dirty paws

His body ached, the desperate need for a good nights sleep clawing at the edges of his consciousness and washing over him like a strong wave; threatening to overwhelm him and drag him under screaming. Aspenpaw's stomach growled as he settled in for another night with minimal food, the frozen lake bearing little opportunity for prey and his above ground skills being pretty abysmal- he also couldn't lie that he had been taking less to ensure the younger apprentices weren't going to their nests hungry, despite the way hunger pains made themselves overtly known when he wasn't busy. The tom sighed, resting his chin on his paws, closing his eyes to give into the demand for sleep.

The RiverClan apprentice practically blinked himself awake, silently cursing how short the sleep felt when he was desperate for much more, but the annoyance was quickly dissipated as he noticed the difference in terrain around him, the familiar scent of his camp falling away. Thick fog filled the air, and trees towered above, exposed roots from the ground rivalling the side of his entire body. The ground felt sharp and callous underfoot, and Aspenpaw drew in a sharp breath to find he recognised not a single thing about the environment surrounding him, a natural anxiety immediately working its way through him, his ears flattening in fear as he wondered how he got there- and how he was meant to leave.

"Hello?" the tom called out with nothing short of apprehension into the swirling mist, narrowing his eyes to hopefully catch sight of something.

As the mist parted way, a vague shape began to take form in front of young Aspenpaw. Sharp dark stripes contrasted against the tones of cinnamon brown and gold, a stark difference from the scarlet splatters of blood that permanently stained the she-cat’s coat. Silently, she closed the distance between herself and the sleepless tom before her, each pawstep bringing her more excitement. ”Hello, Aspenpaw.” Finally, she sat down gracefully just a few pawsteps away from him, feathery tail gently and neatly tucked atop her paws. ”My name is Vixenstar, I used to lead RiverClan during brighter times. I have to say… I’m disappointed in the way things are going now.”

Tail tip flicking rhythmically, Vixenstar paid no mind to the slow yet steady drips of blood oozinf from her many wounds. ”You’re hungry, hmm? And lucky enough not to be stricken with the same sickness that has already claimed so many in RiverClan.” Large, doe-like eyes sympathetically locked gazes with Aspenpaw. ”It’s quite unfortunate, really. What, if you don’t mind me asking, do you plan to do about it? You can’t let your Clan… our Clan, I should add, fall to such miserable, pathetic circumstances.”

He found the apprehension replaced with cold droplets of fear as a molly responded to his call with a greeting of her own, bloodied pelt slicked back like a RiverClanner, entering the clearing in which he had awoken in. Aspenpaw swallowed hard, watching her careful steps upon the ground; walking with the grace one would associate with authority and seniority. As she spoke more, explaining who she was, it was as if his eyes were able to see past the blood marring her pelt, intrigue at her story drawing at him, and Aspenpaw began to relax considerably as he realised he wasn't in danger.

"Vixenstar... It's nice to meet you," the apprentice bowed his head in respect, admittedly knowing too little about his clans past leaders to see through the lie presented to him. He lifted his head slowly to meet her gaze once more, taking in her words a little too strongly, finding his sadness about the situation bubbling in on his tongue, especially as she asked what he was going to do about it.

"I'm doing all I can," His voice was soft and tinged with defeat, eyes directed firmly at his paws once more, thinking of how weak his clan had grown as of late; how weak he was starting to become. "It's not getting any better. I've been eating less, hunting for longer, and yet it's not enough. And stars- before you tell any of them I care this much, just drown me - I don't like seeing my clan- our clan-" he hastily corrected himself, "-go through any of this. This is my first leafbare and all I've heard is how it's the worst in memory, and it's only a matter of time before we suffer further," Aspenpaw took in a sharp breath, tail lashing a little against the ground beneath. "I don't want to bury my clan because I couldn't do enough."

The strong emotions began to wash away, and he felt a little embarrassed- venting out to the molly who once ran his clan, a respected ancestor who more than likely wasn't here to listen to him whine and carry on about his guilt towards the situation. Aspenpaw remained silent for a moment, trying to compose himself a little more before he spoke again.

"You were our leader once. How would you have handled this Vixenstar?" The ginger tom posed the question back at her, awaiting her response with deep interest.

Vixenstar dipped her head in response to Aspenpaw, a smile tugging at the edges of her lips. ”Delightful to meet you, as well. RiverClan really needs a promising young warrior, I’m honored to be sitting here with a growing one.” She listened intently as he went on about all he’d been doing to save his Clan, nodding along as he added bits and pieces to his story. ”It’s a very harsh season, indeed. Say…” Vixenstar got on her paws, slowly beginning to circle around the tom, looking him up and down. ”You’ve got plenty of potential. If I were to tell you I could help you… Help our Clan get through this winter safely, would you believe me? Would you allow me to help you grow stronger, faster, smarter?” As she reached a full circle, she say back down in front of him, strong gaze settled on his increasingly scrawny form. ”I can, and the decision to pursue a better path for your own future, and that of your Clan, is in your paws.” Her words lingered in the air between the two, the words left unsaid obvious: ‘Are you prepared to do what it takes to save RiverClan?’

The apprentice felt heard and acknowledged by the former leader, drinking in every word as she circled him, his curiosity about the bloodied marks in her coat fading away as she quickly enthralled him with promises of strength and training to become a better warrior for his clan- the ability to carry them through this cold winter and earn praise and admiration. Brown eyes flashed in excitement, a twitching tail-tip echoing the sentiment in his eyes, that he was incredibly intrigued by this proposal, thinking of how he would be revered for his contribution to the clan in hard times.

Aspenpaw was nodding along, slightly to himself, and slightly to her, his mind already practically made up. Whatever it takes. He met her eyes, determination blazing behind his own.

"Teach me, Vixenstar. Help me get our clan through this." Aspenpaw's voice was strong, and he was confident in what he essentially just promised himself to. His impulsiveness and lack of critical thought was surely going to land him in hot water someday, but right now, the ginger tom was certain this was the smartest choice he could've made- being trained by a former RiverClan leader would certainly give him the ability to save his clan.

"One question though- How... do I get back here? How did I even really get here in the first place?" Aspenpaw asked the molly, curiosity replacing the hard look in his eyes, oblivious to how hare-brained his question might sound.

A firm smile settled on Vixenstar's face as determination, pride, and grit became evident in the younger tom's eyes. "Good. You've made the right decision, Aspenpaw. I knew you would." Licking the mud from her crimson-stained paws, she looked to the tom as he asked how to get back. "I will visit you when the time comes. We will meet back here once you've earned your warrior name. You must know the very basics in order to learn the skills that will push your Clan through this harsh season. We will build upon what you learn, and once you've earned your name, you will train to become the fiercest, strongest, most skilled warrior RiverClan has ever seen. You, and your Clan, will want for nothing." Tail flicking slightly, Vixenstar nodded to the tom. "Rest up, now. We will meet again soon. Until then, hone your skills and do everything you can to build your strength, agility, and skill in battle."