Sunsetkit pounced on her sister's tail, her cry of triumph rang out as her sister's sable fur fluffed up. "Ok ok you win! I give in! Just get off me, you big lump of fur!"
The sable-furred she-kit jumped and tackled her sister, her purple eyes gleaming. "Ha! I got you Sun! Now I win!" Sunsetkit growled and tried to roll out from under Twilightkit's paws.
"Fine! I give in! Just get off me, you big lump of fur!" Twilightkit sighed but did as she was told. From nearby the two play-fighting kits, Redkit, Willowkit, and Spottedkit watched them from beside Goldenflow.
Bluepaw's whiskers twitched in amusement as she watched her new siblings play-fight near the entrance of the nursery. She waved her tail in greeting to her mother and three other sisters as she kept a close eye on Sunsetkit and Twilightkit.
"Hey, Bluepaw!" the blue-gray molly turned in the direction of the cat who had called out to her.
"Hey, Flowingpaw!" Bluepaw meowed in a friendly tone. "So did you get your full medicine cat name?"
The cinnamon tabby nodded her head and grinned cheekily at Bluepaw. "Yep, I'm Flowingstream now, isn't it a great name?"
Bluepaw nodded and smiled widely at her friend. "Yeah, it's an awesome name!"
"Anyway... do you wanna go hunting together or something?"
Bluepaw's eyes popped wide open and her jaw dropped in shock. Was Flowingstream really asking her to go hunting with her? Bluepaw shook out her fur and took a hold on the thoughts swirling in her head.
"Soooo... do you want to go hunting with me? Or would you like to help me gather herbs?"
"Huh? What? Oh! I uh... I, yes, yes, I would love to go hunting with you!" Bluepaw stammered, blushing and staring down at her paws.
Flowingstream smiled and the two cats patted to the shimmering pines to hint for pray.
As the two cats patted through the sunlit clearing, Bluepaw kept having this strange feeling that something was watching her.
She stopped for a moment. Why are you so jumpy around this Flowingstream cat? the voice purred. Is it that you like her? Well she's a medicine cat apprentice, and as such she can't fall in love. But I pity you, she really is a beautiful cat. The voice finished, laughing more of a cackle.
"Oh hush! Are you trying to embarrass me? Ok ok fine! If you must know, yes, yes I do in fact like her!" she whispered in a low tone so only the mysterious voice could hear.
The voice sounded like a she-cat's, and was high-pitched, like a kit's. Bluepaw spun around.
"Who's there? Who is that?" she asked nervously. She teleported into some bushes nearby, in case of a sudden attack.
Oh, don't worry. I'm not around, or here to attack you. I can only speak to you, just in your head... unless…
Bluepaw growled.
"I'm not breaking you out. However I do that." She muttered. The voice let off one of her laughs.
Ha! Well, I don't want out yet, miss Bluepaw, but there is another way for us to talk. She murmured softly.
We could meet... in your dreams. Tonight, perhaps. The voice let those last few words linger in the air for a moment, as if savouring the taste of them on the top of her tongue.
It was as if Bluepaw could feel soft, silky fur and a small cat's body weaving around her, vibrating with purrs. She felt comfortable, except for the fact that the cat's body was ice-cold. She felt as if she'd fallen into a trance with this shadow cat beside her. She could just stay there forever…
Wait.
She teleported out of the shadow cat's grasp. She could see the she-cat now.
She was all black, with soft, smooth, silky fur. She was tiny, almost kitlike in the sun's outline. But her most interesting feature was her eyes. They shone in a glowing rainbow ombre colour, shifting in colours almost hypnotically.
Hypnotically…
"Were you trying to hypnotize me?!" She yowled. The dark cat backed away.
No, no… fine. You got me. I was. But come on, darling, can't a ghost cat have a little fun?
She backed away slowly.
"You're a ghost?" she asked tentatively. That, at least, made a little more sense. Unlike literally everything else in Bluepaw's strange, hectic life. The small she-cat laughed, throwing her head back as she did. When she was done, she stared deeply into Bluepaw's bright blue eyes.
Bluepaw looked away.
Of course I'm a ghost, honey. How else can I do this? she winked at her with her shimmering rainbow eyes, framed by sooty black eyelashes, and she gathered her tiny black paws under her fluffy silver-black belly, and pounced…
Right through a nearby pine tree trunk.
"Ahh!" she screeched. The she-cat purred and twitched her whiskers in amusement.
Ha! Silly apprentice! But I suppose you know all about secret powers, correct? The she-cat sat down and wrapped her shimmering black tail over her paws. She glanced at her, as if to say, well, aren't you going to respond?
"Er- yes, I do. How exactly did you know that?" she asked the black cat. She purred.
I'm a ghost, dear. I know everything. She flashed her a smile, revealing sharp white teeth. Bluepaw nodded at the cat, now understanding.
"So, you're like a StarClan cat, right? And here to teach me about my powers?" she asked her, half hoping for a response and half not. The she-cat looked hesitant. A flash of something gleamed in her rainbow eyes, but it was soon replaced.
Tell you what, Bluepaw. How about you meet me tonight, in your dreams. The small she-cat reasoned. Bluepaw shuffled her paws awkwardly.
"I can't. I'm sorry, but I have to meet someone else tonight." She meowed, hoping the little ghost cat would understand. For a moment, the black she-cat looked... angry at Bluepaw. But she stopped and just gave a tiny laugh.
Right, of course. The others. Yes, that will be an interesting meeting. You're in for a treat, darling. She mewed, and laughed again. Bluepaw smiled weakly.
"I'm really sorry. If there's time though, I can try to meet you too, if that's okay." She tried to sound light-hearted, but deep down she was kind of scared of the little she-cat. But she just smiled, and licked a paw.
Don't worry about it, hon. It's fine. This meeting is important to your destiny anyways. She said casually. Bluepaw sat up straight, her blue-gray ears pricked.
"What? You know my destiny?! What is it? What happens to me?!" She asked quickly. She purred.
All in good time, dear. Although, if you stick with me, I can see a path full of great things. I can see leadership, perhaps a mate and kits, the respect of your clanmates… she trailed off, looking pleased. Bluepaw grinned.
"Ok, I'll meet up with you as soon as I can, little ghost kitty, you'll meet me, won't you?" she asked the black-furred molly.
The little ghost cat nodded her fluffy black head and waved a paw in response to the blue-gray molly's question.
That's what I was hoping to hear. Suddenly, her ears pricked up. Her beautiful eyes looked alert.
Someone's coming. I have to go. She started to fade away, her black fur becoming transparent, her bright ombre eyes dimming. Bluepaw ran after her.
"Hey wait! Where are you going?" she yowled, "I still have questions to ask you."
At hearing those words, the glittery she-cat stopped fading and turned back around to face Bluepaw.
Hmmm... so it would seem like I'm still needed here! Well, at least for a little while anyways... she purred softly with gleaming mischief as she stared quizzically at Bluepaw.
The black she-cat winked and gave Bluepaw an easy-going smile. I think your little medicine cat friend is trying to get your attention miss Bluepaw. She purred, laughing quietly and drawing a paw over her left ear.
Blinking in confusion Bluepaw turned around to see that the little ghost cat was right, Flowingstream was undead trying to get her attention.
"Bluepaw?" came Flowingstream's meow from somewhere close by. Bluepaw jumped and spun to face her.
"Who are you talking to?"
"Huh? Oh! I uh... nobody... I'm not talking to anybody!" she meowed nervously.
Flowingstream's eyes narrowed and her ears pricked up in alert. "Oh come on Bluepaw, you were clearly talking to someone!" she meowed, her tone suggesting that she didn't believe her.
Bluepaw's eyes lowered to the floor and her ears flattened against her head. How was she going to explain to Flowingstream that she was talking to a ghost cat?
Your friend can't see me, only you can, miss Bluepaw. She meowed loftily, her black dappled tail swishing and her rainbow-colored eyes shimmering as she stared at Bluepaw with a cheeky and knowing smile.
Well miss Bluepaw, I'd better get going. The dark-fired she-cat informed her with that ever-present cheeky little smile on her face.
"Wait! You can't leave! I don't even know your name!" she yowled. The black she-cat winked.
Call me Rainbow. Then she was gone, faded amongst the gray-green pine trees. Bluepaw wanted to call her back, but she knew that was useless.
Bluepaw blinked and stared up at Flowingstream, the cinnamon tabby staring right back at her, her green eyes gleaming as she tried to find out what Bluepaw was hiding.
"Ok Bluepaw, spill it!" Flowingstream meowed in a demanding tone. "Who were you talking to? And don't lie to me cause I know you were talking to someone!"
Bluepaw sighed in defeat and flattened her ears, then meowed quietly. "Ok ok fine! I was talking to a ghost cat," she told her truthfully.
"Wait, you were talking to a what?!"
Bluepaw sighed and stared up into Flowingstream's minty-green eyes. "I was talking to a ghost cat," she repeated.