The cold desert winds blew over the nighttime landscape. The thin crescent moon hung low in the sky bathing the land in only a hint of light. The landscape around was so deeply unfamiliar to her, she’d never felt further from home. But even her home didn’t exist anymore, they’d been bathed in the fiery lakes of the desert volcanoes. Now she wandered, hoping to find a place to settle and maybe find some normalcy.
This night she’d awoken feeling drawn to wander this way, the hint of a translucent figure seemed to dance on the edges of her vision, but when she looked for them, they were gone. When she waited for them to return to the edges of her vision, she could just barely make out the figure of a
cloud-like cat. Whoever they were, she knew she felt a little less alone tonight, wherever it was that they were leading her.
The night grew longer as she travelled further. As she grew closer to a small river’s edge, she saw the silhouette of another. She froze, it was a
ginger tom from what she could tell. The sight of another brought her right out of the hazy mind she’d been travelling with. She’d been alone for so long, what would she even say? She hesitated even approaching the lone-cat…
Then he looked up.
She watched as he froze, attempting to discern her intent. He crouched slightly, curiously making his way towards her, it was too dark to see his expression, but his body language seemed non-hostile…
She wanted to shrink away, this was all a little too overwhelming, she still hadn’t figured out what she could say…
He gingerly called out “Wh-what are you doing here?”
Lavender saw a ghostly tail flick calling her to approach him “I- I uh, I have no home…” her nerves built as she felt she was fumbling this.
His posture changed “N- No home?” his voice now had a hint of concern, he whispered to himself “Rogues don’t have homes?” puzzled he called out “Did you have one before??”
She felt tears well up behind her eyes, “Y- Yes, but it doesn’t exist… The lakes of fire stole that from me.” She tried to hide her quivering voice but she could hear it in her own voice.
Sunbeam realised that the same lakes of fire that forced Ridgeclan out of their home, also must have forced this cat from her home… He caught a glimpse of twinkling stars behind her,
she had Starclan’s blessing“I might know a place for you to sleep, and hopefully, if you’d like, it can become your home…”
He wasn’t sure how Crowleap would take to this, but if she had Starclan’s blessing, he couldn’t turn her away.
She hesitated, confused by his quick change of heart, and generosity…
“I- I’m Sunbeam by the way,” he smiled, hoping to ease her nerves.
“T- Thank you Sunbeam, I’m Lavender,” still nervous. She did her best to introduce herself, but at least she felt a little understood by this new acquaintance.
