Fast Asleep {Open death topic}

"Spotfur... Spotfur!"

Scorchclaw shook the scarred elder with a large paw. Within his chest, his heart thumped out an ominous rhythm. Spotfur lay curled in his nest, his eyes shut. While the fluffy deputy had initially thought that the other tom was merely asleep, that assumption had been quick to crumble as time passed. No matter what he said or did now, Spotfur remained unresponsive. His spotted pelt was cold to the touch, as if all heat had died beneath his skin. And it had. Scorchclaw had been alarmed initially; now, he was desperate. "Not you too..." He hissed through gritted teeth, as he lowered his head.

He knew--he really did. Spotfur would never open his eyes again. He just didn't want to believe it.

Plopping down beside the nest, Scorchclaw took a moment to steady his breathing. The Elder's Den was empty. There was no one present to witness his grieving. His gaze dark with despair, he directed it yet again into Spotfur's nest. Even now, he really did look like he was sleeping. That was how peaceful the expression on his face was. Why? He was young, barely any older than Scorchclaw was. Apart from the injuries he had suffered, he had not had any health conditions. Supposedly, that was. Goldeneye would probably know the reason he had passed away. Just how much did Spotfur have to go through? At a young age, he had been severely crippled and forced into retirement. Did StarClan have to take even his life? Apparently they had felt the need to.

The clan had to know. One hazy thought sharpened into focus. Spotfur had family, friends. They needed to know what had happened to him. As Scorchclaw slowly stood, however, an ache seized his heart. They had no idea. The moment he stepped outside with Spotfur's body, what would he see? In a flash, he would change their expressions into ones of horror and grief. It had to be done, though; it still had to be done. His paws were all too heavy as he bent down, jaws closing around Spotfur's scruff. He heaved the spotted tom out of the moss's clasp, grunting as he did so. He dragged Spotfur past the den's exit, into the center of the camp.

"RiverClan!" He cried out, once he had set the body down, "Spotfur is dead!"

Heronflight was standing in the middle of camp when he heard Scorchclaw.  Shock ran through his body as he realized that his friend, Spotfur, was dead.  ”What in the world...” Heronflight thought as he walked up to Spotfur’s limp body.  ”May StarClan light your path, old friend.”

His words were clear and loud. There was no doubt of Scorchclaw's word... yet Silverfang didn't want to believe it. The scarred warrior stood up from her warm spot over a rock and she looked at the deputy dropping a body. Her vision was blurry and everything felt numb. The senior warrior slowly approached the centre of the camp, unable to hear the chattering of her fellow clanmates. It was like the whole world had disappeared and there were only her and the empty body.

When she finally was a whisker away, she saw his face. And everything crumbled down.

My kit... my beautiful son...

Silverfang was in shock as the realization stroke her like a monster of the Thunderpath. Her odd eyes looked at her face, one who seemed to be merely sleeping, lost in the dreams' realm. The broken-hearted mother lowered her head and pressed her head into the fur of his neck, nuzzling it softly in an attempt to hear a heartbeat or just an exhale of breath. But there was nothing but coldness. Pain filled her chest and she let out a loud cry of sorrow. "NO!" Her eyes burned and tears soon started to fall over like a cascade. Her legs, trembling, couldn't hold her body any longer and she just fell on the ground, putting her front paws over him in a protective way. Memories of his kit returned to her... the day he was born, the moments they spent together in the nursery while she raised him, the fights they had when he was an apprentice, the day he became a warrior, the patrols they shared together... all those memories flooded her mind, bringing up more tears and sorrow. All of those moments were gone forever, like his son. No mother should live more than her kits, yet, here she was, witnessing how her son had joined Starclan before them, just like Sootwhisper, Thistleblaze, her sisters and the rest of her kits... "Come on... you can't go... come back to me, sweetie... please... I'm begging you..." She cried softly, unable to control herself. This was her fault, she kept repeating to herself. She trained Shade, the cat who maimed him, who left weaker forever. Because of her failure as a mentor, she had lost everyone she loved and there was no way she could ask for forgiveness anymore. But there was something she could still do...

Her tail's fur bristled as she curled herself, embracing her son. This time, the anger and sorrow mixed together as she unsheathed her claws, letting out a frustrated hiss. In front of my son's corpse... I swear to Starclan that I will not rest until I finish the mess I started... I swear, Spotfur... I'll kill the cat who maimed you... the cat that I trained myself to be the monster he is now... I won't let them destroy more lives... I'm sorry...

"RiverClan! Spotfur is dead."
Scathing frost clambered onto her heart, delving with unrelenting spite into Featherpaw's wretched chest. A glacial cascade pummeled down with remorseless force, seizing her throbbing heart with a bitter chill. A biting stab had pierced into her, paralysing her entire figure. The air had been fractured, shattered. She couldn't move.
Something was scratching at her eyes. Dryness slithered into her sight, and the universe began to pulse. Blinking, blinking. A light, thumping everywhere. Drizzles of dazzling speckles shrouded her vision.

Father.
No.
He's not-
How could I be-?
I'm not his daughter.
I'm not his daughter.
He's not my father.

I don't need a father.
Fathers don't abonden their daughter.
He abondened me.
He left me.

He's dead.
He's gone.
Alone.
I'm alone.
I'm forgotten.
I have nobody.

But he was nobody.
Nobody.
Nobody to me.

I'm strong.
I'm powerful.
I'm me.

I don't need anyone.

...
..
.

But then - why do I feel broken?