𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗥𝗦ᶠᵃⁿᶠⁱᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿ 一 𝔅𝔩𝔞𝔷𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔱 [𝟑]

❆☾𑁍𓆱ᥴhᥲρtᥱr 𝟻𝟶𓆱𑁍☽❆

No... You're lying. Lakepelt would never want to hurt me.

Larkwing backed away. Away from the puddle, away from Twilightwing and Ivykit. "Tell me the truth," she growled. At the same time, her voice trembled violently. "Do you think I'm stupid enough to believe you? I have more faith in Lakepelt than I do in any other cat. You don't even know him!"

At that, Twilightwing's eyes narrowed. "I only knew him for a few days as a kit, but even then it was clear what a bloodthirsty cat he would become. Did he ever tell you that he hurt Birchpelt back then, so he had to spend several nights in the medicine cat's den? I don't think so!"

Larkwing almost snorted in disbelief. Twilightwing couldn't be serious. Of course, she realised that Lakepelt wasn't necessarily pacifist, but Twilightwing made it sound like everything he'd done had been done out of malicious intent.

But I know that's not true! Lakepelt only ever did what was necessary to protect himself. To protect me.

She remembered the night she was held captive by the renegade ruin cats and Sunray. Back then, Lakepelt had set out on his own to get her out of that hole and escort her to the forest when she was at her weakest. The sacrifices he had to make that night were necessary for her to survive.

With that realisation, Larkwing lifted her chin and returned Twilightwing's accusing gaze. "You dare to pass judgement on a cat you've only known for a few days?"

"StarClan's Surpreme Council has been watching him for moons!" Twilightwing retorted tensely. "It's already certain that he'll end up in the Dark Forest if he doesn't change."

Larkwing winced. An eternal stay in the Forest of Darkness as a result for Lakepelt having seen to it that the cats who had harmed her received their punishment?

"That's enough!" she hissed. "I'd rather hear the reasons from Lakepelt himself, if he really was the one who attacked me. And the ones regarding the incident with Birchpelt."

Twilightwing opened her mouth slightly and closed it again immediately, as if she wasn't sure what she wanted to say. "Well," she began hesitantly after a short pause, "there is a way for you to get back into your body. But you have to really want to. It has to be your deepest desire."

"It is the biggest desire I've ever had in my entire life!" Larkwing meowed promptly.

If she had the chance to live, she certainly did not want to waste it. The time for her to die shouldn't come yet. She was only fourteen moons old. There were still countless leaf-changes ahead of her. She couldn't just waste them.

When I'm back, I'll make every single day the best, Larkwing swore to herself silently. I'll always be grateful that I'm still alive and can serve my Clan.

Now Twilightwing padded towards her. Her ears were flattened and her expression showed that she still seemed to be thinking about what a bloodthirsty cat Lakepelt was and that she definitely didn't want Larkwing near him. "In that case, even I won't be able to stop you." She faltered briefly, her lower jaw quivering. "But you have to promise me one thing. Stay away from Lakepelt."