My first fanfiction. Policy: Constructive criticism is welcome. Flames are not. Unless I’ve flamed you. In which case, feel free to flame me. Disclaimer: Check out my profile for a disclaimer.

Now, I have never really been a selfless cat. Still, I though I surely would sacrifice myself to save the ones dearest to me. I was wrong. I remember that day, exactly forty-eight moons ago…

I was on patrol with my sister Creamtail and my mate, Blacknose. I would be moving into the nursery that day, and we had gone on patrol to celebrate my pregnancy. We had just arrived at FourTrees when we heard a screech. Mudpaw, a young WindClan apprentice, and his mentor Rabbitfur were dragging a chaffinch across the ThunderClan and WindClan border. Creamtail and Blacknose told me to stay hidden in the bushes while they confronted the WindClan cats. I watched from the top of the slope as they bounded fearlessly past the great oaks. Blacknose demanded why Mudpaw was carrying ThunderClan prey. Rabbitfur didn’t bother to answer. Instead, he lunged at Blacknose. Creamtail attacked Rabbitfur, but Mudpaw leaped on her from behind. I watched, horror-struck, as Mudpaw sank his fangs into Creamtail’s throat. She fell to the ground, bleeding. Blacknose stepped in front of her, but was sent skidding with a blow from Rabbitfur’s paw. I could have intervened at that moment, could have saved both of them, but I didn’t. I knew that to save Blacknose and Creamtail, I would have to sacrifice myself. I couldn’t take that plunge. Mudpaw leaped on Creamtail and dragged his claws across her throat. His mentor did the same with Blacknose. Their throats gushed blood, and then all was silent. Mudpaw and Rabbitfur grabbed their prey and raced back to their territory.

I stood there a while, to make sure that they were gone, then ran down the slope to my mate and sister’s bodies. Tenderly, I picked up Blacknose’s corpse and dragged it up the edge of the hollow. I found a suitable burial spot, and lay him down. Once I had covered up his and Creamtail’s bodies, I slowly trotted back to camp. I told Bluestar that they had fallen into the river and drowned. The Clan grieved, in my opinion, for far too little time.

For the next few days, I couldn’t eat or sleep, just grieve. When I finally started to listen to the world again, I heard Silvertail, my best friend, and her mate, Smallear trying to comfort me. Gradually, they eased my pain. When my kits were born, I felt a mix of love and unbearable sorrow at the same time. Blacknose and Creamtail should have been there to see them. But once more, my sorrow slowly washed away. Specklekit and Darkkit, as I named them, were strong and healthy. I became a warrior again, had more kits, and retired. Silvertail, now known as One-eye, and Smallear welcomed me to the elder’s den. I never really stopped grieving. However well I learned to hide my sorrow, I never truly learned to live again.

And here I was now. I sighed. One-eye and Smallear had passed away long ago. Frostfur and Longtail had joined Speckletail and I in the elder’s den, and Mudclaw, the bastard that murdered Creamtail, was WindClan's deputy. We were starving, thanks to those fox-hearted Twolegs. I heard a rustling outside. Leafpaw was dragging a plump rabbit past, the fattest prey in a long while.

“I hope that’s for the elders. We’re starving.” I said. Firestar said something about WindClan having poisoned rabbits, and I immediately flew into a rage.

“So what if WindClan is having a bit of trouble with rabbits? They’ve always been proud and deceitful!” I stormed. Without hesitating, I tore into the rabbit, swallowed, and ripped at it again. Barely seeing through my anger, I feel Firestar’s strong frame gently pushing me away from my food and guiding me back to the elder’s den. Slightly sated by the brief meal, I fall asleep.

A little while later, I woke up with a churning pain in my stomach. One of the apprentices was there— I didn’t see which, my belly hurt too much. Feeling another lurch of pain in my stomach, I sent him out to get Cinderpelt.

By the time the medicine cat arrived, I was near howling with agony. My stomach felt like it would tear apart. Cinderpelt fed me herbs, rubbed my belly with some kind of paste, but it was no good. I was dying.

Just as my world went black, I felt the beautiful pelt of my sister and the sleek fur of my mate sliding around me. “I’m sorry Blacknose, Creamtail. Will you ever forgive me?”

And their voices, sweeter than doves, chorused in reply…

“We forgive you.”

So? Whadda ya think? Please review!