Ephemeral Embrace

[Ian]

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Vixensnarl
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She didn't know how long she had been here, wandering through the dark and murky forest. Vixensnarl knew that she was in The Place of No Stars, but she did not know where anyone else was. She wasn't sure how long she had been wandering, hatred growing within her at her own inadequacy before her untimely death at the paws of those filthy twolegs.

Just when she thought there would be no escape from the endless wandering her foot sank into a nearly pitch black puddle of... well, she didn't even want to know what it was. It was what she could see in it, though, that peaked Vixesnarl's interest. Shapes were moving, and when she concentrated harder she realized that it was cats... ShadowClan cats. And that was Hawkbite!

Vixensnarl knew this meant she must be near where those who resided in The Place of No Stars frequented, but she had spent so long wandering that she wouldn't mind more if it meant she could speak to her brother, however brief. She wasn't exactly sure how dreams worked, but she concentrated hard on Hawkbite's form and hoped that her will would be enough for her to enter his dreams.

@SuspiciousMindz

[SuspiciousMindz]

[Hawkbite]
Enforcer Commander
Shadow Fiend | Just a Scratch | Agatha Kitty

Exhausted eyes blinked open and Hawkbite found himself in a new setting. Didn't he fall asleep in his nest? This definitely wasn't his nest. He'd find himself padding forward, vague memories of a dream he'd experienced before with Reid would come back to him. StarClan help him, he didn't want to witness that chaos again.

Well. . . this was an odd place. Not one he'd personally seen before. Murky and unpleasant. Huh. You could almost relate it to parts of ShadowClan's territory, but this place didn't smell like it. It didn't take much longer before a figure was outlined in the darkness. However, the closer he got, the slower his pace as the figure became more and more recognizable.

Eventually, his steps would stop and he'd stare at her with his mouth agape.

@Lillith

[Ian]

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Vixensnarl
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Had she failed? Vixensnarl could have sworn she felt something when she had tried to pull Hawkbite from his dreams. Yet, he wasn't here. She was about to give up when the shape of a figure caught her eye in the distance, coming closer by the second. Hope bloomed in her chest, though it was shadowed by wariness. The cat's silhouette could be Hawkbite, but it also could be anyone else. Vixensnarl didn't know if she could die again in the afterlife, and she wasn't keen to find out.

Luckily for her, it was her brother, and in an unusual expression of emotion for her, Vixensnarl's shoulders slumped in relief. "Hawkbite..." she started hesitantly, unsure what to say. Apologies weren't in her nature, but she owed it to him. To ShadowClan. To Dawnstar. She had been a failure in her last few moons and it tore at her heart every day.

"I'm proud of you. You've gone farther than I did. I'm sorry I'm not a sister you can be proud of."

@SuspiciousMindz

[SuspiciousMindz]

[Hawkbite]
Enforcer Commander
Shadow Fiend | Agatha Kitty

Tears stung the corners of his eyes.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. This is just some sick joke. . . some figure of my imagination, right? There's no way she's really here. Hawkbite eventually closed his mouth, feeling the muscles tense along his jawline as he heard her uncharacteristic voice chime in.

He didn't even acknowledge her apology as a small smirk tugged the corners of his lips. "Shut up and give me a hug, furball," Hawkbite choked out as a tear broke free and ran down his cheek.

The tabby would approach slowly, closing the distance between them. All he wanted in that moment was to rest his face on her shoulder for a moment and let his heart begin mending.

@Lillith

[Ian]

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Vixensnarl
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The silence felt dreadfully long to Vixensnarl. Had she messed it all up? Did he hate her now? She deserved it, but that didn't change the fact that it hurt. Or, it would have until the words he spoke registered.

In a rare display of emotion the she-cat let out a loud purr as he approached, resting her head on top of her brother's when he laid his on her shoulder. In that moment, everything was right. Vixensnarl may have been dead, but this was proof she could still see her brother. Could still touch him. And after moons of wandering aimlessly through the Dark Forest with no contact with other cats she might as well have been in StarClan.

Vixensnarl shed her own tear as she continued to purr, basking in the moment. "I'll always watch over you. I promise."

@SuspiciousMindz

[SuspiciousMindz]

[Hawkbite]
Enforcer Commander
Shadow Fiend | Agatha Kitty

He relished the moment. He didn't want it to end. Finally, he had his answer. Finally, he could start healing. He had searched for so long but never thought the answer would arrive in such a bittersweet dream. His own purr would echo hers as he let the tears escape and wet their fur.

"You better give me a good smack if I mess up along the way," he choked out the joke, twisting his head to steal a nip at her ear. Being the annoying sibling wouldn't end even if she was gone. Hawkbite would step back, pulling away from the embrace to study the she-cat for what could be the last time. He simply didn't know. "I'll make sure your observations will be eventful. I'm sure it's the only entertainment you get these days."

The dream would end, soon. He knew that. It pained him to think about. Perhaps she'd entertain the one question Dawnstar and he were dying to know the answer to.

"What even happened? Do you know?"

@Ian

[Ian]

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Vixensnarl
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The moment was over too soon for Vixensnarl's liking, but she knew they couldn't remain in this dream forever. Hawkbite had to go back to ShadowClan. It was where he belonged, and she would be a horrible sister if she tried to keep him in this dream.

"Of course I will. But don't be a mouse-brain just to see me again. Then it'll just be Dawnstar who smacks you. And it better not be too eventful. I don't know if I can die again up here, but I'd rather not find out because you give me a heart attack," Vixensnarl joked, giving Hawkbite a smile when he pulled away to look at her.

His last question caused her ears to twitch, gaining a far away look for a moment as she tried to recall the moment of her demise. "I am not entirely sure. I remembering there was a large deer, a loud noise, pain... and then nothing. Were you not able to find my body? I should have been at Moonlit Grove."

@SuspiciousMindz

[SuspiciousMindz]

[Hawkbite]
Enforcer Commander
Shadow Fiend | Agatha Kitty | Kitty Softpaws

The teasing and playful banter came to an end as he brought up quite the touchy topic. Hawkbite inhaled sharply, registering her question: were you not able to find my body? So, she didn't know past that point. That panged his heart more. Had he failed her again?

"I-" Hawkbite studied her expression for a moment. "No, I didn't find any trace of you. Just a piece of fur. . ." Hawkbite spoke solemnly. "I looked for you for weeks, though. I looked for clues and prayed I'd find you. You were gone without a trace, Vix, I-" the memories flooded back to him as his focus blurred. Those times were rough, he lost Starrywisp not too long following that too. "I tried so hard. . ." he whispered.

@Ian