surrounded on all sides [c]

It was just before sun-high, and although the sky was clear of clouds, a cool breeze still cut through the air, a constant reminder that it would soon get even colder. Muddythorn was highly aware that there weren’t many herbs left growing in the territory, at least ones that would survive the upcoming frost. As long as nothing too terrible happened, they would have enough dried and safe in their stock to make it through leaf-bare, albeit barely. They just couldn’t fall out with any of the other clans, or predators for that matter. Hopefully Bloodstar’s new rules would eliminate at least one of those threats.

Muddythorn spotted Primroselight finishing her meal not too far away. “Mum? D’you want to go on a herb-hunt with me?” He asked. Normally, it was something he could probably do solo, but with less herbs, he’d have to go further away from camp, and (again, because of the new rules) he couldn’t go alone anyways. And it was nice to have company, especially since he’d noticed his mother would probably be going back into the nursery soon.

Primroselight’s head shot up when she heard her son’s call, and quickly replied, “Yes, of course!” She wished her voice could share the same enthusiasm that she felt, but with more frequent patrols and a growing belly, she was almost constantly tired. At least if she was out with Muddythorn she could patrol the borders at a slower pace, whilst the medicine cat searched for herbs.

She hadn’t gotten around to telling many of her clanmates about the upcoming kits, not even Smokefeather. She’d assumed that the two medicine cats had worked it out for themselves, and she’d told Sparrowflight a few sunrises ago. The tom had been eager to meet his new kits, and hadn’t shared any of Primroselight’s doubts: she’d lost too many kits before. She didn’t know if she could lose any more. But with every kit lost, there could be another Muddythorn or Dawnfeather, loving cats who brought so much to their clan.

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Bright leaves crunched underpaw as the two cats padded across the territory, paws and minds set on the far corner near Twolegplace. Primroselight rarely came so near to the tall fence, as the scent always brought back memories of living there, but Muddythorn had been eager to see if any catmint had spread its roots underneath the wooden barrier. The invaluable herb saved lives, especially when it grew colder and green cough set its cold grip around the forest.

Even though the warrior noticed an unusual smell in the air, she didn’t mention it, assuming it was coming from over the fence.

In seasons to come, that would always be one of her biggest regrets.

It would’ve been so easy than to just mention it and move on, to get there in time for him.

But of course, since when was a Skyclan cat that lucky?

Muddythorn walked close to the fence for a stretch, nose close to the ground. He found scent was a much more reliable way to look for herbs, even if his up-close eyesight was fine. Most herbs looked like average plants, anyways. “Mum? This is so strange. There’s a hollow in the fence, I though that Twolegs always fixed stuff like this.” He called Primroselight over, looking confused by the hole. It was big enough for a large cat to fit through comfortably, as long as they ducked their head a little. Curious, Muddythorn poked his head through to look, but quickly pulled back. When he looked, he was met with a dark alley, covered in Twoleg rubbish, a dark barrier between two perfectly manicured nests. Just the sight of it gave him the shivers.

Primroselight was about to firmly tell her son to keep away from there, but clearly he had worked out the danger for himself. “I certainly wouldn’t advise going into Twolegplace unless you’re desperate. Where there aren’t Twolegs there are starving rouges, spoilt kittypets and predators.” She still hated that place. However, at the time, it was either that or be burned alive. “Come on, let’s look a bit further down.” The warrior said, ushering the other cat along. That hole put her on edge as well.

No sooner had they continued their search, the cream warrior’s ears pricked at the sound of pawsteps. There weren’t supposed to be any other patrols in the area, since there usually wasn’t much prey. Bewildered, Primroselight scented the air. Nothing. All she could smell was the stench of Twoleg rubbish from across the fence. Unless it wasn’t from across the fence.

“Muddy watch out! Fox!” She cried, just before jaws clamped around her scruff. The beast shook her with so much force it could kill a kit. Her kits. She hadn’t had to fight whilst expecting before. Don’t let this affect them. Like she had already thought, she couldn’t lose anymore. But that also meant protecting Muddythorn. 

There were times Muddythorn was thankful for his training. This was definitely one of them. Even though he was out of practice, a little skill was better than nothing. He thew himself at the fox, claws unsheathed in his best effort to free Primroselight. The she-cat managed to use the temporary distraction to wriggle away and slash at her attacker's face, trying her best to stand her ground. Teeth marks from the fox were prominent on her neck, the blood warm in her pelt. She could deal with that later. Anyway, if she got too badly injured, she had a medicine cat with her.

The young tom had never seen a living fox up close, only the pelts that the Asylum cats had worn. Even then, he could tell there was something different about it. Its fur was dull and he could see its ribs sticking out. Clearly Twoleg rubbish wasn't the most filling of prey. Rubbish. That's why the two cats hadn't scented it sooner. The scent was masked by the stench.

Together, the two Skyclanners tag-teamed their opponent, the fox beginning to tire. But not before it called back-up. Just as suddenly as her mate, a vixen launched herself out of the bushes, just as eager for a decent meal. Hunger made even the most cunning of animals desperate and stupid. Mother and son fought back-to-back, the trained warrior taking on the fresh enemy. Both sustained new injuries, and the cream warrior's neck still screeched in pain. When the tables began to turn in Primroselight's favour in her own battle (Muddythorn still struggling, breathing heavily but his malnutritioned foe doing much worse), the vixen snapped out desperately, sharp teeth ripping into her shoulder. She cried out in pain, and with one last effort, she slashed out towards the fox's throat. It wasn't quite a fatal blow, but made the vixen stagger away, knowing the battle was lost. Her mate hurried after her, leaving the two cats alone.

Muddythorn was bleeding from a scratch above his eye and a bite on his ankle, but was doing better than Primroselight, who was using all her strength not to collapse onto the floor. It was harder to fight with more weight on her belly.

During the battle, they had moved further away from the hole in the fence, and were now in a small clearing. Panic flared within the warriors when she scented something unmistakeable. Death. "Muddythorn! Are you ok?" She rushed towards her kit, and when she found him alive and well, she let out a breath. He was safe. it was probably just the fox she'd attacked.

"...Mum..." Muddythorn could barely speak. He had glanced over his mother's shoulder, only to be met with stuff of nightmares. "T-thats where the scent's coming from." Sparrowflight. Lying broken and bleeding on the other side of the clearing, his pelt barely recognisable to any cat who didn't know him as well as they did. He ran over towards his father and collapsed next to him. "Dad..." His whisper was barely audible above the blood rushing in his own ears.

"What do you mean? It's probably just the fox." And that was when it hit her. "No no no no no. Sparrow. No no no no. Not today." Her mate. The foxes. Her kits, who'd never meet their father. The sudden shock of it all meant the tears didn't start coming until later. She stood at her son's side, speechless. Before it all got too much, and she lay down beside him. One last time. The scent of death filled her nose, but it was nothing compared to the grief filling her inside. His body was cold with no sign of life left in it. No movement as he breathed, not little twitch of his tail as he dreamed. Nothing.

Muddythorn couldn't accept it. His father wasn't gone. He was just badly hurt, and if he didn't get some cobwebs right now he would bleed out. Cobwebs, Cobwebs. He searched around for them, and came hoping back with a wad of them. "Look, I can fix this. I'm a medicine cat, I'm supposed to be able to fix anything. If I just stop the bleeding, we can get him back to camp. I'll use all our leaf-bare stock if I need to." The tom was hysterical, none of the events sinking in. He was still running on the adrenaline of the fight.

"Muddy... stop. He's gone. We were too late." Every word made Primroselight's heart shatter that much more. "H-help me carry his body back to camp." She didn't know how Dawnfeather would take it. But then again, there was no good way to take something like this.

Muddythorn, Dawnfeather and the kits still growing within her were all she had left of him.

Apart from that, he was just a memory. 

And had become just that far too quickly.