Sunset On a Good Day

''Episode 2 of For the Birds. Enjoy!''

Sunset On a Good Day
The Birds.

They hold my body in their talons as I slowly watch others appear - it's one of the other Clans, and whatever they have left.

My blood soaks my back as my body lays under their claws, their knives. Each one stabs me like a gunshot.

Why do I know these words? Rogues, loners, anyone outside of the Clan. They know these words and they know what they feel like. They've seen other animals been killed from these words, these bullets-

I should stop. I know much more about rogues and loners than most cats, and some of that information is dangerous.

I don't know the names of the cats we've picked up. The eagle holding me hostage gets one more - a orange tom named Sunsetpaw. That's a nice name, isn't it? No, not when you're going to die.

He screams as the other cats fade away into the distance, his yellow eyes fixed on a russet shecat. "Blazepelt..." is all he says as she finally leaves our vision.

I want to start a conversation with him, but this pain is too strong. All I can make out is, "My name is Aspenpaw."

He looks at me with those pretty yellow eyes. "Sunsetpaw, though you may have heard my name." He looks at the eagle's talons gripping into my back, and winces at his own, but continues. "I don't know a lot about these Birds."

"Nor do I." I manage a few more words, ignoring my pain as I focus on the conversation.

"Maybe they'll tell us about it."

I suddenly realize how I can't even feel my pain anymore. I don't feel my blood or my spin tingling. I ignore it, I still think I'm numbing. "I don't know."

"I hope they tell us. I don't want to die."

"Me neither."

I analyze his fur and eyes. His fur isn't orange, it's more like a light mix of yellow and orange, creating an interesting color, like the sunset. His paws are a darker orange and his eyes looking more like a sunset yellow. I certainly know why he's called Sunsetpaw.

But I find myself watching him, a weird feeling spreading through me, warm but hurtful at the same time.