The Kill wrote:the killer crept into the medicine den, brambles brushing
down their spine. the snow stopped right at the entrance,
making way for the dimness of the medicine den at night.
herbs were stacked and sorted neatly, and the moss nest
was occupied by the lean, white-dappled medicine cat.
her sides rose and fell steadily, paws and ears twitching
every once in a while as if dreaming.
the killer had been paranoid. earlier that day, applesnow
had watched them return to camp after finishing lemonleaf
off. they didn’t think she had said anything - they hoped,
with all of their cold heart, that she hadn’t. and if they got
their way now, she wouldn’t.
the standing cat glanced around. they couldn’t wait anym-
ore. they were getting impatient, nervous. the feeling of
power immediately before and during the murders made
them more confident than normal, but something didn’t
seem right.
applesnow twitched, mumbling incoherently in her slumber.
her eyes darted under her eyelids. the killer took one last
look at their medicine cat before unsheathing their claws
and slowly moving her head as to not awake her. as quick
as a snake, they sliced across her throat. red blood poured
from the wound and stained the moss. in the dark, it looked
black. applesnow’s green eyes flew open, wide like an owl’s.
they suddenly sloped and her expression seemed oddly resi-
gned, maybe like she had expected to be next. she looked at
the cat and then squeezed her eyes shut, trying to let her
body relax. it was her time, she seemed to say.
the high quickly wore off. the killer shuffled their paws, rapid
breaths beginning to stabilize.
movement alerted them of someone’s presence. the killer st-
umbled back slightly, fur bristling. who was there? wasn’t
applesnow dead?
a little head poked out behind the body. cypresskit. he sniffed,
catching the metallic tang of blood. he wasn’t mature enough
to recognize it, but it apprised him to the fact something was
wrong. “applesnow?” he chirped quietly. she had been taking
care of the two kits after their parents and caimantooth had
been killed. they almost always slept in her den. the perpe-
trator had almost forgot.
shadows enveloped the killer, inside and out. they emerged
from the physical ones after a long moment, approaching the
dark ginger kit. “cypresskit,” they whispered as soothingly as
possibly, “applesnow needs to sleep. i need you to follow me.
it’s a game, isn’t that fun?” a game wasn’t anything new to
the cat. everything was one big game, and they were deter-
mined to
come out on top - after all, they had gotten pretty close, with
all things considered.
cypresskit perked up a little. “a game? okay!” he got to his li-
ttle paws, skirting the still-warm body of applesnow. he stood
at the killer’s paws, gaze tipped up and shining in the darkn-
ess.
“follow me, alright?”
“of course!” cypresskit squeaked. he bounced after his clanm-
ate, excitement peaking as they left camp. “whoah, we’re
leaving camp? i’m not supposed to do that...”
“that’s the game!”
the kit seemed satisfied with that answer. he continued walk-
ing, making animated observations.
"where are we going?"
"you'll see," the killer replied.
"are we there yet?"
"no."
"what about now?"
"no." the killer swung their head back to look at cypresskit,
giving him a withering look. he paused for a moment, deterr-
ed. he opened his mouth after a while, but the killer slapped
his face with their tail. "by the fires, please shut up!"
cypresskit sniffled, slowing down. "this game isn't fun!"
they had gotten far enough from camp. the cat huffed and
grabbed him by his scruff, carrying him as they walked at a
faster pace now. cypresskit wailed and squirmed.
thank blazes, we're at the cave! i can't deal with this kit any
longer. a little jauntily, the cutthroat trotted into the family's
cave dwelling. they dropped cypresskit, who proceeded to tu-
mble
overdramatically and then get to his paws. the cat wrapped
their tail around him to prevent escape.
"aramis! get me mother right now!" they demanded, sending a
black cat running. he came back, panting slightly, with the big
scarred molly.
"thunderclanner," she purred, "welcome back. that was quick,
hmm? and who's this?"
the dark ginger kit trembled, eyes previously fixated on the
fire now moving to mother.
"cypresskit," said the killer, moving their tail. "i think you mi-
ght recognize him. take a look."
mother examined him, moving her head to see every inch of
his pelt. she scented the tabby kit, then thinking for a second.
she snapped her head back up to look at the thunderclan cat,
blind eye making her gaze all the more intimidating. cypress-
kit shuddered. "ralph?" she breathed.
the killer nodded. "his name was paleflash in thunderclan -
until i killed him. he was one of my first kills, coincidentally."
mother stared at cypresskit. the cat could tell something was
going on inside of her, but no emotions played out physically,
whether on her face or with a swish of her tail.
"whoah, him?" aramis whispered.
"what are you still doing here?" mother roared, smacking his
face with unsheathed claws. he stumbled back and rather
pathetically cried, "my face!"
"get away, imbecile! go find your stupid friends! you're bann-
ed from warming yourself by the fire for a week!"
"okay, okay! may the flames warm you and fill your belly,
mother!" he hurtled away.
"hmph." mother reduced her snarling look and turned back to
her grandkit and the thunderclan cat. "so, have you brought
this little kit just for me?"
"of course. i thought you'd like him."
"i wanna choose! i wanna go back home!" cypresskit bawled.
mother ran a claw gently under his chin. he swallowed, sha-
king but not speaking. "a feisty one. how unlike that pathetic
waste of breath ralph was." she sent a glance at the killer. "i'll
take him. perhaps this one will be worth my fire and time."
your second pair, thunderclan! watch out!
