Heathersong's Death

One day, Heathersong felt weak. She always felt weak, due to her ruined legs, but today, she also felt fatigued, and her breath came in short, harsh rasps. Being as old and wise as she was, she immediately left the elder's den, aiming to alert her daughter, Willowstream, of the problem. However, she underestimated how weak she was, and collapsed on her way to the medicine cat's den. She tried calling for help, but her voice wasn't very loud, and she lay there, wondering and hoping somebody would find her.

Moments later, Willowstream emerged from her den and found Heathersong breathing heavily on the ground. Knowing there wasn't time to move the elder to her den, the medicine cat retrieved a few herbs and raced back. In the short time she was gone, her mother's breathing had become shallower, and the old she-cat's blue eyes were rolling back as she tried in vain to gain her breathing. Wanting desperately to save the crippled she-cat, Willowstream shoved a few herbs towards Heathersong's mouth, but her mother simply shook her tired head and looked up.

For a tense moment blue eyes gazed into green ones, and many words passed between the two, mother and daughter. Then, peacefully, Heathersong's eyes fixated on something Willowstream could not see, and whispered, "I'm going home." Slowly, her head fell onto the ground, and her eyes closed, leaving the clearing silent. A nearly inaudible squeak escaped Willowstream's mouth, and she bowed her head, placing her nose against the black fur of her mother.

In Starclan, Heathersong raced across the plains, her hind legs free and well. The grass tickled her belly, and the sun warmed her face. She felt happier than she had in a long time as she greeted her own mother, Rainstar.

Stormpaw poked his head from the apprentice den, blinking sleepiness from his blue eyes. His tried to focus on the form of his favorite elder and the medicine cat, then his eyes became wide when he noticed that Heathersong wasn't moving. "NO!" he yowled as he darted to the elder's side, shaking. "Heathersong, no!" he yowled as he started to cry, feeling like he had just lost a mother. He thought about the times when he would listen to her stories, how she was the first one to rp with him she taught him how to be more nicer, making him the cat he is today. "Heathersong, don't leave me!"

Butterflystar came out of her den at the sound of stormpaws wailing "what is going.." and she stoped in her tracks. After the initial shock wore away she padded closer an licked willow streams head "I'm sorry" was all she could say at that moment

Foxkit came out from the nursery when she had heard Stormpaw yell, "What's going on?" she asked Butterflystar, watching Heathersong's lifeless body lie on the ground

Icepaw bolted out of the apprentice den. "What's going on?! Is some one hurt? I heard a y-" he cut off, skidding to a stop beside Heathersong. "Oh no..." He murmured. He glanced up sympathetically at Willowstream.

"we lost a loved elder" she said looking at the new kit "now go back in the nursery for a little bit, I will come and get you soon" she said licking the kits head.

Willowstream didn't move a muscle. She remained still, her eyes closed, her nose pressed to Heathersong's fur. She felt a slight twinge of anger when she heard Stormpaw wail, but was immediately softened when Butterflystar licked her head. Still, she crouched silently, holding vigil.

"But I don't wanna go back to the nursery" Foxkit mewed quietly, slightly ducking her head

Stormpaw just laid there crying at the side of Heathersong, wishing that the elder was still alive. He had already lost his mother once, and now he felt like he was losing her again. He soon stopped crying, and glanced up at Willowstream, realizing how much it had to be hurting her, as she was really losing her mother for the first time. "Willowstream...I-I'm so sorry for your lost...Heathersong...Heathersong was one of the nicest cats I knew."

Runningfoot ran to see what the small gathering was about. Horror filled her eyes as she saw Heathersong's lifeless body on the ground. The deputy sat beside Willowstream, "She is in a better place, she can run like a kit through the moorland where StarClan lives. It is better this way." Runningfoot pressed her nose into the medicine cat's fur for comfort.