Post by xvinn on Nov 4, 2024 0:58:49 GMT
dipperpaw (he/him) | orchidclan
Everything inside the apprentice felt broken.
For the first time in perhaps his entire life, he had stood up for himself. Not only had he stood up for himself, he stood up to Morningstar, his own leader. He was a cat who was always second guessing himself, second guessing everything he did and said and which herbs did the right things. Okay, well, maybe not about herbs. Regardless, he had always been nervous about everything, pointing out the smallest things to his mentor in fear that it was a sign from StarClan until she reassured him that the thing he pointed out was something that was nothing new.
But Dipperpaw knew what he saw. He knew what the warriors of StarClan had been telling him over and over again. He had never been so sure of anything in his entire life. In fact, he had been so sure, he hadn't even bothered talking to Ice-eyes before running straight to Morningstar about what he saw.
The image was still bright in his mind. The image of the dark storm clouds that could not stop the bright morning sun that had changed from yellow to a sickening red that churned his stomach. He could not stop picturing the way the bloody red fell over the moors and danced its way towards OrchidClan. He could still feel the way the winds threatened to throw him off his paws and send him tumbling off to who knows where. He couldn't get the scent of blood out of his nose and his stomach. For the first time, despite the terrifying thing that was in front of him, Dipperpaw had managed to more or less keep his cool. Such a sign would have terrified any cat, but the single cat who was prone to daily panic attacks managed to hold himself together as he stared, and smelled, and felt, and heard. The sounds of StarClan in the deadly winds, telling him one thing he needed to hear: The blood of morning will stain the gale-swept moors.
Dipperpaw was only halfway to the medicine cat den before he felt himself freeze. He tried looking behind him to the leader's den, but he couldn't even turn himself around to look. He wondered if Morningstar was standing there, staring at him, as though daring him to challenge her again. Ancestors above... what was he supposed to do? He had done everything they had asked of him, and yet it was clear it was not enough. He didn't want to go whining to Ice-eyes about his failure in the most important duty he'd been given yet.
In that exact moment, he realized he also forgot the feverfew and yarrow he'd promised Ice-eyes he would collect.
He was done for.
Thunder clapped in the distance, and Dipperpaw wondered if it was truly just a standard storm of if it was his ancestors crying their disappointment at him. He tried to convince himself it was just the seasons changing, but he still couldn't shake what he felt must be the truth. As the sound of rain started to grow nearer, he had two choices: stand out here in the rain, or run into the sheltered den where he would have to face Ice-eyes and tell her what he saw.
At first, he thought perhaps it would just be better to sit in the rain. A few drops fell onto his fur, and he figured that this way he would catch a cold that might just finally take him to the Dark Forest. After all, StarClan wouldn't want him in their ranks. But as more droplets began to sink through his fur and against his skin underneath, he couldn't stand it. Habitually, he ran into the medicine cat's den. Perhaps he could have bolted for the elder's den or nursery with the excuse that he was checking in on them before everyone was more or less shut in for the day, but it felt as though his paws forced him into the more familiar scent of his nest, of his mentor, and of the plants that surrounded the two of them.
For the first time in perhaps his entire life, he had stood up for himself. Not only had he stood up for himself, he stood up to Morningstar, his own leader. He was a cat who was always second guessing himself, second guessing everything he did and said and which herbs did the right things. Okay, well, maybe not about herbs. Regardless, he had always been nervous about everything, pointing out the smallest things to his mentor in fear that it was a sign from StarClan until she reassured him that the thing he pointed out was something that was nothing new.
But Dipperpaw knew what he saw. He knew what the warriors of StarClan had been telling him over and over again. He had never been so sure of anything in his entire life. In fact, he had been so sure, he hadn't even bothered talking to Ice-eyes before running straight to Morningstar about what he saw.
The image was still bright in his mind. The image of the dark storm clouds that could not stop the bright morning sun that had changed from yellow to a sickening red that churned his stomach. He could not stop picturing the way the bloody red fell over the moors and danced its way towards OrchidClan. He could still feel the way the winds threatened to throw him off his paws and send him tumbling off to who knows where. He couldn't get the scent of blood out of his nose and his stomach. For the first time, despite the terrifying thing that was in front of him, Dipperpaw had managed to more or less keep his cool. Such a sign would have terrified any cat, but the single cat who was prone to daily panic attacks managed to hold himself together as he stared, and smelled, and felt, and heard. The sounds of StarClan in the deadly winds, telling him one thing he needed to hear: The blood of morning will stain the gale-swept moors.
Dipperpaw was only halfway to the medicine cat den before he felt himself freeze. He tried looking behind him to the leader's den, but he couldn't even turn himself around to look. He wondered if Morningstar was standing there, staring at him, as though daring him to challenge her again. Ancestors above... what was he supposed to do? He had done everything they had asked of him, and yet it was clear it was not enough. He didn't want to go whining to Ice-eyes about his failure in the most important duty he'd been given yet.
In that exact moment, he realized he also forgot the feverfew and yarrow he'd promised Ice-eyes he would collect.
He was done for.
Thunder clapped in the distance, and Dipperpaw wondered if it was truly just a standard storm of if it was his ancestors crying their disappointment at him. He tried to convince himself it was just the seasons changing, but he still couldn't shake what he felt must be the truth. As the sound of rain started to grow nearer, he had two choices: stand out here in the rain, or run into the sheltered den where he would have to face Ice-eyes and tell her what he saw.
At first, he thought perhaps it would just be better to sit in the rain. A few drops fell onto his fur, and he figured that this way he would catch a cold that might just finally take him to the Dark Forest. After all, StarClan wouldn't want him in their ranks. But as more droplets began to sink through his fur and against his skin underneath, he couldn't stand it. Habitually, he ran into the medicine cat's den. Perhaps he could have bolted for the elder's den or nursery with the excuse that he was checking in on them before everyone was more or less shut in for the day, but it felt as though his paws forced him into the more familiar scent of his nest, of his mentor, and of the plants that surrounded the two of them.
athesia ● 688 words
