Bleeding Out (Closed)

His legs ran faster when he noticed that his friend increased his speed. With a happy grin, Reedheart followed him not noticing the sudden change of landscape until the Thunderpath was right in front of his eyes. The warrior stopped suddenly his race and didn't cross the hard path like the brown tom. He knew that monsters killed everything here and he didn't want to be one of those fallen warriors.

When he was about to tell Shrewheart to come back, his next words left him quiet. His friend, as usual, was defying to do something against the rules just to prove his bravery. The golden cat didn't want to do it but he was sure that the other cat won't come back until he crossed the path. And, on the other side, he didn't want to ruin this game after what happened just a few moments before. Following his game, Reedheart smiled and prepared his hind legs. "Very sure!" He said as he leapt to the Thunderpath with a defiant smile.

"Who is a coward now, Shrewheart?" He asked as he walked toward the tom. But the golden-furred warrior didn't notice the approach of a fast monster coming straight to him until the bright lights blinded him when he turned his head in fear, watching the imminent danger. He didn’t even have the time to tremble. He was sure that this was his end...

Shrewheart felt the rumble of the monster in the ground, and heard it roar before reality registered in his mind. Reedheart was walking towards him, and his sudden terrified expression showed that he was fearing for his life. It was in that moment that he knew that his friend was in need of more than a little help, and he was going to have to save him. His brown paws switched from soil the stone, moving faster than they ever had before. He knocked into his best friend with all of his force, sending the other warrior flying out of the way. He still had time to run. But as he tried to lung out of the monster’s path, his injured leg gave way beneath him. Then, the monster attacked. Time seemed to go in slow motion, as he, unable to do anything, watched the monster hit him. He quickly accepted the fact that was going to die, and felt at peace with it. Reedheart had been saved, he had a loving mate, and he was a father. Life seemed complete. Time returned to normal as pain exploded through his entire body. The fluffy brown tom was sent flying a few tail-lengths into the air, falling back down to the ground with a sickening thud. His ribs on one side were completely shattered and bleeding out rivers of blood, and the back of his head was dented inwards slightly, with more damage under his skull. Even as death was inevitable, he still didn’t feel scared. He never had, and doubted that he ever would in StarClan. He just felt redeemed. He couldn’t imagine the insanity he must have driven his best friend into, but now he had finally made up for it. Though more difficult than usual, he managed to ignore the pain in his side. There was one last thing he needed do do before he left for the stars.
“Reedheart…” he managed to call out, hoping to get his friend’s attention. There was something that he needed to say before he passed away forever. His kits and Sharptooth needed to be told he loved them, as well as Darkflight. Maybe some noble last words would put him right there with the legends. But mostly he wanted the golden tom to know that he didn't blame him in the slightest for his unfortunate death. Paranoia might be caused by that, and that was the last thing anyone should have to be plagued with.

So I bare my skins, and I count my sins, and I close my eyes, and I take it in.

Flickerpaw stopped in her tracks. Time seemed to slow. The rumbling roar of a monster grew louder. Then she saw Shrewheart's legs bunch. "Shrewheart, NO! What are you doing?!" She stepped forward, only to be stopped by Sharptooth(hope it isn't powerplaying but I'd assume that Sharptooth would stop her daughter from going onto the Thunderpath). She stared wide-eyed as Reedheart was flying through the sky, and Shrewheart was attacked.

There was so much blood.

Shrewheart was dying.

Her shriek of agony filled the air. "NO! DAD, SHREWHEART, NO!"

There was no stopping it. Her father was going to die.

And suddenly... the light was gone and he could feel someone pushing him. For a second, he didn't feel anything at all, not even the ground under his paws. And then... pain. The pain of falling on the other side, safe from the roaring monster that crossed the path. Slowly, he tried to lift his head and, even if everything he saw was blurry... he could see the brownish silhouette of his friend lying in a pool of his own blood. He recovered his senses and everything was clear. "NOOO!!" He cried as he stumbled to reach his side, his green covered in tears. This couldn't be happening... not to him. He had a family! Why was he the one that was taken away and not him, who had nothing? "No, no, no, no. Come on, Shrewheart. You gotta get up! I...I can take to the camp and there they can heal you... yes they can... Just... don't die. Not now, not here." He cried, pushing gently his neck. He knew that his hope was in vain but... he couldn't accept this. Shrewheart simply couldn't die, right?

Sharptooth pushed her way triumphantly through the undergrowth. "Hah! I got you!" She purred triumphantly, her eyes bright as she padded lightly over to the two.
"Wh..."

Suddenly, there was blood everywhere.
And in an instant, Sharptooth's world was
gone

"Flickerpaw, get back!" She grabbed the apprentice's scruff to stop her from throwing herself onto the Thunderpath, shock and adrenaline filling her veins. Even as she pushed her way past Flickerpaw, an empty feeling in her heart whispered that it was too late. She pushed it back, gritting her teeth and silently shouting that it was alright, that Shrewheart would be okay.
"Shrewheart... my love..." And suddenly she was by his side, next to the Thunderpath, running her nose through his fur and wincing at the bitter scent of blood.
And suddenly she was crying, her tears mixing with blood.

Shrewheart was dying
and she was powerless to stop it.

If only she had been earlier. If only she had stopped him from going on patrol. If only, if only...

Why were Flickerpaw and Sharptooth suddenly here? Shrewheart could faintly here his daughter's pained cry and felt his mate nuzzle his fur beside Reedheart. His yellow eyes met his friend's gaze, still his usual mischievous glow on his face. Anger and despair were horrible emotions to out down with, so he decided to happiness would be much better. He tried to shake his head as the other warrior tried to convince himself that he could be saved, but the small motion was to much for him to accomplish. Pain like he had never felt before exploded through his head. Death was going to be upon him really soon, so he had to make use of the little time that he had left. Cats needed to be thanked, emotions needed to be fueled, and one cat in particular needed reassurance. And he only had a few more moments to tell the two warriors what they needed to do.
"Tell all my children that I love them," the dying warrior rasped, feeling blood in his mouth. Was the inside of his head bleeding? He needed to keep going for just a little bit longer. "Make sure Darkflight is okay, tell her I love her. I don't think she'll..." Not able to finish, he coughed, blood splattering the black stone beneath him. Just one more thing needed to be said. "If it weren't for my stupid leg injury, I might have lived. Tell the clan my death is RiverClan's fault, use that to motivate you." If time had allowed for it, he might have said more. Everything he hadn't said when he was alive. But the pain in his ribs finally registered. It was way too much to bare. No more thoughts other than the agony filled the warrior's head. This wasn't the kind of pain that he could simply ignore. This was the kind of pain that killed cats. And even though he had to leave life this painfully, at least he was emotionally sound. His body had started spasming, no longer controlled by his mind. The bright yellow his eyes had just been moments before suddenly dulled and became lifeless, and though they were still open, his world went black. He was dead.

And I'm bleeding out, I'm bleeding out for you. Bleeding out for you.

"Welcome to StarClan." Then everything was bright again. Blinking, Shewheart realized he was no longer on the Thunderpath, but now in the starry fields he had seen on his moonstone trip. The pain was now completely gone, and a feeling of freedom pumped though him. His leg was no longer twisted, and his head and ribs were back to normal. The treasured battle scars still covered his body, though few showed through his fluffy pelt that was suddenly well groomed. Looking up, he saw a cat he had not seen in the longest time. As the two brothers made eye contact, a smile crossed both of their faces.
"Peatpaw!" The two of them ran towards each other, suddenly realizing how much they had missed each other. It had been moons since Peatpaw had disappeared, and evidently died. Their reunion was beautiful, even if it was just because they were now both dead. "I've missed you so much!"
"Likewise," Peatpaw agreed, nuzzling his brother's shoulder affectionately. "Now let's go, I'll show you StarClan." The two of them raced up the starlit hills, and toward a new future. Death wasn't just an ending, it was the beginning of something new. And sometimes that wasn't the worst thing. Anyone who saw the happiness the brothers shared would agree.


OOC: Now go give him a funeral!