Pain

Pain.

I blinked open my eyes, and felt one thing.

Pain.

I tried to stand up, but sonething jolted through my body.

Pain.

I looked down at myself, noticing my once-sleek pelt was ragged and covered with scratches.

Pain.

One of them, running down my flank, was especially bad, oozing blood and pus. I flinched at the sight. And the pain. I thought back to that moment, when all the warriors, apprentices, and even elders closed in on me. I remembered brave Robinpaw, ready to stand up for me. But one apprentice versus a whole Clan? Never a chance. He couldn't stop the pain.

I thought back bitterly to the moment when I had lost it all, my Clan, my apprentice, and nearly my life. It would have been better without Silverminnow. The deputy had saved my life, but what was a life without a Clan to live it for? Dying would be better. Less pain.

Poppyfall. The medicine cat. She had done it. She had accused me of killing innocent Nightkit, cracking the ice so he fell through. Why cause all this pain?

My vision grew blurry. I stumbled to the ground, probably getting dirt in every one of my StarClan-knows-how-many scratches and bites.

Pain.

It was almost unbearable. The feeling seared through me, touching my ear-tips to my claws. Exiled. Exiled on the word of a medicine cat. Why would Poppyfall lie? What was in it for her? Why make me feel all this pain?

Robinpaw.

My apprentice. Poppyfall always seemed to have loved Robinpaw, begging Poolstar to have him be a medicine cat, furious when he became my apprentice. I thought back to her face and shuddered. But why go so far? I remembered Poppyfall had been on the ice. Had she cracked it? Why kill a kit for Robinpaw? Why cause all this pain?

The pain seared through me for the last time, and I fell to the dusty ground, my consciousness fading away. The only thing remaining was the pain.

"Lakepelt, if you are seen on ThunderClan territory, my warriors have my permission to kill you."

Those words rang through my mind, my very last thought.

By Wollowmsit.