It was cold outside, away from the torchlight. Little pieces of snow fell on my head.

I sat on the edge of the land jutting out from the mountain, legs dangling off the edge, song playing in my head.

And the walls, kept tumbling down in the city that we love.

Great clouds roll over the hills bringing darkness from above.

Even now, I could hear whispers in my mind, the Witherstorms not close enough for me to hear what they were saying. I wasn't sure if I would be annoyed or relieved if I could hear them. Annoyed because of, well, the threats and taunts. Relieved because I would have someone to talk to who didn't really care what I said.

But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like nothing's changed at all?

And if you close your eyes.

Does it almost feel like you've been here before?

How am I gonna be an optimist about this?

Oh, how am I gonna be an optimist about this?

My legs swayed gently to the music, and I began humming the song. I would never sing. Ever.

But Rory.

Oh, Rory.

Rory.

How I longed to see his trademark grin again. That goofy grin I saw everyday walking to school with him...

Walking home with him...

Having dinner with him when my parents didn't bother getting me anything and went out with friends...

I felt like shaking my head to clear to thoughts, but I felt like if I did, I would get a headache.

Instead, I took a deep breath. It felt like all my emotions went to my chest.

Is Rory really dead?

I heard oinking, and the tapping of small feet against stone. Probably Reuben. I looked over my shoulder and saw him.

"Hey, piggy." I said softly.

Reuben oinked and sat down next to me. Too bad he would have to die...

Or would he?

A few things had changed. Words had changed, relationships weakened.

So, would Reuben die?

Maybe.

"You're a good friend for Jesse, you know that?" I looked over my shoulder. Lukas was talking to Jesse.

Reuben gave me a small snort.

"You should go back to her. I think she worries about you." I told the pig.

Reuben gave me a look I couldn't interpret. After all, it wasn't like I had met any pigs that could understand human speech.

Then he turned around and trotted over to Jesse.

I had five seconds before my mind would plunge into stress and fear.

Before that could happen...

"Leave me alone! Stop harassing me!"

Petra stormed out of the cave.

--------------

"Shrewpaw! Shrewpaw! Shrewpaw!"

The cat that had been called Carlos when he was human looked down at his paws, shuffling them in embarrassment. While this was a good time for the Clan, who had lost a few cats from the strange mist creatures, Foxspirit was troubled.

She sat next to the others who had once been human, excluding Runningsun. He was looking at his new apprentice, eyes glittering with excitement, suprise and joy at finally getting an apprentice.

"What does this mean?" Foxspirit wondered aloud. They were far from the other cats, so they wouldn't be heard.

"Something is happening soon. I feel it." Falconblaze flicked her black tail, her ear with the golden patch twitching.

"In your gut?" Wolfshine teased. Thought it didn't seem that the grey she-cat with the white belly was afraid, her fur had started to prick up.

"Exactly." Falconblaze huffed.

Foxspirit shuffled her paws, uncomfortable. How many more kids were missing since they had come?

Why?

Foxspirit pressed up closer to her best friend. Frostwish didn't react. Her green eyes were glazed over, she was staring into something, her mind in a different place. She had become distant as she had become a medicine cat.

"When we have our final battle, so will they." She meowed.

Her words were soft, but they made Foxspirit stiffen. Falconblaze gaped. Wolfshine flattened her ears, her usually cheerful mood gone.

---------------

I heard the sound a dirt block makes when someone hits it.

"Uh, Petra, you okay?" I asked, not turning to look at her.

"My head hurts, they're harassing me with questions and it's annoying me." Came the answer.

"Sit down for a moment." I suggested.

But, much to my discomfort, she decided to sit right next to me.

Damn my lesbian brain...why must you always make me feel uncomfortable?

There was an awkward (for me, anyway) silence.

"So...why is there a pig with us?" Petra asked, not looking at me.

"He's Jesse's pig."

"Oh, okay."

Another pause.

"Jesse said she saved Gabriel from that monster's beams. When I asked why she couldn't save me, everyone looked at you..." Now Petra looked at me, curiosity in her eyes.

I sighed. If I was at school, it would be a screw life, kill me now sigh, but now it was an oh, here we go sigh.

"That's because I was supposed to save you." I made a little strangled noise at the end of that sentance. It was one of those noises you can't stop.

"Oh."

"Sorry."

"Why couldn't you?"

"When I went to get you...I...my best friend...he..." I took in a sharp breath. "My best friend got caught in the beams. I wasn't sure what to do. Get you or Rory. In the end, I got neither. Tentacle got me."

Petra blinked in suprise.

I looked away. I couldn't bear to look into those eyes anymore. They were Petra's eyes, yet they weren't Petra's.

"Do you miss him? Your friend...'Rory'?"

The question caught me by suprise.

"Yeah." My voice broke. "Every single day."

Petra made a noise like 'aww..'

What she did next suprised me.

She hugged me.