Within the dim interior of the den, leaves crinkled under paw while pine and mint blissfully intermingled in the air. Scattered piles of mossy twigs, browning buds, and more lined the grassy floor. Minnowpaw sat parsing through the assortment of herbs, her paw absentmindedly trailing over a piece of alder bark, feeling where the grooves lined its coarse, dark gray exterior.
Her thoughts were still alight with the memory of last night. The blood encrusted bird, Featherpaw, the twisted features of the creatures and her fear. Each tense and hectic moment vividly unfolded before her eyes again, fresh and sharp. Her paws reflexively twitched on their own then, recalling the feel of the earth beneath them when running.
"Minnowpaw?"
She didn't remember returning to her nest, let alone the camp last night. At some point she surely must have done so, but the lack of certainty concerned her. What sort of dream makes you that forgetful? Stars, can I even call an experience like that a dream? She honestly didn't know.
She continued to passively sort through the herbs, eventually reaching out to curl a claw around a small flower. An orb of bright yellow adorned its center, encircled by a mane of white petals. Thin threads of remembrance slowly began to weave their way around her heart and mind, ensnaring them.
Brewing storms clouded her vision then and the grip on the flower tightened, claw now piercing a petal. Speaking of forgetfulness, here lie a bitter reminder of something she would've gladly erased.
"Minnowpaw!"
A voice swooped down and snatched her from the moody fog. Minnowpaw blinked repeatedly, eyes returning to focus then, and looked up to the older she-cat.
"Sorry, Leafwing."
If Minnowpaw considered her fur a dull, sun worn gold than Leafwing's own most certainly resembled a soft honey complexion. Where her pelt was long and puffy, usually unmanageable in terms of grooming, the medicine cat's proved sleeker and short, complimenting her slender frame. Her posture spoke of steadiness, a cat quite secure within them self, her expression typically kind and warm in the way a new mother's would be to her litter. At the moment, however, a thin layer of concern seemed to have disrupted it.
"Where's your mind at?" Leafwing asked, her tone mildly questioning. "I've been calling out to you for awhile now."
"Sorry," Minnowpaw mewed again, ears lowered.
Leafwing snaked her tail around to lightly tap Minnowpaw on the nose. "Don't just say sorry because you don't know what else to say. It should mean something when you do." Her tone grew soft then, gentler in its approach. "I was asking about how you've felt recently?"
"I've been okay." Keeping the meekness out of her voice proved difficult, but she managed.
"What about your appetite?"
Only the slightest twitch of her ear betrayed dissent. "It's a bit better."
"Did sectioning the meat into pieces help?"
"Somewhat, yeah."
Leafwing gave a relieved nod, her expression brightening, while Minnowpaw could only feel rue in return. "Hopefully this will be a continued step in the right direction," she said encouragingly. "Thanks for you help with the herbs, as well. I'll finish up here if you want to move around outside."
"I probably will," she mewed, trying not to appear eager while rising to her paws.
Recently, Leafwing placed a big emphasis on not making her feel pressured to do anything. She posed questions, largely inoffensive ones, about her general wellbeing and would occasionally present tasks she thought Minnowpaw wouldn't mind doing. If at any point Minnowpaw appeared uncomfortable though, instinct compelled her to immediately pull back. From Leafwing's perspective this meant her actions were consciously considerate. For Minnowpaw though, she felt exactly the opposite.
Leafwing waved her tail in parting, before setting to managing and separating the herbs with a deft and measured delicacy derived from moons of experience. Minnowpaw padded her way out of the den, emerging into the open light of camp.
Queens leisurely sunbathed while kits pranced and tussled with each other, laughing gleefully, under their mothers attentive gazes. Elders sat in pairs on the other end of camp exchanging snippets of tales of old and past days from their youth. A small hunting patrol was being assembled in the center, consisting of several warriors and two apprentices. One of the apprentice, with glossy gray fur, briefly glanced in her direction before continuing on with the group.
Camp activity moved at a tempo she couldn't fall in step to. Things weren't ever what she would call ideal, but in the past few moons the disconnect only grew steeper, where Clanmates resembled strangers instead of allies. The position of being a RiverClan cat existed in name only.
No amount of simple goodwill would change it. Action needed to precede, and she possessed the answer to how.
Her face tilted up to catch the sun. Night couldn't come soon enough.
"And so you've returned." Her mind rang once more with the familiar resonate voice while padding into the clearing.
She peered up into the nearby canopies, searching for its owner. A branch rattled overhead and she turned to spot the bird. It cocked its head while staring down at her.
Minnowpaw met its stare head on. "I agreed I would, didn't I? I want to save Applepaw."
The bird craned its head back and spread its wings wide open, fully exposing their blood encrusted underbelly. "Fantastic, shall we resume from where we last left things then?"
A violent surge of nausea swept over her. She breathed hard through her nose, pushing back against the impulse and urge to look away from the bird. "Can't you do something about the blood?" Minnowpaw mewed through gritted teeth.
"Part of growth comes by confronting things that make you uncomfortable, Minnowpaw. Trust my word when I say my appearance is the least of your troubles."
"Doesn't mean it still isn't awful to look at," she muttered, the faint taste of bile on her tongue. Minnowpaw gave her coat a brisk shake. Focus, you can do this. She turned back to the bird. "I'm ready to go. Let's do it."
"And so we shall," the bird's voice echoed. "Look below you."
Her gaze drifted down. Embedded firmly in the dirt lay a lone brown seed. Surprise prickled at her.
When did this get here?
"The process is the same," the voice slid back into her mind. "Merely swallow the seed and then rest."
It's basically the same as last night, she told herself. You been through it once. I know what to expect.
Minnowpaw leaned down, taking it the seed into her mouth. A subdued sweetness reminiscent of honey spread across her tongue just before swallowing it whole. Colors begin blurring at once. Not even a solid heartbeat removed from the seed passing down her throat, a sagging and immense haze of lethargy overcame Minnowpaw.
"Mind yourself this go round," the bird's voice said. It's even tone starkly contrasted against her current state, unsteady and drooping to lay down."The upcoming encounter may prove more complicated than the previous."
Minnowpaw touched the ground and succumbed to sleep. Left reverberating in her skull and ears were the bird's parting warning of what was to come.
She awoke already standing, enveloped by the dim light of a moonless sky. One glance around revealed the surrounding area to be the same misty, altered forest she traversed across the previous night alongside Featherpaw.
Except no, something definitely seemed off from last time. Her gaze slowly scanned the area again, more deliberate and out for slight differences, when there! She understood finally. Something appeared faintly different about the light. A bluish green tinge outlined the trunks of every tree and blades of grass, glimmering. Looking down, she even noticed the subtle hue emanating from her claws and fur.
The air retained its uncanny sense of pressure. Minnowpaw took to padding around for a bit, trying to reaccumulate her body to the more labored motions of movement. It gave the unsettling sensation of trudging through mud, but she pushed onward.
She needed to be ready, swift and surefooted. No more mistakes. Last time things unfolded much too quickly for her to properly respond. It wouldn't happen again. Determination willed her actions.
Uncomfortable still, she set to grooming her paws, forelegs, and unruly pelt, not entirely sure why. It somehow felt necessary while also giving her something extra to do. Maybe she wanted her appearance to reflect her current mindset? Maybe she wanted to make a good first impression?
"Hello?"
She paused her grooming and glanced up, scouring the northern outskirts of the foliage. Hesitantly padding into view then, contrasting almost instantly with the verdant backdrop, came a young she-cat with the purest coat of white she'd ever seen. The first drop of fresh snow in Leaf-bare is what came to mind in terms of comparison. Not a blemish stained its scarce purity.
Her face was small and round, oddly quite similar to a snowball, and the rest of her tiny frame followed suit. Just by a glance, Minnowpaw clearly outsized her, even with the halfhearted appetite of late.
At the sight of a new face, Minnowpaw scampered over immediately, closing the space between them within moments. She stopped less than a paws length from her, words already formulating on the tip of her tongue, anxious to spill out.
"Everything will be all right," she proclaimed. "Just stick close by me, okay?"
What did she expect to happen then? For the she-cat to dip her head low in gratefulness? To be showered in appreciation or witness a sudden glow of relief to reflect in the she-cat's eyes at her words? Possibly. What she received in return, however, failed all those expectations.
"What? I–I don't..." the white she-cat stammered. A volatile mixture of panic and surprise smashed the smooth texture of her now frayed fur, crumbling it to pieces.
She scuttled back several pawlengths from Minnowpaw, her frazzled expression and moon wide eyes, reminding Minnowpaw more of a mouse than a cat. I've scared her, she realized a few heartbeats too late, inwardly cursing herself for such an obvious mishap. What are you doing, Fishbrain?
Not even a full twenty heartbeats in and already she was scrambling to remedy a mess. This is why the other apprentices thought you were annoying, a snide voice whispered from the depths of her insecurities. You can't help but make a bad impression.
Minnowpaw gritted her teeth and forcibly pushed back, knocking the voice back into the depths it'd crawled from and hurriedly buried it until the ground concealing it lay flat.
Get it together, she urged herself, breathing hard. You can do this. You have to.
Feather light in her approach, Minnowpaw opted to maintain the distance between them and dip her head low to the panicked cat.
"Sorry," she mewed, trying her hardest to make the sincerity clear in her voice, before giving a remorseful look to emphasize it. "Let me start again, okay? My name's Minnowpaw. I'm here to make sure nothing bad happens to you."
The pure white she-cat remained silent. She fidgeted, shifting from paw to paw. Every few heartbeats Minnowpaw would catch glimpses of her eyes darting around the woods, to her, and then away again, never able to linger on one thing for too long.
I need to make her more comfortable, Minnowpaw realized. She flashed a wide smile, mimicking what she hoped reflected an adequate rendition of Applepaw's own.
"I'm an apprentice in training to be a warrior, although right now that's kind of on hold. What about you? I'm sorry for not asking for your name earlier. If it's okay, could you tell me it?"
Minnowpaw lowered onto her haunches, patiently in wait. She didn't look directly at her or exude an impression of expectation. She knew better than most about being put on the spot. If the white she-cat decided to answer it should be only if she wanted.
"Dewpaw," a soft and meek voice mewed after awhile. "I'm a medicine cat apprentice in training."
Minnowpaw's ears perked with interest. "Really?"
Eyes still averted, Dewpaw gave a minuscule nod. "Yeah."
"Becoming a medicine cat takes moons of practice memorizing the names and smells of so many different herbs, right?" Minnowpaw mused aloud. "You must be really smart then."
Dewpaw shuffled a bit before bashfully ducking her head and saying, "It does, but I wouldn't say I'm super smart or anything."
"Well, I could never do it, even with a hundreds moons worth of training," Minnowpaw said, with a light giggle. A hint of a tiny smile could be seen starting to form on Dewpaw. "I'm serious," she continued, grinning now. "I can barely tell the difference between a vole and squirrel without seeing one. It's all just dirt and nuts to me."
A laugh slipped out from Dewpaw, and with it some of the tension Minnowpaw noted earlier. Good. A flutter of relief spread across her chest.
"There you are, Dewpaw."
Minnowpaw watched the light drain from Dewpaw's eyes. The smile starting to bloom on her face wilted and died.
Her attention swept to the southernmost region of the brush, opposite from where Dewpaw came, to see a long and slender tortoiseshell she-cat come padding into range.
If discipline could inhabit a physical form this cat would be its holder. Each pawstep came in slick and polished motions, her stride impeccable, nearly imperceptible with how fluid she moved. Not a single hair stood out of place on her coat. Calling it neatly groomed to perfection seemed a understatement; Minnowpaw swore she didn't have any with how seamlessly it hugged her body.
She halted a foxlength's from them to turn and stare expectantly at Dewpaw. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" The cat asked in a curt manner. "I've been looking for you everywhere, and here you are giggling her head off like a kit."
The grass rustled next to Minnowpaw with Dewpaw's frantic movement. The white she-cat brought herself to a standstill, posture narrow and rigid, and dipped her head so low her nose nearly brushed the dirt.
"I'm sorry, Adderfur," she hastily said. "I didn't mean to have you searching for–."
"I don't care about what you meant to do, Dewpaw," Adderfur intercut brusquely, her voice even toned yet biting. "You did it."
Dewpaw kept her head down. "You're correct, it's my fault. I should know better."
"You should, and yet here we are having the same sorts of conversations as always. Can't you follow one simple order? I shouldn't have to constantly reprehend you for your disobedience."
Minnowpaw watched Dewpaw's jaw quiver. "I'm sorry, Adderfur." If possible she lowered her head even lower, her ears now splayed flat against it.
Adderfur's face remained passive. "Enough," she stated, tail flicking sharply behind her. "We're leaving now. Come here."
Minnowpaw chose to step forward then and opened her mouth to say, "Hey, excuse me, but–."
The tortoiseshell cat whipped her head to look at her for the first time and Minnowpaw nearly bit her tongue in two to stop from recoiling. Eyes narrow and harsher than the frigidness of Leaf-bare sent a biting chill through her joints, suspending her open mouth.
"No, excuse you, but I'm speaking to my apprentice." She redirected the hawkish gaze back to Dewpaw, who continued to keep her head low. Minnowpaw felt the mobility rush back into her body at once. She stood momentarily stunned, not sure how to reconcile the prior moment. "Do as I say and come here," Adderfur commanded. "I won't say it again. You've wasted enough time playing around."
Dewpaw rose up and made to move forward quickly.
"Wait, Dewpaw!" Minnowpaw called, stepping in to partially block her way.
"Please don't get involved," Dewpaw cut her off abruptly, eyes low. "You'll just upset her." The tightness in her voice was palpable. "It's my fault, anyway."
While Minnowpaw couldn't catch her gaze, Dewpaw's voice and body, and the startling exchange she'd just experienced with Adderfur told her more than enough. This couldn't be allowed to happen.
"No." Dewpaw jerked up at her, eyes widening. Placing herself now firmly in front of the white cat, Minnowpaw turned to face Adderfur. "Dewpaw's not going anywhere with you."
She needed to look forward and be proactive. Don't hesitate, just act. Channeling the same sensation of removing a clump of hair from her fur, Minnowpaw felt herself split, once, twice, thrice, into a group of five of her. They stood in sequence, forming a border line between Adderfur and Dewpaw.
"I'll protect her," they all mewed in unison.
And she meant it. While she was there Dewpaw would have nothing to fear from.
Not a single one of her witnessed it happen.
It swept through her horde of selves without impunity, dispersing them in the same way a gust would smoke. The strike lifted Minnowpaw herself airborne and then sent spiraling back. Weightless and vulnerable, she knew what it meant to be a loose leaf in the midst of a storm, before slamming back-first against the ground, fangs clacking painfully together. The thudding impact plucked the air from her lungs. Her vision swam before sinking down into the cold darkness below.
It couldn't be described larger than a cat's paw. The inner surface was smooth as bare skin, its outside lined in swooping grooves. In sunlight it shone with a tiny sparkle, reminding Minnowpaw vaguely of a distant star.
"What do you think?"
Minnowpaw looked from the glittering shell to Applepaw's expectant grinning face. Her red eyes reflected with a shimmer from the light.
"It's really pretty," she admitted.
Applepaw beamed. "I know, right? I found it near the shore while a bunch of us were swimming."
Together, they sat huddled in the apprentice den, their nests situated next to the other. No one else occupied the space except them. Most of the other apprentices were still out roaming for the day.
"I wish you'd came," Applepaw went on. "I wanted to swim with you."
She lowered her head, embarrassment souring her expression quicker than a stench. "Sorry."
"Don't be," Applepaw mewed back, offering a kind smile. She gave Minnowpaw a light nudge with her nose. "You must've been nervous."
"I'm sorry."
Applepaw laughed, open and freely. "It's okay, really. Just take things at your own pace; I don't mind."
She gave a nod of assent, though it was mostly hollow. Nerves definitely played a part, but no, the real reason for her originally declining the invitation came down to one simple thing. She didn't want to put Applepaw at odds with her other friends.
No matter how much she may want to spend time with her, upsetting them might make Applepaw realize she was better off without her. Minnowpaw couldn't stand the thought of it. The ever looming paranoia and fear of being abandoned held her captive.
Minnowpaw cracked open a eye before wincing. A cacophony of angry buzzing blared in her ears, serving accompaniment to the throbbing in her head. With a strained whimper, she slowly crawled into a sitting position while her back protested the movement with piercing cries for attention.
Pain. Her breath came out in shallow, haggard grunts deeper than a lumbering badger. Blearily, she casted a look around the area, finding it absent of any life outside her own. Dewpaw and Adderfur were gone.
Fear.
The fear of being hated, of being rejected, of getting hurt. It encased her, pungent and foul smelling, reeking of the vilest rot possible. It ate at her rabidly, with the tenacity of scavengers tearing a body asunder.
Get up.
With another whimper, Minnowpaw managed to stand, legs somewhat wobbly beneath her. Surprisingly, some of the pain from the fall seemed to be slowly receding. She arched her back, hearing a pop, and a rush of instant relief. It vanished completely.
I guess pain doesn't last for me since I basically don't exist here, she numbly realized. It wasn't the only thing Minnowpaw reached a conclusion on, though.
Empty apologies seemed all she could muster in situations where it mattered most to speak up instead. One hollow gesture after the next. No wonder Leafwing ended up chastising her for it. She'd noticed the same in Dewpaw, too afraid of the many possibilities, so instead taking the passive option and apologizing, even if you weren't certain for what.
Fear ultimately ruled and ruined everything.
"Dewpaw is still capable of being saved," the voice of the bird manifested inside her skull. "She's just been taken away, northern. You haven't officially failed yet. Will you take this chance to continue or surrender?"
She stood there in silence, burdened by her thoughts. I'm not a hero from some prophecy. I'm not special, quick, overly smart, or particularly brave. I have trouble looking others in the eyes and holding conversations. It's hard to voice my opinion.
Her rising heartbeat pounded relentlessly, causing Minnowpaw's body to pulsate due to the bloodrush. She took a moment to close her eyes, deeply breathe, and then reopen them. I'm not a hero, I know that. It doesn't mean I can't still try, though.
Minnowpaw gripped the dirt beneath her claws and looked forward north. "Just watch me," she growled aloud before bounding off.
She tore through the underbrush being propelled by the force of her conviction and adrenaline.
"Insolence."
Her ears perked at the sound. She transitioned into a light trot before slipping into a full crouch. A split in-between the brush revealed a slope to her left. Careful with the placement of her steps, Minnowpaw stalked forward to peer down.
Adderpaw circled around a stationary Dewpaw in the manner a predator would a corned prey. With each step she took her tail lashed out behind her. She appeared to be speaking at the moment. Minnowpaw swiveled her to hear better.
"I invest so much care and attention into your maturation and in return you reply with constant disobedience," the tortoiseshell cat could be overheard saying. "I don't ask for much, just some show of genuine effort. Growth."
Dewpaw only seemed capable of morosely nodding along. "You're right and I'm sorry, Adderfur."
"I know you're sorry, Dewpaw, but something you need to learn and understand is apologies aren't enough sometimes. Action takes priority when there is no better option available." Adderfur's tail struck out then and swept across the ground in front of Dewpaw. A pile of glittering dark red berries materialized on the ground. "Eat them," she ordered. "This will prove that you're honest about wanting to help."
Dewpaw began lowering her head without hesitation, her face devoid of any expression. "Yes, Adderfur."
The hairs along Minnowpaw's neck shot up. She'd spent enough moons in and out of the medicine den with Leafwing to know what those were with a single glance. Desperation spurred her on.
"Dewpaw, stop!" Minnowpaw yowled, bounding down the slope towards her.
She could stop her. She knew it.
Minnowpaw reached just about two foxlengths away from Dewpaw when her line of sight was blocked. Adderfur's cursed gaze made to meet her own, but at the last possible moment Minnowpaw managed to avert them away.
"Do. Not. Interfere." Adderfur's biting tone snapped at her. "I won't say it again."
"Dewpaw, don't!" She shouted over her, ignoring the threat. "Her being your mentor doesn't give her the right to mistreat you." More, Minnowpaw thought to herself. I need more this time! Once, twice, thrice, and forty separate Minnowpaw's now occupied the space, surrounding Adderfur and Dewpaw. "I won't make the same mistake twice," they all said, glaring at Adderfur. "Dewpaw doesn't belong to you. I'll fight you to prove it!"
Adderfur's eyes widened. For the first time since encountering her, the once passive expression shifted to contort and morph into a hissing sneer. "You worthless scrap of fur! You'd interfere in private affairs of medicine cats? Have you no shame, decorum, or an ounce of intelligence in that flea brain of yours!" Adderfur spat venomously. "How dare you make a mockery of yourself like this."
Leafwing's caring face flashed through her mind then. "The only mockery here is you. You give real medicine cats' an awful name."
Adderfur bared her fangs, a snarling hiss emerging from her mouth. Her neck begin to twist then, elongating and turning in a circle before Minnowpaw's stunned eyes. The tortoiseshell cat's shoulders and legs pulled into her body, seamlessly meshing into her fur, as she grew longer and longer.
Blackened scales gleamed in the moonless light as, looming over the horde of Minnowpaws, slithered a beast. It possessed the body of a serpent with the head of Adderfur on top, which glowered down at her vindictively.
Minnowpaw and her selves moved together, bunching their legs and launching themselves at the beast. Blindingly quick, the beast twisted its serpentine form in an arc of a crescent moon and swung its massive tail. It pierced through each Minnowpaw before smacking into the final one and sending her rolling across the grass.
She came to sprawling stop, the clacking of knocking bones rattling in her ears. A wheezing cough came from her mouth.
"Minnowpaw!" she distantly heard Dewpaw's alarmed voice cry out. "Please just stop. It's my fault for not being able to live up to my role as a medicine cat. I'm just no good. I'm not smart, brave, or capable. Doing this will help Adderfur. It's all I have left to be useful."
Useful?
Minnowpaw gritted her teeth and forced her way back to her paws, gasping. It hurt, but not to the extent of the first one she never saw coming. She could push through. Her eyes sought out to catch Dewpaw's. The white cat was staring back at her, concern and defeat battling for supremacy on her face.
"What do you mean 'useful'?" Minnowpaw growled indignantly while heaving. "No one gets to decide something like that, except you. You're not 'no good', Dewpaw! You matter. You're important. And I won't let something like," she turned her defiant gaze towards the slithering beast, "that thing be the one to decide that for you."
She split herself again. Where once stood one Minnowpaw were now eighty. She would make how ever many of herself it took to combat this beast.
With a resounding chorus of shouts, they charged forward to engage the beast once more. The beast darted forward, meeting them head on and twisted it's body once again. Jumping back at the last moment saved about half the Minnowpaws from the sweeping blow, the rest instantly vanishing once struck.
She needed to figure out a way to get close. The beast moved too fast for her to simply outpace it. At this rate she wouldn't be able to hurt it.
Her gaze drifted over to Dewpaw. Maybe she could try going for her instead–use her other selves to distract while prioritizing Dewpaw's safety and running.
A rush of wind swept over her quicker than a heartbeat. Before a semblance of a thought could form in her mind, a crushing pressure slammed down onto Minnowpaw's back, burying her face into the dirt and pinning her in place. She was completely immobilized, her other sizes having evaporated from existence.
Panic seized her. I can't die here. I can't die! She desperately tried consoling herself, but the pressure in her lungs and head were adamantly suggesting otherwise. She felt her eyeballs begin to bulge, threatening to pop out.
"Stop, you're hurting her!" Dewpaw's voice sounded off from somewhere. Minnowpaw couldn't see her. She couldn't see much of anything. "Please, Adderfur, let her go!"
A low hissing voice sounded from above her. "Do as I instructed then, and she'll go free. For once, Dewpaw, don't be disobedient."
Minnowpaw wanted to scream, she wanted to squirm or do anything, but the suffocating weight keeping her held made it impossible.
The beast began cooing, its voice silky and inviting. "That's right, do as I say and eat them now. Put them in your mouth, yes, yes, good, Dewpaw. You're so well behaved. Now come over here so I can check your mouth and make sure you swallowed them all."
Minnowpaw heard the crunching of grass in what she desperately hoped wasn't Dewpaw approaching. Please don't! You can't give her what she wants Dewpaw!
"There you are, good," the beast's cooing tone reverberated. "Now show me what an obedient apprentice you are and open your mouth." Minnowpaw felt something firm, maybe a paw, brush over her tail briefly. "What are you waiting for, you mindless cat!" the beast suddenly snapped. "Do as I said and open your mouth!"
A splat of something being spat out and a roar of fury were all Minnowpaw needed to know something transpired.
"Minnowpaw, Minnowpaw!" Dewpaw's voice cried from close nearby. "Don't give up–" An anguished yowl overtook her voice.
"I should've known you'd be useless to the end," a cold hiss sneered. "If I have to force those berries down your throat, I will."
Dewpaw's in trouble! Minnowpaw vainly tried to wiggle some part of her body. Anything would do, she just needed to get loose. Please, she implored frantically. Please, I need to get loose. I need to be free!
The weight disappeared. Or rather, she did then. Akin to the fate of ice in the midst of Newleaf, Minnowpaw melted. She lost complete control of her physical body and resorted into particles of water. They slid along the grass right from under the beast's body and then reformed, Minnowpaw returning to solid.
Dewpaw lay sprawled over in the grass. She lifted her head to stare at her in numb surprise, dirt and red splotches staining her once pure coat. Above her loomed the beast also glaring at Minnowpaw, a look of pure hatred and shock etched across its face. Adderfur's head titled back and let loose a blood curdling shriek.
She coiled into herself and then sprung out for Minnowpaw, fangs bared. Once she drew within range of absolutely crushing her, Minnowpaw channeled the sensation of melting in midst of a sweltering heat. The beast crashed headfirst into the pool of water, it passing harmlessly through.
Minnowpaw reformed several foxlengths away, unscathed. Now she was the one incapable of being touched. The beast dislodged itself from the ground to whip around and hiss at her. She unsheathed her claws and hissed back. The new ability gave her an idea.
She split herself into ten Minnowpaws and charged. The beast lunged out to meet them. It swung its head at the exact instant all the Minnowpaws reduced themselves to water. Their combined essences engulfed the entirety of its head.
They rematerialized to surround its neck in a ring of cats and claws. In one sweeping motion they all swiped right, cleanly severing the beast's head from it's serpent body. It clattered to the ground in a massive heap, resulting in a resounding thud. Headless, its body rolled over to a halt alongside.
Minnowpaw didn't bother giving it a second look. She ran pass to check on Dewpaw, who was sitting up just then.
"You didn't actually swallow the berries, did you?" She immediately questioned. Her paws trembled with tension, believing she'd botched everything.
Thankfully, Dewpaw shook her head while giving her a tiered look of relief. "I didn't. I just put them in mouth, hoping it'd trick her long enough to figure out someway to help you." A long sigh came out. "Sorry. I don't know how to fight, so all I could think to do was spit the berries out at her. She got angry afterwards and knocked me back." Remorse bubbled on the surface of her eyes. "I don't have a connection to StarClan. I can't receive dreams, read omens, or even interact with our ancestors. I never could. Every single half-moon, since I became an apprentice, I'd sit there and pretend to sleep while everyone else dreamt. It's the reason why my mentor treated me the way she did. She resented me for it. I think she worried about what would become of the Clan once she died without a proper medicine cat to look after everyone. So, eventually, I guess she came to the decision she'd need a new one."
The implication hung heavier than the air pushing down on them.
"That's awful."
Dewpaw's eyes drew downcast, her form seeming drastically smaller then. "I was so scared. I didn't want to do it, but I didn't want to disappoint her like I'd already done so much. I..i t-thought," her voice wavered pitifully.
Minnowpaw leaned over and placed her head firmly against Dewpaw's. Without a word, the white she-cat leaned into it. They sat together in mutual silence, nothing more than their respective warmth and presence to comfort the other.
"I wish I'd had you as a friend," Dewpaw admitted after sometime. "Maybe it would've made a difference since you actually care."
She remained quiet. Old, sodden memories surfaced from the depths to entrench her mind. A familiar ginger cat faced her with a pained look of intense grief. Next to her paw lay a tiny, tattered white flower with a yellow center. Minnowpaw blinked, letting the sight fade away. Given the opportunity would Applepaw say the same?
Dewpaw pulled away then to show a tiny smile. Light shone through her translucent face. "Remember me, okay?"
She vanished, leaving Minnowpaw alone, who stood silently staring at the empty spot left behind.
"Well done. You're closer to being ready to see Applepaw."
Minnowpaw barely reacted to the voice. Motionless, her eyes were still locked on the empty space. "Before I go, can you answer something for me?"
"If it is within my knowledge to answer, then so I shall."
"About this forest and what's happened here, are all the cats I meet de–," a inward jerk stopped her from finishing the sentence. She took a deep breath. "I mean to say, is everyone here just like Featherpaw and Dewpaw?"
"Without exception," the voice replied. "The cats who inhabit this forest have all encountered rather unfortunate fates. Featherpaw met her end after being chased down and eaten alive by a pack of foxes while Dewpaw was fed deathberries by her mentor. Those who end up wandering here, do so for a severe reason."
"And Applepaw is the same?" she asked in a quiet voice. Her claws unsheathed themselves and dug into the ground, gripping the dirt for stability. "She's wandering around this place too?"
"Indeed."
She closed her eyes then, mewing, "I'm going home now," and laid down.
When next she opened them, she was back in the apprentice den inside her nest. The lack of light implied night still held residence in the sky. Quietly, she rummaged around her nest until a glint caught her eye.
It couldn't be described larger than a cat's paw. The inner surface was smooth as bare skin, its outside lined in swooping grooves. In sunlight it would shine with a tiny sparkle, reminding Minnowpaw vaguely of a distant star.
She pawed at it before pulling the shell closer to her body. This gift freely given back then was the only thing to remain outside her memories of Applepaw. Her mind ruminated on morbid things before she eventually closed her eyes in a vain attempt to sleep.