Separating (o)

[Ibiswing]

Ibiswing's spirit moved from her body smoothly. As the invisible part of her that governed her heart and mind peeled gently away from her physical being, she suddenly felt transcendent and at peace with the world. Her life had been long and prosperous- her only regret was the Games, but it did not matter now. Everything was over.

While she rose from the earth and soared toward the sky, she remembered everything that had ever happened to her with sharp clarity. Birth, growing up, her life in RockClan, and death. And then, she looked down, though not exactly, since she had neither head nor eyes nor body. She looked down in a figurative sense, and as if in a dream, the image of Cloudbreeze scurrying up a tree and a branch falling beneath her flickered in her mind. No! she wanted to scream, as her friend's lifeless body fell beside her own, but there was no way to voice it.

Ibiswing opened her eyes. She was lying in a lush meadow, with the sun beating down on her at a perfect temperature. Rabbits and voles bounded through the grass, and birds chirped in the sky. The RockClanner shook her head numbly, feeling on her neck for a wound, but there was none. She stood up and felt her legs' strength, youth and vitality restored to them. Despite all this, everything around her was covered in a strange, unearthly sheen, and seemed to be studded with stars. Ibiswing glanced down at her paws, which were being orbited by small, starry bursts of silvery light.

"Cloudbreeze!" she cried desperately, breaking into a run. She knew then, with a sickening sureness, that her Clanmate was dead.

[Cloudbreeze]

until death do we part . . .

Cloudbreeze couldn't remember a thing. She felt darkness around her. The last thing she remembered was falling and feeling her eyes close. But ... her eyes weren't closed at death ... were they? She couldn't remember. In the distance, the gray and white tabby heard a voice calling out. It sounded like Ibiswing. But, Ibiswing is dead. Surely I am not dead ... am I? Why won't my eyes open? Suddenly, brightness flooded her gaze, just like a kit at birth. The she-cat's eyes took a few moments to adjust until she was staring at the sky. Giving a sigh, she closed her eyes again. So, she wasn't dead. That was good. She got up, expecting to feel an ache. But, there wasn't the familiar ache. She looked around, looking confused when she spotted two bodies on the ground. One was Ibiswing's. Of course, she had died. The second ... 

Oh no.

It was herself.

The cat let out a small cry. She shook her head, looking around. Just then, she saw another cat disappear in the sky. She tilted her head, lifting a paw. She began to rise higher. Yep, she was dead. Shaking her head, Cloudbreeze continued up. She heard her name again. Looking around, she spotted Ibiswing, a small smile on her face. So, her friend wasn't truly gone!

"Ibiswing! You're here too?"

She looked around, her eyes narrowing.

"I have a bad feeling that I know where we are."

[Ibiswing]

Ibiswing turned to face the familiar voice, her eyes wide. She still wasn't used to the unearthly glow of everything, and seeing Cloudbreeze's star-speckled body was even more shocking. Her eyes filled with tears, and she rushed forward and buried her face in her friend's fur. After a moment, she looked back up at her, holding her gaze and sniffling at intervals. "Of course I'm here," she said softly. "You saw me die. We're both dead, Cloudbreeze. We'll never talk to our friends outside of a dream again. We'll never go back to our Clan. We'll never become elders, or age another day." She sank to the ground, ducking her head.

Her eyes narrowed. "You want to know something funny, though? I don't really care that those strange cats took my life. I'm an older cat- or, I guess I was older- and it was my time. I died trying to protect you, and that's as honorable a death as I'd ever have gotten otherwise. I just wish I was closer to home when I passed..." She trailed off thoughtfully. "It doesn't matter now. We can still visit dreams, can't we? Is that something we can do?"

Ibiswing shrugged, and stood back up. Their surroundings were nice, so she didn't have much to complain about at the present time.

[Cloudbreeze]

Cloudbreeze nodded as Ibiswing spoke. "I know. I always assumed I would die old ... not a violent death and trauma I had gone through with everyone else in the Games. But, we get to see Willowbreeze again. And, Tuftfeather is bound to be around. We'll be happier, I believe. Not get sick anymore, no suffering hardships ..."

At her friend's question, she gave a small wince, looking around. "I am not sure. Maybe with medicine cats. But, I don't think normal warriors get dreams like medicine cats and leaders do. You may have to ask an older spirit."