Warriors: Bound To Stars

Chapter 40 || Flashes Through Time

This is a long one, guys.

Please heed this:
🛑trigger warning🛑

I'm not kidding, either. Lots of dark stuff buried in here, but it's necessary to tell Batchaser's backstory. If you're still here and ready to move on, good luck.

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"Agh..." Batchaser groaned from the heavy weight on top of his back, body flattening under the she-cat. His eyes were screwed shut, claws sinking into the damp ground below him. Everything in his body was sore and pained, and all Batchaser wanted was a nice, long nap in StarClan. But that certainly wasn't happening any time soon.

⠀⠀"Well?" the voice prompted impatiently. Batchaser's eyes snapped open and he suddenly swiped his paw back, catching the cat in the face. She snarled and fell over, cursing under her breath. Finding his footing, Batchaser leapt out of her hold and flicked blood from his ears, gaze wide and unfocused.

⠀⠀And dear StarClan, the cat was Spiderstar.

⠀⠀Up close she was even larger, shaggy black fur broadening her size. Her eyes were a sharp yellow, like moonlight cast upon a shadowy forest, an amber glint fogging over her gaze. Her claws were long and sharp, and upon further inspection of her body, Batchaser could see the long scars drawn over her black pelt.

⠀⠀"You didn't answer me," Spiderstar said, slowly picking herself to her paws.

⠀⠀"Maybe I would've, if you hadn't attacked me!" Batchaser spat, heart beating irregularly in his chest. He hated Clan cats sometimes. Seriously. Some of them just need to die already!

⠀⠀"I wanted to make an entrance." A wide grin spread across Spiderstar's cheeks, but Batchaser saw far too many teeth. I don't trust her at all, he realized.

⠀⠀"Yeah, well." Batchaser's voice fell flat, and when he looked back at Spiderstar, something flashed in front of his eyes. A memory, so distant and tilted that he wasn't even sure if it was real....

⠀⠀The haze widened into a black silhouette, outlined in splattered silver lines. A grove of trees flanked the outside area, grass soft and tufted under his paws. The shadow moved forward and blood-red claws slid out, a crooked smile spreading across the cat's dark face.

⠀⠀"I-" Batchaser stepped back when he realized Spiderstar had inched closer, gazing at him like he was some sort of anomaly. "What was that?"

⠀⠀She was quiet for a moment. "You don't remember." It was less of a question - a statement, sharp and piercing.

⠀⠀"Remember what-?"

⠀⠀Batchaser was thrown back into the vision. He realized he was in a den, and a fluffy brown shape moved beside him. "Batkit!" she exclaimed, green eyes peering into his.

⠀⠀Adderkit. My dear sister, his heart whispered, and the memory was so sudden and painful he doubled over. Spiderstar looked down at him, thick, scarred tail twitching. "You're remembering."

⠀⠀Batchaser shook his head desperately, paws flying to his head. "No," he said brokenly. "I can't. I can't relive any of that." Batchaser lifted his head and his expression drew into a snarl. "How do you even know what's happening to me?!"

⠀⠀"Because I've seen it. I keep seeing you in my dreams."

⠀⠀Batchaser scowled. "Okay, that's creepy. You know what else is creepy? You!"