rosecry stood at the edge of the volcano, their paws trembling against the warm stone. everything had happened too quickly. one moment, they had been fighting. the next, the ground beneath them had given way. their claws scraped desperately against the rocky edge, but loose stones crumbled beneath their weight. "no—" their heart hammered. below them, the volcano rumbled. rosecry froze. for once, there was no sharp remark waiting on their tongue. no stubborn retort. no anger to hide behind. just silence. they thought of pryoclan. of the cats they had snapped at. of the cats they had defended. of trianglestar's lessons. /be kind to your clanmates./ rosecry swallowed. "i tried." their claws searched for something—anything—to hold. rosecry's claws dug desperately into the crumbling stone. "no—" the edge broke beneath them. their eyes widened. for one terrible heartbeat, they hung there, claws scraping uselessly against the rock as pebbles tumbled into the glowing depths below. then the stone gave way completely. rosecry fell. their fire flared instinctively, catching the hot air for only a moment before the violent currents twisted them sideways. "rosecry!" the cry disappeared beneath the roar of the volcano. vey reached for the ledge, but there was nothing left to catch. the crimson warrior vanished into the brilliant haze below. silence followed. then the volcano rumbled again. rosecry was gone. and far above the flames, the first stars began to appear.
