First her mom dies. Things only go downhill from there. Alongside raising her new siblings, Junco must navigate the now dangerous waters of life as a Wanderer. Death and feelings are the worst kind of problems.
Oriole was always very cheerful, and...
Junco shot up and immediately winced. She began to run towards Static's call but her injured paw ruined her gait. Why would she need me, of all cats? I'm currently not very useful if it's for a fight, thanks to that dratted thorn.
The cry was coming from the edge of a forest, quite far away. The run took her way longer than it would normally as she was favoring her hurt paw.
"Hurry! Junco!" her sister's voice almost seemed to taunt her.
She was worried now and tried to pick up the pace. Is she hurt? Oriole was with her, is SHE hurt?
This thought spurred even more urgency. I finally said I love her, she has to be okay! Of course she is, she can handle herself, I don't need to worry.
Eventually her lopsided run took her to the trees and the cries grew louder. She ran through the woods, trying to pinpoint the sounds.
A gruesome scene unfolded in front of her.
Oriole, lying on the ground with a metal trap closed around her neck and shoulder. Bleeding out.
No.
No.
No!
NO!
Oriole!
"She's dead, or about to be," she heard Static mutter.
Her eyes burned as she screamed, "I can tell! I can tell she's dying so shut up!"
Junco ran closer to Oriole and leaned toward her face, "Oriole please, Oriole! Please talk to me! We can get Snapdragon, just hold on a little longer!"
Her father's jibe about herself dying before her mate rang in her ears. If only he was right.
"No, it's... too late..." The dying she-cat lifted her head slightly.
"Oriole–"
"Junco," Oriole mewed, her voice faint, barely audible, "It's not fair... I'm sorry–"
"Don't be sorry! Oriole, why?" This couldn't be happening, it was too fast, too soon.
"It was-" she convulsed, blood coming up through her mouth, "I'll wait for you."
"You're right, it's not fair! Hold on a little longer! Oriole!" her voice strained and broke.
"I love you."
Oriole's beautiful head dropped and her deep green eyes went vacant.
Junco screamed.
So loud she thought it would be echoing around the world.
The bloodstained grass and leaves seemed to flinch from the force of the raw emotion.
Sadness.
Sadness and anger.
Oriole was right.
It isn't fair! Nothing is fair! Why now, when we are so young?
Three deaths in a year. Are the Ancestors angry with us? Have we done something?
Is there something I could have fixed to save her?
"Static!"
The she-cat looked up at her from licking her paw. In a perfect monotone, she mewed, "What?"
"Why didn't you say anything about the trap?" Junco growled.
"I didn't notice it either! Don't be so quick to blame me for things, sister." Static hissed, "She just wasn't paying attention well enough."
"What is your problem? She just died!" her voice cracked from her sadness, "Can't you see what we are going through?"
"Chill out! I'm going to go get the others–"
"No. I want to tell them, you'll probably make it sound like it's her fault."
"Fine."
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