He who arrives before thunder [P]

[Dizerel]

⚡Lightningpaw⚡

[ He/Him | 11 Moons | Character Profile | Purrks: Active Power Card]
[ Mentions: @Rowan ]

Amidst scattered rocks, steep cliffs, and an unforgivingly harsh climate was seen a young cat. Orange striped fur made up the majority of his pelt, with a comfortably white underbelly to match. Soft yellow-green eyes stared forward along his path, unassuming and uncertain of what was to come next for him.

More noticeable than anything else was his condition. He was gaunt, as if he had not eaten in days. Indeed, he had been struggling to catch much food at all. Having made an oath to himself to not use his starclan-given powers selfishly. The whole reason he had left his clan in the first place was because he convinced himself he was nothing without his special abilities. His struggles throughout this expedition had only further proven that to himself. He was worthless, his gift would have been a better boon to Windclan was it granted to any cat besides him. That is all he would ever be, a waste of a precious gift.

Thinking back to that decisive moment, days ago. Standing at the border of Windclan territory, his heart pounding as he made the toughest decision of his life. It may have been one of the last decisions of his life, too. He pondered if him dying was only further spitting upon the gift that starclan gave. If it was, it was just another disappointment to add to the pile.

Continuing through the uncertain terrain, his paws longing for the rolling plains of his home clan. If he were to die, he regretted that he wouldn't be able to feel that soothing wind rushing through his fur one last time. He pauses, however, as he turns around the side of a cliff-face, his eyes meeting with another set of eyes. Several tail-lengths ahead, glimmering faintly, as the body of whatever they belonged to was masked in darkness and debris. Regardless, it was something on the hunt, and it seemed that he was on the menu.

Without thinking, the sudden panic and reflexive fear kicked his body into high gear! An instant reaction caused a crashing of thunder as lightning poured down from the heavens! Colliding with his body in a brilliant display, illuminating the area with a brief but radiant scene, a wave of thunder accentuating it. The transformation itself was harmless to the predator or the environment around him, but may have been shocking enough to prevent whatever was lurking from pouncing in that brief moment.

Adrenaline coursing through his veins, lightning sparked through his fur, denoting his enhanced state. It had been half a moon since he last did this, but now was not time for regrets. Already, he felt his heart accelerated, pumping far faster than a normal heart should. It was the ticking clock he had, because once his heart could not withstand the voltage any longer, his body would drop paralyzed and he would be as good as dead. Within the blink of an eye, his illuminated pelt was already in the distance.

He never paused to look over his shoulder. Maybe it was just a badger that he had left completely in the dust. He was not one to bother, though. Not only did he have to run as if whatever was chasing him was still on his heels, just as importantly he had to find a place to hide. A place where he could wait out the consequences once his greatest strength became his curse.

Run he did, from an outside perspective his speed was blinding. A surge of light tearing through the landscape, barely even recognizable as a cat. His paws felt like they were floating as they carried him, his eyes frantically darting around for any sign of a safe hiding place.

His nose began to pick up something. Scent markers? Oh starclan.... This was bad. He had accidentally just traipsed into some cat's territory. Maybe he would be undetected. Even if he blazed past patrols, with any luck his speed would shake them off. Already his heart began to ache, an icy chill gripping around it and running through his body. He didn't have much time left at all.

Alas, salvation! Ahead, he saw what appeared to be an abandoned camp! Maybe this whole territory was abandoned? No, the scent markers were too fresh for that. Unaware he was wandering into one of the fake camps of the Atari, he had no other options. Entering inside as he quickly ran circles around, checking for any dens, caves, or other hiding spots. Making sure that no foxes or other things had decided to move in, either. Finally, deeming it safe, at this point his heart felt like it was to burst from his chest! Withdrawing to the darkest, most secluded corner he could find within the fake camp, and releasing his power.

The lightning dispersed from his pelt, the air crackling with a brief static discharge. His heart skipped a beat, before he took in a gasp of air as if he had held his breath this whole time. Simultaneously, his limbs locked up. Falling over onto his side, his eyes were the only thing he could freely move. His body would still manage to breathe and do normal functions on its own, but motor skills were out of the question. For the next few minutes, he was as vulnerable as a kitten, laying on the floor of an abandoned den inside of unknown territory.

He hoped nothing and no one had tracked him here.

// ((Please let me know via VM if I need to change/edit anything, like the descriptions of the landscape or fake camps, etc. I want to be consistent with the established setting for the Atari!))