This Is It

The brown-pelted tom snapped his eyes open out of shock, gasping for air. He started breathing heavily, trying to recover. The air felt heavy and oddly thick around him. Coffee forced himself to sit up, struggling a bit as he tried to gain control of his breathing. His eyes scanned the area around him, adjusting to the dimness. The trees seemed to be losing their color as the grass looked dry as if it were dying away. It looked like a part of the forest, but it wasn’t somewhere he was familiar with.

Where… am I? He furrowed his brow as he tried to recall how he got here. The memory of his heartbeat pounding his ears crept up on him as he could practically feel the claws pressing down and digging into his throat. Coffee recoiled and took in a sharp breath.

Crystal… He sighed.

He turned to face the sky, where he puts his faith and looks for guidance. Faintly, but surely, the stars were watching over him. Coffee smiled faintly, feeling like a weight was lifted off of his shoulders. He’s safe, they’re with him. Coffee’s smile faltered a few heartbeats later.

“Is it terrifying?” Coffee asked out loud.

He slowly closed his eyes, unable to bring his attention towards the slightly smaller figure that was no more than a tail-length beside him. The smaller tom had kept his gaze up at the sky, clearly exhausted.

“No, it’s not. Everything must come to an end.” the smaller tom spoke.

Despite how much his words felt like thorns prickling Coffee’s pelt, he couldn’t help but let out an awkward chuckle.

“I’ll see you in Starclan then, my friend.” Coffee forced a faint smile, pained at having a conversation like this with someone close.

His smile was short-lived with a chuckle filled the air. Coffee turned over towards his friend to see him shaking his head.

“There is no Starclan, Coffee. This is it.” his friend spoke, eyes locked onto Coffee’s.

Coffee’s pelt prickled at the sight before him. As if on instinct, one by one the stars began to vanish rapidly to where the night sky seemed like an ever growing blanket of darkness. A mix of anxiety and numbness washed over Coffee as he noticed how lifeless his friend’s eyes were.

“Moth, I-” Coffee croaked, but only to be cut off by darkness enveloping his friend’s body. Coffee choked back a wail and hung his head low, allowing the cold blanket of darkness wrap around him.

“I’m so sorry.” He barely whispered before his vision was completely clouded.