Juniperus [c]

I wish I could go back in time; not to change anything, but to feel a few things twice.

Had the voices come to taunt her today? The soft voice rang through the marsh, joyous, awe-filled, but so pathetically soft. She knew it were just a trick of the marshes; it was probably the echo of someone's conversation, carried by the wind, and let the softest whisper grace her ears. Still, it felt like a mockery. Juniperpaw bit her tongue, moving along in search of flowers while trying to ignore the echoes. She wanted to find deep red flowers, to decorate her own fur and bring out the green in her eyes, but ShadowClan territory carried hardly enough flowers, let alone red ones. Perhaps, if she came closer to ThunderClan territory, she'd find some. There were always some flowers just over the border, just out of reach. There was a tunnel leading from ShadowClan territory to ThunderClan territory, right? Would it be breaking the Code if she just stayed in the tunnel?

As she peeked into the underground structure, the echoes increased, as if there were someone inside. As her eyes adjusted, Juniperpaw froze at the sight of a tawny-furred she-cat about her age, calling out joyfully the voices that had taunted her for the day. The strange cat carried with her an awful stench; the stench of Twoleg dumpsters and Monsters. Instantly, the fur along her back rose, and she took several steps back. Too late, the she-cat turned to face her. Juniperpaw felt her heart jump to her throat as immediately she darted away, scrambling away from the Tunnel and back into ShadowClan territory. Her paws skidded on the wet tunnel surface, and with a gasp, she fell onto her side. She could hear pawsteps approaching her, and the only thing left for her to do was to cower and cry.