Everlasting Love (Stormwind)

Echowhisper cast her gaze over at her sister, pawing at her nest to rotate herself to face Willowheart. “If you did half as good a job on her as you did on me, she’ll be on her paws jumping around by morning,” the friendly she-cat mewed encouragingly, managing a smile at her sister.

Sterlingflight had stayed at Silverwish’s side all night, even after some of the other warriors with less severe injuries had returned to their nests. As the sun rose, the tired tom trembled softly, the deputy not looking much like a part of clan leadership.

Willowheart finally sat back, exhausted. She’d done as much as she could; it was up to StarClan now.

Echowhisper didn’t lift her head while Willowheart labored over Brookwing, but kept her sister company all the same, occasionally quietly mewing a joke or reminiscing with the medicine cat.

In the clearing, Sterlingflight looked up to see the first traces of light blue on the horizon, indicating that soon the sun would be up, and his sister gone for good.

Willowheart returned to working on Brookwing with a deep, shuddering breath.

Eventually, Echowhisper returned to lying in her nest, though she managed to stay awake to keep Willowheart company as she tended to Brookwing.

Oakfoot and Wolfheart each stayed with their respective siblings, the former tom unable to keep from glancing worriedly at his father, Duststorm.

Duststorm eventually laid down, seemingly slightly more at ease than he had been previously.

Rainstar settled herself next to her mate, pressing against his side. Mossflower, Streamfire, Emberleaf, and Blossomsnow all arrayed themselves around the bodies for the vigil, though Streamfire kept sending worried glances at the medicine cat den.

Wolfheart sat with his tail curled around his paws. The entire clan had turned out for the vigil, as death had touched the lives of just about every cat in the clan on that day. Sadly, the tom turned his glance to Olivewhisker, remembering the time he had shared in the apprentice’s den with her. She was my first crush, he thought sadly.

Duststorm brooded over the bodies of clanmates he could not see, a grim frown on the Tom’s face as he sat there silently.

Sterlingflight eventually looked up from his sister’s body, looking for his kits and his mate.

Willowheart hiccuped as she sobbed, letting out all her grief for the cats that had died, but mostly for her mentor.

Sterlingflight looked weak, the tom still pressing his nose against Silverwish’s cold body.

Echowhisper frowned before snuggling closer to Willowheart, the wounded she-cat sighing softly between licks as she tried to calm the medicine cat down.

Willowheart started to cry, her tears soaking into her fur.

Echowhisper allowed her sister to lean on her even though she was a little unsteady herself.

Willowheart practically wilted at her words, the reminder that her mentor was dead, and buried her face in her fur.

Echowhisper began to rasp her tongue soothingly over her sibling’s pelt, sharing tongues with Willowheart. “I’d rather you be taken care of than not. The clan needs you, especially right now!”

Willowheart huffed at her. “You could have your wounds start bleeding again, they’ve only just started healing.”

“A few pawsteps won’t hurt,” The she-cat retorted, stumbling over to her sister and leaning heavily on the other she-cat.

Willowheart startled at the sounds of movement and whirled around. “Echowhisper!” She squawked. “You shouldn’t even be moving!”

Echowhisper rolled to her paws, managing to stand on shaky legs and begin to walk over to her sister. The characteristically empathetic she-cat couldn’t bear to just lie down and do nothing while Willowheart was in so much distress.

Sterlingflight was murmuring some words to his sister as he laid at her side, nose pressed into her pelt.

Willowheart took a deep, shuddering breath, ears flattening, trying to calm herself.

Mossflower nuzzled her mate.

Echowhisper was shocked as the deaths of the day were read off, the She-cat pinning her ears back. She noticed the especially strained way that Willowheart murmured her mentor’s name, and she almost stood up to comfort her sister. “I’m so sorry, Willowheart...”

Duststorm dipped his head solemnly as he was informed. It made him even more grateful that his entire family had pulled through, the tom licking Mossflower’s cheek.

Willowheart hesitated. “We did, but.. Splashflower, Brackenspots, Olivewhisker, and,” her voice broke slightly, “Silverwish died.”

“Splashflower, Olivewhisker, Brackenspots, and Silverwish,” Mossflower murmured, sad green gaze on the bodies.

Echowhsiper took a deep breath, managing to lift her head up to look around the den. “Did we win...?” The she-cat asked groggily, her constant drugged state meaning she didn’t easily process the obvious cues that they had.

In the clearing, The clan circled around the bodies of the fallen. Sightless, Duststorm asked his kin “Who is laying out here right now?” The Tom’s question Came as a quiet, sensitive mew.

Sterlingflight pushed his face into Silverwish’s cold pelt, the deputy unable to contain his emotions anymore, and sobbed against his sister’s limp form.

Willowheart briefly glanced over at Echowhisper when she heard her moving but kept her attention focused on Brookwing’s unconscious and barely clinging to life form.

Duststorm couldn’t help but purr loudly as he felt a fourth cat join in the snuggling. That could only be his daughter, and from that he knew his family was safe at least.

Echowhisper turned over and tossed fitfully in her nest before finally giving in and opening her eyes, seeing Willowheart working over Brookwing.

Mossflower gently drew her tongue over his ear. “So am I.”

Blossomsnow bounded up to join in on the comforting cuddle.

Sterlingflight realized that the full reality of their situation hadn’t set in for him until he saw the number of bodies laid out in the clearing. I can’t remember a time where more than one cat died at once in the past…

Duststorm had been lead back to camp by Mossflower. When Oakfoot finally saw his parents, his father’s good eye covered but the tom still alive, he ran up to them and buried his face in Mossflower’s fur. “I’m so glad you two are alright!” The young tom mewled, shaking as if he was a small kit who had just woken up from a nightmare.