- Nov 20, 2023
- 56
- 7
- 8
It's dark. She's never been fond of darkness. Her paws were too large, treading on twigs or tripping over roots, to fit into its silence. Her pelt was too bright, catching silver rays and tossing them back to the moon and stars like a beacon, to fit into its shadows. Most of all, her heart lay too open, always reaching for connection, begging to be known with every beat, to fit into its emptiness. In the darkness, her past swam just out of reach. Beyond its ebony veil, her future taunted her, reveling in its own mystery, a snake twisting free of its captor for the umpteenth time.
Go outside.
The oversized molly squirmed in her nest, fluffy pelt twitching as she longed for sleep. Why wasn't she asleep, anyway? Mere moments ago she must have been, in order to find herself in her current haze. Dark fuzz edged her vision, and Feathergaze squeezed her eyes more tightly shut. She chose to focus on the breaths of her clanmates, rhythmic and soft, a rumbling snore here, a quick sneeze there. The warmth radiating from their bodies was comfort truer than most. A sure sign that despite the stillness, she was not alone.
Go outside.
Though her belly seemed to shrink in protest, pale green eyes blinked open. Her ears flicked back on instinct, senses reeling in the limbo of seeing, yet not. The thud of her heartbeat in her ears was heavy and all encompassing. Slowly, painfully slowly, the darkness lessened as her night vision kicked in. Bodies curled around her, sides gently rising and falling with the stillness of dreams. Looking around, Feathergaze felt the bands constricting her heart loosen, her ears picking up more than the thrum of blood in her veins. The night was peaceful.
Go outside.
Her heart fluttered, an ache blossoming in her lungs as though the oxygen around her was not enough. I've no need to be out there. Guards were assigned earlier, and none of them were me. Though her insides beckoned her to roll over and close her eyes once more, her head refused rest. With a soft huff Feathergaze got to her feet. One step at a time she navigated her way around nests until she slid out. The darkness was less absolute in the clearing, for which she was grateful for. She still didn't appreciate the dim and the grey, but at least she could see the clouds of her own breath. Feathergaze tossed her head up, breathing deeply the clear, frozen air. A booming call sounded above her ears, and the molly leaped backward, tripping over her paws and landing on her haunches with an 'oof'.
Mossy emerald eyes stretched wide, the silver warrior searched the few lonely trees that stood like pillars around the island. Tucked atop the bare branches of one that leaned over the nursery, she could just make out an oddly large lump of shadow.
"H-Hey," she called to one of the warriors on guard duty, keeping her voice low to avoid stirring anyone unnecessarily. She flicked her tail skyward, toward the almost majestic mass. "I um, I think there's an owl, up there." It was definitely a bird, and the size of it made even the large molly uneasy. The winged beast sat unperturbed, twisting its head to preen. Fish bones. We can't just leave it there, right? While it wasn't acting hostile now, it was a threat to the kittens nestled below. Feathergaze herself had never learned to climb, and now she was kicking herself for it.
"Do we... Should we throw something at it?" The silver warrior winced at her own words. Right, because that will be so helpful. She tried again, swiping her tongue over her jaws and shifting her weight. "I mean, we can't let it stay, right?