Username: Oceanfosh
Name: Aspenglow
Gender: Female
Age: 22 moons
Rank: Medicine Cat
Clan:
BatClanPrompt: WIP! I won't be able to finish in time, so here's what I got done! I'll include a summary of what would happen afterward if you don't disclude me for not being finished!
xxxxx“I… I need time to think about that,” Aspenpaw admitted after a few moments of silence. Her mind was telling her to continue with both, prove to her siblings that she wasn’t just a cat with no tail that couldn't care for herself. Badgersoul gave her a nod, his gaze giving nothing away.
“Very well. Maybe you should discuss it with Bat?” He suggested, and Aspenpaw gave him a cold stare.
“I can’t just walk up to the leader! Besides, you’ve gotta call him Batpaw.” She snapped in defense of her leader, turning and stalking away.
xxxxxThe camp was only a few fox-lengths ahead. However, the tabby veered away from it and padded off toward the river. The cold water would still be frozen from the low temperatures of leafbare, however that didn’t stop Aspenpaw. Her paws sped her up to the speed of a run and she dashed through the moor up to the river.
xxxxxPurple and blue shadows spilled across the short green grass at an angle. On the other side of the river, a sudden thick growth of trees cast a blanket of black over what was further than a few tail-lengths into it. The still sight of the trees ahead of her sent a chill up Aspenpaw’s spine. A bright yet dimming orange glow fell through the trees to her right, illuminating what wasn’t covered by shadow in a breathtaking hue. The setting sun threw dashes of red and pink across the horizon.
xxxxxThe blue and white tabby crept up to the river. Despite being shrouded in darkness, the thin ice surface glittered. Each spark of light seemed to be the reflection of a tiny star in the purple night sky. When Aspenpaw looked up, though, all she could see was the darkening indigo sky. No stars dared show their face just yet. Giving up on the sky, blue and green eyes peered down past the ice, trying to spot the rushing water underneath. While her ears could pick up the sound, the lighting and the ice did not work in her favor.
xxxxxBut then she saw it. Deep down in the blue-gray water, hidden beneath the solid layer of cold, was a very faint reflection. It was fading rapidly along with the light in the sky, but Aspenpaw stared at it in wonder. The cat trapped in the river did not look the least like the bob-tailed cat that stood above it, as it looked bolder, and much more cunning. When the darkness of night finally swallowed it up, a wave of confusion threatened to sweep Aspenpaw off her paws. A sudden thought as cold as the ice passed through her mind.
Is that really who I want to be?xxxxxDespite there being only a few cats, the camp was busy when Aspenpaw woke. She reluctantly pulled herself out of her warm nest, then proceeded to stretch. After a long yawn, her foggy thoughts were pulled together when Badgersoul, her mentor, called her name.
“Aspenpaw! Come ‘ere a moment.”
“Coming.” The blue and white tabby muttered with a sigh, blinking away sleep as she made her way to the black and white cat on the other side of the camp. Eventually, she stopped in front of him.
xxxxx“What’s with the face? If you’d slept any longer, I was ready to get Sunpaw to drop a toad in your nest,” Badgersoul commented.
“Ew! Don’t you dare,” Aspenpaw growled. “Where would you even find a toad?”
“By the river.”
“But it’s in the middle of leafbare!”
“Actually, it’s only the start,” Badgersoul corrected. “I reckon if we looked hard enough, we could find one.”
“Yea, right. What did you want, anyway?”
“I wanted to ask if you had made up your mind.”
“Of course not. This is something way more important to me than you think!” Aspenpaw snapped, her thoughts drifting off to the reflection she had seen in the river. No, that isn’t what I want, is it? She asked herself, then whipped around when Badgersoul opened his mouth to speak.
“Leave me alone, will you? I actually want to think this over.” She growled, stalking out of camp.
xxxxxThe conversation lingered in Aspenpaw’s head, despite the efforts she made to push it away. She would, in fact, have to decide at some point. But, what could she do? A warrior not only would fight battles, but hunt, too. Of course, the short-tailed she-cat was able to simply fight- but she didn’t want to. Aspenpaw wanted to be normal, fulfilling each part of the job to the best she possibly could. The only other option was to become a permanent queen.
xxxxxThe thought of spending every day in the nursery sent a chill down Aspenpaw’s spine. She’d never be able to get outside and run through the territory; just because she couldn’t hunt didn’t mean she hated running across the moor. Aspenpaw let out a yelp when a freezing surface snapped under her. Moments later, the she-cat was plunged into even colder water. It knocked the breath out of her, and she thrashed around in terror. Eventually, her limbs grew numb and Aspenpaw was sinking in pitch black water.
xxxxxBut something was calling to her. Another cat, just barely there as if it weren’t actually real, loomed over the water. Just as quickly as it had appeared, water washed over the silhouette. Trying to swim, Aspenpaw’s vision slowly darkened until she was simply unconscious.
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xxxxxAspenpaw’s whole body was numb, but she wasn’t underwater anymore. If she were, then her pelt wouldn’t feel so heavy. The she-cat pushed herself to her paws, coughing up water and shaking her pelt before opening her eyes and taking a good look around. Sunlight spilled through gaps in the branches and leaves until it landed in pools of warm gold. Some trees were large, covered with moss and dark green leaves, while others were smaller and covered in bright green. Blinking, Aspenpaw suddenly realized with a cold chill that she had no clue where she was.
xxxxxIt was getting further and further into leafbare, so how could a forest grow such a bright green? Not only that, but the river was nowhere to be found. Instead, all that remained of it was the soft gurgle of water from a stream. To clear her head the gray and white she-cat took a few steps forward.
Cub.Aspenpaw whipped around at the sound of another animal. Whatever had spoken, its voice was feminine, with a rough edge to it as if it were a bark rather than a meow. A flash of orange showed through the trees, and the apprentice immediately dashed after it.
xxxxx“Wait!” She pleaded. After moons of running on moorland, Aspenpaw couldn’t keep up as she tried to dodge various plants and roots. Eventually, the creature slowed and quickly stopped in a clearing just as bright green as the rest of the forest. The short-tailed she-cat would have continued running at it, but she realized with horror that it wasn’t a cat; it was a fox.
xxxxxShe skidded backwards, which brought her to a halt. Before Aspenpaw could run back to where she had woken, the voice from before spoke.
Cat cub, do not be afraid. The fox drew its tail over its paws as it sat down in the clearing. It didn’t bark, or even open its mouth at all. It remained still with its eyes set on Aspenpaw as if it were, in fact, a cat stalking prey. The she-cat stared at the fox, frozen with fear but also curiosity.
What are you doing hanging around by the trees like a scared mouse? Come closer. It remained unmoving as the apprentice cautiously stepped out from the gentle shadow of the trees and make her way closer to the fox.
xxxxxPoor cub. That’s what your clan thinks, right? Am I wrong? The orange dog-like creature continued. Aspenpaw’s paws felt like they turned to ice; that was a perfect explanation to Badgersoul’s actions. Still cold despite the warm sun, the she-cat nodded.
Why put up with them? It asked.
“Because…” Aspenpaw breathed. “Because it's my home. I couldn’t even dream of leaving!” The fox blinked and stood up. The short-tailed cat in front of it froze, preparing to turn and flee.
Then the only option that leaves you is to get rid of them, right? The fox didn’t wait for an answer. There is an easy and clear path to achieving this goal. Follow me, cat cub. It took off into the trees.
xxxxxAspenpaw paused. Did she really want to follow this fox? But then, everything it had said was reasonable and all too easy to believe. Surely a fox with malicious intent would go about it in a different, more unsuspecting way. Not only that, but the apprentice was curious. What could this path be; continue to fight? Learn to hunt? Or could it be something that she’d never imagined? Curiosity took her paws speeding along the short green grass.
That's as far as I got! Here's the summary I said i'd include.
The fox leads Aspenpaw to another area of the forest, where it explains the concept of a medicine cat. It reasoned with the apprentice, saying that other cats would look up to her instead of down, and their life would be in her paws. Aspenpaw likes this idea and agrees, so the fox then brings her back to the world with her clan; she wasn't even awake that whole time. Turns out that Sunpaw had seen her fall in, and had brought her back to camp. Everyone's relieved that she survived the icy water, and the next day Aspenpaw asks Batpaw and Badgersoul about becoming a medicine cat. The fox guided her through dreams, and when it was too late she realizes what it wanted to do. Now, it haunts her, and it's too late for her to quit being a medicine cat. The story would have been ended with a future apprentice asking the now named Aspenglow if she liked being a medicine cat, and showing the regret she had about it in a subtle way.
The picture below would have been the fox taking Aspenpaw out of the dream!
Note: this image was a wip, but i'll probably just finish it off as a cool fox drawing if I don't complete it in time heh
