mothroar gazed over at lighttalon as he peered up from their shared rabbit, a spark of amusement in his eyes. he could see the excitement rolling off of the tom-cat in waves. the very idea of lighttalon's kits scurrying around camp clearly thrilled him.

❝ you're really keen on this, aren't you? ❞ mewed mothroar. he flicked his tail as he pushed the prey towards the blue-ish coloured tom-cat for him to take another bite.

but, his excitement was too much. he couldn't eat, not right now.

lighttalon twitched his ears eagerly and his eyes shone with an almost childlike hope. ❝ absolutely! can you just imagine it. having daisy, and our kits in the clan... in our clan? they'd be great warriors, ❞ he insisted. lighttalon shifted his paws, clearly itching to leave camp and embark on the walk to where she resided.

mothroar couldn't help but feel a ripple of concern, and he tried to mask this worry behind a warm and encouraging smile. ❝ oh it would be thrilling, ❞ he mused. mothroar craned his neck down to take yet another bite of the rabbit before him.

❝ but you gotta remember that not all cats are cut out for clan life. it would be a big change for her and her kits, ❞

lighttalon nodded. his excitement dimmed ever so slightly as he considered his peers words. ❝ but my, our kits, they deserve a chance, ❞ sighed lighttalon.

mothroar huffed. ❝ it's not what you want, at the end of the day. if daisy doesn't want to go, then she has the right to stay put. same for the kits, ❞ mothroar breathed out slowly, ❝ they have to be ready to learn our ways and respect the code, not everyone's willing to do such a thing. ❞

with a determined spark, lighttalon lifted his chin, his gaze steadfast. ❝ i'll help her every step of the way, it's like life won't have ever changed. ❞

there was a long moment of silence between them, broken only by songbird and distant clan gossip. finally, mothroar stood up and stretched.

❝ just be patient with them. it'll be a big change for all of you. i'll tag along with you later today, we can go up together. deal? ❞ mothroar purred out as he looked down at lighttalon.

lighttalon nodded.

he watched as mothroar departed across the camp, and into the warriors den for a short nap, exhausted from his patrol earlier today.

but, lighttalon couldn't wait.

he pushed himself up onto his paws and quickly trotted across and out of camp.

lighttalon pondered the words in which he'd say to daisy when he was to arrive, a conversation tossing back and forth on his mind as he walked.

the tom paused at the black strip of the thunderpath and waited. no monster whizzed by, and he didn't feel a tremble of an on-coming one, so he crossed.

lighttalon pressed on through bushes and over a number of strange twoleg made objects, before his eyes fell on the tall structure that parted the land in which daisy lived in from the rest of the wilderness.

he pulled his legs in, rocked his rear and jumped up. he almost lost his balance, his nerves a little rackety as he continued to play out his words in his head.

❝ daisy?, ❞ lighttalon called out as he peered down at the garden. it was unkempt and over-grown, tall grasses and weeds towered tall, making it hard for him to see anything below him. he let his gaze sharply scan the land below.

convincing daisy to leave the safety of her territory for the life of a clan cat wouldn't be easy, but for the sake of his kits, lighttalon was willing to try.

❝ hello? daisy?, ❞ he shouted, again.

silence.

the tom huffed. he was ready to clamber down when the twang of a stick stopped him. alert, his ears pushed up, and rotated quickly on his head.

❝ what do you want... ❞ hissed a gravelly sounding voice from the opposite end of the garden.

daisy emerged from a bush. her fur was matted and tangled, clumped with grime and mud. ❝ i told you to never bother me or my kits, ❞ daisy growled and glared at the tom-cat.

she looked horrible. she was thin and scraggly, like a withering cat moments from it's deathbed.

and to think she was caring for his kits...

that worried lighttalon and his fur thrilled.

❝ what in starclan happened to you. you look, and pardon my insult, but you look horrible! ❞ lighttalon bellowed from where he perched on the fence.

the disheveled she-cat flicked her tail. ❝ thanks for your concern, but i'm fine. we are fine, ❞ she spat, and quickly, she turned on her heels and vanished into the darkness she emerged from.

❝ i want to see my kits, daisy ❞ lighttalon wailed as he watched her disappear. his tail tweaked from left to right. he was agitated.

❝ go away, please ❞ mumbled daisy from her hide-away on her side of her over-grown garden.

❝ please, i just want to see them, ❞ he begged. he readied to jump down when daisy appeared once again, a threatening and low growl slipping from her opened jaw.

❝ them? ❞ she spat, tail lashing. ❝ they are dead, ❞

lighttalon stumbled on the fence, his paws feeling light, his body heavy. he choked back on saliva and stared towards daisy.

❝ what do you mean, they're dead... ❞

daisy sighed. she seated herself down on a singular brick outside the dark crevice she had crawled from and raised a paw. her tongue gracefully rolled over her dirtied paw, and she huffed.

❝ i abandoned the majority of the kittens. i can't care for them, and they were all a reminder of my stupid mistake, ❞ her gaze fixated on lighttalon, and his skin prickled at her stare at the thought of his kits having been selfishly tossed aside like a piece of crow-food.

growling, lighttalon's eyes narrowed and he pushed out his claws. ❝ the place of no stars will welcome you with open paws, you heartless molly!, ❞ he cried with a gargled hiss.

daisy rolled her eyes and continued to clean herself. she sighed out, ❝ if you have nothing else to say, i advise you leave, ❞

lighttalon's claws flexed rhythmically with each firm clench of his paw. he jumped down into the grass. a heavy thud sounded from his paws and he let out a grunt.

shifting grass to his left causes the tom to pause. he turned and watched the top of the grass as it flicked left and right, dancing under the blue sky. the rustle of the blades grew closer and closer with every second that passed.

lighttalon's ears flattened against his head as he caught the menacing growl of a dog. he focused on the looming figure that pushed through the tangled, tall blades of grass and stood a few paw-steps away from him.

his fur bristled, puffing out to make himself look more intimidating as the dog's low growls rumbled through the garden.

lighttalon's entire attention was on the dog as it finally emerged from the grass, it's teeth barred in a snarl, drool dropping from its jowls.

the dogs eyes locked onto lighttalon. it let out a thunderous bark. lighttalon flinched, not expecting such a noise to come from any form of creature.

it lunged.

lighttalon's heart hammered, and panic kicked his body into moving. he darted away from the snapping jaws of the canine.

the ground shook behind him with the heavy weight of the canid that pursued him, its hungry growl played on the back of his mind with every bolt and turn he took to evade its snapping mouth.

panic had settled deep in his bones, colder than any leaf-bare snow. his usually nimble paws stumbled over the unknown terrain. his mind was ablaze, a whirlwind of fear.

death loomed over him, its shadow as menacing as the darkness of the marsh during the night, and the warrior was painfully aware of its presence.

his breath blurted out in short and ragged gasps, a stark contrast to the heaving dog that panted behind him.

lighttalon's widened eyes darted around frantically, seeking any route of escape, any sliver of hope. the garden daisy owned was an impenetrable labyrinth, each blade a towering sentinel blocking his path to safety.

he didn't want to die, not like this. he wanted to die like a warrior - he always imagined that if he were to meet starclan, it would be with honour in a war to defend his clan, or as an elder beside his family, not being torn apart by a rabid creature. this thought only pushed his legs to carry him faster, despite the growing fatigue that weaved its way through his muscles.

the dog's menacing bark and grumbled growl echoed louder and closer with each stride, which turned into a sinister soundtrack to the tom's flight. it powered through the garden after him with a relentless drive, and its eyes never wavered from the feline.

he could almost feel the creature's hot breath against his tail...

in a desperate bid for survival, lighttalon veered sharply, hoping to confuse the beast. his paws ached and his lungs burned, screeching for air, but he pushed on.

lighttalon reached for the fence, jumping upwards. his paws scrambled for traction, numbed from the lengthy run in which he had just took part in, and he crumbled into the ground.

for a few heartbeats, the world felt silent, the only sound being lighttalon's heavy breathing and the drumming of his heart. the innards of his ears burned with a muted sound, and he blinked, slightly dazed from the fall.

exhaustion hung to lighttalon's like a second skin, a testament to the harrowing chase he had endured. his sides heaved with the effort of drawing in air, his muscles screamed out in agony. he lay still in the grass, defeated.

a shadow fell over lighttalon, casting him a stretch of darkness. the dog stood before him once again, it's giant frame blocking out the vestiges of pale light that creeped over the fences in the distance.

the dog had pursued him with such determination, its intentions were clear, its method merciless.

lighttalon dragged himself up from the ground and stifled out a stuttered hiss. his body betrayed him, refusing to muster the strength needed for another break for freedom. there was nowhere to run or hide, and he had no energy to defend himself.

with a guttural growl, the dog advanced. it's not breath washed over his fur as it progressed closer.

it snapped its jaw, jerking its head forwards, it's teeth and tongue wrapped around his body. scared, lighttalon pulled his eyes shut.

pain splintered his body as the dog twisted its head left and right, it's teeth sinking deep into his flesh. his world turned into a blur of pain and fear, his mind screaming for a release from this torture. he could hear the faint, muffled wail of daisy in the distance.

the dog, distracted or satisfied with its kill, dropped lighttalon onto the grass.

pain exploded in every fibre of his being. he lay still. his body felt oddly distant. blood stained the grass beneath him, a grimly painted picture of his final moments.

he coughed, spitting up some crimson that pooled in his throat, a desperate attempt to cling to the life that was slowly ebbing away.

his eyes shifted in his skull as he stared around the garden, then at his body. he was numb. he wanted to get up, stagger to his paws and stagger back to camp, but his body felt senseless.

the tom-cat heard a distant, frail cry and looked ahead of him. a small black and white kitten stood, staring right back at him, tears flooding from it's brown eyes.

weakly, lighttalon's cheeks raised into a smile. he watched as daisy pushed her head into the kit's side, ushering it into their make-shift den.

lighttalon blinked a tear down his cheek before he opened his eyes again slowly. he drew in a shaky breath, expelling it slowly. his eyes glazed over, a veil of finality descending upon them.

( artwork by diino )