Flashclaw lowered himself to the ground, creeping closer and closer to the rustling grass in front of him. He could see the brown pelt of rabbit through the long green fronds. He lashed his tail in anticipation and leapt forward, but the rabbit was ready and took off down the nearby slope.

Flashclaw shot after it, tailing the Swift creature closely. He continued getting closer and closer, but the rabbit stayed at least two tail lengths away at all times. He finally deemed himself close enough to pounce and leapt at the rabbit just as it ducked into a hole. Flashclaw slid to a stop, catching a paw in the hole. "Mouse dung!" He exclaimed, falling on his face. He slid his ears back in embarrassment.

Luckily, nobody else was there to watch his failure. He looked up, trying to locate any of his clan mates, but he couldn't see them anywhere. He growled in frustration. He couldn't find anyone around. Where was everyone?

Then, he noticed just how far he has traveled. The trees dotting the landscape disappeared. He was now in an open field. Everything looked the same yet nothing was familiar to him. The sky was turning purple, and

Flashclaw began to panic. The clan wouldn't leave him there, would they? Bramblepool wouldn't let them. They would come look for him. They had to. He turned to go back the way he had come, but he had forgotten where exactly that was. He padded aimlessly around the blowing grass. It didn't help that the grass was as tall as him. The vastness of it all made him feel like a kit again. He found himself wishing he could curl up next to his mother in the nursery again.

Deciding to climb a hill, he found a nice vantage point. His eyes lit up when he noticed his clan below. They were far off, but he could see them. Even if they were little more than a wriggling dot in the distance, they were there.

Flashclaw tried to run, but pain shot up his paw. He had twisted it in the hole. He didn't want to admit that he had been favoring it before, but now there was no denying it. He squinted through the tall grass, trying to see his clan. When all he could see was grass, he began moving faster.

As soon as the grass began to grow shorter around him, Flashclaw raised his head, searching for the clan. They were just beyond another rise now, but they had begun traveling. They were traveling without him...! He stumbled forward, still favoring his injured leg.

"Wait..!" He called. "I'm coming!" He knew they couldn't hear him, but he continued calling anyway. "Please!" His voice caught in his throat, "don't leave me!"

**************

"Amberstar! Please!" Bramblepool pleaded. She walked beside her leader as the dilute calico ordered everyone to get ready to go.

"I'm sorry, Bramblepool..." Amberstar meowed solemnly. "We can't wait any longer. We have to set out now. If we wait, it puts the whole clan in jeopardy."

"But he's coming! Flashclaw will be here!" Bramblepool protested. "At least let me look for him real quick."

Amberstar glanced up at the sky. "We should've left already..." She meowed hesitantly. "Your clan needs you here. I really am sorry, but we really can't wait."

Bramblepool lowered her head. "I understand, Amberstar..." she turned away and padded up to her other surviving son.

"Bramblepool?" Twigfoot meowed, tilting his head to the side. "What's wrong?"

She shuffled her paws, embarrassed that he could read her so easily. "Have you seen your brother lately? Do you know where he is?"

"Flashclaw's missing?" Twigfoot asked, his eyes filling with worry.

"Nobody's seen him since last night... Amberstar said we can't wait." Bramblepool meowed, unable to look her remaining son in the eye.

"What?! We can't leave him!" The brown and white medicine cat meowed.

Bramblepool couldn't bring herself to say anything to that. She wrapped her tail around Twigfoot and touched her nose to his head. "Stay alive, Twigfoot. I can't lose you, too." She whispered.

Twigfoot buried his head in her fur. He didn't say anything, but Bramblepool took it as a sign of acceptance.

"Twigfoot! Let's go!" Tundrastrike called from beside the now moving group.

The eldest son lifted his head and touched his tail to Bramblepool's shoulder. "I love you." He meowed, sadness glittering in his eyes. He turned away and followed his mate.

Bramblepool watched him follow them. She took one last look over her shoulder. Seeing nothing, she padded forward to join her clan. "Watch over our son, Robinclaw. Please." She murmured too quiet for anyone else to hear. Why did everyone she love leave her in the end?

She heard a screech in the distance and turned back to the hills. "What was that...?" She wondered aloud, but she couldn't dwell on it and had to follow her clanmates again.

***********

Flashclaw soon lost sight of his clan again. He slumped down, holding his injured paw above the ground. He couldn't bare the idea of never seeing his mother or brother again.

He noticed a rusting in the grass and scented the air. He couldn't quite pinpoint the scent, so he stepped forward in an attempt to make out a shape.

He saw the beady eyes too late and let out a frighted screech. The rustling hadn't been what he expected. It wasn't a mouse or even a rabbit. Instead, Flashclaw was faced by a poised brown and black snake. The scaly feature lunges forward, sinking it's fangs into Flashclaw's shoulder. It bit him three times before finally slithering away.

Flashclaw began to feel weak. He stumbled forward before collapsing into the grass. "Help me..." He whispered to the nobody that was there. He felt his vision blurring and he felt fire coursing through his veins. He convulsed many times before consciousness finally evaded him.

This story is from the same universe as the last Famfic! The characters are Flashclaw (@me), Bramblepool (ZuberTheUber_SaveW), Amberstar (BloodyR0se), Twigfoot (mossleap), Tundrastrike (Rawr_Child). (If I missed anyone, let me know!) also imma tag dad because Sandleaf you're best dad. This came to be because Flashclaw is now dead. I'm very sad and had to memorialize my boy. I love him very much. He's a good boy. Poor Flash didn't deserve to be left behind, but it was my own fault lol. At least Flashclaw and Robinclaw are together now! Anyway, let me know what you think!