A Rose's Bond

Chapter 12 (Rosepaw)

Rosepaw was walking to her magic jar. There was a feeling inside of her that told her that she needed to go there. As Rosepaw rustled the leaves to find her jar, she heard a voice. A familiar one.

"Oh, Rosepaw, Starclan is proud of you," Lillycrow purred through the jar. Rosepaw felt happiness fill her up. I do have potential. 

"Don't listen to anyone when they say you don't," Lillycrow mumbled to Rosepaw, as if she had read her mind. "But there is still a reason this whole problem with Thornstar started. "Around her, leaves flew up into the air and surrounded Rosepaw. She let out a gasp and nestled closer to the jar. Lillycrow gave an amused chuckle. 

"Don't worry," Lillycrow told the medicine-cat apprentice. "You're about to have a dream, and the leaves are there to make the jar and you invisible. No cat will think you're missing and try to find you. Just let it happen."

Rosepaw breathed an amazed sigh. I'm...invisible. She closed her eyes and went limp. Darkness took over her mind and she was thrown into a dream. Her vision was tinted a warm brown color, and Rosepaw realized that she was in a memory. A mini-version of Thornstar was sitting near a bush with three other cats, who Rosepaw assumed were her siblings. Rosepaw noticed one of them was Honeyflight, or maybe Honeypaw in this memory. 

"Let's play truth or dare!" The other she-cat told everyone. "I'm bored, there's nothing to do.

"I guess you're right, Olivepaw," the tom that wasn't Honeypaw mewed. 

"I'll go first," Thornpaw mewed, sitting up straight. "Olivepaw..."

Olivepaw trembled with excitement. Rosepaw wondered which cat's perspective she was looking from, or if she was just...there.

"I dare you to..." Thornpaw looked around. "Eat that root." The two toms looked alarmed.

"Are you sure?" The brothers mewed with panic. "I think that's the...poison root."

"Oh, come on," Olivepaw mewed convincingly. "Not everything is dangerous." 

"Do it," Thornpaw mewed, annoyed. "Herbflight will probably come any second." Without another word, Olivepaw took the root and put it in her mouth. After munching on it for a second, she made a choking sound and fell to the ground without any warning. The sibling screamed and pawed at their sister. 

"Olivepaw, come back!"

"Wake up, wake up, wake up..."

Before Rosepaw could react herself, she was kicked out of the memory and plopped into a another one in a matter of seconds. 

"I hate you! I HATE YOU! You ruined my life, and you will pay. Karma is a thing, my sister, and that is what you'll get, revenge! I have more power than you think!"

Another she-cat appeared behind her. She was see-through, and Rosepaw could barely see her outline.

"What-who are you?" Olivepaw mewed. Just then, Olivepaw and Rosepaw got transported to another place. Rosepaw gasped in surprise and unsheathed her claws. 

"Where am I..." Olivepaw mewed in a dangerous whisper. The clear cat didn't answer. "I said, WHERE AM I?!"

The other she-cat chuckled, and came into full view. She was a brown cat with a warm brown underbelly. Rosepaw thought that this cat looked a little bit like Spruceheart. 

"You are where the smartest, most clever cats are," the cat replied. "My name...is Marshflight. And this place is The Dark Forest." Olivepaw stepped back with fright, but Rosepaw could see the intrigued look in here eyes. "The...smartest?"

"Yes, my dear," the cat replied. "You want revenge on Thornpaw, I assume?"

"I-I do," Olivepaw replied. What is going on?! She seemed friendly when she was alive. 

There was a thunder strike nearby. "And that's what you shall do." Marshflight disappeared. Rosepaw jumped as Olivepaw's body jolted. Olivepaw looked below her, and Rosepaw did too. Rosepaw gasped with fright as she was that they were actually in the air, and the clans were on the ground. Olivepaw let out a crazed cackle and pointed her claw at the ground. Rosepaw couldn't tell what she was pointing to, but in a second, she did. 

"I hope you have a nice life, Thornpaw," Olivepaw mewed. "You're cursed for life." Olivepaw disappeared, and so did Rosepaw. Rosepaw blinked open her eyes and found herself in the forest, once again, with the leaves surrounding her.

"I hope you understand now," Lillycrow told Rosepaw. Rosepaw felt faint with all the information that tumbled forth. "Now, Thornstar will look for her revenge."

"So...Thornstar wasn't evil until after Olivepaw cursed for her to be," Rosepaw mumbled. The leaves around her fell, and Rosepaw realized that she wasn't invisible anymore. She buried her jar and left the area. But before she left, Lillycrow meowed, "But Thornstar has only one chance to curse you."

- - - -

"Help!!!" A cat yelped. They ran through the bushes and stopped as they realized Rosepaw was right there. Rosepaw froze with fright. Possible futures ran through her head. 

"W-what happened?!" Rosepaw mewed, sitting up from her prey. 

"I-I think I saw...Thornstar..."

"How? She's dead. Wait, did she look like she was from Starclan?"

"I guess...but isn't she in...you know? Not Starclan? Actually, there's no time to talk!" Acornfall yowled. He turned back, and Rosepaw followed him through the line of overgrown bushes. 

Rosepaw saw the faint outline of Thornstar, the once-leader. But instead of leaping at them at once, she pointed a claw at...Rosepaw. Rosepaw instantly knew what was going on. She's going to curse me. 

Before Rosepaw could react, she heard thunder, and fell to the ground with fright. The impact of the fall didn't get to her, and she felt numb all over. But the last thing she saw was Acornfall, leaping in front of her as if his life depended on it. 

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