Round 4

[Willowbreeze]

"Alright, let's get out of here!" Bounding away with the RockClanners, the undergrowth thinned and she was able to pick up speed. Maybe they would escape safely this round. Looking back at the two, a glint of hope shone in her gaze. "Guys, I think we might actually make i-"

Snap!

Willowbreeze felt the sharp coil of wire immediately tighten around her neck, making her gasp as he cut off her air supply. She had walked right into one of the twoleg's traps. Looking around frantically, she tried to find the stick to start digging it out, but there was no stick this time. Her lungs still weak from the fire, she tried to cough and breathe but the noose was getting tighter, and she was beginning to suffocate. I can't breathe! CloudClan, help me!

[Ibiswing]

Ibiswing smiled, limping slightly on her stinging forepaw as she ran. It wasn't deeply cut in the least, but it was a minor annoyance for the time being. She jogged up to Cloudbreeze and Willowbreeze. "Yeah, I think we've outsmarted those stupid Two-"

Snap.

It wasn't her this time, but she thought it was for a moment, and braced herself for the sharp sting. But it didn't come, and she turned to find Willowbreeze with a wire tight around her neck. Her eyes widened. "W-Willowbreeze, no!" She wasn't going to die, was she? She couldn't die! Desperately, Ibiswing lunged forward and tugged at the wire with her teeth, but it wouldn't loosen.

Ibiswing couldn't take it. These deaths were not sacrifices, they were lives being stolen. She swallowed and padded heavily forward, and laid her muzzle on Willowbreeze's side. She stayed silent for a moment, wondering if she'd burst into tears if she tried to speak. "Th-thank you... for saving me. You barely even knew me, but you saved me..." She trailed off, her shoulders shaking.

[Cloudbreeze]

Guys, I think we might actually make i-

Snap!

Cloudbreeze thought it may be her last breath this time, but nothing happened to her. She opened her eyes, turning her head. Willowbreeze was caught in the trap, obviously struggling. She let out a small cry, dashing back over. She tried to dig into the ground, but it was too hard and sun baked for her to dig in. She shook her head, tears flowing onto her face.

"No, Willowbreeze, you can't die. You won't die. Come on, please, don't leave us..."

[Willowbreeze]

Tears brimmed in her eyes, by the grimaces on her new companions' faces, she knew she was going to die. She closed her eyes, the pain of the wire cutting into her neck and her lungs screaming for air was too much as the seconds went by. Memories flashed back of in the nursery with Spottedkit and Badgerkit, visits from Redpaw and Icefang and training with then as she aged. Meeting Dust, her first love. Taking on Sparrowpaw as an apprentice and watching her become the magnificent warrior she is now.

A minute went by that felt like a moon, she opened her blue eyes one last time before her heart slowed, beating slower, and finally stopped.

[Ibiswing]

Ibiswing straightened up as she felt Willowbreeze's body stiffen, and suddenly she was hit with a strange pain, one that almost felt physical. Her face crumpled into a grief-filled grimace, and she closed her eyes tightly. "You... you can't die, Willowbreeze," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "We were going to be a team, you and Cloudbreeze and I. Come back." The she-cat opened her eyes, hoping for a moment that she'd see a shimmering warrior-spirit climbing up to the stars, but all she saw was a milky-gray sky and a canopy of trees. The Twoleg footsteps were gone by then.

She nudged Cloudbreeze with a heavy heart. "Let's go. There's nothing more to see here," she murmured.

[Cloudbreeze]

Cloudbreeze watched as her new friend died, her eyes wide with disbelief. No, Willowbreeze was not dead. She was just dreaming. Yes. All of this was a dream. Every dead cat was still alive, sleeping in their nests in their camps. No one was dead. No one was dead. No one was dead ...

"Wake up, Willowbreeze. It's just a dream. No one is dead. You aren't dead. Get up, it's time to go."

Cloudbreeze prodded the she-cat in the side, feeling a cold pelt. No she wasn't dead.

"Willowbreeze! Wake up! It's time to go! This isn't funny! You aren't dead, I know you aren't!"

Cloudbreeze fell down, sobbing on the ground beside the dead cat. She felt a nudge, looking up at Ibiswing.

"She isn't dead, Ibiswing. She's still alive. She's just pulling our legs. This is all a dream. We can't leave her ..."

Something in her body made Cloudbreeze stand, following Ibiswing sadly.

[Falconwing]

Falconwing slithered out of his bush as he heard the Twolegs walk away. He looked behind him as he walked, hearing a faint sobbing. The tom quickened his pace before stopping completely, seeing Willowbreeze laying on the ground, strangled to death by a silver vine like thing. Falconwing held his breath, seeing the others begin to walk away. The tabby ran up to the body of the she-cat and lowered his head.

"May you find peace in Cloudclan," Falconwing whispered, remembering Crimsonsky's own death. The tabby stared at the limp body of the she-cat before turning around. He began to follow the others, his head hanging down in sorrow.