THE BLOOD MOON; WARRIORS FANFICTION

Chapter 21

Everything was dark.

The world swam murkily around Flowertail in black waves, sleep splashing over her softly.

Everything was cool and calm here. She could hear something in the distance, but that wasn't important. Why would it matter? She was safe and peaceful here in her everlasting deep abyss of quiet. She wondered what was being called.

My name? I don't remember...

Flowertail felt her focus on the matter quickly slipping away.

Anyway, it doesn't matter.

Nothing matters here.

Nothing is important.

Everything is just floating here in my perfect world of silence.

Flowertail sighed contentedly in her head. She felt the calling grow quieter, quieter, felt it fade into a faint humming in the back of her head as she swam in pure nothingness. It probably wasn't important anyway.

Flowertail felt herself sink deeper, as if she was falling down, down, down into a soft mound of warm sand.

Only, there was no up. No such thing as moving forward. Only going further in, into nothing and everything all at once. No surface, no need for air or life.

Just black.

***

"Flowertail! Flowertail wake up!" Menace cried out, anguished. "Flowertail..."

He hung his head as he sat beside her. She was lying limply on the grass, unconscious. Her wounds had been patched up through the past quarter-moon, but she still hadn't woken up.

Menace hadn't left her side.

Maple was sitting a few tail-lengths away beside Cliff, her gaze awkward as she looked away, unable to speak. Cliff was silent too, his usual arrogant and constant chattering was gone.

Menace slumped forward, lying down beside Flowertail's limp form.

"Please wake up."

There was no response.

"I'm sorry. I was afraid. I never told you because I was scared of your rejection. But now I'll never have the chance to tell you."

Menace curled his tail around himself in a tight ball.

"I love you Flowertail."

Maple stiffened and narrowed her eyes. 

"I promise if you wake up... Please wake up for me."

***

The buzzing in the back of Flowertail's head grew louder.

She frowned internally, trying to push it away. What was trying to disturb her? It was as if something was trying to wake her up, shatter the layer of ice over her and-

No. What was she talking about? There was no such thing as waking up. No such thing as something beyond this deep dark hole of her perfect little world.

But wasn't someone calling her name?

But Flowertail didn't remember her name. She shook her head, trying to dispel her strange thoughts.

I don't have a name...the only thing that is real is this...is now...is my realm of darkness and peace.

But something was trying to take her away from here.

I don't want to leave here.

Flowertail curled herself further into herself, trying to reach as far into the trench of silence as possible.

Everything is so easy here...

I want to stay...

More muffled noises shook her mind.

What if I'm missing someone important?

No, there's no one important beyond here...

Is there?

The shred of doubt sliced through her, the sharp edges of it cutting over the thick, heavy layers over her, the wads of it slicing apart like cobwebs.

Flowertail's eyes snapped open, panting, her whole body trembling.

"Flowertail!" Menace cried out. "Y-y-you came back."

"But...but how?!" Maple stuttered.

It's not fair...

Flowertail's gaze flickered across the group, oblivious to Maple's tone of voice.

"I came back for you."