Mothpaw stood tall as she trotted to the battle beside the other warriors. She was nervous. But she promised Foxgust she'd come out alright. She could fight.

They swam to the sunning rocks. Mothpaw pressed close to Foxgust.

"It'll be alright."

Raven and Thymefeather sat on a hill behind them, watching. The ThunderClan cats emerged from the forest. The leaders gave the signal and the Clans lunged into battle.

"I can't see anything! Where's Moth and Foxgust?" Raven gasped, straining to see.

"There's Moth!" Thymefeather meowed.

Moth watched the cats writhe around, hissing and spitting at each other. She leapt at a warrior, slashing at its shoulders. It screeched, knocking her off and leaping away.

"Get up, quick!" Foxgust urged her to her paws.

Mothpaw dodged an attack from an apprentice, slashing his ankle. She knocked a warrior off Foxgust, receiving a scratch to the leg, then helped Driftpaw fight off another apprentice.

I'm doing it! I'm fighting! I'm protecting my Clan! Her mind raced as she fended off the ThunderClan cats.

She saw Pipitstar pinned by the ThunderClan leader and knocked the other leader off. The leader yowled, slashing her eye. She let out a screech of pain as the flesh tore away, kicking the other leader.

"Are you okay?" Pipitstar asked.

"I-I'll be fine!" She gasped. I can't leave my first battle!

She saw a warrior raise her claws to slash Foxgust and leapt over. She tore at the warrior's ear and pinned her to the ground.

"Mothpaw! Beh-"

A blow knocked Mothpaw to the ground. She looked up, terrified.

"MOTHPAW-" Foxgust screeched.

The warrior slashed.

It all went dark. Like Mothpaw fell into a river. Like she was sinking farther and farther away from the light...

No... I can't...

She reached up a paw. Someone. Someone save me... I don't want to...

I don't want to...

"MOTHPAW!!" Foxgust screeched, knocking the warrior off of her mate. "Mothpaw! Please, please, please! No!"

She curled her tail around Mothpaw, pressing against her.

"Someone help! Please!" She screamed. "She can't die! She promised-" She teared up, burying her face in Mothpaw's fluffy white bloodstained mane.

She didn't move, no matter how many nudges she got from the other RiverClan warriors. The fighters ignored her, and the battle was soon over. RiverClan had won. At the cost of a life...

"Foxgust. Come on, quickly." Pipitstar murmured.

"She's DEAD!" Foxgust sobbed.

"She's in StarClan now." Pipitstar whispered.

"You all go. I'm staying here!" Foxgust screeched.

Pipitstar stood there for a moment, then padded away.

"The dust is clearing up..." Raven mumbled.

Then she saw something that gave her a jolt.

"No.." Raven gasped and sprinted down. "She's just fainted, right?" She whispered to Foxgust. "S-she'll be okay?" She gulped.

Foxgust shook her head, face still buried in Mothpaw's mane.

Raven half collapsed down, laying in front of Mothpaw. Thymefeather stood, bewildered, unable to believe what was happening.

"You'll wait for me, right?" Raven whispered into Mothpaw's torn ear. "Wherever we go when we die... You'll wait for me?"

Somewhere, far off, Mothpaw sat waiting.