Chapter Text
Shadowpaw looked at himself in the glistening water, his eyes full of sadness. He sighed, not noticing a cat trotting up behind him, only looking at the figure behind him once a dry orange leaf dropped into the water, ripples of river water distorting his reflection.
“Shadowpaw? Are you doing okay?” Said the cat behind him, who he recognized to be his mentor, Puddleshine. “Shadowpaw?” The brown and white tom spoke again, snapping his apprentice back to reality.
“O-Oh, me? Oh yeah! I’m fine…never been better!” He said shakily, staring down at his paws.
Puddleshine walked over to Shadowpaw and sat next to him. “C’mon, I know when you’re lying. So, tell me, Shadowpaw, are you doing okay?” He spoke in a gentle bittersweet voice. Shadowpaw let out another long sigh.
“I…I just…I’m so confused, and so stressed out…why did Starclan abandon us? M-My seizures have been getting worse, and…I don’t know, I just don’t feel okay nowadays…” He muttered, eyes full of sadness.
Puddleshine rested his sleek-furred tail on his apprentice’s shoulder. “C’mon, let’s talk it out, ‘kay? I promise everything will be better soon.”
Shadowpaw let out a tiny smile, licking his mentor’s ear. “T-Thank you, Puddleshine…I mean it…” The medicine cat apprentice mewed.
Puddleshine smiled, letting out a tiny chuckle. “No, don’t worry about it Shadowpaw. Besides, you’re mother always knew you had something special in you. And I believe that all of Shadowclan does too.”
“If you ever need anything, just tell me. I guess I’ll leave you alone now.” Puddleshine meowed, standing up and walking away, trotting back to camp. Shadowpaw’s smile faded. I hope you’re right about all of that…Starclan, please help us. Help my clan. He thought to himself, going back to staring at his reflection in the river.
He stared deeply into the river, before letting out a yowl, his body starting to spasm. No, not now! The black tabby shook, mewling weakly as his eyes closed, fur standing on end as he started to have a vision.
Shadowpaw opened his eyes, squinting to see himself in a misty dark forest he was oh-so-familiar with. He backed up slowly, starting to sweat with anxiety. “Starclan no…” he murmured to himself.
The thick black fog in front of him started to clear up, he saw two dark figures. Paws shaking, he slowly walked towards the figures. “Hello? Who are you?” He meowed, scared.
Starting to be able to make out the figures, he saw himself, standing over the dead body of Bramblestar, blood smearing his paws and muzzle. Shadowpaw gasped, slowly backing away. The murderous version of himself stared into his eyes, deep glinting red eyes gleaming through the darkness, seeing right past his soul, and a chill was sent down the apprentice’s spine.
Suddenly, Shadowpaw felt an immense pain go through his entire body, and he collapsed. Shadowpaw tried to yowl out in agony, but his mouth wouldn’t open. Starting to have a panic attack from the anxiety and pain, he started shaking again, the pain getting more intense, like a thousand badgers tearing him to shreds.
Shadowpaw’s eyes flew open, his fur damp and cold with…water? Slowly getting into a laying down position, he shivered against the chilly fall air, coughing up river water. He collapsed again when he felt a warm tongue licking his pelt dry. Sighing, he fell asleep, comforted by the warmth and sensations of this mysterious cat.
“Hello, are you alright?” Shadowpaw heard the voice of a she-cat, soft and sweet like honey, speak. He slowly opened his eyes to see a silver she-cat staring down at him. “H-Huh?” He muttered, still in a daze. The she-cat, whom he recognized to be Shimmerpelt, as he knew her from gatherings, looked at him. “Oh, you poor thing, you must be confused. Well, I found you on the river bank, unconscious. You looked like you were in pain. And you are so scrawny, and barely the size of a kit, so I had to help you in some way. So, I made you a makeshift nest of leaves and moss, and I dried your fur out!” She purred.
Shadowpaw shivered, remembering his vision. He must have fallen into the river while he was having a seizure! “T-Thank you for rescuing me…” He murmured, letting out a tiny purr of gratitude. “No problem!” The Riverclan cat said. “Unfortunately, I’m going to have to escort you out of Riverclan territory now, before I get caught with a Shadowclan apprentice.”
Shadowpaw trotted alongside Shimmerpelt, dry crisp leaves crinkling around their paws. Soon enough, they reached the Shadowclan border. “Bye Shimmerpelt! Thanks again!” The dark tabby mewed, before turning around and walking back to camp.
Shadowpaw sat in his nest, staring into space when suddenly, he heard the voice of a tom in his mind. “Hello? Shadowpaw? Are you there?” The voice spoke. Shadowpaw looked around frantically, but there was nobody around.
“W-Who are you?” Shadowpaw whispered. “Oh, me? I’m just…a Starclan cat. Shadowsight, your special. You can communicate with Starclan!” The voice purred.
“I-I can communicate with Starclan?” Shadowpaw mewed, confused and amazed. “Yes, you can! Just don’t tell anyone, at least for now…”