[ti]Private[/ti]A Final Farewell (Diamondshine's Death)

[Dragon]

The journey was over, the tribe had found their new home well over two moons ago next to the other clans. Once she was Diamond that Shines in Cave but now she was just Diamondshine. During the journey she had lost her daughter Flower Hidden in the Mist to starvation. She hadn't been able to get enough food to feed her own kits. She still had Asterkit, Cloverkit, and Shadekit. Two daughters and a son. And soon they would leave the nursery to begin their training.

Diamondshine began to cough, her whole body racked with pain. She was nothing but skin and bones and her fur hung limply off her skin. Everyone knew she was dying, it was slow and painful. She hated putting her kits through this, especially Asterkit who still blamed himself for Flower's death. She had told him over and over it wasn't but he refused to listen to reason. Diamondshine felt so cold, she hadn't been able to eat for almost a moon other than the tiniest of nibbles. If she tried to eat more than a tiny bite she couldn't keep it down.

That night as she slept something made her wake up, she opened her eyes and felt this need to see the sky one last time. Diamondshine dragged herself to her feet and groaned softly. Slowly she began to stumble out of the Luminous Cavern. Once outside she took a deep breath but it only brought on one of the worst coughing fits yet. Once the coughs finally ended Diamondshine looked up at the stars. "Tonight I join Sun that Sets over Forest and Flower Hidden in the Mist. I don't know if that will be in the Tribe of Endless Hunting that I grew up knowing... or this new Starclan. I'm afraid. What will happen to my kits that still live if I'm not here to protect them? Please don't take me away yet," her voice was barely more than a croak.

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Smokenight lifted her head from her paws when she scented her friend. She got to her paws, stretching each paw in turn before she made her way over to her friend. She had a worry on her face, as she saw how skinny her friend really was. "Diamondshine?" she meowed, as she came closer to her friend.

[Dragon]

Diamondshine continued staring up at the night sky waiting for some kind of reply when she heard the sound of paw steps slowly approaching soon followed by the sound of her name. "Smokenight," she croaked softly. She was glad she wasn't alone. She motioned weekly with her tail for her friend to draw near. "I'm so cold Smokenight, my time is drawing to a close. I need you to promise me something." Diamondshine laid down on the ground no longer having the strength to keep her standing. Her breathing grew shallow, "promise me you'll take care of my kits and watch over them for me please. If I can't be here for them then I want my best friend to be there for them."

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The black smoke queen made her way closer to Diamondshine, and wrapped her tail around her paws. "Yes? What would you like me to promise?" she meowed, gently, her eyes looking into her friend's once more. She listened to her friend and grew very worried.

Smokenight, titled her head, and nodded her head, "I promise," she meowed, to her friend, licking her friend gently.

[Dragon]

Diamondshine could feel her life slowly leaving her, she didn't have much longer. She took in a deep ragged breath which sent her into a coughing fit. As she spot speckles of blood hit the ground and stained her muzzle. Her breathing grew more ragged. Hearing Smokenight promise seemed to lift a weight off of her shoulders. She took in one more ragged breath and whispered in the softest voice. "Thank you." Her eyes closed and Diamondshine breathed only twice more before her body was still.

In the distance two tiny starry shapes approached their mothers body. "Mother wake up, it's time to go." Mewed Flower Hidden in the Mist. Sun that Sets Over Forest nudged their mother and a Diamondshine opened her eyes and yawned stretching. When she spotted her kits she purred happily and began to lick them. "Oh my kits, your here I knew I'd see you again." Together mother and kits padded away from her still body. If Smokenight looked up she would see the faintest outline of Diamondshine walking away with two tiny kits one slightly bigger than the other bouncing around her paws happily.



Asterkit woke with a start. He felt cold and scared, something was wrong. "Mamma?" Getting up he looked around but only saw his siblings. His mothers scent was cold she hadn't been there for a while. He quickly darted out of the nursery following her scent. It led out of the cave that they now called home. As he stepped out he saw two forms in the distance. One was lying on the ground the other was sitting and grooming the other. Asterkit darted forward. "Mamma," a feeling of relieve filled him now that he had found his mother. But as he approached her and Smokenight he had a feeling deep down that something wasn't right. Why didn't his mom call out to him? "Mom?" Asterkit slowed down and stopped at her side. She was so still, she wasn't breathing. His blue eyes widened and he darted to his moms side and nudged her. "Come on mom wake up, Lotuskit and Cloverkit? They're waiting for you back in the nursery." Tears began to spill down Asterkit's face. "Please mom don't leave us to, he cried burying his face in his mothers fur and breathing in her already fading scent and being replaced by the familiar scent of death.

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Smokenight lifted her head when her friend's body went still. When she did she thought she saw an outline of her friend with two other kits.

The smokey she-cat turned when she heard a voice, a kits voice. She let Asterkit go near his mother's body as she was sure he need to for a bit, before she gently, lead the kit away. "She is with your other siblings now..." she meowed gently.

[Dragon]

At the sound of Smokenight's voice Asterkit spun around and leaped at the she-cat with claws out. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT. YOU SHOULD HAVE COME AND GOT ME AND THE OTHERS. YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO SAVE HER." She swiped his tiny clawed paw at the queens muzzle. "SHE NEEDS TO BE HERE NOT ANYWHERE ELSE," tears were streaming down Asterkits muzzle. But rage and hate for Smokenight filled his eyes.

[Deleted]

Smokenight moved out of the way to keep herself from getting scratched. "The medicine cat, wouldn't have been able to save her," she meowed calmly, her head turning away. She didn't take it personally for the kits feeling. He had a right to feel the way he did. The thing she won't let happen is him hurting her for it.