[taillow]

The night was cold and unforgiving, matching the nightmares that plagued Bravebird through the darkness of it. In the twisted, cruel landscape she was left to race after cats she cared about, a revolving door of imagery - Dapplebreeze, Fallownose, Twilightstar, Crowtooth, Fernpaw, Hawkfur - cats that no matter how many times she called out to never turned around to look at her. No matter how loud she called, no matter how fast she ran, the nightmare ended the same way; with them plummeting into the darkness and leaving her to wail after them.

By the time morning came, Brave felt stiff. She was awake when paw steps approached her sleeping form, and for the briefest moment the once headstrong warrior welcomed death if it was an outside who had found her. Expecting claws on her pelt, she was met with surprise when it was the softness of fur that folded around her, the steady beating of a heart against her back. For a moment whoever it was curled around her, tail falling over her back - and it took everything in her chest to not break apart.

Why didn't they just kill her now? Why drag it out? Her blood was destined to stain the moorland, why did they have to keep delaying it? Who would be the next target she would fail to save?

Words that were soft and unmistakably from a cat she knew, Brave squeezed her eyes shut more and curled tighter in on herself. She didn't know if she was relieved or frightened that it was Firestorm that had found her, and not one of the dark claws that scratched away at her subconscious. She didn't deserve the comfort the younger cat provided but she latched onto it nonetheless, allowing it to drag her out of the dark cavern and into the light of a new day.

"...I'm sorry." The words were barely a squeak, and Bravebird wasn't even sure Firestorm could hear her. After a beat or two she relaxed a bit, finally opening her blue gaze. Her vision was blurry, a result from the cascading tears no doubt. Sniffing the warrior lifted her head to look over, guilt piercing her heart further. She wanted to tell someone how lost she felt, how pathetic and worthless, and how she wasn't sure of her place among her Clan anymore. But looking at Firestorm, doing her best to be comforting, all Bravebird did was smile weakly. "You could do with finding other cats to be like when you're older," she huffed lightheartedly, shaking her head and ducking to smooth down the ruffled fur of her chest.

[ @Dark felt like responding/wrapping this up but no rush to respond at all!! since mine was also incredibly late sdkfhsd ]