The Rift Between Us
Song: Svix-Goodbye
Welcome back, girls and boys of FF!
Here's a redo of one of my older one-shots. For people who forgot, this is chapter 7 in Dawnstar's Legacy. It's been a while since I last wrote something and I felt like this deserved some more effort. I'm not editing the chapter that's already there, too much work. I'm editing this one because I want it to be able to stand alone as a one-shot.
Yes it's a furry song. Yes it's electronic (Drum 'n Bass more specifically.) You're going to have to youtube it if you want to listen to this song, sorry. This site doesn't like the fact that I put urls in my files, even if it's just text and not a link.
By the way, if I owe anyone a story, please remind me. I forget these kinds of things. Also, any ideas to making any one of my stories better is always welcome.
Thank you everyone for being patient with waiting for Dawnstar's Legacy and History Rewritten Updates.
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"Frog dung! That would have fed all the elders!"
Dawnpaw dove into the water, hoping to catch a fat cat fish that managed to slip between her paws. It had been 4 moons since Dawnpaw had first been named an apprentice and life was going well. Timberclaw had been teaching her many hunting and fighting techniques that she quickly mastered and she had made fast friends with Blackwing and Shinekit. Dawnpaw's parents continued to spend time with her as if she was still in the nursery and even taught her skills that Timberclaw couldn't.
However, there was one cloud on the horizon of Dawnpaw's happy life.
The silvery she cat had watched her brother be christened to apprenticeship and cheered him on proudly like her parents and the rest of her clan. But Thunderpaw's usual coldness to her had extended even to the apprentices' den. Dawnpaw's brother continued to ignore her and make snide remarks and insults whenever his sister so much as thought of making any sort of mistake. Dawnpaw could still recall his frozen, deep amber eyes glaring at her at the end of his apprentice ceremony, accusing her of some ill injustice that she didn't even know she committed. Instead of their relationship healing, the two siblings continued to wither away in the same den; where they should have become closer than ever.
Should have.
Why do I still feel the same? After all this time has passed, when I think of what we could have been, like, think of what we could have.
Dawnpaw focused back to hunting. Becoming a good hunter was just as important as her brother's affection, if not more important. The clan must be fed first, according to the Warrior Code. Her brother would turn around eventually; she was confident. Anger couldn't last forever…
Gotta bide my time gotta keep me mine, gotta stop myself from thinking…
Today, Dawnpaw vowed to bring back the biggest fish in the river. All the elders would be impressed by her catch when she returned to them. Dawnpaw waded out into the flowing water and dove under. Forgetting her brother, the silvery she cat searched through the current for prey. The best fish always lurked deep under the swirling waves of the surface, so Dawnpaw dove down, kicking strongly against the gentle current. Soon, she spotted the cat fish that had escaped her claws moments earlier. Seizing the opportunity, Dawnpaw swam closer and closer to the fish's inevitable fate.
Then suddenly, the fish darted the side with a swift flick of the tail. Dawnpaw streaked after it, shooting through the water, like a torpedo, after the fish.
No way am I missing this one!
With one final kick, Dawnpaw was nearly on top the cat fish. She snapped her jaws around it, killing it fast. The salty taste of flesh that squished between her jaws tasted more satisfying than any bite of fresh kill. Then, Dawnpaw's head broke the surface with her prey. She swam to the shore and placed her catch on the ground. She decided to catch one more fish and then she'd head back to camp. Patiently, Dawnpaw settled down by the shore, careful not to let her shadow touch the river's lapping waves.
Then suddenly, a wispy shape came floated into view after a few moments of waiting.
Another fish!
Skillfully, Dawnpaw slashed her claws through the water, sending the fish flying into the air among cold droplets of water that cascaded over it! Aiming steadily, she readied her claws for the killing blow. Dawnpaw swiped, hitting the fish straight in head. The hit killed it quickly; the fish fell to the banks dead before it ever touched the ground.
No, that's my prey!
Dawnpaw raced after her stolen catch, bounding through the forest floor. Then, she hopped into the river. Following the ribbon like trails of blood strewn through the waves, the silver apprentice managed to catch up with her prey. She reached out one paw to scoop the dead fish up out of the water, but another paw beat her to it.
Thunderpaw!
"That's my fish; can I have it back please, Thunderpaw?" Dawnpaw asked her brother kindly. Instead of an immediate reply, Dawnpaw received an icy glare. The grey she cat almost shivered at the gesture.
"Finders keepers, losers weepers. It's mine now." Thunderpaw picked up the fish and stalked off into the reeds. Thunderpaw had just stolen Dawnpaw's fresh kill! The act didn't make Dawnpaw mad, but it did emotionally wound her. The sting hurt like rejection, cutting into the heart with a rotting after taste that continued to fester.
The she cat just watched her once beloved brother pad off. The ginger and silver tom threw a last malicious glance towards his sister before he abandoned her to her solace. Instead of following Thunderpaw, Dawnpaw just skulked; her paws remained firmly where they stood.
Broken, is how you left me. Unspoken, your thoughts about me now. Shattered, the trust I had in you. Mattered, I think you'd disagree. Darling, the rift between us is Startling, these shifting waves hold me, Under. I hold my breath and I wonder, if you still think of me.
It's been moons, moons! Why can't he just let it go? I still love him. Do I not show it enough?
Why do I still call your name? After all this time has passed? When I think of what we could have been like, think of what we could have been.
Dawnpaw continued watched her brother trudge through the reeds, sadly. It hurt inside to think of what a fine bond they would have shared as brother and sister.
Former feelings still have meaning, voids I've yet to fill.
Then, Dawnpaw thought of Blackwing and how she had lost her only brother. This must be how the black furred medicine cat felt all those years: guilty, empty and thrown to the ground in pain. Dawnpaw remembered that she'd promised herself that she'd be a good sister, not only to Thunderpaw, but to Blackwing too. Thunderpaw wasn't the only one who needed healing.
Why was it easy?
It was so easy to reject him when the two were in the nursery. Thunderpaw had been frequently been robbed of precious affection from others.
Why was it just me?
Why couldn't Thunderpaw let go of the past and release his darkness? Why was it only Dawnpaw who could let go of her past pains?
Why did it all make sense?
Dawnpaw never blamed Thunderpaw for hating her. It was her fault after all; she attacked him when they were just kits and took her parent's attention. It just, quite simply, made sense.
It never hit me till your hand just slipped right through mind, till your hand just slipped right through mine.
Dawnpaw hadn't thought much of their broken bond till she became an apprentice. She always held her head high with the thought that the scars would heal on their own. But they didn't. The scars remained open and bleeding. Dawnpaw had witnessed the fact moments prior. The she cat treaded back home towards the RiverClan camp, sadly, but slightly elated at the thought of her next vow.
I'll make your proud of me, Thunderpaw. I'll be proud of you too. I'm proud to be your sister. I'll always love and care about you, even if you don't love me back.
One day you'll see that we always were siblings in the end and we'll be happy again.