yours are the sweetest eyes [closed death topic]

Brightpaw walked across the territory with a spring in his step. It was all fine. He was back on good terms with his brother. That’s all that mattered. Darkpaw, Rowanpaw and Fawnsong had been avenged. Well, the fox that killed Darkpaw was still out there, but he had been told it now had quite some nasty scars. Well, that should teach it a lesson! With a feeling of triumph, the odd-eyed tabby strolled through the reeds, breathing in the lovely scent of fresh air. Nothing could ruin this day for him. He settled down on a patch of grass, watching as the setting sun cast an orange glow over everything, a peachy hue outlining the few clouds left in the sky. This was beautiful. He closed his eyes as the reeds swayed in the slight breeze. His eyes flew open and his head whipped around at the snapping of a stick. A defensive growl rose in his throat as he got to his paws, looking for the source of noise, his unsheathed claws tapping impatiently at the ground. An enemy cat? No, not in RiverClan territory.

Suddenly, a great orange beast flung itself out of the reeds, bowling Brightpaw over. A fox! Perhaps even the very one that killed Darkpaw! Fury filled him up, adrenaline pumping through his veins as his claws ripped through the ugly beast’s fur, blood pooling out of the wounds. It let out an ugly cry of rage and it’s muzzle snapped towards the apprentice. He leapt to the side, but he wasn’t quick enough for the flurry of claws that followed to miss him. They pummelled his face and chest, beating his sensitive ear fur. That was painful. Blood spilled onto the ground as he let out a hiss, leaping on top of the fox, raking his claws along it’s back.

~and you can tell everybody, this is your song~

ooc: spotpaw can join now, just have him think that bright can handle it~

Spotpaw saw his brother exit camp. Perfect, he thought. I can talk to him, maybe. He had been planning to talk to Brightpaw for a few sunrises now, and this was a good time. It was late afternoon. He followed Brightpaw's scent for awhile, and then heard the snarls of a fight. He peeked through the bushes tentatively. Brightpaw seemed to be handling the fox pretty well. Surely his brother would love to brag about beating the fox himself, so Spotpaw let him be. He hid behind the bushes, ears ready to listen. If it seemed anything was going wrong, Spotpaw would leap out and heroically fight.

ooc: nvm that PM; I took too long writing it

Brightpaw flinched as the fox's claws flew past him, just skimming his muzzle. Hah. It would have to do better than that! The grey tabby tom slid underneath it, clawing at it's sensitive belly fur. Blood dripped from the wounds onto the ground. He would give this beast scars to remember. He twisted around and leapt up onto it's back once again. This time, he sank his front claws into it's shoulders and refused to get down, biting and scratching as much as he could. This fox would pay. All foxes would pay. He would rid the world of foxes. They deserved it. He wouldn't stop until this one was dead. He pulled his head back before lunging in for the killing bite, but this time the fox was too quick for him. It rolled over onto it's back, crushing Brightpaw under all that weight. He felt the air knocked from his lungs, almost certain one of his ribs had broken by the time it got off. He tried to get to his paws again, refusing to go down without a fight, but this beast wouldn't give up. It dodged Brightpaw's attacks and sprinted forwards, knocking him over, and clawing him hard. Again and again it struck, seeming determined to kill this apprentice, and deal as much pain as physically possible. It seemed to be trying to rip him apart. Brightpaw struggled to free himself, the unbearable pain taking it's toll and making him feel all weak. After the fox had decided to leave it, it gave one last vicious swipe, knocking it's clawed paw into the side if the apprentice's face, before disappearing into the reeds.

Brightpaw was gasping for breath, weak and shaking, as he felt the blood flow from his wounds. No...no! He couldn't just die now! Things were finally going well! He fought to stay conscious, his gaze slipping in and out of focus.

~i hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words~

A sickening crack filled the air and Spotpaw immediately stood taller. The sound of retreat was good, but that breaking noise... it was horrible. He rushed out towards his bloody brother. "Brightpaw! Brightpaw, are you okay... you'll be okay, we'll get you to Cloudstone and Goldeneye... Come on Brightpaw, stay with me, buddy... I'm sorry I didn't help... Please don't die on me!" His voice was getting agitated and fearful. He couldn't lose another cat. Not now. Especially not Brightpaw. He shoved his paws on the places it bled the hardest, but there was too much. "Brightpaw, please... I just wanted to talk... You'd better survive or Silverfang'll take you down from Starclan and rip you to shreds! Just stay alive, stay alive..." He realized then just how horrible he would feel if Brightpaw died. Just a few moons ago, he had thought Brightpaw hated him and wished he would just go away. Now, Starclan wanted his brother.

Brightpaw looked at his brother as he came rushing out, and so many emotions filled his mind that it made it difficult to sort out. Only now was he realising how much he truly missed his brother. He struggled to keep his eyes open. He had to say something. Anything. "I...I..." His voice trembled as he tried to speak, but he knew it was all in vain. This...couldn't be happening. He didn't want to join StarClan. He wanted to stay down here, in RiverClan. He loved it, with the rivers and the reeds, the clan who had lost so much. They shouldn't have to deal with him as well. "I-Im...s-sorry.." He managed to choke out, his blurred gaze fixed on his brother. If he could freeze this moment, right here, right now, then he would. It was actually...strange. The pain was reseeding some, as it wasn't as agonising as before, and he felt...almost numb. With a sickening jolt, he realised the terrible truth.

He was dying. He was going to die. There was nothing anyone could do about it.

He was struggling to keep breathing now. Obviously that fox had done some deep, irreparable damage. Punctured his lung, perhaps, with the sharp, broken edge of his rib. Yes, that would explain the small amount of blood trickling from his gaping jaws. Every slow, raspy breath was painful, and it was costing him more and more energy each time. One trembling, blood-soaked paw moved slightly, as he reached out, touching his brother. His chest barely moved now. This was it. As his breathing stopped and his heart ceased to beat, the last thing he saw was Spotpaw's face, before the stars came to claim him as their own.

~how wonderful life is, while you're in the world.~

OOC: make me change it if you want but I was thinking maybe in the haze, Bright forgot to sheathe his claws and left them out when he reached out to Spot, leaving a permanent scar that Spot will never forget(it would be a reminder of his brother and it would be sad and Spot would miss him so much and aaah it would be perfect)

Spotpaw let the tears come to his eyes as Brightpaw struggled to speak. It was as if the blood poured from every part of Brightpaw. "Br- Brightpaw, no... Brightpaw, you can't die on me...
Brightpaw, stay with me, please!" He begged Brightpaw. The tears came full on now as his paws held his brother. Brightpaw's trembling paw, reaching out to Spotpaw's chest, leaving his fur soaked with blood, and blood welled from himself from Brightpaw's claws. It felt like nothing through the worry. He felt the pulse of the dying cat, trying to find a sign that Starclan was allowing his brother to live. He found none. Brightpaw was still, not breathing, no pulse. The paw on him went limp.
Spotpaw sat down in shock, staring down at the bloody body of the cat who he could have saved if he had attacked the fox. "No... No... No, no, no..." He shook his head. This could not be happening. "Oh, Brightpaw, no..." He felt for a pulse again. None. The still scent of death filled the air. Only the rustle of leaves and bubbling of water was heard, and those were far-off. Otherwise, it was silent. Spotpaw's wail cut through the cold air. A wail filled with pain, grief, everything negative inside Spotpaw was let out with his cry.
He picked up Brightpaw gently, carrying the body on his back. At camp, they would give him a proper burial.

OOC: I'm getting serious FN-2187/Finn-at-the-beginning-of-The-Force-Awakens-when-the-Stormtrooper-reaches-a-bloodied-hand-to-Finn's-helmet feels here. Also, I will make a camp topic.

ooc: that fin-stormtrooper thing was EXACTLY what I was thinking
also, sure, let him have the scar as a cruel reminder of his past