too nervous to smile || open

PANSYSTAR

cw// animal death
// this thread takes place after moonclan has returned from the gathering

Pansystar was curled up in her nest, the dressing torn off of her sour wound and strewn across the outskirts of her den. Pansystar had tried to hide its sour scent with lavender and other herbs, and had no idea if it had worked.

The leader drifted to sleep, only to be woken up. She struggled to lift her head from her nest, feeling like her own neck would snap with its weight. Her amber eyes struggled to stay open and heat pulsed from her pelt. Pansystar struggled to her paws, the den surrounding her feeling hazy. She wasn't sure how much time had passed since she was asleep, but it didn't seem like it was morning yet.

Pansystar stumbled back to the den's floor, caught off guard by a sharp pain in her chest. Her eyelids felt heavy, and Pansystar didn't have the energy to pick herself up again. Her amber eyes narrowed an eventually shut, and she felt herself drifting back to sleep.

---

When Pansystar opened her eyes again, she wasn't in her nest. She felt sharp panic as the familiarity of the area settled in. Her eyes widened as she was met with the faint outline of a cat, who she realized was herself. Part of me resides in StarClan when I die... That's really creepy.

"Don't be frightened by that one," Pansystar recognized Berrybranch's voice. "That's normal. It'll get brighter as you die, 'til all of you ends up here." Berrybranch, seeing the bewildered look on his daughter's face, shook his head. "Now now, don't look at me like that. It's fine. Even better, so's your leg."

Pansystar instinctively looked down at her injured shoulder and leg. He was right, the festering wound was gone, a large scar taking its place instead. "Those two did a number on you, but it's okay. You'll go back to MoonClan as strong as ever."

Pansystar nodded. "I don't suppose StarClan has a message for me to take back?"

Berrybranch shook his head. "Not really. This is far beyond anything I've seen in my moons in StarClan." Berrybranch licked his chest fur awkwardly. "Though, a personal message, I'm proud of you."

Pansystar had a big smile on her maw, and, much to the dismay of her less-than-affectionate father, she padded forward and nuzzled him. "Thank you," she meowed.

"Okay, okay! You've gotta go back now," he meowed hurriedly, not seeming to know what to do with the gesture. He quickly licked her forehead, and Pansystar woke up in her den.

---

With the wound gone, Pansystar could smell the horrid scent of infection better than ever. Who was I fooling? She slowly rose to her paws, her head still feeling starry. As she moved, she could faintly see stars disappearing from her pelt, and she wondered if any other cat could see them too.

Pansystar padded to the other side of her nest and began to gather up her old wound dressing, crinkling her nose at the scent.