Dimming Twilight

Chapter One
"I ask my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has learned the warrior code and given up her life in the service of her Clan. Let StarClan receive her as a warrior. She will be known as Rainsong."

Rainsong's bleeding face was swathed in cobwebs, and her throat was still pouring blood onto the moss of her nest in the medicine den. Two of her paws were twisted, and both of her ears were torn. Her tail was ragged and patchy, but her belly was healing.

Twilightstar stepped back from the body, and let Stormflight and Pebblecloud into the medicine den. The two buried their noses in their daughters fur, and Firepelt barged her way in, letting out a strangled cry and flinging herself down next to her former apprentice's body.

"I'm sorry!" sobbed Firepelt into the bloodstained pelt. "I'm sorry we couldn't have had a better relationship, Rainsong, I'm sorry!"

Pebblecloud gently licked the ginger warrior's head, before closing his eyes and letting his daughter's scent bathe him for what he believed to be the last time.

Nightfire moved forward with rosemary clamped in her jaws, and began to cover the fading taint of death with the herbs.

"Did you hear? Did you hear!" an excited voice cried. "Killer lost a life!"

The seventh word was the only thing to penetrate Rainsong's brain. Her drowsy eyes opened, and her heart slowly began to beat again. Stormflight, who was whimpering into her daughter's fur, couldn't detect the steady beat, but Pebblecloud, who was silent despite the tears running down his face, heard the small and quiet beat. He leaped up.

"She-she-she," he stammered. "Rainsong!"

Rainsong blinked open her eyes, and Nightfire sighed in content.

"Littlepaw! Littlepaw, she's alive!"

The cream apprentice dashed out of the herb store, in which she had quietly been sniffling, and gave a cry of joy.

"Rainsong!"

"You're a warrior, dear," Stormflight sniffed.

Rainsong wasn't able to croak a word, but Twilightstar dashed in after hearing Nightfire's cry. The leader beamed.

"Guess I can't take back your name now that you're alive," joked Twilightstar. Rainsong gave a weak smile, and rested her head back down on the moss as her mother licked her face, rasping her tongue over the scars that were still gently oozing.

"Oh, Rainsong!"

"...smother....me...." choked out Rainsong as Pebblecloud and Stormflight licked her furiously.

The two laughed, but Stormflight's eyes darkened.

"I'm going to murder Hazelcclaw at the next Gathering," she vowed, flexing her claws and tearing up a portion of Rainsong's nest.

"Mother," protested Rainsong feebly. "Stop!"

"Oh, my little dear," trilled Stormflight. She ran out into the camp.

"Rainsong is alive!"

Chapter Two
Coming Soon!