant him the mercy he needs."

"No. I can do it… He wants me to do it." Firepaw answered, wiping the tears from his face.

Snakepaw, still wavering on the edge of consciousness, spoke again as Firepaw positioned himself for what he needed to do. "Hey Firepaw?" He mewed slowly.

"Yes Snakepaw?" Firepaw choked out, his voice breaking.

"I'll miss you." Snakepaw mewed in that same kittish and familiar tone.

Snakepaw felt Firepaw's tears fall onto his still form and Firepaw gave his reply. "I'll miss you too." Firepaw quietly answered in a whisper before Snakepaw succumbed to darkness. Firepaw's tears continued to fall as he did what his friend requested. The fresh blood on his paws felt sickening, knowing that it was the blood of his friend. He cried as Runningwind wrapped himself around the mourning apprentice. Bluestar joined them soon after, not crying herself but still deeply saddened. What hurt the three the most was when the body was moved to the center of camp with Lionheart. Every other cat looked upon Snakepaw's form with unfamiliarity, unable to recall even his name. Firepaw did not clean his blood-stained paw, wanting to cling a bit longer onto Snakepaw's memory. Runningwind knew the feeling well. Losing a friend was always harsh. He'd failed in the impossible task Bluestar had given him. He couldn't have saved Snakepaw. He had his own tears to shed, but knowing Snakepaw could come back, even if he never saw him again, dampened the pain just a little bit.