𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗥𝗦ᶠᵃⁿᶠⁱᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿ 一 𝔅𝔩𝔞𝔷𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔱 [𝟑]

❆☾𑁍𓆱ᥴhᥲρtᥱr 𝟸𝟿𓆱𑁍☽❆

Countless bubbles flew around Larkwing, seemingly close enough to touch and yet so far away. She hung weightlessly in the air — if one could even speak of air here. Below her, the infinite crevice from which mysterious violet rays shone out seemed paradoxically dangerous and inviting at the same time.

Although it was only her second time in this wondrous place, Larkwing immediately felt much safer. Perhaps it was because she already knew what to expect.

Okay, all right, then. Look for a bubble whose contents might prove useful to us. Concentrating, Larkwing paddled around, careful not to touch a bubble and get drawn into it against her will. Just as she had to be careful not to accidentally push it away. It seemed that the bubbles reacted to her presence and barely noticeably sped up as they flew past her. As if they had something to hide.

If the situation hadn't looked so serious and if she hadn't had an important task, Larkwing would have loved to take the chance and experiment to what extent she could use these great flying skills here. She wanted to do loops, try to fly backwards and simply test everything she could think of. Being born as a cat and not a bird meant that she was unable to take to the skies and see the world from above, no longer bound to the earth.

Perhaps that was the reason why she was so fascinated by this place. It gave her the opportunity to feel like her namesake. She just had to remember that it wasn't really happening, since it was all in her head.

That got her thinking. Is this really just some kind of dream, like Crowshadow claimed?, she asked herself. I don't even understand how I got here. It's clear that the stone is doing something to get me into this dimension. The only question is how and what?

Then she shook herself and pulled herself out of her thoughts. It would be better if she didn't ponder it so much and simply accepted it. Even though her curiosity yearned to find out everything about the Ancient Stone and its magical might.

Banishing any thoughts of flying to the back of her mind, Larkwing concentrated on examining the bubbles again. She saw both memories that she had remembered well and experiences that she had forgotten.

There was her first day as an apprentice, for example. She remembered exactly how Fernpool had sent her alone through RoseClan territory. Back then, she had found it exciting to explore the Forest Mountains without the company of an adult cat. However, she probably wouldn't do the same if she had an apprentice one day. At least not before the danger from the Shadowless had been averted. Although they only ever attacked the camps and not patrols, she wasn't comfortable with the way they appeared unnoticed every time.

Another bubble showed the moment Lakepelt had begun to shed his dislike of Larkwing. Back then, they had been Larkkit and Lakepaw, and pushed by Goldenshadow and Elderpelt — or Elderpaw in that case —, they had been forced to spend more time with each other and accept that they were Clanmates who had to rely on each other.