The memories she sees in her dreams.. Some aren't true. I can't remember all of the good times they had together. Sssooorrry xc

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     My breathing became harsher and harsher as I stared through my one amber eye at Cloudtail's bloody body. His fur waved in the wind calmly as if nothing was happening around me. But the battle was still going on. Cats were still fighting for territory. "It was my fault your dead... I deserve to die not you..." I croaked to myself. I started to panic.

     'What if I get kicked out of the Clan for leaving Cloudtail? What if I lose my friends? What if my kits turn on me?' I asked myself.

     I shook my head and picked up Cloudtail's body, swinging him onto my back. I dashed away from the battle and towards the camp entrance Cloudtail and I once went though together. The memory of him ached my heart; I wanted him back oh-so badly. I ran and ran until I got to the Clan entrance. Cloudtail's body started to fall off as we came to camp and I let him fall to the ground. I dragged him in, my head down. Dovewing's ears perked up then went back down as she saw the body I drug inside. She wrapped her tail around her four kits and pushed them in the nursery gently.

     I let Cloudtail lay in the center of the clearing before looking up. "Oh, Brightheart..." Dovewing whispered. She put her tail on my shoulders and went up and down to sooth me. I shouldered it off, "It's fine," I muttered.

     Rosepetal padded out with the six kits peeking out of the nursery. "What's going on with the battle?" She mewed, sitting in front of me. "They're still fighting," I whispered, laying down. "It's okay, Brightheart, it was his time. He fought well," Rosepetal meowed. I nodded and got up, deciding not to argue. I started padding to the medicine den. 'Might as well tell Dewpaw before she finds out the hard way,' I thought.

     I poked my head into the den and Dewpaw turned around. She smiled, "Did we win the battle?" Dewpaw came to see me as I squeezed through the entrance. "Is there any cats I need to help heal yet?" She asked. Tipping her head to the side, she meowed, "Are you alright?" I shrugged, "No, not really. Not sure yet, I came back to tell you something," I whispered.

     Jayfeather turned around and his ear flinched. "Was it that important that your leaving the battle?" He hissed. I rolled my eye, "Yes it is," I growled. "Come out with me, Dewpaw. It's important," I growled to her, trying to ignore Jayfeather's huff in disagreement. I padded out of the den and into the clearing.

     "Dewpaw, Cloudtail is on his way to StarClan..." I whispered, coming out with it as soon as she settled down. Dewpaw's smile of curiosity went away in the blink of an eye. She shook her head. "Your lying!" Dewpaw hissed. I shook my head, wishing it was true. "I'm afraid not, Dewpaw," I flicked my tail to the dead, blood stained body that was once Cloudtail's in the clearing.

     Dewpaw rushed over and dug her face into his pelt. "This can't be true! It has to be a dream! It has to be..." She wailed. I padded over to her and pulled her away. "Shh, Dewpaw, it's alright. It was his time, don't let it get to you," I soothed her, holding her with one paw. She pushed her face into my chest and wept.

     I rested my head onto hers and watched as the battle patrol ran in, another dead body with them. They rested the body of Dustpelt beside Cloudtail's, Spiderleg, Birchfall, Icecloud and Foxleap rushing over to say there good byes.

     I looked around to see where Amberpaw and Snowpaw were. Catching their eyes, they exchanged glances. I gestured with my head to come over. Dewpaw looked at them as they trotted over, her eyes clouded with grief. Snowpaw whimpered to herself as she and her sister came over. "Where were you when the battle ended?" Asked Amberpaw. "Your father is gone to StarClan now, I had to bring him back to camp..." I whispered. Amberpaw nodded, "I noticed. It's hard for me too but I'm trying not to get to emotional about it," Dewpaw stuffed her face in my chest again and she started to breath heavily. Snowpaw looked at her sister and then at me. I looked at Cloudtail's body and Amberpaw closed her eyes, not looking behind her. Snowpaw looked for a brief heartbeat before almost collapsing. I padded up to his dead body and say beside him.

     Snowpaw looked back again and rushed to Cloudtail's body. Snowpaw shook him, "Father please, please wake up..." she whispered at his dead body, staring at it as if she was waiting for a reply. "Snowpaw, Amberpaw, Dewpaw, come get ready for vigil." I called to them. They nodded and let me groom their pelts. Jayfeather padded out with a strong smelling herb, covering Cloudtail and Dustpelt with it. Looking over at my three kits, I flicked my ear. 'They'll get over it soon,' I silently hoped.

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     I looked up to the sky to see the dawn light sliding over the trees, only a bit of sunlight shining into the camp. It felt like last night was a dream, but my muscles screamed no and the stinging of my wounds bellowed in pain. I walked stiffly away from Cloudtail's body and stretched my back and legs; it felt good to move again.

     Dewpaw, Snowpaw and Amberpaw followed me. I shook out my fur and cleaned myself. "Go get some sleep you three, you had a long night," I insisted. I looked back at Cloudtail and Dustpelt, but Sandstorm, Brackenfur and Graystripe were taking the two away to be buried. I had to look away and look to the sky so I wouldn't rush over and take Cloudtail back. I walked over to Jayfeathers den and padded in, "Sorry about last night Jayfeather, I was in a bad mood because of Cloudtail's death," He turned at the sound of my voice and nodded, "I know. I didn't take it personally, now go get some rest," I nodded. I need rest so bad right now. My muscles were aching and my scratches were burning from stretching and the cold morning air.

     I padded in the warriors den and laid in my nest. I looked beside me and saw Cloudtail's nest was empty. I closed my eye and, almost instantly, fell asleep. Flashes of my life with Cloudtail in my early days went through my dreams.

     "See? Your still beautiful!" Cloudpaw reassured. The reflection of me in the puddle made me question, "Do you really think so?" I mewed, Cloudpaw nodded happily, "As beautiful as ever!"

"She's just as beautiful as you are, Brightheart," he whispered, "What shall we name her?" "Whitekit. She's beautiful, white as the snow and has her fathers coat," I purred. Cloudtail purred too, "Whitekit it is then,"

     "Good job, Whitepaw!" I purred, falling to the ground as the mud on her fur started to clump. Cloudtail began purring and couldn't stop. I felt a warm liquid splat onto me and I opened my eye, "Yuck!" He burst out laughing again and fell down. "Real funny, Cloudtail." I hissed playfully.

"Great catch Cloudtail!" I purred. The squirrel dangled from his mouth, head first.

Memories after memories flashed through out my mind and made me wake up. I looked around and no cat was in the den anymore.

     Padding out, I looked around to see barely any cats out in the clearing. Squirrelflight padded over, "Hey Brightheart, how are you?" She asked. "Good, just needed a good rest," I mewed as I stretched. "That's good. You just missed the last patrol, if you would like, I could put you on for a night border patrol?" I nodded with a small smile, "Alright, thanks," Squirrelflight nodded, "No problem!"

     She started to pad away and I stopped her, "Where's Amberpaw, Snowpaw and Dewpaw?" I called to her. She looked over her shoulder and mewed, "Dewpaw and Jayfeather went to grab herbs, while Amberpaw and Snowpaw left to practice for there assessment. it's coming up soon," I dipped my head in thanks and looked around. 'What to do... What to do... I need to keep Cloudtail off my mind for the better...'

     "Hey Brightheart!" Someone called from behind me. I turned around at the sound of my name, and noticed it was Thornclaw. 'Strange... Thornclaw doesn't usually talk to me...' "Oh, hey Thornclaw," I mewed politely. "Wanna go out for a hunt? I don't have anything better to do," Thornclaw asked, halting in front of me. I nodded, "Sure thing,"

     We padded out of the camp with a light conversation. I could tell he wanted to get Cloudtail off my mind, so I went along with it.

      "How have you been dealing, with all the stuff going on?" He asked softly, his head staring forward. I sighed, "Not so well," he nodded and looked over at me, "Yeah, I kinda assumed you'd say that. The death of a loved one can... Stain your heart for a very long time," he mewed. I nodded a few times before either of us spoke again.

     "The Gathering is coming up, what do you think ShadowClan will say?" he murmured, stopping to taste the air. "I'm not sure, probably nothing about the fight but it's a possibility," I replied, watching him look around.

      He looked over his shoulder, "Yeah, your probably right," he meowed, flicking his tail for me to follow. "Let's see if we can catch anything." I nodded and followed close behind, taking in every moment of the woods around me.

     The trees' leaves were golden and red with leaf-bare coming; the ground was covered in crisp leaves, frosted with the dark sky looming above. The sky was covered in grey clouds, promising snow. 'Leaf-bare is closer then I thought,' I thought to myself.

     I padded on, falling in beside Thornclaw. The leaves crunched under my paws as we broke to a trot, heading towards the edge of our territory.

     'I wonder if there will be any prey at this time of the season...' I wondered, trotting silently with Thornclaw.

*****

      It's been four sunrises since Cloudtail's death and Dewpaw still isn't the same. She's better but still focused on something else while trying to mix herbs. I padded into the medicine den and saw Dewpaw reorganizing herbs. "Morning, Dewpaw," I greeted, sitting down beside her.

     She dipped her head but said nothing. "How are you?" I prompted. "Good, I'm trying to focus right now," she mewed, flicking an ear. "Alright," I replied, getting to my paws and padding out.

     I got a glimpse of Snowpaw as she headed out on patrol with Blossomfall and Foxleap. At least she is still the same, maybe... hopefully.

     "Brightheart, your on patrol with Bumblestripe, Whitewing and Sorreltail," Squirrelflight called as I came out of the medicine den. I nodded and padded to the camp entrance where the group waited.

I hurried over to the group and they padded off. I stayed in the back of the patrol and looked around.

The ground crunched under my paws as I padded through the frosted forest. The leaves on the ground were golden and red, with white around it as the dew frosted to ice. The cool breeze ruffled my fur up so it was sticking up, causing a me to shiver. 'Burr... leaf-bare is defiantly coming quickly,'

The trees above were golden and red, the leaves changing as the seasons changed. White clouds were covering the sky, the blue sky hidden and the sun hidden from being seen. My teeth chattered as I shivered, the cold wind blowing through out the forest. The leaves were picked up in the breeze and they blew effortlessly through the trees.

     I almost bumped into Sorreltail as the patrol stopped. Bumblestripe spoke first, "Whitewing and I will go for a hunt west, Sorreltail, Brightheart, you'll go east." we nodded and trotted off east.

We padded together in silence until we came to a halt. Sorreltail gave me a look of confusion. I gave her one back. "What?" I mewed, backing up a step. "Do you smell that?" she whispered, the fur along her spine rising. "Smell what?" I replied, tasting the air. The air was crisp with the cool leaf-fall air. But in the wind, was a faint scent of death.

     My fur along my spine rose in fear and disgust. 'Oh no... who could it be?' I wondered, looking around, my eyes wide. The tang of blood filled my nose and I looked around, my heart speeding up.

"Come on! We have to find out who or what is dead or harmed!" I called, dashing away from Sorreltail. Her hears flattened and she bolted toward me. I turned my head to look forward and the search began.

     My mind was whirling with possibilities of who it could be. But one name pierced my heart the most, making my stomach churn in worry. 'Please StarClan, please don't let it be Snowpaw...'

*****

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