Mist in the Ripples *Rewritten*

Chapter 5 - To Speak with Starclan

Sorry about how this one is much shorter than the others! I actually ended up being super busy with school and stuff, but I'm glad I still managed to finish not too far past my predicted deadline.

Above is a picture of some burdock in Rippleclan's territory. I totally didn't get covered in burrs when I took it.

Happy birthday Ser!! I dedicate this chapter to you!

Trigger warning for implied rape. Read at your own discretion.

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It was the smell that she noticed first.

In a sparkling summer field, a young feline's extra-sensitive smell was being driven wild by what was before her. Millions of flowers in full bloom, stretching like an endless rainbow, swayed in the breeze, spreading pollen into the air and into the nose of this little cat. She definitely wasn't complaining, as the life of plants from seeds to stalks to flowers was always a wonder to behold, in her own personal opinion. She would make the most of her situation and frolic to her heart's content.

Well, Dreampaw couldn't frolic for too long, since she only had a couple hours. Soon, the first licks of evening would reveal themselves, awakening her from her slumber, and announce her first day of apprenticeship in her clan Rippleclan. Dreams were like that, giving you what you want then taking it away at the best part.

Dreampaw studied a sunflower's stalk, admiring its perfection. It was a good thing she knew so much about flowers from the pictures and gardens she studied, otherwise she wouldn't have grown lucid upon noticing the stalk's perfection. Looking at the flawlessly formed leaves, she grinned; finding it actually quite funny that she knew that the flower she was staring at wasn't a real flower.

Her intense studying was perhaps a little too intense, as some pollen drifted into her eyes quite easily, turning the green iris' from looking like solid gemstones to liquid algae as her cornea tried to deal with the irritation by itself. However, it could not handle the amount of dander, so Dreampaw was forced to blink away the pain.

Wait, why was there pain in her dream?

Her eyes reopened to find that the sunflower was gone. As a matter of fact, the entire field had disappeared, leaving only grass-covered ground beneath her feet and the blue sky above.

Dreampaw didn't need to blink, but she did it again anyway just to see what would happen. Sure enough, the blue sky disappeared as soon as her eyes reopened, darkness replacing the lovely color and the fluffy clouds.

Fear clawed at her heart as the hairs on her back raised. Everything had been joyful just a minute ago, why did it all change? Dreampaw inhaled deeply, trying to find a trace of the flowery scents she'd smelt only moments ago, but those were completely gone to be replaced by nothing at all.

There was nothing in her dream but the grass beneath her feet.

Something suddenly washed over her from behind. Dreampaw started, and shook her fur out in hopes of getting it out of her pelt. Some of it came off in a spray, but most remained and caused her fur to stick all over the place. Worried, she tried to lick a clump of her fur free from the rapidly drying substance, but her taste buds were met with a gross, metallic taste.

She was covered in blood.

Dreampaw shrieked and bolted into a run. Her instincts took over and screamed at her to flee this place, but where was there to go? Darkness stretched as far as she could see, but still she ran.