Post by Near on Apr 27, 2017 11:28:05 GMT -7
The cry carried over the area. Over the roar of the monsters, the marsh plains behind them and through the forest on the other side of the path. It went into his being, into his bones, past sinew and tissue and into his heart. An answering cry of pain left his own throat, catching in his lungs and coming out more as a roar than anything else. His eyes stung with building tears and his whole body shook, but nothing compared to what was happening to the she-cat beside him.
Her wail had been all the more painful because he'd never heard Snowfeather utter a sound above a whisper, but the shaking, gasping cries were anything but quiet as she pulled her sister off the Thunderpath. His ears ringed with the young cat's grief and his own palpitating heart as he followed, standing between the crushed body of his former apprentice and the dark road. He nudged his head beneath the flattened flank of Whispersong, trying to lift her from the ground.
"Leave her alone!" Snowfeather spat, her white fur bristling. "Don't touch her! I can do it by myself!"
"Snowfeather..." Frostlion said in a husky voice, raising his head to look at the young warrior. Shadows played in her contorted visage. Pain, grief and terror all vying for control of her expressions. With the last few rays of sunlight he could make out the desperate glint in her watery eyes. "You won't do this alone." He finally stated after a moment. With that, he bent once more to push against the stiffening body of Whispersong. Yet before his large muzzle could press up against her he felt the sharp sting of claws.
Frostlion's heavy mane bristled as he hissed. "What--"
"I said leave us alone!"
Snowfeather's voice was shrill now, bordering on a scream. "I can take care of her! She'll be fine! I can get Hollynight to fix her. Everything will be fine!"
"Snowfeather!" He didn't yell, didn't even raise his voice, but it was strong enough to halt her babbling. The she-cat's words caught on a sob as she bent over her sister. The fast rumbling of a monster was approaching them, but neither cat moved. They could feel it under their paws, in the rattling of their bodies. It wasn't coming for them.
It passed them by with a loud swoosh and slap of wind, yet still neither cat moved. Frostlion watched silently over the two cats he'd loved as his own, his own grief curdling deep in his chest and threatening to spill. But he couldn't allow himself that just now, not when Snowfeather was broken and in need of his guidance.
The deep rumble under his paws began once more. "Snowfeather," he said again, this time softly. The she-cat didn't move nor did she stop crying, but she did not interfere when he closer to the fallen warrior and nudged her frame over his back. The mourning she-cat helped accommodate her sister over the large tom's back and for a moment she could pretend that Whispersong was merely sleeping and that Frostlion was picking them up to take them to their nests, just like he'd done so many moons ago when they were younger.
"Let's go, we need to set up a vigil." His deep mewl took her from her memories and new tears pooled in her eyes but she nodded, silent once more.
With one last look at the place where her sister had left her she turned to follow after the former leader, the thundering of the passing monster drowning out Frostlion's roaring cry.
ooc; done with Lone 's permission of taking charge of her characters. It's been a while since I wrote so it probably doesn't read as smoothly as it should. Still, anyone's welcome to join, although I'm not sure how long this thread really needs to be.