The Whisper Turns to Nothing

Even the smallest smile can brighten the darkest den.

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Skykit had decided to take a shell to the elders den, intent on giving it to any elder that would like it. However, the unusual silence made her pause, she didn't move for a moment; a strange, unfamiliar but crestfallen scent hit her little pink nose as she hesitantly stepped forwards past the threshold of the elder's den.

Oh, Cinderwhisper was just... sleeping? She was peaceful and quiet as always, surely she would appreciate a shell that Skykit had found herself, however she didn't even shift when Skykit enter, not even movement in her chest.

Skykit narrowed her eyes slightly but brushed it away, maybe if she woke Cinderwhisper up she would be able to give her the shell, and ask her what that strange smell is. After the tiny white kitten made her way towards Cinderwhisper, the scent grew a little more pungent, however Skykit would just ask about it when Cinderwhisper was awake, maybe she hadn't groomed herself properly... or groomed herself too much.

With a withdrawn paw, Skykit gave the elder a tap on the nose, however a shiver ran through her spine from the back of her neck to the tip of her tail, her fur spiked up at the strange coolness of Cinderwhisper's fur... something wasn't right... "Cinderwhisper? Are you okay? I got a shell for you"

"Run. That is an order."

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Despite the sky being clear with bright sunshine, something felt wrong. Cinderwisp had just returned from a long border patrol at the WindClan border when the molly spotted young Skykit enter the elders' den. Although the elders' den was safe for kittens and the she-cat could have let it be, something compelled the deputy to check what was going on.

Padding over, Cinderwisp found the she-kit by Cinderwhisper who had very obviously passed onto the afterlife. With a heavy heart, the tabby padded over to the kitten. "Cinderwhisper is okay, little one." the molly tried to tell her gently. "But... You won't see her again for a long while. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to accept your shell though." Hopefully this wasn't a bad way to introduce death to the kitten, the last thing she wanted was an angry Lilyriver.

Even the smallest smile can brighten the darkest den.

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Skykit's ear twitched as she heard the sound of pawsteps meeting beside her and glanced up, the pawsteps were too heavy to be Galekit's and too gentle to be Lilyriver or Coldstar's. Silver tabby fur met her pale blue eyes, the iconic curly fur catching her eye first "Cinderwisp.." her ears fell, glancing back at the silent, limp elder.

"She's... d-dead?" Skykit's voice cracked Lilyriver had told her about death, but she never thought she would be able to see it so soon, especially in the elders' den, a place she loved to visit, the den felt cold, freakishly so.

Skykit leaned against Cinderwisp's leg, wishing to have the comfort offered to her as she curled her tail over Cinderwisp's paw. "She'll take the shell with her right? You'll tell Nettleplume and the elders right?" she asked glancing up at the silver she-cat with wide, glossy eyes, the closest she could be to tears.