Daypaw's StarClan Dream

The bloodstains in Softbreeze's den were still present.

Her eyes were bloodshot and she hadn't slept in days. Her den was still quite the mess. Murderer, murderer, her mind repeated, she's dead, you killed her, it whispered. The voice that never left her alone. In the quiet of the night, only the soft sounds of a heart broken far too many times could be heard on the wind. The mournful whispers of a cat who's life had been shattered.

But still, there was work to be done. Despite her heartache, despite her pain, she had to be strong. For her Clanmates. It wasn't fair, but then again, what was? It was three nights after Flashpaw's dreaming espionage, and Softbreeze made sure to randomly space these so cats wouldn't get suspicious. Daypaw was supposed to see her for a bellyache tonight. Raising her head as if she'd been asleep, she curiously peered at the young molly. "Daypaw? Ah, I see. I'll get the juniper. Go lay in that nest." Softbreeze instructed her. She grabbed two juniper berries, enough to look realistic without harming Daypaw. "Eat those, and then rest. May StarClan watch oveer us all." Because StarClan knows we need it.

Going back to her own nest, Softbreeze turned her head so that Daypaw wouldn't see the tears she shed.

Daypaw had decided to be optimistic about the situation at hand. Typically, medicine cats would act as guides for apprentices when it was time to take the trip to Highstones to see the moonstone. The Asylum's new and strict rules made that impossible. If anything, that meant that she wouldn't have to leave the camp in the middle of the night and eat traveling herbs. She could do it all from the peaceful comfort of the medicine den, now. Was it really that peaceful, though? This would all be conducted under the noses of the Asylum cats, and she couldn't even imagine what would happen to her and Softbreeze if they found out. She had been told to fake a bellyache, but the fear churning in her stomach practically made it feel real. She slipped into the medicine den, offering the medicine cat a slight smile. It didn't take a genius to tell that Softbreeze was in a terrible state. Her bloodshot eyes were a dead giveaway. Daypaw couldn't help but feel sympathetic as she padded over to the nest that she had been instructed to go to.

The idea of meeting a StarClan cat intimidated her, but she would have to pull through. She silently swallowed the berries that were placed in front of her. It was time to head off. She rested her head on top of her paws and fell asleep almost instantly. She had no idea to anticipate except for the fact that StarClan would be ten times more beautiful than any sight she had ever seen, so when the wide, starkissed stretch of land that made up StarClan's hunting grounds suddenly appeared before her, she couldn't help but gasp. A feeling of serenity clutched at her heart. Here, there was nothing to fear... or so she thought.

The idea of having to talk to a StarClan cat still terrified her. Daypaw already struggled to hold a conversation with cats that she knew, how would she manage to hold one with one of the forest's ancestors? She sucked in a shaky breath as she sat down, waiting for the StarClan cat to show themselves. She would have to pretend like she knew what she was doing.

On gentle paws, Willowwhisker padded over to where the anxious white and brown she-cat sat, awaiting her counsel. Her body was stiff, and Willowwhisker took note regardless of whether or not it was intentional. "You can relax, Daypaw." She mewed gently, sitting in front of the she-cat and folding her tail over her paws neatly. "You're safe here, I promise. You've got nothing to worry about." With a small chuckle, she added, "Though I know that doesn't help much, hmm? Just a bunch of words, I suppose. Truthfully, though, I'm only here to help you the best that I can. So you can relax your muscles, lighten up a bit. You're going to be okay." Her motherly side almost always shined through when it came to speaking with the apprentices- this time, she would do her best to make sure that Daypaw was as comfortable as she could be.

"Take in the sights, the smells. Just breath for a moment, yeah? Most cats only get to do this once."

Daypaw was no less than shocked when she finally laid eyes upon Willowwhisker. She had never seen a pelt coated with the stars straight from Silverpelt before, and it was difficult to tear her eyes away. How could she relax in the presence of a StarClan cat? Speaking to authority was something that she had always struggled with, but Willowwhisker was someone far beyond authority - this was one of the forest’s ancestors, and she felt nothing but immense respect for her. The scenery was unlike anything she had ever seen before. StarClan’s territory seemed to be almost endless, and she felt any sense of nervousness she had begin to fade away as she glanced around at the foliage. Death was something that Daypaw feared, although she feared most things, but knowing that this was waiting for her upon dying made her feel the slightest bit relieved. In this dreamland, there was no Asylum, there were no predators, there were no hostile Clan cats ready to pin her down, it was just peace. She enjoyed it.

Her heart fluttered as she gave Willowwhisker a small yet respectful nod.
“I’m feeling a bit better. Thank you, um...” Daypaw paused as realization hit her, “...I’m sorry, I feel unprepared considering the fact that you know my name and I don’t know yours.”
Instead of being afraid, now, the apprentice was simply curious. Out of all the possible conversation topics that existed in the entire forest, Daypaw had no idea which one the StarClan cat would use with her. What would they end up talking about today?