Warriors: Bound To Stars

Chapter 28 || The Dark Crystal

Batchaser was floating.

⠀⠀His paws were nestled in clusters of stars and his mind swept away all the negative emotions. Ease was all the ShadowClanner had felt here, and it was all he hoped to feel for the rest of eternity.

⠀⠀There was nothing here, though. No where to go and nothing to do and no one to talk to. Batchaser somehow hadn't lost his sanity yet. In fact, he felt like this was some of the best peace he'd had in several, several moons. My last good day was back in the pine forest, sitting under that oak tree we shared between the ThunderClan border, eating a few finches under there time and time again... it was so nice. So calming. Just like this.

⠀⠀He loved it. No one to bother him, no hunger and no emotions other than blissful happiness. Batchaser couldn't really remember how he got here in the first place, but what did it matter? He was here, and that was all that mattered. He was alone, and that was even better. Batchaser could never have asked for more.

⠀⠀And it's like I can't even remember my sorrows or regrets or grief. It's all numbed into the back of my mind and I... I can't remember anyone, I don't think. Just places. And some of my life in the real world, when I truly had been alive. But faces are still hard to decipher and I don't know what those piercing amber eyes are doing there. A memory I can't put my claw on but.... but whatever. I'm fine here. I am.

⠀⠀It's too peaceful to let go.

⠀⠀Batchaser floated like this for a long, long time. He knew hours had passed, but he also wondered if it had only been thirty seconds. Time here was different and the ShadowClanner was having the time of his life trying to figure it out. His life? Boring. But this place? It was a magical, magical wonder.

⠀⠀"Batchaser."

⠀⠀He flinched, hard. A voice?! But whose voice? It had been days! Days since he'd been here and Batchaser hadn't heard a thing! So why were voices suddenly spilling out from the void? All his hard work to figure this place out was crumbling because of this stupid voice distracting him from his thoughts and making him focus on something else other than this place. This was not acceptable!

⠀⠀Batchaser huffed, turning his back and kneading his paws into the stars, which seemed to evaporate into a soft sheet of fluffy white clouds. He purred, laying his head down and closing his eyes. Peaceful once again.

⠀⠀"Batchaser!"

⠀⠀The black tom jerked up, blue gaze sharply scanning the empty galaxy around him. What was wrong with this idiot?! He froze, slightly taken aback. Woah, why am I so angry all of a sudden? That doesn't seem like me. I'm not angry. I'm happy. Always happy.

⠀⠀Batchaser felt his heart drop. Something about this place suddenly felt very wrong. Very, very wrong indeed. Where am I, anyway? And.... how did I... even get here..?

⠀⠀"Batchaser! You're not dying on me today! Please, just... just walk a little farther."

⠀⠀That voice was so familiar. He couldn't put his emotions into words right now—confusion, perhaps? Annoyance that his peace was being broken by this annoying, all-too-challenging voice that was acting like they knew him? Batchaser wasn't dead! He was just in.. in a nice place. He was fine. And walking was impossible, anyway! There was nowhere to walk! Only empty space and.... and... stars, the space suddenly filled his head and his lungs and he choked on his breath and broke into a coughing fit. He cried out when the comforting stars disappeared and he was left with nothing, all that surrounded him was black and darkness and despair and all he saw were crimson waves through his eyes and he began to panic, paws flailing in a desperate attempt to move but nothing was helping, he was stuck here, forever, and perhaps it's what he deserved (why did he think that? Batchaser didn't know) anyway. Right?? This had to be the answer! Why was everything disappearing? The happiness was leaving him and he felt grief blow through his heart and crack it open into a million pieces until he was left with nothing to pick up and no one to help him do it. He was alone. Batchaser was alone forever in this terrible, closed space with no way to move and only his mind to figure everything out and—