Goodbye Mudflower ❤

To Be Rewarded Happiness

Goosestream seemed more dead than alive, unmoving except for the occasional twitch of an ear. He looked to Hailpaw, raising a brow as she padded over.

"Dada, who are they?" Hailpaw looked over to Blackstorm and Violet. One ear having fallen back. She wasn't sure about all this, as she'd never seen these two cats before.

Her fathers head rose, fiery eyes resting on Violet and Rosewatcher for a few moments before following her gaze to Whitestar's den. "Hm. I don't know what to call them. They used to be part of the Clan."

"They did? What do you mean used to?" Hailpaw questioned further. Tilting her head at Goosestream, who responded simply,

"I don't know, they left before Maika's reign— I think. Maybe they're coming back," Goosestream shrugged, turning back to Hailpaw.

Mudflower left the warrior's den and glanced around before slowly making her way to the entrance with hesitant steps as she thought. All she could think about were her kits, but they weren't kits anymore. They were growing up to be strong and great and she felt pride dwell in her chest before her heart shattered. She stopped in the middle of the clearing. She should at least say something to them

"Why'd they leave? I'm gonna go talk to them and say hi?!" Hailpaw narrowed her eyes at Goosestream, then began to pad forwards to the new cats, yet something forced her to come to a halt. A brown and white pelt caught her eye, and a bad feeling washed over her. She turned seeing her mother. Unable to help the horrible, sinking feeling in her stomach as she slowly padded over to Mudflower instead. "Hi, Mama!" She gave a smile to her mother.

Cinnamonpaw nearly tripped over his own paws at the sight of his mother. The apprentice skipped over, round ears perked as he approached Mudflower, tail swishing behind him as he nearly ran into Hailpaw. He took his place next to his sister.

Goosestream watched Hailpaw leave with a frown, looking at Mudflower for a few moments before he laid his head back down, facing the other direction.

The beautiful molly turned with surprise to see her kits and she smiled down at them with a purr. "Hey! How's the training?" , she asked them, her smile towards them was real with love and her blue eyes kind. But her heart was beating with sadness.

Hailpaw smiled. "My mentor is a lazy butt and hasn't trained me yet buuttt. A really nice warrior taught me a hunting crouch." Hailpaw told her. Nuzzling herself into her chest fur

Mudflower chuckled and gave her a lick atop her head. "That's very nice of them. Now, I'm gonna head out for a bit and see if I can find a nice catch before leafbare gets here and that'll be the first leafbare you guys see," she said.

Cinnamonpaw's tail tucked between his legs and the tom fumbled, ruffling out his pelt. "Okay." He responded shortly, round ears flicking back slightly.

Hailpaw ears dropped. She was going out? The apprentice remained silent for a moment. She was going out alone. The sinking feeling only grew. "Okay, mama. Bring back a rabbit or something we can share!" She tried to look bright and happy,

"I'm gonna catch the fattest rabbit just for all of us, you wait and see." she giggled and touched noses with both her kits. "But don't wait on me for too long. If you get hungry you eat, got it?" , she said. ~You don't wait...You let go...~ She thought. Mudflower glanced at Goosestream. She wanted to speak with him before she went on her hunt.

"Okay, mama. Have fun!" Hailpaw purred, giving her mother a smile. Ears perked. She felt like she was about to cry. Why? She didn't understand why.

Cinnamonpaw simply listened, eyes half closed. He smiled shortly when Mudflower touched noses with her while Goosestream remained still, sprawled out, in his previous spot.

Mudflower have her kits one last purr before walking up to Goosestream. Instantly she was hit with nerves and her ears flattened. "Um...I know you probably still hate me but...I just wanted to say I was sorry and that I was an idiot. You make the kits happy and that's all that matters to me." , she started, shuffling her paws nervously. But then she forced herself to relax and she smiled at him shyly liked she used to. "I hope you find someone that makes you happy. I love you," she mumbled silently and turned, calmly walking past her kits with a wave of her tail and leaving camp. A tear running down her cheek.

Goosestream had begun to reply, cutting himself off when Mudflower turned. It didn't take him long to realize what her intentions were, brow furrowing faintly as she looked after her.

"Wait!" Hailkit cried out. Running after Mudflower. "Mama!" She skidded to a halt. Tears in her eyes. "I love you so much, mama! Come back safely!" She called after her mother.

The moment she stepped out of camp she began to sprint through the territory, listening to the cries of her daughter fade away behind her. Now she allowed the tears to flow down her face as she ran and ran and ran and never slowed down. Mudflower came to a halt at the border with soft pants as she peered behind her at her home before turning and crossing into the twolegplace.

Mudflower walked through the rogue forest until she made it to the lake and she stopped at its edge to get a breather. She ran so far so fast and was now a bit tired.

But in truth...

She had always been tired.

It was cold. How long had she been there? She didn't know. She only knew that the sound of life above her was drowned out and replaced with silence. Her baby blue eyes staring up above at the stars that reflected on the clear surface and shimmered in the moon's light. But she was moving further away from them until finally the stars could no longer be seen. Only deep blue darkness surrounded her and her chest felt heavy. But she welcomed the coldness that tainted her body as she opened her mouth, releasing small bubbles that floated up above out of reach. Her paws had reached out above her as if she had changed her mind, but it was only an act of instinct when you had reached the brink. Oddly, she felt a sense of calm wash over her and she slowly blinked, feeling her body begin to freeze as ice formed on her fur from the cold temperature. She has never felt more calm and relaxed in her life as she did now. Was this all it took to finally achieve the happiness she could never gain? Was life so cruel? Mudflower's vision began to blur and she closed her eyes to allow herself to be consumed by darkness. Soon, she opened her eyes again to see a faint star-specked figure floating in front of her and she felt overwhelming joy fill her chest. The tom smiled warmly at her as he reached forward and touched her nose with his own. "Come on, my little flower bud. Let's go home." , he said softly. She gazed at her brother, Owlpaw, with love and longing and she nodded to him. Together they both turned their heads to the sky and emerged from the lake. Then she became one with the stars.

Leaving her body and cursed sadness submerged at the bottom of the lake.