Copperpaw's Starclan Dream

Once more, Beechface waited quietly in the medicine den as the moon rose above. She was "sorting" herbs without really doing anything, a tufted ear turned towards the den entrance as she waited for the apprentice she'd quietly managed to speak to earlier. She'd told Copperpaw to act as if he had a headache, hoping that it would be convincing enough to fool the fox-hearted rogues occupying their camp. It had worked with Graypaw, and Beechface hoped that it would work again here, too.

A soft rustle of fur at the den entrance, and Beechface turned, offering her younger brother a tired smile. She made a show of checking him over for a moment, before wrapping her tail protectively over him, pulling the smaller apprentice against her for a moment.

Their father might've been dead for all they knew, and mom was... Well, mom was trying to hold it together. Emphasis on trying. Dawnhawk's betrayal had hit them all hard, even Beechface who had never gotten along with him at all. Even Primroselight had been angry, and Primroselight was never angry. Mom though, worried Beechface. And Copperpaw...

With a sigh, Beechface gently nudged the fluffy apprentice to the nest in the back of the den.

"Go on, I'll keep watch." She murmured quietly.

Copperpaw was scared. He managed to keep his emotions off of his face, but his heart pounded as he strode passed the asylum guards. So much had happened so fast. He hadn't dared meet the eyes of any of the foreign invaders in his home. If he'd had a hard time speaking before, he might not find the strength to ever speak again at this rate. Bloodstrike had been beaten and dragged off to who knows where. Dawnhawk had... completely changed from the cat he thought he knew. Sure his older rbother had been a bit of a perfectionist and snappy at times... but never ever in a million moons did Copperpaw think he'd actually attack his own family and put his clan under the reign of another clan.

The apprentice passed through the entrance to the medicine den and gave Beechface a weak but brave smile. Just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone again. When she pulled him in close, he practically buried himself into her, his shoulders shaking as he failed to hold back the floodgates. If this was warrior life, he hated it. He was ashamed that he did nothing to help his family. He had been too scared.

Upon Beechface's order, he nodded and braced himself for whatever was about to come. He padded over to and settled in an empty nest in the den. He curled himself into a very tight "C" shape and tried to force himself to sleep. He hoped that it would be dreams instead of nightmares... but who knew what was going to happen anymore?

Tall trees mixed with scattered clumps of undergrowth here and there filling the night sky with only allowing certain stars to shine through in certain spots, but light filled the area anyway. In the mix of this Thunderclan Skyclan like territory stood an average sized she-cat with gray splotches filling her white fur. Scars riddled her star filled pelt but didn't seem to bother her or hinder her in anyway anymore. They were apart of her at this point and she had accepted them in death as she accepted them in life.

Her amber eyes were filled with love as they finally landed on the apprentice she was supposed to speak to. She seemed to take a small moment to take him in before she spoke, her tone smooth. "Oh little one.." She murmured. "You look like you have a lot on your mind." She settled on the ground, gesturing for the tom to come closer. "Come clear your mind. Tatteredleaf will listen." She purred ready to deal with whatever this tom needed to get off his chest.

Copperpaw went into a moment of shock when he saw the other cat. Her fur was woven with stars, just like he had been told Starclan looked. It was surreal... what was happening now. When she gestured for him to come closer, he nodded and stepped forward. The landscape around them told him the land was a mix of Skyclan and Thunderclan territory... So she was a thunderclan cat?

"I'm... I'm Copperpaw." He spoke... and even to him his voice sounded odd. Was it because he hadn't used it in so long? He had been maturing since the last time he spoke. It was deeper than before... even powerful. "I'm from Skyclan... I know we're different but..." His voice cut off again as the psychological tether constricted around his neck once more. This was his first... maybe only chance to speak to a Starclan cat. He needed to speak... and swallowing hard, he spoke with all of his might while fighting the urge to just keep quiet.

"I need help... My clan needs help. I'm such a coward.... I am so scared of fighting... I watched a fox almost kill my mom. But I'm not a warrior unless I fight right? Now my brother brought these foreign invaders to our land. Why...? Why did you let this happen?" His eyes filled with tears and they streamed hot down his cheeks. His voice shook, but he did his best to force it to stay steady. "I want to fight... I want to chase these strange cats from my home... but I'm no good! I don't know that I can. Please tell me how to be braver... tell me how to fix this problem! Please!"

Tatteredleaf sat and listened as Copperpaw spilled what was on his mind. She didn't blame him for any of what he thought. She didn't blame him for asking why they didn't do anything. "I know Starclan seems great an all but we can't stop the actions of your brother and his choice of bringing in these strange cats.. but Copperpaw it's alright to be afraid, to be scared. It's not something that is going to go away but it is something you can deal with." The former thunderclan queen said. "Being a warrior is more than just fighting too. It's taking care of your clan, like a queen cares for her kits. Like a leader takes care of you. You in turn have to help take care of them right? Feeding them protecting the borders, and when it comes down to it, and when the fight comes think of those that you want to protect. Let that drive you through your fear. And of you do that Copperpaw, you will be one of the bravest warriors the forest has ever seen." She hoped that would help the young tom, hoped that would spur him to see that there was more to being a warrior than just fighting. Maybe one day, he would see it if he didn't see it today.