[iliri]

[tw: slight description of a near-death experience and drowning. please refrain from reading if these disturb you]

• Cormorantpaw •
long-furred smoky-black mackerel tabby molly with bits of white; yellow eyes
Purrks: N/A
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Her body was growing numb. Her chest was constricting against every breath that she took. Her eyes grew weary against the water constantly hitting her in the face, and her muscles strained themselves against the surging force of the water. Each breath she took felt more shallow than the last, water entering her lungs and a heavy expanse of coughs escaping her body as water bubbled up to her mouth. Oh god. She was gonna die. She was gonna die and no one was going to be there to save her. Auntie Lily didn’t hear her scream for help. Mama wasn’t here to be by her side. All of her brothers and sisters left her without a trace. God, was this how she was gonna die? From water entering her lungs and giving her the inability to breathe? Her body grew more numb, and her head began to succumb beneath the raging surface of water. Panic and fear flooded her system, and she desperately continued to kick her legs in hopes that she could make it to the surface, but to no avail. Her muscles were weak, and her legs were tired. She couldn’t swim. She wasn’t a RiverClan cat. Why did this have to happen? Why did mama leave her and her siblings alone? Why was she… alone? Was this how it was going to end? With her dying alone in the raging water?

An exhale escaped her maw, the mackerel tabby watching as different shapes of bubbles danced themselves up towards the surface of the water. She never saw bubbles before in her life, and it looked so… pretty. Her body begged and begged for air, and she helplessly inhaled. A mouthful of flood water quickly entered her air-begging lungs, and she began to feel her body grow light and weary as a flurry of weak, soft coughs escaped her maw. Darkness danced around the corners of her eyes, her eyes almost completely drifting shut. This was it. This was how she was going to die. Suddenly, a wave of bubbles quickly blasted into her face, and the sudden feeling of someone grabbing ahold of her body made her drowning body jolt to life. Her body was quickly ripped away against the roaring waves of water and her chest felt like it couldn’t constrain any more air. Tired eyes glanced around herself as they landed up towards the mysterious cat who saved her. Auntie Lily. Cormorantpaw wanted to speak. She wanted to say something, but nothing escaped her throat. She felt exhausted and her fur was soaked to the bone. Her distorted ears barely took in the frantic questions that escaped Auntie Lily’s jaws, but her brain silently took in the fact that she was worried about her siblings.

Ah, her siblings. They were gone. They weren’t coming back. They left the clan alongside mama and left her here to die. That was what happened. That was what Auntie Lily needed to know. Weak, staggering breaths escaped from the young mackerel tabby, her body heaving against the exhaustion that laced her posture. Her lips quivered as she pressed herself weakly against the queen, shaking her head as she tried to speak. “G… g-gone… all gone…” she croaked, voice breaking as another fury of coughs escaped her, the remaining water dribbling out of her mouth as her lungs restlessly begged for air. She wasn’t okay. Her body hurt. Her chest hurt. She wanted to go to sleep. She wanted to go back into the safety of her nest. She wanted the comfort of her mama. Silent, staggering sobs began to escape the young tabby, her chest constricting painfully as the weakened sobs escaped her maw. Her young brain worked tirelessly to accommodate the next set of words that escaped her aunt. Hold on to her. Hold onto her like she meant it with her life. After Lilycreek propped her onto her back, Cormorantpaw felt like her body was failing her. That it was broken and that it couldn’t be fixed. Oh gods above help her, please. She was dying. Her head felt light and her body felt like it was failing. She was dying and struggling to survive.

Her ears barely took in the sound of Lilycreek calling for yet another apprentice, but her brain managed to stay conscious enough that she could hear the desperation and worry lacing her voice. She was calling for someone named Briarpaw, an apprentice that Cormorant herself didn’t fully know but heard briefly about. She was important to Auntie Lily, that was for sure. That was why she dove in to try to save the other apprentice. Her body remained still and her chest barely constricted with any air. Her head was pounding and her stomach felt like it was churning from the inside out. Her yellow eyes barely drifted towards the direction of Briarpaw, exhaustion and pain exacerbating her weakened body. Her lips quivered, and her trembling paw extended towards the other apprentice. She tried to say something to the fellow apprentice, but nothing came out of her mouth. Her throat felt unreasonably tight and her body was sore. What would mama think if she were here right now? What would her siblings be doing if they were still here? Cormorant didn’t know, but her heart desperately yearned for it. She wanted her mama and her family back.

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@sol. @jupiter