- Jun 13, 2022
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Screaming- why could he still hear it, even as his eyes opened up? Why did his brain do this to him? It wasn't fair it wasn't fair it wasn't fair, a defiant mantra that tried to drown out the wails as they spun around, rapid as a winter river, in his mind.
Stupid. He was stupid to be this scared, but he swore he could still see that fox with flaxen eyes glinting in the dark, tearing through everything and everyone in its path. Wrath razed, the SkyClan camp's safety had been torn asunder and left to ruin. Stained in his vision like ink bleeding through paper he saw the image of snapping jaws barrelling toward him, a guttural snarl rumbling through canid nostrils. His mother's steady breaths reminded him of the life that was still out there, but he needed to hear her voice. He needed her. Wriggling toward her like a newborn, Twitchkit tucked close.
"What is it, honey?" Tidespin spoke sweet and low, voice made molasses from being awoken, and Twitchkit's trembling, tear-thickened breaths managed to steady for just a moment.
"I- had another nightmare." Dithering, his tone was louder than he'd intended, leading small ears to flatten against his skull in mild embarrassment. No-one else moved, or perhaps he was trying not to peer into the darkness for fear of foxlike fury finding him.
"Another? Oh dear," Her smile remained, sugared as always and soft upon her plush features. Twitchkit sniffled, burying his face into her fur- though comfort was disturbed by the buzzing of her voice as it left her, an aloof edge to the dolce drowsiness. "Twitchkit, I've told you. They're not real." Tidespin's voice had an urge to it, her signature softness still there- though waned by something Twitchkit could not define.
"I'm still- I'm st-still... ssscared, though..." Tone still shuddered, he could not help the sob that interrupted his words. Tears flattened his mother's pillow-soft pelt.
"There's nothing to be afraid of. It's not real, honey." The same thing, again... the same empty reassurance. Twitchkit had wanted to be close to her, to talk to her, but the more he did so he could not remember why. As he took in another snotty sniffle, a quiet, airy laugh left his mother's curved lips. A patchy tail flicked, directing him to a smaller nest nearby- his nest, separate from theirs. The site of the night-terrors. The place where he'd watched the horrors from, paralysed by terror. "Go back to bed. I can't sleep with you squirming about." The chocolate tortoiseshell's voice was kind and indifferent, as if talking to an acquaintance who was prodding her too much. But Twitchkit didn't want to argue with her. She was his mother after all... she'd given a lot for him. That's what they always said.
"Okay." A reluctant mumble, it was all the acceptance that Tidespin needed. She snuggled into Ravencall, and as Twitchkit watched them from his nest he spotted the rise and fall of her ribs changing, slowing. Even as she found peace in slumber, he could not. Blood still cold with panic only froze further at the concept of settling back into that same position he had been when he'd had the nightmare. The spot was either cursed and he'd have another, or he wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it. So, paws feather-light, he stepped out into the dark. A beeline was made for the centre of camp, above which a swirl of clouds cleared, moonlight glimmering in his tear-glazed gaze.
The stars, so clear from this spot, might distract his vicious, vociferous mind.
\ this is TOO LONG so TL;DR: twitchkit's mother does an awful job of comforting him after a nightmare so he is now sat in the middle of camp staring at the sky.
Stupid. He was stupid to be this scared, but he swore he could still see that fox with flaxen eyes glinting in the dark, tearing through everything and everyone in its path. Wrath razed, the SkyClan camp's safety had been torn asunder and left to ruin. Stained in his vision like ink bleeding through paper he saw the image of snapping jaws barrelling toward him, a guttural snarl rumbling through canid nostrils. His mother's steady breaths reminded him of the life that was still out there, but he needed to hear her voice. He needed her. Wriggling toward her like a newborn, Twitchkit tucked close.
"What is it, honey?" Tidespin spoke sweet and low, voice made molasses from being awoken, and Twitchkit's trembling, tear-thickened breaths managed to steady for just a moment.
"I- had another nightmare." Dithering, his tone was louder than he'd intended, leading small ears to flatten against his skull in mild embarrassment. No-one else moved, or perhaps he was trying not to peer into the darkness for fear of foxlike fury finding him.
"Another? Oh dear," Her smile remained, sugared as always and soft upon her plush features. Twitchkit sniffled, burying his face into her fur- though comfort was disturbed by the buzzing of her voice as it left her, an aloof edge to the dolce drowsiness. "Twitchkit, I've told you. They're not real." Tidespin's voice had an urge to it, her signature softness still there- though waned by something Twitchkit could not define.
"I'm still- I'm st-still... ssscared, though..." Tone still shuddered, he could not help the sob that interrupted his words. Tears flattened his mother's pillow-soft pelt.
"There's nothing to be afraid of. It's not real, honey." The same thing, again... the same empty reassurance. Twitchkit had wanted to be close to her, to talk to her, but the more he did so he could not remember why. As he took in another snotty sniffle, a quiet, airy laugh left his mother's curved lips. A patchy tail flicked, directing him to a smaller nest nearby- his nest, separate from theirs. The site of the night-terrors. The place where he'd watched the horrors from, paralysed by terror. "Go back to bed. I can't sleep with you squirming about." The chocolate tortoiseshell's voice was kind and indifferent, as if talking to an acquaintance who was prodding her too much. But Twitchkit didn't want to argue with her. She was his mother after all... she'd given a lot for him. That's what they always said.
"Okay." A reluctant mumble, it was all the acceptance that Tidespin needed. She snuggled into Ravencall, and as Twitchkit watched them from his nest he spotted the rise and fall of her ribs changing, slowing. Even as she found peace in slumber, he could not. Blood still cold with panic only froze further at the concept of settling back into that same position he had been when he'd had the nightmare. The spot was either cursed and he'd have another, or he wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it. So, paws feather-light, he stepped out into the dark. A beeline was made for the centre of camp, above which a swirl of clouds cleared, moonlight glimmering in his tear-glazed gaze.
The stars, so clear from this spot, might distract his vicious, vociferous mind.
\ this is TOO LONG so TL;DR: twitchkit's mother does an awful job of comforting him after a nightmare so he is now sat in the middle of camp staring at the sky.
penned by pin ✧