"What do you mean? You're... leaving?" The golden she-cat rasped as thunder boomed, lighting up her horrified face. Her best friend stood there, refusing to meet her eyes with a sad smile directed toward the ground. "No... you can't! If this is some kind of joke, it's not funny!"

     Again, the brown she-cat shook her head. All that she said was through her dull, beautiful, hazel eyes. "It's true... I'm leaving you here," she finally answered. "Don't worry, you'll be fine on your own."

     "No! You're my best friend! Do you know what that means?" She snapped, trying to deny the fact. Spread a rumor, tell a lie - anything to keep her best friend with her and alive. "Best friends never leave each other! That means you... you don't leave me, Cinder!"

     Cinder shook her head at her friend's stubbornness. The golden she-cat jerked her head up, desperate to get a glimpse of hazel eyes staring at her. Memories of the two flashed before her eyes, reliving the hardships, terror, and sacrifices they did together. The ground beneath their feet split, and the two friends stood on opposite ends as the rain poured down, threatening to flood.

     "Come on, please, do you know what I am now?" Cinder begged, nuzzling the golden she-cat. "I can't go back, you know that---"

     "No!" wailed the cat, legs buckling. Cinder fell with her, still there to comfort her sobbing friend, brushing her tail against her shoulder to stop her crying. She felt a river flow from her face, but she couldn't tell whether it was her own tears or the rain above.

     'I've failed. I've proven myself to be Imperfect. Is that a good thing or is it something I should be ashamed of?' None of it mattered now and before Cinder could change her mind, she had to leave. Leave everything behind her like it was just some worthless object. Her home. Her friends. Her family.

     Origanum.

     Origanum sobbed into her shoulder like a kit. Cinder curled her tail around hers as any mother would do for her kit. The two friends embraced each other, accepting the other's help and support. But the longer they stayed in their embrace against the cold and pounding rain, the more the distance between them grew. 

     Gritting her teeth, Cinder blinked away the rain in her eyes. "Origanum?" she whispered.

     She took a while to respond, hardly moving. Still keeping her face buried in her pelt, she choked. "Y-yes?" 

     "Do you know what I am now?" She asked again, facing in the other direction. Her nest now, one she made herself and all that was left was to lay in it as she slept. It was her sin and grave, a hammer driving a painful nail into the back of her head. 

     And she'd walk into it like any ordinary patrol.

     "An I-Imperfect..." Origanum answered.

     "And you know what that means now?" Cinder pressed, pulling away. Origanum's crystal, blue eyes were wet from tears, showing little delight when the two locked eyes. "Don't give me that look, Origanum. Let me see that smile of yours---"

     Origanum shook her head furiously. "No! I won't kill my best friend!"

     "You have to, Origanum," Cinder pressed. "Don't be sad. It's just another kill. We've killed so many other cats - Imperfect cats. I shouldn't be any differe---"

     "No!" Origanum yowled. Thunder struck around them as the rain pelted down harder. Each rain that hit the ground only caused more pain and grief to strike the hapless she-cat. Her world was shattering before her eyes with the only cat she considered family standing before her, begging her to let her go. "You're my best friend, I'm not killing you! You've been my only family since I was little!"

     Cinder returned her saddened gaze to Origanum, who was still crying to herself. She was on her knees, unable to stand the new weight being pressed upon her fragile body. "Come on, Origanum, it's taken too long. You've got to release the chains that have pinned you down. Kill me."

     Origanum replied with a louder yowl. Cinder flattened her ears to protect herself. Then the she-cat faced her again, eyes full of sorrow and a firey intensity. "No! Do you know how this feels?!" 

     "Yes," Cinder replied. "I do." 

     'Imagine getting slaughtered by your best friend!' Then she shook her head, baring her teeth, ready to snap."I-I'm... You have to do this, Origanum! Don't you understand?! I'm an Imperfect! I can't be allowed to live anymore!"

     Her inside, a battle raged on endlessly. Her fragile heart couldn't take much more of the stress, knowing that her death was taunting her, prolonging her wait. Cinder knew her fate now, ever since she failed her assassination, yet death stayed above her head and laughed, making sure an Imperfect like her got the death she deserved. With Origanum refusing to follow out an order, her suffering continued.

     But there was one thing she wanted to see, even in the afterlife.

     Seeing Origanum ride on the trail to perfection. Happy, perfect, and safe with Acorn and Dapple. Leaving Cinder in the shadows, never to show her ugly face ever again. She'd remain in the shadows, cold, alone, and miserable. Her fate was to starve to death or get killed under the claws of her best friend. 

     The one who she trusted the most. Who she thought of as family was her grave.

     Cinder shook her head once again, shaking the tears to the side. If Origanum didn't kill her, then she'd be left to rot in the shadows. Heading towards the Tribe of Never-Ending Shadows. They would welcome her with open paws and shutting away all of her hopes and dreams of entering the Tribe of Endless Stars. She accepted it all, which caused her more grief to carry on. 

     Cinder fell on her side and yowled at her, squeezing her eyes shut as her voice roared over the storm. "Origanum, DO IT! KILL ME!" 

     "No!" Origanum yowled back. "I'm NOT killing you, Cinder! I want you to live on---"

     "I'm going to live the life of an Imperfect after this! Is that what you want for me!?! If there's a small chance that I'm welcomed into the Tribe of Endless Stars now, don't you want that for me?!" Her voice cracked with grief. Origanum shook her head once again, taking a step back. 

     Cinder growled, unleashing her own claws, lifting them to her own neck. Origanum held back a scream, eyes stuck with panic. "If you're my best friend, you'll kill me now. Get it over with. Please," she desperately begged, paw quivering on her throat.

     "Have you ever thought that maybe I don't want to obey the orders!?!" Origanum snarled. "Look at me! I've killed so many Imperfect cats before, but I can't kill you!"

     "It doesn't matter what status I'm to you! You have to kill me or you'll make a mistake! I don't want you to suffer!"

     "Then don't make me kill you!"

     "Origanum, listen, I love you, okay? I want you to run around here freely. I want you to find an amazing mate for yourself, have kits, but please, never regret killing me. It was only your job." Through the dark night, Cinder could see Origanum's claws sliding out of place, her heart soaring and breaking at the same time. The tiny she-cat took a step forward, sinking her claws into the ground.

     "Cinder..." She cried, getting closer. Her heart thudded faster. Her brain and mind screamed at her to run away. Cinder shut down the scream. She had to accept her death at Origanum's paws. It was the only thing she had left to do.

     "I promise I won't fight back," Cinder whispered. Now her walls were crashing down. Fear swarmed into her, awaiting its chance to reach her system. Her world split, her fate grinned at her with thorn fangs. She closed her eyes, letting out one last stream of tears. 

     'Goodbye, everyone...'

     "CINDER!" Origanum yowled before everything went black.

     "Thank you... Origanum, for all the adventures and fun we had... I had a blast..."

~~~oOo~~~

     Wildflower opened her eyes once again. Heather's eyes locked onto hers and they lit up and the healer bounced from her nest, smoothing her ruffled fur out.

     "You're awake! I was starting to worry that you died in that attack!" Heather exhaled a sigh of relief.

     "Umm..." Wildflower frowned, looking around the room. Right there, was the brown she-cat she saw just before she fainted. Strange enough, she thought she remembered that the figure had disappeared after Maple ran through her. "What are you doing here?" she asked the cat.

     "Wildflower?" Heather asked, walking up to the spot she was standing. Right in front of her eyes, Heather walked to the right of the cat and didn't notice her at all. "Is someone here?" The healer swirled around, causing the cat's figure to shake and swirl. Regardless, the brown she-cat stayed where she was, keeping her gaze planted on Wildflower.

     "Uh... brown fur and hazel eyes?" Wildflower explained, still glancing at the she-cat.

     The brown she-cat turned around and walked out of the healers' den. The entire time, Wildflower's eyes remained glued on her steps. Heather inched back towards Wildflower, unsure of what was going on and eyed her patient, eyes laced with worry.

     "What do you mean? Did you see someone?" Heather called out from outside.

     No, I just decided to act like I was seeing a spirit to freak you out- of course I saw something! Wildflower flattened her ears to her skull. "Tell me you saw her."

     "Her?"

     "A brown she-cat! Hazel eyes---"

     "Maybe you hit your head too hard?" Heather suggested. "I was given orders to keep you in here for a couple of days to recover."

     "A couple of days? I want to do something---"

     "Yes, I understand what you mean by you want to do something, but if you aren't in perfect condition, the results will be ugly," Heather protested. "I can't argue with Origanum's orders." 

     Wildflower looked at her underbelly, the wound already cleaned up yet left a few scars. Her paws ached and her head spun, making it hard to focus. Her thoughts were jumbled and scrambled. She groaned and rested her head on her nest, eyeing the brown figure.

     She was right beside Origanum... How come out of all cats the Alpha couldn't see her? Wildflower kept her green eyes peeled for her return but she never set foot back in the den. A chill rushed down her spine, questioning whether the she-cat sitting in the corner was real or not.

     River, another healer, poked his head in to check on what was going on. Wildflower's ears turned towards the entrance once again. With a flick of his lean, silver tail, Ash, the lowest Healer in the group, trotted from the storage. They continued on as if nothing ever happened. Then Heather returned and sighed to herself, going back to sorting herbs, letting the previous conversation slide down her shoulders. 

     Wildflower curled her tail around her injured paws. These couple of days are going to take forever---

     "Don't worry, they won't."

     Wildflower's head whirled in the direction of the she-cat. She narrowed her eyes at the wispy figure. "Who are you?"

     "What?" Heather said, looking up at her.

     "Nevermind," Wildflower corrected herself, lowering her head back down. The brown she-cat glanced over at Heather, a spark igniting in her eyes.

     "Her eyes..." she murmured.

     "Who are you?" Wildflower hissed quietly. Heather's ear flicked, signaling that she heard her but didn't bother looking up this time. 

     "Acorn's daughter..."

     "Acorn? You do realize I'm right here, right?" She glanced at Heather, who groaned, the huff blowing a green leaf across the den. "And so is Heather."

     "I guess it's time then," the brown she-cat said, getting up from her position and trotted over. "Hello, Wildflower. My name is Cinder, one of Fallen Heroes."