the kill 01 wrote:The air inside of RiverClan’s camp was still and calm, and yet a disturbance still rifted through the camp. Pebblepaw, despite the fresh, evening air, felt as though he could not breathe in the medicine cat den. The young tom rolled in his nest before deciding to get up and sneak past Viperstrike, knowing his mentor would be upset to see him leaving so late. His thoughts were plagued with images of his mother, reliving her death over and over.
He shook his head, as though it would shake the thoughts out of his mind. He sighed, glancing at the camp’s entrance. Perhaps a walk would do me some good, Pebblepaw thought, padding towards the camp entrance. As he made his way out, he heard a voice softly call out from behind him.
“Pebblepaw? Where are you going so late,” the cat whispered, quickly making their way to the apprentice. Pebblepaw turned, jumping slightly at the sudden appearance of his clanmate. He eyed them, before turning back to his original path.
“I needed to clear my head. I keep thinking about Stormclaw, and…” the tom paused, hesitant if it was necessary to talk about his mother. “And how she died.” The conversation came to an uncomfortable halt. Pebblepaw sighed, knowing that this follower would not be leaving him alone. He looked at the cat, wondering what their business was this late.
“And you? Why are you up?” He asked, trying to shift the focus onto them. He looked at them, and even in the dark, could see their face grimacing. A feeling of unease shot through the little cat’s body; he did not feel unsafe per se, but the air had turned sour. A heavy silence fell upon the duo as the other did not answer.
“Do you ever blame yourself for your mother’s death, Pebblepaw?” they asked, stopping and looking at the apprentice. Pebblepaw’s fur spiked a bit, and a wave of anxiety fell onto the tom. He stopped, looking at them as he did not know how to answer the question. His mother’s death? Of course, he blamed himself. She died in battle, and he watched it happen. He had replayed that moment, over and over again, knowing there was something he could have done.
“Of course I do. It’s my biggest regret, it’s a burden to carry,” he sighed, moving his gaze down to his paws. Why were they questioning him on this? His clanmates should’ve known how sensitive this topic was, especially with who he was with now. The latter remained silent, causing Pebblepaw to feel as though it was the wrong answer.
“Why do you ask-?” He asked, looking back up, but was quickly cut off as his midnight partner raised a paw, claws unsheathed. He had no time to react, and their paw fell heavy across his throat. The young tom fell to the forest floor, scarlet blood staining his cream coat. He looked up at his assailant, anguish and hurt clouding his eyes.
They looked at Pebblepaw with pity, “No cat should have to live with that regret, that kind of guilt,” they murmured, crouching down next to the medicine cat. They waited for him to stop moving before cleaning their paws. It was a shame, Pebblepaw held such great potential. But he needed to be put out of his misery.
"Tell Stormclaw I said hello."
The murderer slunk back to camp, settling in their nest as the night carried on.
they killed pebblepaw, your witness! what will you do, riverclan?