Post by Dawn on May 22, 2011 0:01:14 GMT -5
[/color] Blizzardtail looked around to see the large eyes of Acornpaw staring at him anxiously and smiled slightly. The she-cat had been so kind as of late, and he was grateful.
Blizzardtail lay in his nest inside the medicine cats den of the OakClan camp. He could sense the activity in the camp just outside the entrance, could hear Foxkit and Fallowkit play fighting outside of the nursery. Those kits got rowdier every day they were kept in that place.
Just yesterday he had needed to chase them out of his den for the third time that week by yowling at them until Acornpaw came and herded them out, bless her heart. Curious little things they were, he anticipated when they would be made apprentices. Perhaps then their mentors would be able to control their excitable energy.
Nearly two moons had passed since he had granted Streamheart her full medicine cat name. The leaf-bare chill had come to be replaced with a warmer new-leaf sun, but Blizzardtail had not been able to enjoy it. He had been hard pushed to rise from his nest to get water let alone sun himself.
He had thought he had been stiff when he had made the trip to the moon cavern, it was nothing to how he felt now. His age was at last getting the better of him, but he had accepted it by now. He knew that his time to join StarClan was soon, but it didn't scare him as it may scare other cats. He was ready to take that next step into the ranks of StarClan and leave OakClan in the paws of Streamheart; it was now her time.
"Blizzardtail? Are you alright? Do you need anything?"
"Yes Acornpaw, I'm fine, thank you."[/color] He meowed, inwardly flinching at how raspy his voice had become. He hated how it made her flinch too, and wished that he could die peacefully without scaring the other cats or making them feel sadness for his demise. He had lived out his life as much as any cat could hope to and he looked forward to joining his ancestors in StarClan where he could continue to watch over OakClan.
"Acornpaw, come here quickly."[/color] He rasped, gesturing her forward with his tail. She obeyed, squeezing into the tighter space with more ease than he had ever managed, her sleek, lithe build giving her more of an advantage for squeezing into tight spots.
"Thank you very much for watching out for me these past moons, I am grateful."[/color] He meowed, dipping his head slightly and smiling as she ducked her head in embarassment.
"Of course Blizzardtail, are you sure there's no-nothing else I can get you?"[/color] She asked, and Blizzardtail could tell by her poorly masked stutter that she knew what was coming. He smiled slightly and sighed.
"Yes dear Acornpaw, I'm sure. Why don't you go make sure that Foxpaw and Fallowkit are keeping their paws out of trouble? StarClan knows they love to find any kind."[/color] He meowed with a smile and she nodded slightly, turning to exit the den.
Blizzardtail watched her go through calm green eyes then lay his head down upon his soft white paws. He closed his eyes and let out one last sigh, allow his spirit to leave his body and drift up to join the stars.
It was Acornpaw who found him that way, peacefully dead, looking as though he were asleep. It was Acornpaw who let loose a wail of dispair to alert the Clan to his passing, and it was Acornpaw who managed to drag his large white furred body into the clearing so his Clan could greive for him.
Blizzardtail watched all of this from his new perch in the sky. He felt so young again, able to move without pain and breathe without a stab in his chest. He stood with his parents, Sleetfur and Cloudfang on either side of him and he felt at home. "Be well my dear OakClan. Don't greive for me, celebrate my freedom."[/color] He whispered quietly, then turned to greet those cats he had long ago said goodbye to.
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