𝙎𝙔𝙉𝙊𝙋𝙎𝙄𝙎 //
"Please! I have to tell them! They're tearing each other apart! What happened to your love for your kin? The stars are winking out, blood is filling the waters! This can't be my destiny! I beg of you..."
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The next few tasks seemed deceptively simple. The first task since Fennelsnake's death was to dismantle a dam the warriors had constructed in the river. Supposedly, there was a loose branch that could lead to a cat falling into the dam and drowning, "Why would that matter?" Corpsepaw questioned, her claws digging into the edge of the dam as she searched for the support branches. Doedream sat on the shore, her gaze fixed on the river, a small shrug punctuating her response, "You have full faith that Cougarstar tells me everything," she replied, her words laced with a hint of irritation. Corpsepaw couldn't help but smile to herself as she leaned down and plucked a wedged branch from the dam. The sticks began to shift, the water finding its natural flow once more, and she scrambled back to shore, her heart pounding with a mixture of adrenaline and relief, "I watched my mom and dad build this one," Corpsepaw admitted quietly as she settled down next to Doedream, her gaze fixed on the crumbling structure before them. Doedream glanced down at her, a flicker of empathy in her eyes. "I'm sorry to make you break it," she said kindly, her voice soft with understanding. Corpsepaw shrugged, her expression thoughtful as she watched the dam slowly cave in on itself, "My parents' favorite thing to do is build these dams," she explained, a note of nostalgia coloring her words. "Plus, if there was a weak branch, they would have preferred to find out in a safe way." Corpsepaw fell silent, her gaze drifting down to her paws as she absently picked up one, her tongue darting out to soothe a small splinter lodged in her pad. Doedream leaned down, her touch gentle as she pressed her nose to Corpsepaw's pad. A small gleam of light emanated from her star-lined nose, casting a soft glow in the darkness, and when she lifted her head, the splinter and pain were gone. Corpsepaw's smile brightened, admiration sparkling in her eyes, "That was so cool!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with wonder and gratitude. "I don't like seeing you in pain," Doedream replied simply, her gaze soft with compassion. Corpsepaw's curiosity piqued, a question lingering on the tip of her tongue, "Were you a mother?" she ventured, her tone gentle. Doedream paused, her expression flickering with a mix of sadness and fondness. With a small nod, she sat up straighter, her gaze distant as she recalled memories from moons past, "I have two little ones still living," she explained, her voice tinged with longing. "I died protecting the nursery a couple moons ago. They would just be becoming apprentices now, I wish I could see them." Corpsepaw's frown deepened, sympathy coloring her features, "Doesn't StarClan look over the living?" she asked, her voice laced with uncertainty. Doedream nodded, her gaze turning skyward as if searching for answers among the stars. "Yes, but we can only see those who have faith in StarClan," she explained softly. "Any time I look for my Brindle and Rowan... the puddle is foggy." A heavy sigh escaped her, the weight of her words hanging in the air like a shroud. "They weren't old enough to remember me dying, but my mate never believed in StarClan, she probably raised them the same," she continued, her voice trembling with emotion. "I wouldn't blame them if they blamed StarClan for my death." Corpsepaw's pause was palpable, her thoughts racing as she processed the revelation. Brindle and Rowan? StrikeClan's Brindlepaw and Rowanpaw? She looked up at Doedream, her gaze filled with gentle curiosity, "Brindlepaw and Rowanpaw of StrikeClan? Those are your kits?" she asked, her voice soft and gentle. Doedream blinked in surprise, her eyes widening in disbelief, "Have you met them?" she asked, her voice tinged with hope. Corpsepaw nodded eagerly, a smile spreading across her face, "Yes! Brindlepaw is StrikeClan's new medicine cat apprentice," she explained, excitement lacing her words. "I saw her the night you gave me my prophecy!" The realization dawned on Doedream, a mixture of joy and disbelief coloring her expression, "You've met them," she breathed, her voice filled with wonder. "My Brindlepaw and Rowanpaw... they're alive and well." Tears shimmered in Doedream's eyes as she looked at Corpsepaw, a profound gratitude shining in her gaze, "Do you know if they're okay? Are they safe?" Doedream's voice trembled with emotion as she bombarded Corpsepaw with questions, her eyes brimming with hope and fear. Corpsepaw nodded reassuringly, her smile warm and comforting, "I think so! Brindlepaw is well," she replied, her voice filled with relief. "I assume Rowanpaw is too, but I can check at the next clan gathering." A wave of gratitude washed over Doedream as she listened to Corpsepaw's words, her heart swelling with hope, "Oh, please," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "That would be wonderful of you." "Believe it done!" Corpsepaw beamed, her voice a melody of triumph amidst the tranquil morning air. The clearing around them unfolded like a painting, with tall oak and maple trees casting long shadows that danced upon the forest floor. Shafts of golden sunlight pierced through the canopy, illuminating patches of vibrant green moss and delicate wildflowers that dotted the landscape. Her gaze shifted to the river, where the water surged with newfound energy, its surface shimmering like liquid silver in the early light. The absence of the dam allowed the river to reclaim its natural course, the rush of water creating a symphony of sound that harmonized with the gentle rustle of leaves overhead. Doedream's flicked ear drew Corpsepaw's attention to the horizon, where the sky blushed with the rosy hues of dawn's embrace. The sun, a fiery orb ascending from its nocturnal slumber, painted the clouds in hues of pink and gold, casting a warm glow over the entire clearing, "Speaking of the next gathering... There, I need you to seek out a warrior from HollyClan. That is your next task," Doedream instructed, her voice carrying a sense of urgency that belied the beauty of the morning. "Cougarstar says he should be there, and his name is Smokewhisker." Doedream's voice, though gentle, cut through the serene morning air with a weighty command, breaking the spell of tranquility that had enveloped the clearing. Corpsepaw's ears flattened against her head, a flicker of apprehension dancing in her eyes. Her heart sank at the mention of another task, the weight of responsibility settling heavily upon her shoulders.
With a heavy sigh that seemed to echo through the clearing, Corpsepaw nodded, her gaze drifting upward to the stars that slowly faded into the brilliance of the morning rays. As each twinkling light vanished into the dawn, she couldn't help but feel a pang of longing deep within her. She wished, oh how she wished, that StarClan would fade away just like that each day, disappearing into the vast expanse of the sky and leaving her alone to live her life without the weight of their expectations pressing down upon her. The thought lingered in her mind like a whisper carried on the breeze, a secret longing that she dared not voice aloud. For as much as she revered StarClan and the ancestors who watched over them, there were moments when she yearned for nothing more than the freedom to forge her own path, untethered by the threads of destiny that bound her to their will. But as the last of the stars vanished from sight, swallowed by the brilliance of the rising sun, Corpsepaw knew that her fate was inexorably intertwined with that of her clan and the spirits that watched over them. With a resigned sigh, she turned her gaze back to the horizon, steeling herself for the challenges that lay ahead.
