another heartbreaking scene from Hawkwing's Journey 🥀

chapter 25.
".... Then Hawkwing heard another noise, coming from the Twoleg den beyond the monster camp. A moment later a Twoleg came into view, heading toward the monsters.

“Don’t move!” Hawkwing called out. “A Twoleg!”

“Maybe the Twoleg will go to one of the other monsters, and he won’t notice us,” Curlypaw whispered.

“Let’s hope so.”

But Hawkwing realized his hope was in vain as the Twoleg strode purposefully toward the monster with the chickens. “He’s coming right toward us!” he yowled. “Get out of there now!”

At first there was no response from the cats inside the monster.

The Twoleg will wake it up, Hawkwing thought, agonized. Then they’ll know we were trying to steal their prey! “Hurry!” he urged.

Waspwhisker’s head popped up from behind the low barrier at the back of the monster, and Blossomheart appeared a heartbeat later. “Fox dung!” Waspwhisker exclaimed, looking furiously disappointed as he and Blossomheart scrambled over the barrier and leaped down to join Hawkwing and Curlypaw.

“Where’s Pebbleshine?” Hawkwing asked as they landed beside him.

“I’m still here!” Pebbleshine replied from inside the monster, her words almost drowned out by louder squawking. “I’ve managed to open one of the nests. I’ve got a chicken!”

“Then get down here, fast!” Hawkwing responded.

His gaze was fixed on the Twoleg, who tramped across the hard surface of the monster camp, opened up the monster, and climbed into its belly. He didn’t seem to have noticed the cats crouching a few tail-lengths away from the monster’s round black paws.

“Pebbleshine, now!” Waspwhisker screeched.

“I’m coming!” Pebbleshine sounded frustrated. “But this stupid bird is fighting!”

“Then let it go!” Hawkwing yowled.

“But the Clan needs it!” Pebbleshine protested.

More loud squawking followed, then Pebbleshine’s forepaws appeared on the side of the monster. Hawkwing could see her face.

At the same moment the monster woke up with a deep-throated growl.

“Jump! Pebbleshine, jump!” Blossomheart shrieked as she and Waspwhisker backed away.

Hawkwing shoved Curlypaw after them, then ran toward the monster. But just then the monster lurched into motion. Shock jolted through Hawkwing as its huge black paws rolled backward, threatening to crush him. The others scattered. Trembling, Hawkwing stood his ground.

I won’t run away while Pebbleshine is in danger!

When the monster was a tail-length away from Hawkwing, it halted. He crouched, ready to leap up beside Pebbleshine. With a louder roar and the belch of a stinking cloud from its hindquarters, the monster began to move forward, heading for the Thunderpath.

Hawkwing was too late.

“Pebbleshine!” he screeched.

He pushed off in an enormous leap, but he fell short, landing with a thump on the hard ground. His last sight of his mate was her scrabbling at the side of the monster, only for the big brute to stumble and lurch, making Pebbleshine lose her grip and fall back down. She stared, wide-eyed, at Hawkwing, her mouth moving as if she was yowling something to him.
But Hawkwing couldn’t hear it over the roar of the monster.
..."