"No!" Amber wailed. Coal turned his terrified face back toward her before the monster hit him. It didn't even stop. Amber rushed over to Coal. "No, no, no, no, no..." She prodded his shoulder gently. When he didnt stir, she pushed him harder. No response. She slumped down beside him, resting her head on his belly, which was covered in his own blood. His ribs were broken and must have punctured his lungs. She didn't care if another monster came and hit her too. At least then she'd be with Coal again.
"Come back," she whispered, her head still on his belly, breathing in the scent of his fur. It was tainted with blood-scent and the fumes of the monster. She felt a slight movement. Immediately lifting her head, she saw his stomach rise the tiniest bit, shakily and slowly. "Oh dear stars, help him,"she murmured. "Coal, can you hear me?" She whispered into her love's ear. He opened his mouth to speak, but when he tried, only ended up hacking and coughing up so much blood, it flowed towards Amber in a stream. "Don't speak. I'll get you help, I'll-" She was cut off by Coal placing his tail over her mouth and shaking his head. His misshapen body looked so frail and helpless. Blood soaked all of his black fur, simply making it look like he'd been drenched in water. He coughed again, spitting up more blood, which was caked around his muzzle.
"I... love-" Unable to finish his sentence, he erupted into a hacking fit, spitting blood.
"I know, love." Amber said. "I love you too." She held back a sob. She didnt want Coal's last sight to be her sadness. She thought back on all the good times they'd had together; looking at sheep, long walks, playing in the barn with Smokey and Catnip, their night in the tree root den...
It suddenly dawned on her. The tree root den. The feeling she'd been having wasn't caused by nerves at all. She was carrying Coal's kits.
"Coal listen. I'm having your kits." She murmured, trying to sound happy, forcing a smile. Coal's eyes lit up, but he knew better than to try and speak. "I love you so, so much. There's no cat I'd rather have as my mate." She licked his cheek, wishing to smell his warm barn smell, but only red liquid was there. She closed her eyes as he did for the last time, mumbling about her love for him as he passed on.
Where do cats go when they die? StarClan? Perhaps that was only for the Clan cats. Wherever he'd gone, as Amber moved his lifeless body from the thunderpath, she prayed that the place he was now would be kinder to him than the land in which he'd lived.