A Single Mistake [Aurelia's Death]

The day was warm as Aurelia padded from camp. She needed to get out, get some fresh air. Get... Away from the crowds. Bringing back some prey wouldn't be unwelcome, she thought, and would make up for her brief absence from camp well enough. As she walked, she let her mind wander. This forest wasn't home and still didn't feel like it, despite the roots she had put down with a mate and kits. It would have to do, though, and there was a massive, soaring oak that almost reminded her of home.

Catching the scent of squirrel, Aurelia was quick to leap into the branches, steadily making her way toward the gray-furred thing sitting in the higher branches. Higher she moved, and it seemed today was not her lucky day. The squirrel wandered into higher branches, and suppressing a growl, Aurelia decided to go after it.

Higher she climbed after it, determined to catch her target. Until a loud crack split the air. Aurelia leaped for the next branch, very nearly losing her balance in the process. Heart in her throat, she stared at the branch she had just leapt from, the crack now visible where her hind paws had just stood.

That had been close. Too close. Aurelia turned her gaze skyward, glaring at the squirrel once more. A moment to collect herself, to recover from the surprise of nearly being dumped to the forest floor below was all she needed. Aurelia's muscles bunches and she leaped upward, claws just grazing the branch she aimed for.

She had misjudged. That was all Aurelia had time to think as she struggled to twist, to alter her trajectory enough to land on her feet. But she was much too far from the ground for that.

Too far, and then too close, the ground rushing up to meet her with horrifying speed. Aurelia felt the impact, the roaring in her ears drowning out the sound it must have made as pain shot through what she thought was her back. It was all consuming, and rattled as she was from the fall, she couldn't seem to find her paws as her vision began to fade. Her breath rattled painfully in her chest, and Aurelia was dimly aware of what that meant as blood bubbled up into her throat. She tried to swallow and choked, gasping. She must've broken ribs, they must've punctured something important.

Her vision continued to dim, the air in her lungs growing harder and harder to find as her breathing slowed. It wasn't long before her chest stopped moving, and her twitching limbs fell still.

Aurelia is dead.