The Tale of the Two Friends

Prologue

 * One day there were three kits named Leopardkit, Bramblekit, and Doekit. They were a rambunctious group of kits that were always getting in trouble. One night, they snuck out of the nursery to go the the elders den. They're grandpa, Brindlepelt, was in there. HE was the oldest cat in all the clans and he had great stories to tell. They woke him up so he can tell them the story.


 * "All right." he said after much persuasion, "But it's only this one then its off to bed."


 * The kits nodded vigorously as he started to tell them the story.

The Tale Of The Two Friends

 * "There was once these young tom-cats who were the best of friends. They're names were Brindle, Ash, Raven, Smoky, Splash, and Reed. They would always play games, such as Mossball, Tail-smash, and hide-and-seek. The leaders, Brindle and Ash, were respected and looked up upon in their school-".


 * "Wait, what's a school?" Doekit asked, but Bramblekit gave her a look that told here to just keep on listening.


 * "-even though they were first years."


 * Fast Forward 3 years


 * "Now the group of cats were at their prime, being 4th years and all. Some of the original group left, like Reed and Smoky. But others joined too, like Flame and Snow. They were also joined by 3rd years Yew, Horseshoe, and Leaf. Brindle and Ash were inseparable. They were like brothers. If possible, closer."


 * Fast Forward 2 years


 * "It was a sad day. Brindle just got the news that he would be transferring schools. The whole group was upset, even the three newcomers, Mouse, Hazel, and Shine. But not as upset as Ash. They would spend each and every moment possible together, trying to make up the time that they would never see each other again. Finally, the day arrived. Ash already said his goodbyes, so he wouldn't have to show his grief in public in fear of ridicule. Finally, Brindle's parents arrived to pick him up. As they were walking out, he looked back at the school. He spent 6 years of schooling their, and he would be leaving it all behind for a new school. Tearfully, he followed his parents out of the doors. He would never see most of them again."


 * Brindlepelt paused, looking at the three young kits. Doekit and and Leopardkit had tears in their eyes (Yes, I know cats can't cry), and Bramblekit looked on the verge of tears, too.


 * Fast Forward 2 years.


 * "It was at Flame's party that he say Ash for the first time in 2 years. It was awkward at first, but then they started talking about the old days, and the new days. They had fun for a while, until they had too leave. This time, it was more painful to say goodbye. Because schooling has finished for the both of them, and they are now going they're separate ways, they might never see each other again. Ash left first, and with a last, sad look at Brindle, he walked out the tunnel of the house."


 * Fast Forward 30 years (I know cats cant live that long, lets pretend they do)


 * "Indeed, Brindle and Ash kept in contact for a few years after that, but there was a terrible war that broke out. Yes, the two had been briefly reunited, as they were in the same brigade. But, Ash and his squad were sent into enemy head-quarters. Brindle prowled the den, anxious to hear the news of the squad. Finally the news came back, their was an ambush, and many explosions. There were no survivors.


 * At the end of the war, now Commander Brindle, led a full-forced attack on the enemy. They won, which finished the war. He returned home to his family. But he was suffering from Post traumatic war syndrome, because of the news of his best friend. He never spoke of anything again."


 * Doekit let out a wail. Bramblekit was now crying to. Leopardkit's grief was beyond tears and wailing.


 * Fast Forward 40 years.


 * "Unfortunately, his family sent him to a retirement home, fed up with his silent treatment towards them. But there was something they didn't know. Everyday he thought of the news he had gotten, on that fateful day. He was sent to room 14A, where there was another cat who refused to speak too."


 * He was led into his new room by a volunteer. She said, "There, this is a nice room now, isn't. It has a window and everything. See you tomorrow". And she closed the door. He turned around so he can go on his bed, and what he saw surprised him more than anything. There, watching the Television on the chair, was Ash. He wanted to yell out in joy, but the words didn't come. So he walked around so he was in front of Ash. Ash looked up slowly, trying to focus his eyes on the newcomers face. Slowly his eyes grew rounder and rounder. He got up to, and slowly speech came back to him."


 * "Brindle." he meowed hoarsely. He sounded happy, but his bodily expression wasn't. He looked sick terribly sick, and sad, too. "I'm so sorry you had to come on this day."


 * "''What do you mean? I'm with my best friend that I haven't seen in forty years! I couldn't be happier!"


 * "Look at me!" and for the first time in his life, Brindle was looking at a sobbing Ash, "I'm sick, I'm to sick to live! I'm going to die, the volunteers may not know that I know, but I do." But slowly he started to grin. "The only thing that could make me feel better is your appearance, Brindle. You are my best friend, and I love you."


 * "I love you too, Ash. But don't say that," Brindle started to cry too "You can't die! I'm here with you now!''"


 * "I am going to die, just like you, except your time won't be up for a couple of years, you still look like a fit young tom," they both grinned, "But they're is one thing I want to ask you, one last request."


 * "Anything for you, my friend."


 * "Make my last moments on earth a happy one."


 * "I will, I promise I will! I'll do whatever you ask!"


 * "Thank you, Brindle. You are a true friend. So please, tell me. Tell me about your life. What did you do after the war?"


 * That night, Brindle told Ash, in every detail, everything that happened to him after the war. They were up the whole night, telling him about everything that happened. Slowly, the sun rose. It was a majestic orange in the pinkish-blue sky, with perfect white clouds. It was slowly rising over the perfect snow covered mountains, that lit up the bright green valley right next to it. Slowly, Ash's eyes were falling down.


 * "My kid, Ash, I named him after you, says to me, he says "Darn it dad if you wont talk to any of us why are you still here?" Brindle laughed, along with Ash. "And now I'm here, I've told you everything that happened to me after the war." he looked at Ash's face.


 * "Thank you, Brindle, my friend. Thank you for making my last moments perfect. There is no one I'd rather die next to then you. We've known each other since kit-hood, and now I am seeing you here, at the end of my life. Thank you, you have no idea what this means to me. And I couldn't have died on a more beautiful morning." he flicked his tail at the window, which showed the majestic morning. Brindle looked at it and smiled. He looked back at Ash, but it was too late, his eyes were already closed. Brindle started to cry.


 * "Ash. Ash? Ash wake up, please." he continued for an hour before he finally had to face the truth. Ash was dead. Memories flooded Brindle's mind. Them hiding together as kits, their tearful good-byes when they were 6th years, them meeting together at the party, the war, when he received the news, his family abandoning him here at this home. And now here. He looked at the window, tears clouding his vision.


 * "You were right, as always, Ash. You couldn't have died on a more beautiful day."


 * And Brindle continued to stare at Ash's body until the volunteers came. And, on the day he died, he said, "I'm coming, Ash. I'm coming..."

Epilogue

 * The three kits stared at their grandpa as he was done with the story.


 * "That was a beautiful story Grandpa!" Doekit meowed, wiping tears from her eyes. The three kits had been attentive listeners, crying and gasping and laughing at the right moments.


 * "But it's not true, right?" Bramblekit said, "I mean there was never a war, or schools, or any of that stuff. It's just a life-lesson story, right?" he looked up at his grandpa.


 * "My son, Just because it didn't happen at the clans, doesn't mean it's not real!" and with that, he left the kits thinking about whether the story had been real or fake for the rest of their lives.