"We have to help them.... But there's so many wolves..." Rabbitnose says, pressed against Sunfreckle. What he doesn't know is this is the last time he will ever feel his warmth and comfort.
It happens so fast. One second he is beside Sunfreckle, and the next, Sunfreckle is darting out of the den to distract the wolves from the nursery. Rabbitnose has only felt horror like this twice before, when dogs ripped his tail off and when Sunfreckle was stolen. When it grips him a third time, he's trying to follow Sunfreckle.
"Sunfreckle no-"
But Sunfreckle is already speeding towards those beasts, and for once, at the worst time, Rabbitnose is too slow. Sunfreckle collides with the beast, gaining its attention and ire.
"NO!!" He screams out as a large silver maw opens to grab Sunfreckle, flinging up upwards. Sunfreckle's yowl alerts the other wolves, and Rabbitnose watches in blood freezing horror as they swarm his beloved. What happens next is from Rabbitnose's worst nightmares.
"NOOOO!!!!" He shrieks, racing towards him as if there was any hope of saving him. He doesn't hear the pounding of familiar pawsteps behind him belonging to his sister, Badgerstrike.
She grabs his scruff and pulls him back forcefully even as his screams pierce her heart.
"RABBIT- RABBIT STOP!" She shouts, muffled by his scruff.
Rabbitnose fights against her grip, but it's futile. Badger was always stronger, after all.
"LET ME GO I HAVE TO HELP HIM- SUNNY!!! SUNFRECKLE!!!" He screams and struggles, forced to witness the wolves ripping apart the love of his life. His shrieks do nothing. His struggles are in vain as Badger pulls him away. Tears roll down his cheeks from eyes widened in horror and agony.
"HE'S GONE, RABBIT, HE'S GONE!!" Badgerstrike shouts, her own voice cracking with grief. She doesn't want to admit it either, but there was no denying it. Even if Sunfreckle lived.... Nothing would heal those wounds.
"WE HAVE TO HELP THE OTHERS, DON'T LET HIS SACRIFICE BE IN VAIN!!"
The scene before him will be forever seared into his mind. Once lively, kind, beautiful green eyes are now lifeless and clouded, and a once beautiful red pelt is torn to pieces in front of him as the wolves show no mercy. Badgerstrike is right. He knows she is, and yet, he is frozen. Half of him has just been murdered in front of him, and he can't even swear revenge. Blinking tears from his eyes, he gives one last anguished shriek before looking to the medicine den. Sunshinepaw was in there. His other kits were in the apprentices den and Frecklefalme is just as broken as he is, but Roeflame is at her side. Heavily pregnant Roeflame. He rushes to his daughter.
"F-Freckleflame... We have to-" He chokes.
"Help everyone get out, okay? Help your siblings. I'm going to help H-howlingstar." He says, nudging her. He presses his nose to her head before forcing his legs to move.
His earlier cries hadn't gone unnoticed, and as he rushed to help Howlingstar and Gentlestorm, a wolf zeroes in on him. But his sister is also a great, vicious beast, and intercepts it.
"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT YOU HAIRY PILE OF DOG VOMIT I'LL KILL YOU!!" She roars in it's face. Of course, the wolf is offended at her audacity and snaps at her. Badgerstrike was prepared, dodging the bite and smacking the wolf in the nose with her claws. It yelps and draws it's head back briefly, but lunges forward again to snap at her. It finds purchase on her tail.
Badgerstrike yowls in pain and rage.
"YOU WRETCHED SON OF A DONKEY!!!" She immediately latches her claws and fangs onto it's face and while she's not sure how much damage she's actually doing, she's drawing blood and it makes her feel like she's ripping it's face off. The wolf yelps again and lets go of her now broken tail. For good measure, she smacks a dirty paw into the wolf's eye to distract it while she makes a getaway.
She'd love to stay and fight, but even she knows she cannot win. If that wolf catches her again, she's done for. She glances in Rabbitnose's direction, he's made it to Howlingstar and Gentlestorm. She looks towards the rest of the clan scrambling to escape, and rushes to help the queens.
"Go, I'll cover you if any of those bastards come this way." She growls.
Rabbitnose's throat is tight, but he has to help. He's overwhelmed. He moves to help support Lovepaw. "I'm here." He manages to Howlingstar.
((Rabbitnose is helping
@HOWLINGSTAR and
@GENTLESTORM! Badgerstrike is guarding the remaining queens and those trying to climb! Briefly interacting with
@FRECKLEFLAME ))