Tw )) grief, mentions of death “Yeah, did you hear about that FlurryClan protector?” Izzy blinked her eyes open, greeted with the early chatter of gossip. She lifted an ear to listen. /What about a FlurryClan protector?/ Her heart lurched. She… must have misheard. She slowly climbed out of her nest, ear to the wall of the den. “Oh, Honeydew?” A second voice asked. “I was told she died yesterday…” The other said softly. Her blood ran colder than ice. …Honeydew? Died? No. No no no no. The world seemed to swirl around Irisembrace. Why, StarClan? Why her? Irisembrace ran out of the den, heart pounding angrily. She tore through the snow, tears blurring her vision. She kept running. To where, that didn’t matter. Everything dropped into silence. She couldn’t hear her fall as she tripped over her paws and into the snow. She didn’t hear the cry that burned her throat. Of course StarClan took Honeydewharmony away from her. Of course they would. They took Crocusfaith. Her brother. The only flesh and blood she knew. They took her parents that she never met. They took Delphine away. They took Pipertooth, the first cat that she felt something for. Something in her heart. Something. Something! And as soon as she started to feel something for Honeydew, StarClan ripped her away from her. …So is that what it was? Love? That feeling that made her cheeks blush, that made her laugh and smile. Did it not matter to StarClan? Would they take her kits now, too? When would they stop? “Well, are you happy now, StarClan?!” She spat, throwing her tear-stricken face to the sky. “Are you /happy/ that you’ve destroyed my life? Huh? Are you? Answer me, you fox-hearts!!” Her paws clenched the ground as her claws slid out. Another cry split the still air as she slashed blindly at a tree next to her. “So this is love.” She hissed, wiping the tears from her darkened eyes. “Well, then I don’t want it anymore.” ____
