Post by Justice on Aug 1, 2018 16:21:53 GMT -5
Greenleaf 20, VY 5
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He'd had such a hard time getting to sleep last night. He was restless and lonely and just tired of it all. The bright point of his day was when young Larkflower came to see him. He could easily believe she was family, as the rumors of her being Wildcall's daughter circulating around right now would say. Though he had never lain eyes on her he felt as though he knew how she looked. She was small, he knew that, and with as fierce a spirit as Firestar herself. Just with more kindness and less world weary weight than the his sister.
Wildstripe knew he could have made friends in the elder's den, where all old warriors retired, but he hadn't felt the need or had the energy. If they'd wanted to be his friend they'd have said something to him before they were retired together. Perhaps that was bitter, but it was how he felt. He was trapped in an aged body that was slowly giving up on him, as all cats had to go through eventually. He could no longer be useful, could no longer hunt or provide or protect the clan in even the slightest of ways. Not with his bad leg. And it broke something in him to finally admit he couldn't carry on. He hated being a burden, and that was what he was now. A burden. No legacy followed him, no mate or kits, no apprentice well trained. Nothing. He was a waste of a cat who had worn out his uses.
Harmonymoon had tried her best to help with his confidence, and in a way she had as he no longer believed the things Russetfall told him, but he did know his own place in the clan. Without that he had really nothing left to offer. He felt cheated, and all over a sickness in his youth that stolen his sight and destroyed him for the rest of his life.
"Wildstripe."
He jerked his head up, ears swiveling all around as he tried to find the source of the voice. "Who's there? Who called me?"
The soft sound of laughter preceeded a lick to the top of his head. "Open your eyes. Its time to get up."
"Larkflower?"
"Nope."
There was the sense of warm sunlight on his fur, which was impossible as it was both unbearably hot outside and he was inside the elder's den. He opened his eyes finally, as he'd been asleep before. And had to blink in the too bright light around him and the bursts of color. And he realized suddenly that he could see, so he had to be dreaming. Still, for his adult mind to remember seeing this vividly as a kit was hard to believe and he felt tears going down his face.
He knew this place. He used to come here all the time, talk to StarClan, enjoy the sounds of the field at night. It was as beautiful as he imagined it to be. "How is this possible? I have to be dreaming."
The she-cat at his side nudged him, helped him stand and he realized he could still feel and that he didn't hurt anymore. No pain in his leg, no aches in his bones, his blindness healed after a lifetime in total darkness. "I'm Mapleheart. I've come to take you to StarClan."
"Am I dead?" He didn't feel dead, he felt alive and whole for the first time in his entire life.
"When you are ready to let go." She was a pretty little thing, and her eyes reminded him very much of his beloved sister's. Mapleheart, her name was. Firestar's lost daughter. After a lifetime of talking to StarClan, they'd come to answer him. Was he ready to go? Was it time to go? He was suddenly terrified. He hadn't been able to say goodbye, but really who would miss him?
"Don't be negative. You will be missed by more than you realize. I know things haven't been the best for you in this life, but your family does love you. Losing you is another light gone out in Firestar's eyes, another loss for the clan. You inspired many of them, watching you push on despite your limitations inspired cats even if you couldn't tell and they didn't tell you. You made a difference in their lives, you were just so lost to your pain to notice. Now you have the chance to move on, to watch over them in StarClan, to continue being helpful to those left behind. You always wanted to be helpful, useful, right?"
He could only nod. This she-cat knew him too well, it was scary. "Don't be afraid. StarClan awaits, and you have been restored. Its a brand new adventure."
"Will it hurt? Dying?"
"You are deeply asleep, you'll feel nothing."
He straightened up, stood straight and tall and powerful. He felt like a warrior again, like he'd provided for the clan and earned a place. He felt...free. "I'm ready."
The she-cat smiled and walked along his side as they disappeared into the fog that had begun to form at the edge of the field.
In the waking world Wildstripe's body gave a final, shuddering breath then went still, his life surrending to StarClan. His only regret, as he left them all behind, was that his young visitor found him there just after, and her hysterical cries sounded in his ears.
--
One of the warriors heard the commotion, but got clawed at when he went to try and remove the hysterical she-cat from the elder's den, where she was starting to disturb the others. So he went and got Firestar. "Sorry to bother you so early, but Larkflower is in a fit of hysterics in the elder's den and she won't come out or tell anyone what's wrong with her."
Hellion
RIP Wildstripe 8/1/18
-------------------------
He'd had such a hard time getting to sleep last night. He was restless and lonely and just tired of it all. The bright point of his day was when young Larkflower came to see him. He could easily believe she was family, as the rumors of her being Wildcall's daughter circulating around right now would say. Though he had never lain eyes on her he felt as though he knew how she looked. She was small, he knew that, and with as fierce a spirit as Firestar herself. Just with more kindness and less world weary weight than the his sister.
Wildstripe knew he could have made friends in the elder's den, where all old warriors retired, but he hadn't felt the need or had the energy. If they'd wanted to be his friend they'd have said something to him before they were retired together. Perhaps that was bitter, but it was how he felt. He was trapped in an aged body that was slowly giving up on him, as all cats had to go through eventually. He could no longer be useful, could no longer hunt or provide or protect the clan in even the slightest of ways. Not with his bad leg. And it broke something in him to finally admit he couldn't carry on. He hated being a burden, and that was what he was now. A burden. No legacy followed him, no mate or kits, no apprentice well trained. Nothing. He was a waste of a cat who had worn out his uses.
Harmonymoon had tried her best to help with his confidence, and in a way she had as he no longer believed the things Russetfall told him, but he did know his own place in the clan. Without that he had really nothing left to offer. He felt cheated, and all over a sickness in his youth that stolen his sight and destroyed him for the rest of his life.
"Wildstripe."
He jerked his head up, ears swiveling all around as he tried to find the source of the voice. "Who's there? Who called me?"
The soft sound of laughter preceeded a lick to the top of his head. "Open your eyes. Its time to get up."
"Larkflower?"
"Nope."
There was the sense of warm sunlight on his fur, which was impossible as it was both unbearably hot outside and he was inside the elder's den. He opened his eyes finally, as he'd been asleep before. And had to blink in the too bright light around him and the bursts of color. And he realized suddenly that he could see, so he had to be dreaming. Still, for his adult mind to remember seeing this vividly as a kit was hard to believe and he felt tears going down his face.
He knew this place. He used to come here all the time, talk to StarClan, enjoy the sounds of the field at night. It was as beautiful as he imagined it to be. "How is this possible? I have to be dreaming."
The she-cat at his side nudged him, helped him stand and he realized he could still feel and that he didn't hurt anymore. No pain in his leg, no aches in his bones, his blindness healed after a lifetime in total darkness. "I'm Mapleheart. I've come to take you to StarClan."
"Am I dead?" He didn't feel dead, he felt alive and whole for the first time in his entire life.
"When you are ready to let go." She was a pretty little thing, and her eyes reminded him very much of his beloved sister's. Mapleheart, her name was. Firestar's lost daughter. After a lifetime of talking to StarClan, they'd come to answer him. Was he ready to go? Was it time to go? He was suddenly terrified. He hadn't been able to say goodbye, but really who would miss him?
"Don't be negative. You will be missed by more than you realize. I know things haven't been the best for you in this life, but your family does love you. Losing you is another light gone out in Firestar's eyes, another loss for the clan. You inspired many of them, watching you push on despite your limitations inspired cats even if you couldn't tell and they didn't tell you. You made a difference in their lives, you were just so lost to your pain to notice. Now you have the chance to move on, to watch over them in StarClan, to continue being helpful to those left behind. You always wanted to be helpful, useful, right?"
He could only nod. This she-cat knew him too well, it was scary. "Don't be afraid. StarClan awaits, and you have been restored. Its a brand new adventure."
"Will it hurt? Dying?"
"You are deeply asleep, you'll feel nothing."
He straightened up, stood straight and tall and powerful. He felt like a warrior again, like he'd provided for the clan and earned a place. He felt...free. "I'm ready."
The she-cat smiled and walked along his side as they disappeared into the fog that had begun to form at the edge of the field.
In the waking world Wildstripe's body gave a final, shuddering breath then went still, his life surrending to StarClan. His only regret, as he left them all behind, was that his young visitor found him there just after, and her hysterical cries sounded in his ears.
--
One of the warriors heard the commotion, but got clawed at when he went to try and remove the hysterical she-cat from the elder's den, where she was starting to disturb the others. So he went and got Firestar. "Sorry to bother you so early, but Larkflower is in a fit of hysterics in the elder's den and she won't come out or tell anyone what's wrong with her."
Hellion
RIP Wildstripe 8/1/18