Frostshard's Demise

Beyond the Deception

Snow floated to the ground, guided by a frigid breeze that shook the leafless branches.

Icicles clattered as Sagepaw padded deeper and deeper into the undergrowth, his form camouflaged perfectly against the grey and black brambles.

He was going hunting, as usual; even the bravest of knights weren't able to train without getting something to eat first.

Sagepaw pictured a warm, juicy mouse in his jaws, how wonderful would it be if he could even find one?

'Well, blame it on the cold weather for chasing all the prey away into their nice, cozy homes.'

'...'

'I shouldn't have brought that up... now I want nothing more than my warm nest back at the Apprentices' Den.'

'What the-'

Sagepaw's ears twitched toward the squawking and shrieking in an open clearing.

From what he could make out, a huge raven had pinned something in its talons, a hawk, to be exact. The poor creature's body was ravaged with jagged wounds, and its feathers stuck up at odd angles.

'Maybe it's a young one?' he thought as he watched the two birds jab at each other.

Ravens were known for dragging young hawks or falcons from the safety of their nests, sometimes even devouring them after they killed the fledglings. Yet the strange thing was, the hawk was fully grown, not to mention bigger than its tormentor.

A crimson leaf, like the crisp embers of a fire, drifted between the two birds and startled the raven, which gave the hawk a chance to rip away.

The black bird squawked in alarm as it fell into the icy pond; it didn't even have time to scream, for its body had begun to freeze over... frost encasing the wretched victim as it took its last breath...

'Why am I watching the brutal ways of nature? I better get going...' Sagepaw started to turn away, but a mournful cry made him stop dead in his tracks.

A sparrow, perched on the withered twigs of an elder tree, chirruped again, its eyes full of remorse as it stared down at the dying body of the hawk...

"Sagepaw, what the heck!" Seersight's disgruntled hiss made him leap a foxlength into the air.

The edges of the healer's nest were reduced into smoldering ashes, and a chunk of his tail fur was missing.

'Geez... what a weird dream.' Sagepaw thought.

"Seriously, you're worse than Frostshard," Seersight prodded the edge of his singed-off tail gingerly.

"One sleep-screaming cat I can handle, but two? Get out- OUT!"

"Some battle training will be able to shake all the violent thoughts in your mind away!"

"It's the middle of the night!" Sagepaw protested as Seersight grabbed him by the scruff and placed him outside on a clump of grass.

"Master, please, say something!" he wailed at Frostshard, who mumbled something in his sleep and placed his paws over his ears.

'So much for Masters supporting their apprentices...'

"But-"

"Now." Seersight sighed, his tone making it clear that he didn't want to hear any more excuses.