Raven blinked open her eyes to sunlight so harsh it was blinding. She instinctively shut them tight and tried to open them more gradually. It still stung but she forced them up until she got used to the light. Raven couldn’t move any other muscle though and her only option was to look around by rotating her eyes until it felt like they would go all the way around into her head.
First of all, there was snow everywhere. She could barely see anything else! She realized there was a lot of snow on top of her too, the cold reaching deep into her fur and crawling across her skin. In the very corner of her eye she saw gray of the mountain, clawed with smears of scarlet and black.
Scarlet and black? From what?
Raven made a huge effort to twist her head and the pain shot through her whole body. She had to bite down hard not to shriek with the burning, thumping, and stinging sensations. Gasping to catch her breath Raven relaxed again and remained still. Quite a lot of time passed before she dared to try and move again, starting small this time. As gently as she could, she sheathed and unsheathed her claws a few times. A bit sore, but no pain. Then she tried to raise her paws half a mouse-length. This time it hurt properly but it was bearable. So she continued to raise her paws up and down until the stiffness was thoroughly worked out. Then she moved up to the rest of her legs, then shoulders, and eventually her neck. It hurt terribly but she managed to look around just enough that she could make out where she was.
There was still a lot of snow, but now she could make out the boulders around the edge of the plateau, the steep slopes that lead further up into the mountain, and the limp patch of black fur a couple of fox lengths away from where Raven lay. She struggled to sit up but ended in a very uncomfortably half-sitting-half-lying-down position. She recognized the black, empty stare as Shadow’s but why was he down here half covered in snow…?
Then it hit her. Everything from Raven entering the mountain to falling off it. Ignoring the screech inside her head as she tilted her head more than pain actually allowed, she realized she could barely see the ledge where she had fought Shadow.
I couldn’t possibly have survived that fall! Raven thought, her eyes widening into two amber moons.
For another few moments she stared up, the wind ruffling her fur gently. When she turned to look the other way she noticed a set of paw prints leading away from her. Had they been there before? Raven thought hard, but most of her memories were still a blur. Even the ones from when she woke up. The light changed drastically all of a sudden, grew darker until it seemed like night. Then the light returned and it was day. Night. Day. Night. Day. Seven times it happened, until it stopped at day again.
The weather changed during the time too. Snow, sleet, wind, sun, even rain tore at her fur. But it seemed like the pain came and went with the weather too, and now it was almost gone.
“What’s happening?” Raven wondered aloud, with a mixture of awe and fear. She almost jumped out of her skin when she heard a voice behind her. Actually, she did jump. All of a sudden Raven was standing and searched frantically for the source of the voice. In a whirl of snow a figure stepped out, with beautiful blue eyes and a sleek gray tabby coat. Raven flattened her ears slightly and stepped back as her mind swam with questions.
Why did the days change so quickly? Who is this cat? Did she heal me? Why am I healed? How did it happen so quickly? Am I… Dead?
“Don’t worry my precious warrior.” The tabby she-cat smiled warmly. “Come closer.” She offered. Raven hesitated but then decided it was safe. She didn’t know why, but this strange cat made her feel safe and happy. She could trust this cat.
“I- I’m Raven.” She meowed and dipped her head. Suddenly she almost lost her balance and had to stagger forwards to regain it. Trying to set all four paws firmly on the ground, Raven noticed that one of her hind legs was terribly twisted but offered no pain. “My leg!” She exclaimed in horror.
