TW: Sensitive Content Open TOOK A DETOUR TO MY VICES 🌾 nightMARE lol get it...

[MAREMANE]

{$title} cw for nightmares and the fire .. star denotes where actual interaction starts it can be anyone!

Lucille was trapped.

The fire itself was a noise, an instrument flowing along the cacophony of death cries. Her senses were vivid: the sight of tongues reaching to taste her fur, the stench of burning fur, burning flesh. She breathed out air and recieved smoke in return. A weak, but heavy beam had crashed onto her. Somehow, she was still alive. There was no way out.

Kindling was on all sides of her, her tail to a haybale, delicious for the flame. She was squashed, lungs crackling with imminent char. Nobody else was in sight, until she saw it – saw her.

At nearly eye level, two sets of tufted paws thunder near her, just barely safe. Lucille followed the paws up, the long hair ending abruptly in fawn stubble.

She was looking up at herself. Twin pairs of eyes met.

The sound that escaped her throat was retched, but she managed the words around the smoke intruding into her mouth: "Help me."

"Help me," she repeated, louder. Lucille looked down at herself, the interaction mere seconds, drawing into minutes. There was a way to reach her, shrug the beam off before its beginning flames caught her. Fury fluttered, hotter than the collapsing barn, and the trapped Lucille found the strength to plead, screeching, "HELP ME!"

Her sternum was alight even as she woke up, somehow feverish even with the cold sweat collecting under her fur.

⭑ The wide open camp caught her fall. She threw herself to her feet noisily, trampling the closest sleeper. It was the least of her concern. Maremane's nostrils fluttered with hungry intake, ribs caging her lungs as they tried to escape her.

Everything was muddled with delirium, a static in which only one sharp thing formed. It was like a mirror – something ugly and twisted, her prisoner who she had shackled herself to.

Guilt.

She tiptoed the rest of the way out of the collection of slumbering WindClanners, letting the mild air wash over her. This was not something she wanted to address. Not something she had the time to address. The fire had happened for a reason, and frankly, she was happier out here, her radius wider.

The dark form of whoever she had stepped on rose, and her mind pocketed it all, antsy as her pained face shuddered into frost. "You slept too close to me," she accused vacantly, not bothering to let them close enough to reveal their identity before she jabbed.

 

[Merrystalk Merrystalk]

—————————————— Dreaming along in a pace you'll understand. ✦

See, Merry's reaction wasn't just out of frustration. The last time he had been awoken in such a sudden manner was at the paws of Hollow, desperately stirring him awake with the start of the fire. So, the abrupt awakening with the full force of something unseen landing atop of him was a shock to his system.

The tom's eyes widened, fur stood on end as for just a moment his mind returned to the fire, eyes flitting around expecting to be right back there all over again. That was, until, the cool night air filled his lungs instead, everything still dark and calm, all except... Someone? Stepping all around the rest of the warriors with a carefulness he wasn't warranted.

Now far too awake, and even more so curious about what was amiss, he followed the pawsteps of whomever it was. He steadied his racing heart, eyes bleary and mind still not fully adjusted to being awake. He tried to speak, ask what was wrong, only to be met with a familiar kind of venom in an even more familiar voice.

"Mare?" His voice didn't hide the confused exhaustion that clung to each word that tumbled from his lips. "I sure as hell didn't sleep near ya' on purpose." Merry huffed, rolling his eyes.

He continued a little past the molly, stretching as a yawn parted his lips. His form ached a little; it wasn't like Maremane was the size of a kitten, so being trampled awake was far from a pleasant experience. But confusion mottled his face, looked around. "Anyways, what the hell got ya' jumpin' like a damned flea at this hour? Ya' hear somethin' in camp or did ya' wanna try 'nd take me out while I was sleepin'." Sarcasm was hard to hide, but he was somewhat genuine in trying to scout the area in case there was something dangerous that might have stirred the molly awake.

— And it's harder than you think,

Telling dreams from one another. —

• 
  Merrystalk
  ✦—Windclan moor-runner | 26 Moons
  ✦—He/Him
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A skinny, tortoiseshell cat with bright green eyes and pelt speckled with hay.
  #9D6E46

 

[MAREMANE]

Maremane's fur bristled, the realization of who she had stepped on hitting her like a hammer. For once, she couldn't meet Merrystalk's eyes, not with any of the malice or fire that she often did. She was also exhausted, the dream feeling as if it had expended actual energy, and she swayed slightly with a want to return to sleep. After the haunting scene she had played out, she wasn't sure she could.

She would not tell the truth. Especially not to him. Maremane loathed to face it; and if she did, it would be alone. "Yeah, some noise," she muttered. "Must've been an owl or something, or a coyote far off." A dry scoff sounded at the concept of assassinating Merrystalk. She had already hurt him enough in the past, Maremane was sure sniping him in his sleep wasn't far off from what feelings she had elicited moons ago.

Her lungs were still scratchy with fiction smoke. In the dark, her flanks moved as if they were still fighting.

"I didn't mean to step on you." She wanted to cry for some reason. Maremane was desperate to get Merrystalk to return to his den so she could flee to the flatlands for it. "It's nothing… Just got woken up. I'm a light sleeper." It didn't explain her hurry, but they were both so tired she couldn't bring herself to care. Go back to sleep.

 

[Cricketkit Cricketkit]

Now… if Cricketkit just stayed perfectly still, there was absolutely no way these two would notice her. Probably. Hopefully. She could tell she really, really wasn't supposed to be here. Something about this moment felt… private. Heavy. But... Well... She hadn't exactly blundered into it. She'd been prowling, like she often did, slipping through the camp's corners like a little shadow with secrets to keep.

It's not like anyone truly noticed. Not like Mama did. Okay, no, they all noticed her now. But it was different. Mama's attention had felt like a nest: warm, close, safe. Everyone else's was too careful. Too sorry. And thinking about her-- Oh, that thought hurt. But she'd rather think of them and ache than let them go completely. She didn't want to forget Mama's soft eyes. Or Papa's loud, warm laugh. Her eye still throbbed, a dull, familiar ache. But that pain? That pain had meaning. Mama had made sure she got out. Sacrifices were made. And if losing her eye was the price, then she'd pay it, again and again.

She blinked away the stinging, hunching close to the ground. The two cats hadn't noticed her yet. But this silence… this aching, talking silence between them… She couldn't stand it. So, with the clumsy drama only a grieving kit could manage, she yawned, big and loud and toddled forward, tail flicking as if she hadn't been there the whole time. " G'morn... " she chirped, her good eye blinking up at them with the kind of innocence that only made you suspicious. " S'early..! What are we doin'? "

And with that, she plopped herself between them, a soft little lump of fur and nerve and curiosity, pretending like she belonged. Because maybe, just maybe if she acted like she fit, they'd let her stay.

WITH SHORTNESS OF BREATH ☆ YOU EXPLAINED THE INFINITE

• "speech"
  

• 

• CRICKET she/her, windclan, five moons.
  ☆ a lh diluted tortie with blue eyes and unruly fur / petite and scarred
  ☆ mentored by nobody yet
  ☆ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / always tag @lionharted
  ☆ penned by lionharted↛ LionheartedPhoenix on discord, feel free to dm for plots / click for toyhou.se