Icekit's mouth was open a soundless wail. Dawnkit had a horrified look on her face as the badger swung it's massive head from side to side, surveying the scene before it.

All seemed so be in slow motion from there as the cats, one by one, attacked, moving in at different angles.

Then, Icekit shrieked, and went limp as the badger bit down on him.

"Icekit!" Dawnkit screamed as his bloodied body fell from the badgers mouth and hit the forest floor.

The warriors continued to attack as she ran to him, tears welling in her eyes, her voice was shaking, "Icekit?..." She croaked out. A tear fell from her eye onto his cheek, making it look as if he were crying also.

Dawnkit crouched low to the ground, her head down as tears streamed from her eyes. She sniffled and put her nose into Icekit's fur, taking in his scent one last time as the others finished off the badger, making it turn tail and flee.

Crystalheart walked closer and stopped in her tracks, her eyes widened. Dawnkit couldn't move either, but she sniffled again and looked at her mother, "This is all my fault!" She wailed, and put her nose back into her brothers fur as she closed her eyes and more tears fell from them, "If I would have stayed with him... he would still be here. He would still be alive....." she said becoming quieter as grief took her over.

Crystalheart walked over and crouched next to her, putting her tail comfortingly on her shoulder, "This is not your fault. Don't you ever think that! Okay?"

She nodded her head, even though she couldn't get the thought out of her head that this was somehow her fault.