Tallstar and Doomkit (for SquishiFish's contest)

He was falling. Doomkit could hear Ficklekit's yowl of horror as he plummetted. How can this be happening? he thought, with panic. Then he struck the water below.

It was cold, he knew that for a few heartbeats. The sound of water howled like a beast in his ears. Then suddenly everything was still, he felt his paws touch something solid. He wasn't wet, he wasn't cold. Doomkit blinked open his eyes. "Wha?"

"This is StarClan." The deep meow of a different tom-cat made the fur on his spine prickle. Doomkit spun around, and his eyes widened. A black and white tom sat a mouselength away. His fur shone with starlight, which Doomkit was just realizing surrounded them, and his eyes sparkled with white fire.

"Who are you?" Doomkit said, feeling wary. He blinked up at the tom in confusion. "Wait, did you say StarClan? Why am I here? I'm no medicine cat..."

"My name is Tallstar Doomkit." the black and white cat meowed solemnly, "And I was once a great leader of WindClan..."

"Oh." Doomkit meowed, feeling slightly flabbergasted. How many kits got to meet leaders from moons past? He dipped his head with respect and watched with curious fascination as pain flashed in Tallstar's eyes. "What do you want to tell me then?"

"Doomkit..." Tallstar meowed, as if struggling with what to say, "You're not here because StarClan is visiting you...you've died."

Shock rippled through his fur, "That can't be!" Doomkit yowled, springing to his paws, "I'm to be an apprentice tomorrow! My mother just took me to see the gorge..."

His eyes widened, he remembered her lunging down, her rantings. She had always hated him so. Ficklestar's anguished scream rang through his head and he moaned, "My own mother killed me?"

"I'm sorry." Tallstar meowed, his voice soft with grief.

"NO! I can't stay here, I have to go back!" Doomkit looked around wildly, trying to find a place to leave. "I need to, Ficklekit and I, we swore to stay together forever. How can I do that up here?"

"You can watch over him." Tallstar said gently. Doomkit shot him a look of anger that made the leader's mouth drop open in an 'o' of surprise.

"That's not enough, don't you get it?" He said, his eyes filling with tears. He flattened his ears against his head and averted his blue gaze, "We're two halves of a whole, we're nothing without each other."

Tallstar stayed silent, and began to walk away. Grudgingly, Doomkit followed. Tears spilled at his paws with every step he took away from his twin brother. He glanced behind him as a cry of agony rose up. Ficklekit was wailing for him. He noticed more tears falling at his side and glanced up, Tallstar's eyes were brimmed with misery.

"Some things even we cannot change Doomkit." Tallstar meowed, Doomkit buried his face in the leader's chest and cried.