[alec]

->> jayfrost <<-
[ he/any | ex riverclan | late 30s ]
⤷ᯓ★ˎˊ˗ small, scarred and lanky grey cat ★

how long had he been gone? when did he die? had it been greenleaf? jayfrosts slim head turned up, scanning the trees nearby for any signs what season it was now. greenleaf? newleaf? early leaffall? had it been a whole season cycle? berrypaw was all grown up now, he felt sick. the toms maw twisted into a brittle smile anyway. "oh im sorry dear, congratulations, i knew you'd do well."

jayfrost opened his maw to reply to berryshine when owlstar spoke up and his remaining blue eye snapped down to eye the diluted pink sweater, now stained with soil, that he hadnt been able to rid himself of. the small red details, too hidden within folds of fabric for him to make out were cutesy shrimp with hats and musical instruments, scattered about the fabric like they were dancing.

"thank you owl..owltalon?.. he tried, voice high at the end of her name in question. he had been gone long enough for tiny berryshine to grow up, maybe owltalon had gone through a name change as well? jays memory was hazy, names flashing in and out of memory, most of his clanmates names lost to the rush of the sea only a select few remained. goldfish, stormstar, owltalon, berrypaw.. berryshine.. who else? shellpaw and garlicfeather came to find, mental image distorted to the point where he probably couldnt recognise them if they stood in front of him.

"i couldnt manage to get all this off.. " the grey tom finally continued before averting his gaze once more in order to give both berryshine and owltalon the answer they deserved. cold water. a shiver ran through his body, gaze growing unfocussed. curved fangs, water. water.
his paws were dry. thats wrong. the wasnt supposed to be dry. there was no soil burning in his eyes. there was no rushing water or gurgling air bubbles.

"a-after the otter grabbed me.. i dont remember much of anything. everything just went black" his throat strained, voice cracked, silence stretched thin for a moment. "i woke up in a twoleg cage." they had strong smelling candles, both of them floating in almost flower-like scent clouds they dragged around with them wherever they went. his room smelled like cat. stale. old. there was no second cat.

"their den was always blocked off.. one day i thought they forgot but when i went out. it was just another.. big cage, like they put a small forest into it. weird plants." as if on cue, the long horizontal cut along his back burned, frayed fabric stinging the hardly scabbed over wound. "the big cage went into the ground but i dug a tunnel." it had taken far longer than it shouldve, the twolegs were observant.

[ @Marigoldwhisper ; @squidz ]