CC Contest entry, READ THE STORY

Instructions

If you die, I die with you ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Are you okay?" Fern gasped, slowing to a walk. "I think so," Bramble panted, craning his head to the side so he could inspect the crimson gash on his shoulder. "Are you sure?" Fern asked padding over and giving his wound a nervous sniff. "I promise you, it's fine. It's not like Darktide ripped my shoulder out," Bramble meowed, shuddering as he remembered his life in the forest. Fern pressed her muzzle into his neck, the soft aroma of sword fern and marigold washed over Bramble as she leaned into him. They stood there for a moment, purring, almost forgetting how much danger they were in. "We have to keep going, Darktide won't stop until I'm dead and you're back in Blood Clan," Bramble meowed as he pulled back. Fern nodded, beginning to trot towards a gnarled dead tree in the horizon, only a few hills away. Bramble ran to catch up. Soon the stars shone in the sky and they were sitting underneath the tree, resting, to the right of the tree, a lake reflected the stars' light. "I'll take first watch," Fern meowed standing up. "Wait. Let's stay up for a bit before taking watches," Bramble suggested, sitting up to meet Fern's eyes. She sat down and pressed her nose to Bramble's. They leaned against each other, feeling like they were finally safe. "Never separated. Never again," Fern whispered. "Never again," Bramble repeated,"I'll never leave you. If you die, I die with you. Darktide can't change us." * * * Bramble woke to Fern's terrified screeches. She was surrounded by a pawful of bristling cats. Just as Bramble stood to help, a smokey grey creature bowled into him, reopening his wound. His shoulder screamed with pain as Bramble sank to the ground in defeat. He could see his opponent clearly now. Smoketrail. Smoketrail gave Bramble a harsh shove towards the cats surrounding Fern as he meowed,"Get over there." Bramble stumbled to the group, the cats parted to let him pass then closed the gap after he was in. Fern rushed over, serving stability for Bramble as he leaned on her. A tall, yellow tabby with dark brown stripes padded forward. "You should've known you couldn't escape me," Darktide sneered, thrusting his scarred snout into Fern's face. "And now, you'll get an even worse death than what I had planned," He laughed. Bramble could almost feel Fern's hatred radiating off of her bristled fur. "Smoketrail, go show Bramblefang and Fernsong to their deaths," Darktide maliciously meowed. Smoketrail grasped Bramble's scruff with his thorn-sharp teeth and began dragging him towards the lake. "No!" Fern shouted leaping towards Smoketrail. A cat leapt forewords and clawed her snout, red sprayed the now bloody grass. Bramble struggled against Smoketrail's grip as they neared the water. And then suddenly the air became water, stinging Bramble's wound. The bubbles sliding out of his mouth turned red. His conscious started slipping away. A cat dove down to him and pressed into him as his world turned black. Thoughts swirled together to form one phrase in Bramble's mind. If you die, I die with you. ~ E.B. I've decided I am going to write a prequel to this story about their life in the forest.