Waves billowed over Coralpaw's head, crashing, rolling, swirling, foaming. A briny fog hung low over the dark ocean, and the claw slash of a moon was obscured by dense clouds.

     Currents conflicted and tugged her one way, then another. Sucking her forward. Yanking her back. Sand whirled through the icy water, disturbed from the ocean floor and got embedded in her fur. White claws slashed the water to no avail; she was but a weak object at the powerful tide's mercy.

     Against her better judgement, Coralpaw's golden eyes snapped open and instantly started burning from the salty water. It was black as pitch.

     A suffocating darkness ... like night alive. It wanted to devour her ... claim her soul as it had so many others.

     A desperate prayer to SkyClan echoed over and over again her Coralpaw's head. Save me. Save me. Save me!

     Wildly, her legs churned, her lungs burned, and her huge pupils sought a light in the black abyss.

     How long? How long had it been since she had been plunged into the smothering depths of the ocean? How long since she had last taken a breath of the salty sea air? How long since she had felt pebbles underpaw, since she had felt herself surging forward into the water's grasp?

     Lungs on fire, Coralpaw fought against the urge to breathe. The oxygen stored inside her had long since been depleted, blown out in bubbles that rose to the surface easily. How refreshing it would be ... how wonderfully relieving to just simply let her lungs expand ... to suck in a breath and clear her head of the fuzzy, dizzy, disoriented thoughts that floated around ... Her limbs were so cold and stiff—it took too much energy to move, so Coralpaw let them go limp. Water sloshed through her already soaked fur, and still, the currents ripped at her, pushing and pulling and shoving her down. Slowly, Coralpaw's yellow eyes drifted shut ...

     Freezing cold liquid scorched its way down her throat and the shock of it made her jolt. Her eyes jumped open and her paws gave one last flail—had she broken to the surface?

     No matter.

     It was all too difficult. Entire body aching, Coralpaw ceased struggling. The ocean had won. Darkness closed over her head once more.

     Take me. Just end it. With her last remaining willpower, Coralpaw sucked in as much briny water as could fit in her burning lungs.

༄・༄・༄

     Cold eyes watched as a head and paw broke the surface briefly, golden eyes glinting out.

     Sharp claws unsheathed as the swift black tom threw himself into the water.

     A malicious gaze roved the tempestuous surface of the ocean, watching the tall waves soar and crash, the dirty foam glide up the beach only to retreat once more.

     A low snarl was lost in a rumble of thunder when the crouched cat witnessed the soaked black cat drag a limp form from the ocean's greedy clutches. A jagged flash of lightning illuminated the scene briefly: there were two rather small cats sprawled on the stony beach, just out of the water's reach, one a wild-furred tortoiseshell, the other, a smoky black cat with jewel-green eyes.

     And then the light was gone.

     A grunt could be heard, a choking heave and a screech.

     Curse them.

     The lithe cat crawled out of the scrawny bush and kept to the cliffs while heading back to the camp. Darkness shaded the slender body as it slunk across a rain-dappled sandy beach. Silently, with svelte grace, the figure slipped through the camp's sheltering walls, danced between the nests of others, and settled down in a soft, cold nest.

     Other chances will come, thought the cat, a ghost of a grin crossing the dark face. CoveClan will not go unpunished, despite tonight's failure.

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| Unedited as of 12/17/22 |

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