An Appearance Doesn't Define Me

'Halloween' Special: Curiosity Killed The Cat

What happens here wouldn't come up for a while - oh and not really scary- just ghosts.

Time: Two moon after Bluekit's Curiosity

"StarClan, Apricotpaw, can't you stay on your feet!" a rough voice sounded through the few trees surrounding the little sandpit, a light thud was followed by a whine. 

A ginger tom let out a laugh, "Hollowtail – looks like you've got your work cut out for you!"  The grey tom next to him lashed his tail as he walked over to the young she-cat in the sand – helping her up. 

"Maybe you should teach your apprentice legal moves – not rouge games." Hollowtail retorted, a shadow fell over the younger warrior's face.  The fluffy tabby barged past with his apprentice following his tail as her brother bounded up to his mentor, pestering about the comment.  

"Hollowtail?" Apricotpaw looked up to her mentor, "I'm sorry I-"

He whipped around fast enough to rival WindClan'.  "Never apologise to falling for rouge tactics."

"What?" The voice was merely a whisper, Hollowtail was the least likely to berated someone for their lineage. 

"I'm sorry – but even if it's a fighting tactic: 1) Nutpaw should not be learning moves that advanced this early on, and 2) Carpfin should never teach code-breaking moves, which put sparring partners' lives at risk.  I'll be talking to Dacestripe and Dropstar about this." He shook his head.  Concern filling his gaze, "Are you ok?"

Apricotpaw nodded, "I've got a small nick- bramble small." Holding up the leg that got hit.

Hollowtail sighed, "let's fish before we go back then." He leads the way to a flat riverbank. 

***

"What the StarClan were you doing?" the voice of the RiverClan Deputy sounded though the young cat's ears – "I taught you how to dodge a rouge attack moons ago!  How can you succumb to an attack from your brother!" Apricotpaw pushed her ears to the back of her head, shame welling in her stomach – although her head was empty, another shadow loomed in front of the cowering apprentice.

"No apprentice should be taught what Carpfin's preaching – maybe instead of scolding your daughter – teach your son." A passive aggressive voice told its deputy,  Dacestripe scoffed, and turned away, "You ok?  Hollowtail told me what happened."  The beige apprentice looked up to the lighter coloured cat, their eyes were filled with sympathy,

Thawtooth? Apricotpaw took a step back and shook her head -Rosecloud.  "I'm ok." She lied through her teeth.  Rosecloud nodded, letting her niece pass to the apprentice den. 

"Catch me if you can!" a little shout claimed as a ginger furball whizzed past the apprentice. 

A brown kit followed, "Not fair!  You didn't tell me we were playing catch the mouse!"  Apricotpaw let her young clanmates pass and pushed her way into the Apprentice Den, plopping down in the nest at the far corner of the den.  Her mother's words washed over, she whimpered as her hock throbbed with the pain Nutpaw pushed into it, I didn't mean to fail!  And I beat Nutpaw more than he beat me – I messed up once!  Maybe I'm just not meant be a warrior – but what do I do – I don't have the patience to be a Medicine Cat nor a full time Queen.  What if I just run away – become a kittypet or a loner?  She thought only to listen to the laughter of the clan just outside the reed walls.  No, that would be too lonely.  The Sisters? I couldn't I'm not special enough to.  She let out a sigh and let her need for sleep take importance over her need to eat. 

Howling wind passed though the den, awaking Apricotpaw.  She heard snores from nearby to see Nutpaw, curled up half asleep.  The wind howled again, and her fur tingled with the sensation that something was watching her, her gaze travelled to the entrance that had allowed the gale that had awoken her.  She jolted as she saw the thing standing there, it looked like a cat – but it couldn't be a cat, it was too not cat like; too skinny; too white... everything; eyes too black; too transparent.  Without any sound the thing disappeared, "Curiosity killed the cat." It whispered. 

"Wait!  What?"  Apricotpaw asked, standing up in her nest,

"Curiosity killed the cat." The statement came again – this time from nowhere in particular.  Without knowing why, the apprentice started moving out of the den – she looked around and found the creature in by the entrance of the camp.  It mouthed the saying again before padding out the camp,

"Wait up!  Who – what are you?  What do you mean?" Apricotpaw shouted, following the creature out of camp. 

She looked around again and found herself nose to nose to the creature, "Curiosity.  Killed.  The.  Cat." It spat before walking away.

"What?  Why?"  Apricotpaw asked again, only to be answered with a flick with of Its tail – telling the she-cat to follow it.  Apricotpaw obliged without known why – it just felt right.  They walked down to the lake following the shoreline, past WindClan territory, they broke from the shoreline and walked up past the moonpool.  "Where are you taking me?" 

The creature stopped and looked around, "Curiosity killed the cat."  It repeated. 

"What!  What cat?" Apricotpaw asked,

"YOU!" It snapped staring at Apricotpaw black teeth barred at her, "What cat would follow a ghost in the dead of night?" 

The beige apprentice's face fell as she realised what was happening.  "Y-You're going to kill me – I'm... I'm going to die?" Maybe it's for the best – you won't disappoint your family if you're dead. A voice in the back of her mind spoke.

The creature laughed, "Only if you answer the question wrong."  The creature approached Apricotpaw, chuckling to itself: "Where do you belong?"

Apricotpaw swallowed, where do I belong?  RiverClan...Right?  Yes, I belong in RiverClan, surely.  "RiverClan."

"And?" it hissed – a white tongue slipping the teeth.  Apricotpaw looked at the thing in confusion, "You don't feel like you belong in RiverClan, not anymore.  You want to feel special, you don't feel as though you belong in RiverClan – in any Clan or anywhere."

It started to circle the apprentice as another voice spoke up from the shadows, "We can help you belong, if you are willing to die."  A brown she-cat made her presence known – "All you have to do is follow us." 

The creature spoke up again, "Follow us and you will belong."  How could I belong with these two?

The creature and the brown she-cat stalked into the shadows, "Curiosity killed the cat." They stated in unison.  

Apricotpaw found herself putting paw in front of paw – following the two,  entering the shadows. 

She blinked as she took in her surroundings, there were pine tree stretching high above her head and she found the white creature was sat grooming its tail, just a fox-length in front of her "Welcome to the Survivors of the South, Apricotpaw."  

"Who are you?  What is 'the Survivors of the South'?  Where am I?"  she asked before she could stop herself. 

"I'm your new boss, Mystery – the leader of the 'South.  And you my dear, are the newest apprentice of the Dark Forest."

"Wake up!  We're on Dawn Patrol!" a whispered shout came from above the sleeping apprentice, hazel eyes opened to the blue eyes of Hollowtail who looked down at Apricotpaw. "We're going to be late!" he exclaimed before speeding out of the den. 

Was it a dream?  Apricotpaw looked around for any indication that she had left last night – only to see nothing, until white muzzle appeared at the entrance, a white tongue slipping through black teeth gave Aprioctpaw her answer, "Curiosity saved the cat."