strange sense of déjà vu [p]

[vellichor]

•° Timberpaw °•
Dreamwalker • Flock Together I • Kitty Softpaws

---

It was weird settling down to go to bed in the apprentice's den. She felt too small to be in here, like this was where the big cats belonged. But she was a big cat now. Timberpaw's first day as an apprentice had been rather underwhelming, aside from the ceremony itself. Thinking of it made chills creep down her spine, though. She didn't wanna think about it. The calico's eyelids grew heavy as she tucked her nose under her tail and slowly drifted to sleep.

She woke up with a start, half expecting her familiar nightmares. But it seemed they would spare her tonight. (Which was odd, given that they usually flared up every time the leader killed someone or interacted with her). No, Timberpaw found herself sitting in a grassy spot, stars seeming to sparkle in the ground itself. She looked around and pricked her ears as she registered the sound of moving water. Timberpaw stood up and walked a few paces forward to find a small stream. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she dipped her paw into it and found it just the perfect temperature -- not too warm, not too cold.

She flicked her paws in and out of the water a bit, noticing that they didn't exactly get wet either. Huh, interesting. She giggled as she played, though, unaware of the world around her for just a few moments as she embraced kithood. Timberpaw was just four moons old, after all.

// @tally \\

[taillow]

Fawnlight - Former RiverClan Medicine Cat
She/they | 16 moons [at death] | No purrks

Ever since the dreadful day at the border between the stars and the darkness, and subsequently dragging herself out of Moonfall Lake (she still... hadn't processed that she didn't die again), Fawnlight had become a recluse. She remained well within the confinements of her den, tucked away in the corner of StarClan territory and removed from a majority of where her fellow ancestors normally roamed. Fear had been struck in her, and she thought that by venturing back out that those claws would find her again - would shred her again.

So in her den she had remained, terrified to set even a whisker out. But the sound of little paw steps had her ears perking against her better judgement. Still shaking a bit and terrified of who it might be, Fawnlight poked her head out to see - oh. It was just a little kitten. Relief flooded her as she let out a sigh. A kitten couldn't kill her.

But what were they doing so far from - oh. Her pelt held no stars, which meant this was a dream. Fawnlight blinked and glanced around. It was strange how a cat had managed to pop up near her den in a dream. Slowly the former medicine cat got to her paws, taking a step or two and peering out. The kit seemed to be distracted by the water stream, and watching her dip her paws in a playful manner had Fawnlight smiling to herself. Once she deemed it safe, she padded out of the den slowly.

"Lovely, isn't it?" she purred in greeting as she came to stand next to the kit, hoping that she wouldn't startle or spook them. Fawnlight watched the way the water rippled, feeling homesick for home - for her dad, most of all - before her blue eyes shifted to her visitor. "What's your name, little one?"

[ @vellichor PLEASE ACCEPT THIS HUG AS A TOKEN OF MY APPRECIATION FOR YOUR PATIENCE ]

[vellichor]

•° Timberpaw °•
Dreamwalker • Flock Together I • Kitty Softpaws

---

Timberpaw let out a startled mrrp! as she leaped into the air. She'd been too distracted by the flowing water to hear the starry cat approach. But as she leaped upward, twisted in midair, and landed not so gracefully. Her paws crumpled underneath her and she landed on the ground with a thud and a soft oof. She was more embarrassed than hurt, and quickly stood up to shake the dirt off her pelt. Then, she got a good look at the cat in front of her.

Oooh, she was pretty. The stars in her fur made her look like she was sparkling, and Timberpaw's mouth was wide open in awe. And then, something else happened. She felt, strange. This cat, she was so familiar. Yet she couldn't place a name to the face. It was... F... Fog... Frog... Fox...? No, none of those were right. Something with an F. Fahhhh. Her face was probably a bit silly as she squished her kitbrows together in intense thought. "You're a... a Star Cat, right?" she tilted her head inquisitively as she looked at the pretty cat. Yeah, that had to be right.

Oh, this was a real actual Star Cat, how cool! Any lingering odd feelings were replaced with an excited curiosity. "I'm Timberpaw! What's you're name? Fahhhhhh...?" That last part was spoken quietly, just to remind herself of her hunch. Well, quietly to her, anyway. She was a kit.

// @taillow \\

[taillow]

FAWNLIGHT
she/her | former riverclan medicine cat | starclan spirit

A surprised laugh escaped Fawnlight as she watched the young apprentice leap high into the air. Her blue eyes glittered with surprise and humor, though concern overshadowed them both until Timberpaw got back up to her paws and seemed unhurt. Reaching forward she drew her tongue between the young she-cat's ears as reassurance.

"...I am a Star Cat, yes." Stars, how long had it been since she'd heard that term? One act stuck out in her mind, who had always referred to their spiritual ancestors in the sky above them, as 'star cats'; her dad. Memories misted her eyes as Fawnlight smiled down at Timberpaw, taking a seat next to her and the flowing stream of water. "StarClan, to be exact. But I like your name better." Her thoughts continued to drift towards her father; where was he now? She knew that when Magpiewisp had killed her, she had resurfaced at Moonfall Lake. Was there an equivalent location to the Dark Forest? As fast as the thought came though she pushed it away. Despite everything, she refused to believe that's where Beansprout had ended up. He didn't deserve it.

She smiled as her tail flipped side to side behind her, eventually coming to rest just behind where Timberpaw stood. Perked ears caught the beginning sounds of her name, and for the briefest moment she felt her heart clench. The former medicine cat wasn't naive enough to think that her name was one repeated down among the Clans - especially those who didn't know her personally. But it was gone, and she just grinned, head tilted to the side just a bit. "My name is Fawnlight. It's wonderful to meet you, Timberpaw."

As she finished speaking, a small silver trout swam past them in the stream and Fawnlight turned to glance at it. She missed hunting, down below in the forested territory she had once called home. "...Do you know how to fish, Timberpaw?" she asked inquisitively, shifting her gaze back to the apprentice.

[ Timberpaw - @vellichor ]

[vellichor]

•° Timberpaw °•
Dreamwalker • Flock Together I • Kitty Softpaws

---

StarClan? Huh, yeah, that was what she'd heard. But it always felt weird; Star Cats was way cooler! She was glad this one agreed, purring when the brown-furred cat approved. The cat had an odd expression on her face, but Timberpaw didn't dwell on it too long. She knew bigger cats felt bigger emotions sometimes, and that was okay! One day she'd feel the big emotions too!

Fahhhhhwnlight! Ahhh!! Another loud purr escaped her. She was right! "Fawnlight! Your name's so pretty!" She gasped in awe, once again gazing up at the pretty cat. Timberpaw decided yeah, the name definitely fit! Just as Fawnlight turned her head to look at the fish, so too did Timberpaw. Woah, she'd never seen a fish before. It looked weird! Her mouth watered a bit. Could she eat in dreams? Oh-- Fawnlight asked a question.

The calico's face scrunched as she tried to figure out the logistics of dream hunting and dream fishing and dream eating. She thought for awhile before deciding it was too much thinking, not enough doing. Might as well try! "Nuh uh, I haven't... would you teach me?" Her mouth was agape, eyes sparkling with anticipation.

// @taillow \\

[taillow]

FAWNLIGHT
she/her | former riverclan medicine cat | starclan spirit

The former medicine cat couldn't help but crack a smile at the young cats compliment. She returned it with a warm purr. "Oh, why I appreciate that! It's nowhere near as exquisite as yours is though," Fawnlight touched her nose to Timberpaw's ear with a soft smile.

Turning her attention now back to the fish in the river of which they crouched over, she gave a nod. "If you want to, I can," she offered with a friendly blink. Memories of going to Cattail Pond with her father surfaced in her mind and Fawnlight got an idea. it would likely be ridiculed if Timber did it to catch fish back in the waking world though, so the former medicine cat would teach her both ways. "My father - his name was Beansprout - taught me how to catch fish. He was very good - he could probably catch hundreds of fish in a single day!" Oh, how her heart ached with missing him... "He taught me how to fish when I was younger, but he did it a different way then the rest of the cats you'll probably see fishing. He did it without using his claws!" Surely that would entice the young apprentice as Fawnlight's blue eyes glowed with anticipation looking at Timberpaw.

"I'll teach you his way, and then if you'd like I can also teach you the traditional way." Positioning herself so that her shadow didn't fall over the river, Fawnlight mewed, "Make sure your shadow doesn't fall over the river bank; it will alert the fish and they'll swim away. You'll want to keep your eyes on the water... when you see a fish come by, you'll lift one paw slowly and then, as quick as you can, you'll want to scoop it into the water and try to scoop the fish onto the land. Once it's on land, you can kill it by biting it near its head."

Fawnlight's eyes searched the water and waited patiently as the gentle river floated by them. She was silent, not a single muscle moving. Until one of her front claws lifted slowly, then darted fast into the water. The water splashed onto the bank as she managed to scoop a small fish from the stream and send it flopping onto the ground. Quickly the former medicine cat held it down with a claw and bit near the head, ending it's reign of flopping.

[ Timberpaw - @vellichor - ilyvm thank you for your patience it is OUT ]