Warrior Cats: Gossamer

Chapter 5

TRIGGER WARNING:
this episode depicts a detailed panic attack that includes an instance of s*lf h*rm.
please read with caution.

•~*~•

Myrtlekit's eyes narrowed at the cat. How do they know my name? Are they attacking me?

The gray-and-white cat helped them back to their paws, broad head ducked in embarrassment. "That's not how I wanted our second meeting to go!" they said, smiling sheepishly and sitting back on their haunches.

Second? Myrtlekit's large ears tipped forward slightly. Am I supposed to remember them? "U-um... I'm sorry, I don't remember you...?"

The cat looked a bit crestfallen for a moment, but quickly switched back to their smiling self. "Yeah, I don't know why I thought you would. I'm Tundrapad, and my pronouns are 'she' and 'her.'"

That didn't clear up much of Myrtlekit's confusion. She twitched her ear awkwardly.

"Wow, this is rough. Usually I think straighter. I'm just so happy to see you; I haven't been around when you're out and about. The... the last time I saw you, you were halfway to StarClan." Tundrapad's expression was unreadable, but she wasn't smiling anymore.

Myrtlekit furrowed her brow for a moment to think. The earliest memory they could recall was... The meadow, the river, and then a voice...

Her eyes snapped back to Tundrapad, wide and glittering. "You're the one who found me!" she whispered, paws kneading the ground. Suddenly Myrtlekit felt very self-conscious. "I'm so sorry I didn't remember! I— I don't really... I can't clearly think of what even happened to me, s-so...!"

Tundrapad halted her derailing train of thought. "No hard feelings, seriously! Only cat I'm mad at is Pansykit for not telling you about me!" She fell into a play bow, eyes narrowed and staring past Myrtlekit.

Myrtlekit turned around, confused. With wide eyes she just barely noticed Pansykit was barreling straight towards them, her paws practically a blur as she ran. Myrtlekit fell backwards out of the way, and heard the impact before she saw it.

They crashed into one another with matching war cries, writhing on the earth locked together in what could only be described as a world-ending showdown between sisters.

Seeing Pansykit and Tundrapad next to each other, Myrtlekit realized that they looked almost exactly the same. If not for Tundrapad's much bigger tabby patches, she would be a gray-toned clone of Pansykit. She's my sister, too! Myrtlekit realized, a smile playing across her muzzle.

Pansykit snarled her frustration and batted at the ground she was pinned on. Tundrapad was sitting on her, smirking down at her younger sibling and glowing with victory. "Let me go! Time-out!" Pansykit hissed, a whine in her voice.

"Say it," Tundrapad hissed. Her  smirk somehow grew even more smug. Pansykit looked like she was about to explode. After some more of scrabbling helplessly beneath her opponent, Pansykit growled and snapped "FINE! You win! Now get off! You're as heavy as a hibernating bear!"

Tundrapad sidestepped off of Pansykit, chest puffed out in satisfaction. When she finally noticed Myrtlekit staring, her eyes widened. "Whoops! Sorry, Myrtlekit! We must do battle every time we meet eyes; it's customary!"

Her smaller sibling head-butted Tundrapad's wide shoulder. "One day I'll beat your tail so bad that you'll scamper right on back to Mom in the Nursery!"

"Big talk from a small fry," Tundrapad brushed her off, focusing back on Myrtlekit. "Wanna see the Warriors' den?"

I forgot we were doing our tour, Myrtlekit thought, thoroughly confounded by... whatever that was. "Oh, um, yes please!" they said, and let out a breath they didn't know they were holding.