Username: Thunder.Collects
Cat Name: Swiftbird
Gender: Female
Rank: Warrior
Age: 43 Moons
Clan: CreekClanPrompt: (1017 Words)
Her hazel colored eyes filled with tears, reminding her all too much of the one she loved and had lost. The soft ginger fur she loved to nuzzle into, the warm breathe and the sweet scent of her lover was all too familiar in her mind. Swiftbird couldn’t begin to tell you how much she missed Cherrytail, and the pain broke her down again and again as she stood beside the grave of the young and gentle she-cat, buried underneath a cherry blossom tree, as Swiftbird had requested. She closed her eyes as the flashback began.
*The two were bounding through the hills, side by side, tails intertwined, the pair’s laughter floated through the open hillside air. Their love was undeniable, Swiftbird and Cherrytail were never apart except for their clan duties- hunting patrols and border patrols the main cause.
Cherrytail often talked about having kits, not with a tom but with Swiftbird. The two could adopt surely? Swiftbird wasn’t too sure about it, but she wasn’t her mate happy, so why not consider it?*
Swiftbird gritted her teeth and got to her paws, turning her back on the grave with a defeated sigh. She lost her mate, and now there was no one there for her. She didn’t know her parents, Cherrytail was all she had, and now she was gone!
*A few moons after their walk through the hills, they had been hunting in the woods when they came across a wailing sound. Cherrytail, isn’t realizing it was a cat in distress, took off towards the noise with Swiftbird’s brown and white shape following. They came across a pile of bundled fur, all black and white. It looked like a giant mound of fur. While Swiftbird curled her lip is disgust at the unresponsive pile, seeing it as a deceased queen with a litter of kittens at her belly, Cherrytail realized one was still alive, but just barely.
Instantly confused, Swiftbird watched while Cherrytail separated the kitten from the pile, looking down at it with pity and sadness, before murmuring, “Come on, let’s bring her to camp. Maybe we can save her.” Without hesitation, the two rushed to camp, the small and weak kitten dangling in Cherrytail’s mouth.
They rushed into camp, making everyone look up in nervous surprise, expecting an invasion of some sorts, but instead saw the two she-cats with an unfamiliar bundle. Swiftbird waited while Cherryfall rushed into the medicine cat’s den, flicking her tail as curious and suspicious glances were cast her way. She wasn’t that popular among her clanmates anyway, due to her stubborn and defensive personality, so she lifted her head and puffed her chest. Let them figure it out.*
Swiftbird stormed into camp, her tail lashing. It was all too familiar, all too near to her. Even if the Cherrytail has been dead for two moons, it was still a heavy weight on her chest. Her heart was scarred and broken, and she avoided letting anyone in now. She was snappy and protective of herself.
*“Songkit opened her eyes today! They’re a lovely shade of green, so bright and welcoming.” Cherryfall purred, her tail curling in happiness for her adopted daughter. Songkit had survived, but was still sick and being taken care of, though Cherrytail spent a lot of time with the young she-cat, watching over her until it drew Snowheart crazy and she told Cherrytail to go hunting with Swiftbird for the day.
Swiftbird nodded, a little tired of ‘Songkit this’ and ‘Songkit that.’ Wasn’t she still special? Jealousy burned at the she-cat’s heart, though she didn’t want to admit it. Without thinking, Swiftbird snapped, turning on the ginger she-cat instantly, bristling and claws extended.
“What’s so special about Songkit anyway?” She bellowed, tail lashing, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. “We just found her in the woods, and ever since then, you’ve been spending so much time with her. Well.. what about me? I’ve needed you, and you’ve been with her.” Swiftbird accused, meeting Cherrytail’s shocked gaze before frowning in defeat as Cherrytail turned from surprised to angry.
“You think it is all about you, huh? Songkit is our adopted daughter, and you haven’t even cast her a sidelong glance since we found her. She has needed me, she needed us, and where have you been? Complaining about me caring for her while she is getting better. I thought better of you Swiftbird.”
Swiftbird watched in shock and embarrassment as Cherryfall walked away, her ginger fur fluffed up in anger. Tears rushed from Swiftbird watched her go. What was wrong with her? Why was she so obsessive and clingy?
Head and tail drooping, the she-cat returned to camp.
Hours passed and there was no sign of Cherryfall. Two search parties had been sent, neither involving Swiftbird. So far, there was no sign of her mate.
A few more hours passed, as the moon hung against the horizon when the two patrols returned, but something was dangerously wrong. Death hung in the air.
Swiftbird let out a wail of despair, realizing that Cherryfall- her Cherryfall- was dead. The last thing they did before she ran away was argued, and Swiftbird felt defeated and like it was her fault. Was it her fault?
“She was found covered in fox stench.” Koiberry murmured sadly, lowering her head in grief for the grieving she-cat and ginger bundle that Swiftbird now lay around.
A black and white bundle stumbled across the clearing, tears dripping from her eyes. “Cherryfall!” She failed, burying herself in the ginger ear fur. Swiftbird wanted to hiss and chase her clanmates and Songkit away, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She didn’t want to be alone.*
She came face to face with Songkit as she entered the camp, their faces nose to nose, and Swiftbird pulled away, turning her head and glaring at the sky. Songkit wasn’t her kit, she was Cherryfall’s. She didn’t mean anything to her. Yet there was a nagging at her heart as if Songkit was a gift to her and a constant reminder of that ginger she-cat, the one she loved.
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