from the shadows to the sea [private lesson]

[Estelle]

Most of the trainee’s actions remained within the back of her mind, their idle chatter pointing to no immediate danger or distress which she had to step in on, ears mostly tuning into Rookfire’s words as he mentioned putting one’s head under water. She flicked her ear at that, sight resting on the still shallows surrounding her dark paws, single white one slightly shifting. That couldn’t be comfortable… And yet. It held interest; beating an opponent at their own game. She blinked, slowly, contemplating. She could try it. She could try paddling, too. She was still paying attention. Even when her head was fully submerged under water in an unceremoniously brisk movement, entirely forgetting to take in a breath of air before doing so. Blup, blup, blup.

Terror strikes. Sleepysunrise, under with her head for far longer than ought to be safe, got a striking feeling in her chest that something was amiss. Not with her. But with another. It would be easy to laugh at the ridiculous appearance of namely her head when she finally lifted it from the water with a big gasp of air – fur ruffled wildly and sticking to her thin frame, making her look more like some wet rabbit or dog or skeleton than a cat. But her vibrant eyes soon found the cause of concern, eyes briefly widening at the struggling Birdpaw. A strange feeling seized her heart, and without hesitation the youngest enforcer met her sister halfway, walls collapsing as did her frame when she moved to support her sister, upholding her within her paws like a protective wall from the dangers of the world, drips of concern prickling her normally stoic expression.

“Birdpaw. What is wrong? Breathe.”
She whispered.
“You’re safe. Birdpaw.”
It was an odd feeling. She knew many of her siblings were attained by difficulties, she never knew what exactly, nor did she know what to do. All she could think of was to calm her sister, looking deep into her eyes as she slowly began to breathe in and out, trying to probe Birdpaw into doing the same, into following her pace and calming her nerves. Would it help? Pray, Sleepysunrise hoped it would, holding the younger apprentice within her arms in a protective embrace.
“You’re safe.”
She repeated, voice low, mimicking the comforting tones she had heard from Nightshiver and mama all those moons ago, carefully stroking her sister’s back.


[ @Mica @alec ]