smoke & mirrors (hiatus)

.: chapter five :.

.: ♔ :.

OAKSTRIPE was talking to Dewleap, flicking her tail as she spoke. Heronskip hopped into a bush to watch. At the noise, his best friend turned to look in his direction.

He couldn't hear, but he read that Oakstripe's lips had said, "What was that?"

Dewleap shrugged. No one else was in the clearing.

Heronskip watched as they continued talking. He felt his heart crack into seventy pieces. And then he left, leaping out of the bush and tearing past Oakstripe and Dewleap.

"Wait- hey! Heronskip?" Oakstripe cried from behind him. "No! Wait!"

Heronskip heard both of their pawsteps following him, but he didn't care. He skidded to make a quick right turn into Central Village that he knew Oakstripe couldn't manage due to her enormous size.

And there it was- she slammed into a tree, letting out a cry of pain.

Oh no, what did I do what if she's seriously hurt HERONSKIP WHAT DID YOU JUST DO, his mind pounded with thoughts that he couldn't control. A blast of guilt hit him right in the head, and he stopped running. He turned around and saw Oakstripe laying on the ground, her jaws spread wide open in an soundless scream. Blood poured out of a side wound on the side of her snout, and furless, bleeding muscle lined the side of her jaw. The wound had torn the fur off of her side lip. He could tell just by looking that the fur would never grow back.

Heronskip ran over to her and felt whatever was left of his heart crack.