#slateburn

BRIARSWAN: Mistlestar...? Are you awake?

[You shuffle your head to look over at your friend and medicine cat. He's looking at you with the same compassionate smile as always, but something seems off about his demeanor. There's a tremble to his voice. You lift your head up.]

MISTLESTAR: Is something the matter, Briarswan?

BRIARSWAN: Please... just try to understand...

[You watch as Briarswan paws a small cat out from behind him. A kit. One that isn't of your clan normally.]

[You stammer for a few moments, and try to ask Briarswan about the origins of the small, mewling mass. He doesn't seem keen on talking about it.]

[You aren't one to turn away a kitten, so you nod and tell Briarswan that you'll discuss this more later.]

SLATEBURN: Hey, Mistlestar. Just wanted to let you know I'm headed to Briarswan. He's nervous I may have come down with something... I'll do my best to keep up with my duties until I'm better.

SLIGHTPAW: [The young apprentice doesn't quite seem to be on their best game this training session.]

MISTLESTAR: Slightpaw... is something bothering you?

[Upon hearing your question, the apprentice stops in their tracks. They hesitate for a moment, and then start speaking.]

SLIGHTPAW: I've been having a hard time sleeping. Recently, I feel like I've been having constant nightmares. I see these shadowy cats, sometimes they seem like they're dripping with blood. I don't know what it means.

SLIGHTPAW: I want to do my best. It's not fair that I keep seeing it. I feel like it's a bad omen- am I doing something wrong, Mistlestar?

[The words make you stumble a bit. Shadowy cats...? Your mind drifts as you think of the ghosts you've been seeing, but you bring yourself back down to earth. You need to be there for Slightpaw.]

[You put your tail against his back.]

MISTLESTAR: Sometimes... nightmares are just nightmares. And if it turns out to mean something, we'll help you, Slightpaw. You're doing wonderful, okay? There's a reason I chose to mentor you specifically, you know.

[That seems to have cheered them up.]

[As you're having a conversation, you watch Fawnhowl limping on a mangled leg back to the medicine cat den.]

MISTLESTAR: ...What happened?

FAWNHOWL: I tried to catch a rabbit over the Burrowclan border. They just caught me on a bad day- any other and I'd-

[You glare at Fawnhowl, and that seems to make her go quiet.]