Private nightmare on the elm street — coalstrike

[MIREPURR]

Nowadays, sleep comes to Mirepurr in waves. When they manage to tire themself out properly with duties—almost every day now that ShadowClan struggles with the lack of prey—, their eyes shut themselves before they can even settle in their nest properly... but just like how water gradually recedes from the shore, so does sleep leave them cold and aching after just a few hours. They're troubled, that much is certain. There are too many things to worry about... and too many bad things that have happened. It's only natural that they worry themself sick over what might be next.

Not for the first nor the last time in their life, Mirepurr wishes they were different. Stronger and more confident, like their Clanmates... somehow, it always feels like others have it all figured out, or at least capable of going through a difficult phase without drowning. That doesn't come so naturally to Mirepurr.

They're not surprised when they feel the need to open their eyes again. What does surprise them is the scenery that awaits; it's not the familiar darkness of the warriors' den, with their Clanmates quietly snoring or tossing around them. The darkness seems to blend into itself. Mirepurr's eyes narrow in concentration. Any of the tree trunks that they manage to make out stretch into an endless sky above... and much to their fright, they cannot find even one single dot of light up there. It's empty.

"Hello...?"

Their voice shakes. This must be just a bad dream- but why does it feel so real, then?

"Anybody there?"

@Coalstrike

 

[Coalstrike Coalstrike]

That's the price you pay
Leave behind your heart and cast away
Just another product of today
Rather be the hunter than the prey
And you're standing on the edge, face up

.

Curses... Again, he had failed to connect with the ShadowClanner he wanted to reach. Every attempt slipped through his claws like smoke. Perhaps Sablestar was too entangled with the living, too entangled with that cat from the Dark Forest to feel the cold brush of a dead tom on his fur. Perhaps it simply wasn't time. Whatever the reason, the stubborn pull toward the leader dissolved... And left him drifting instead toward someone far less impressive. Not Jadethorn. Not Wolfpack. Not Fleafire or any of his promising little bug-eyed brood.

No. It was Mirepurr.

The skittish creature who couldn't stand in a stiff breeze without jumping like a startled bird. The cat whose spine existed only in theory. The one who flinched at shadows, unfortunate, considering he himself was one now. Coalstrike lingered, unseen at first, golden eyes burning through the dark like coals stoked by an unseen wind. His gaze was unblinking, predatory, carrying the weight of something far older and sharper than life. His presence pressed close, heavy and suffocating, before he finally tore himself free from the shadows.

His form expanded as he stepped forward, massive, fur bristling, a silhouette of violence stitched together with dried blood. The killing bite marred his throat like a badge, dark and permanent. His pelt bore irregular distortions too, subtle warping left by the monster's strike. You could sense something was wrong with him, even before you understood what. A wrongness in the way his shoulders carried. In the way his fur hung. In the way the air chilled around him.

He stared down at Mirepurr with a slow, deliberate blink. " Mirepurr. " The name left his mouth like a judgment. He rolled his eyes as he began to circle the trembling cat, paws silent, steps flowing like smoke. " Can you possibly look even more uneasy? " he scoffed, voice low, gravelly, almost amused by the discomfort he caused. His tail lashed once behind him, the movement sharp enough to cut the air. " Briar brain.. I've seen mice with more composure. "

He tilted his head, lowering it slightly to get a better view of Mirepurr's expression, of the way fear clung to them like a second pelt. Disappointment flickered through his golden gaze, followed by something else. Something darker. Something curious. Fear was weakness, yes. But fear... Was also malleable.

Speech, thoughts/emphasis

69 MOONS

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DARK FOREST

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