Emberspark knew the saying
curiosity killed the cat. He just didn’t imagine it would be true.
Smoke seemed to be eternally hovering over SkyClan territory. Orange, yellow, red, and strangely even blue, danced among their territory in the shape of spindly flowers. He knew now it was a fire. But it didn’t come that close to ShadowClan territory, and no one had ever told him how fires worked. Tales of destruction and death were spun around his ears, but he didn’t believe something so pretty could be so deadly. The tabby wanted to charge in, see for himself. Still, Emberspark hesitated over crossing the border, dilemma in his mind.
I shouldn’t be doing this... but I want to know.The decision was made for him at a whimpering sound.
Someone who needs help! Any doubt in Emberspark’s mind was erased as he crossed the border in a leaping bound. The whimpering continued, growing louder as he neared the source. A sudden tree crashed down deeper into the forest, near the sound’s source, and the pitiful noises grew into howling like that of a dog. The tabby flew over trees, stumbling around brambles, until he reached the sight of the fallen tree. It was still flaming, the beautiful but deadly red spires creeping closer and closer to a large, crouching, dark brown shape. As Emberspark approached, he realized the situation: the cat was trapped underneath the tree that had fallen, fire growing closer every second.
The cat lifted its head as the ShadowClan warrior approached, ears flicking forwards and up.
“Stay there,” he grunted.
“I can get you out.” He moved forwards, towards the cat, ears flat against his skull, away from the heat. The cat’s haunches started to wiggle experimentally and it suddenly lunged forwards, large pointed teeth nearly catching Emberspark’s ear. Jumping back in surprise, the tabby squinted. Disguised by the bright flames, the dark catlike silhouette had tricked him.
This was not a cat.
It was a dog.
Now that he reached for it, Emberspark could smell the rancid stench of Twoleg wreathing around the dog - and the dog scent itself. Curse this fire for disguising the dog with smoke and flames. At least it was trapped under the branch… He hated leaving it to die, but surely the dog would attack given the chance. Emberspark couldn’t risk that. He started to back away, eyes fixed on the dog. It regarded him for a few seconds more with dark, brooding eyes. Suddenly, it lunged forwards again, in a flurry of muscular limbs, claws, and teeth. The dog’s haunches were still pinned under the flaming tree, and the fire was moments away from reaching it. Emberspark winced and jumped backwards from the attack. The flames started to devour the tree. In a final, desperate move, the dog reared up and then drove its front paws down, slamming its hind legs in the air. The move jostled the tree up, and in that second, the dog was able to duck out of the flaming trap.
Eyes wide with panic, Emberspark turned, preparing to flee - up a tree, into his own territory,
anything. The dog pursued, flat tail wagging even in the face of the burning forest around them. The tabby was not used to the SkyClan terrain, familiar with deep marshes. He vaguely knew the direction of the border and scrambled away from the dog, who was getting closer and closer every minute. Panting in the rancid smoke, Emberspark began to cough, lungs growing weaker due to the smoke. The dog seemed to have no such problem and gained speed, flying over roots and branches. Emberspark was beginning to tire, but the border was close.
Just another minute… A branch suddenly snapped on the tree above them, falling down right into Emberspark’s path. He tried to duck, but it ended up falling on top of his shoulders, making him stumble. That was enough for the dog, who slammed straight into Emberspark’s body, shoving him against the ground. Slavering jaws snapped again and again at his fur. The ShadowClan tabby was trying to fight, but between his injuries and smoke inhalation, there was not much of a chance for him to get out of this situation. The dog’s jaws began to catch less fur and started to find flesh. Emberspark had known pain before, in fights, but not like this. Clan cats didn’t try to kill opponents. Dogs did, or at least this one. He cried out in pain as teeth sank in behind his shoulder, opening a large gash. The dog lifted it’s huge head and grabbed Emberspark’s scruff. The wounded warrior was unable to do anything to resist the huge brute, and was suddenly shaken around by the dog. He was dropped in a bramble bush that was somehow still intact, thorns piercing his pelt. He barely noticed the pain.
The dog padded towards Emberspark, head held high in victory. It wouldn’t have needed to sink claws and teeth into the vital part of the neck that it did to kill him. But it did anyway. He was too weak to even cry out as the jolting pain rippled through his body and his neck snapped. Slowly, in such a contrast to the deaths he’d imagine (going down like a martyr in a fight, anything with others, really), his breathing stopped. His head lolled back. His paws batted out as a muscular reflex, as if they didn’t know that he was dead. His eyes glasses over and he relaxed into the thornbush, where the fire was beginning to spread. The body would never be found, turned to ashes as it was. The dog sniffed the air a few times as a Twoleg yowled out, barely heard over the flames. It grunted and raced away, leaving the body of Emberspark to burn.
