WARRIORS: Spottedwhisker's Rise And Fall | Super Edition

PROLOUGE

spottedpaws tail dragged behind her as she pushed herself into the elders den. she yelped as her fur snagged to a branch in the blackberry bush, and in fury, she growled and bite it. it crunched satisfyingly in her jaws, but gave her no utter fulfilment; so, she sighed in defeat and picked up the moss, of which she had dropped when she was pulled back by her despair.
"bad day?" called an amused voice. she sighed.
"the worst." she looked over to the elder, crowcry. set in his ways, he was a untraditional tom whose never had interest in mates, and he seems determined to keep it that way. regardless, he fathered many, helping many queens who came to him have kits.
he looked at her now, eyes shining sympathetically, and she slumped down. he instinctively leaned over and licked her head and in-between her ears, coaxing her through whispers.
"it's just- it's like i can't do anything right." spottedpaw sniffled, her breath hitchy. "it's like no matter what i do, nothing will ever be what it once was."
"aye," he whispered gently, as she hid her face in his chest. "but that's life, it throws things your way and it's your choice whether you strangle it or you let it be." he snorted, "now, i'm just sputtering nonsense. let me guess," he tilted his head, eyes searching hers, "your mother?"
she nodded weakly, whimpering. she felt like a kit, and she hated that her mother made her feel that way. she was supposed to be strong, a warrior . . .
"some cats are just blind." crowcry insisted, eyes serious. he sighed, "some cats just don't see you for who you are."
"who am i, then?" she hiccuped, blinking back tears.
"that's for you to decide." crowcry replied.
she stared at him for a few moments, lost in a lifetime. she laughed dryly, adverting her eyes. "well, then as mother would say, i'm the worst cat who ever lived." she wheezed.
"well, now, that just ain't right." his ear flicked, and his brows burrowed in his head. "there are plenty 'o bad cats and you're not one of them now, are you?"
she blinked, and shook her head. she tugged the moss from under him, and replaced it with the new moss, kneading it for him to distract herself. "tell me then," she inquired, clearing her throat to clarify, "who are these bad cats?"
he hummed, "well; for starters, your mother isn't the brightest of the bunch, now is she?" he snickered, and she felt the tension in her shoulders ease as she smiled at him gratefully.
he went on, "but see, starclan's where we good cats go when we die, right? well sometimes good cats do bad things and need a lesson taught, so, they're sent to a dark forest. where they can't eat, and must walk alone with their thoughts . . ."

spottedpaw gaped, looking around at the dark, dead forest that her paws seemed strung down too. her fur pricked, and she felt as though ants were crawling around her entire body.
a twig snapped from somewhere, and it rang in her ear and echoed when she whip her head around wildly for its source. a pair of eyes watched her from the mist, like an all-knowing owl. she gulped, finding her voice.
"who are you, where am i?!" she called, but her voice cracked. she flinched as it crawled forward, eyes unflinchingly watching her even as it reached her.
it was a cat! one who was crawling crookedly, like it was approaching a spooked animal. then, it spoke, it's voice a thousand whispers all at once.
she cried out, trying to rip herself away forcefully.

suddenly, a loud shriek rang in the air, and the cat was rushed by a blur. spottedpaw watched in horror as the creature yowled and swiped wildly in the air, but it was overpowered by claws on its neck. the queen who had pinned it down yowled a warning, exposing her teeth.
the creature slipped away clumsily, roaring at the two of them before racing off. the queen who had saved her life panted, and spottedpaw finally got a good glimpse at her.
she was tall, severely underweight and battle-scared. her fur stuffy and unkept, the queen looked over to her with a wheeze and she saw the gleam that had initially blinded her in the queens assault. a collar, pierced with long metal and teeth, the queen cleared her throat and straightened up.
"what a terrible creature," cooed the queen, who crawled over cautiously, eyes round. "torturing such a poor, innocent youth." spottedpaw found her footing and stumbled, babbling blindly.

"ah . . . do not be afraid," she flicked her eyes to the direction the creature ran off, "not all of us are like that, some just go mad and will take any life it finds." she shuddered, walking around spottedpaw to check her over. "you're not hurt, are you? i have seen far too many lives stripped for fulfilment, they never learn." she shook her head.
"who . . ." spottedpaw gulped, shrinking instinctively. "who are you?"
the queens ears pricked, "oh, forgive me." she laughed, trotting around. "i am needlestrike, but," she giggled, "i'm just a silly little lady who worries too much."
spottedpaw looked at the queen in disbelief, little? she was almost as tall as the dead trees around them . . . wait.

"needlestrike, forgive me but," spottedpaw babbled, looking around uneasily. she felt stiff, and tried to straighten herself out. but it was hopeless, she cleared her throat, feeling like worms were wiggling between her claws. "isn't this the dark forest?"
needlestrike hums, "yes, please adjust yourself to the sight of this place." she looked down at her with a smile, "after all, this is your new home. we're your new family." she stopped herself, "er, we're an escapism of sorts . . . yeah!" her eyes gleamed.

spottedpaw gulped, was she dead? surely not, she had just fallen asleep . . . maybe she's just dreaming. even then, if this was really the dark forest . . . then it didn't seem so bad . . .
"come! i have to introduce you, we haven't had company in such a long time!" needlestrike urged, flicking her tail over spottedpaw and guiding her off. spottedpaw blinked, looking up at needlestrike, who had saved her life when she didn't have to.
the queen did seem rather . . . off, but, surely she wasn't that bad?