private MEMORIES ~ 300th post & Dewfang

[Flamestar]

"Would you like to hunt with me at the Sunningrocks?"

It was amazing how such a simple question could spark such strong emotions within her. For weeks, she had felt like a stone…only feeling things here and there. She could only recall genuinely laughing once, and that had been Sparkpaw startled Sunfreckle with a bug. Flamewhisker had wished that she could feel emotions again…but now..well, feeling nothing was better than this. Had he noticed the fear flash through her eyes before she quickly blinked it away? Perhaps if she simply spoke her feelings about going there, then this could be avoided…but she was one of the most stubborn cats in the clan. She didn't want the senior warrior to think she was weak…she would be strong. Everything would be alright.

The fiery molly swallowed back her terror by clamping her jaws shut. She had known that she wouldn't be able to avoid the river forever…in fact, she had been a supporter of the battle…so she just needed to get over it. You put yourself in this mess, now get yourself out! Her and Dewfang were going to hunt, not battle…everything would be fine.

As the pair got closer, she began to feel weaker. Once they came near Sandy Hollow, she felt more light headed than ever. The lead warrior took a step forward, she felt herself lean forward, and she almost tripped on her paws. A horrid mixture of embarrassment and terror washed through her, and she could feel her face growing pale. "I er…uh..there was a dang branch there." The lie fell weakly off her tongue. Her mind was not strong enough to even attempt to make the statement sound convincing.

They were close enough now that she could start to smell the river. Her stomach twisted, and she felt like she was going to vomit. It's not too late to say something! her conscience nagged, but she pushed the thought away. She was a lead warrior…she was supposed to be brave…and this was the only way to get over her fear, right? "I don't know why those fish eaters wanted these rocks so bad," she started to say, before clamping her jaws shut for a moment. The trees and undergrowth were beginning to change…they were close..too close…"they are on our territory anyways…" Her voice was growing weaker…her throat growing tighter and tighter.

Only a few more pawsteps…

….you can do this…!

Her paws felt like cinder blocks as she pushed her way through the undergrowth. Green orbs rested upon the rocks that had been bathed in blood the last time she had seen them. Her attention didn't last long on the rocks before it found the river. Once it latched onto the water, there was no getting it off. The sound of the water grew louder and louder…until she couldn't hear anything else. The roaring of the waves screamed in her mind. Her pelt grew cold, and her legs started to tremble. Her mouth felt dry, but she swore she could taste the water. The forest around her started to spin, and she started to feel very disoriented. Panic swelled within her…had she fallen in the river again? How close was she to the edge? Was the water down any from the last time? Was the current still strong? I can't swim…I couldn't swim before..I can't swim now! Where's Dewfang? Did he fall in? Where am I? Her eyes were wide with sheer terror…she wanted to look for her clanmate, but she couldn't. The world around her was so disorienting that she couldn't focus on a single thing. Her sides heaved as she drew in air…her heart was pounding so hard that it almost blocked out the sound of the river.

She could see Snakeblink pulling away from her, and she could feel herself being ripped away by the current. Her body being whisked away…tossed away like garbage. Her body felt heavy, the weight of the vivid memory weighing her down. Weakened front legs buckled, but she managed to catch herself before crashing to the ground. It wasn't graceful, but she lowered herself a little slower to the ground. Her claws extended, sinking into the soft dirt underneath her, sucking herself even closer to the ground.

"Th-the riv..river…I can..I can't.."


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@Dewfang

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[Dewfang]

While those rocks had not been theirs at the beginning of the Clans, times changed and so the Clans must change with it. RiverClan were only a bunch of minnow-brained fools if they thought they could neglect a threat on their own territory and expect other Clans to clean it up for him. They were not friends. They were meant to survive on their own.

The elder warrior had not noticed Flamewhiskers's sudden apprehension over his inquiry about the river. He had wanted to check it out with another warrior, seeing as it had been a while since he last visited the place. No wonder RiverClan cats threw up such a fight for those warm and prey-rich rocks. The victory ought to be hailed as an important milestone of Howlingstar's reign.

"They are a bonus." He admitted, brushing broad shoulders through the undergrowth. "I feel if ShadowClan shared a border with them, they would want it just as bad. But clearly," He added pointedly. "Those river cats didn't care enough about it to send at least a patrol to help drive off the dogs." That fact left a bitter taste in his mouth. "They'll be of much use to us." He purred.

Now the river was in sight, the tangy scent of water rushing and blooming river plants hitting the roof of his mouth. Dewfang paused and parted his jaw, tail swishing as he evaluated the scene. No RiverClan warrior in sight. With a smile, he turned back to the lead warrior, only for his eyes to widen in surprise at her admission.

That was right, he suddenly realized, feeling a dread creep into his stomach. How foolish had he been? The pointed tom turned back to the tabby's side and urged her to move back into the undergrowth, obscuring her vision of the river. "It's okay." He murmured. "We will go no further. Focus on your breathing."


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