sunshine on a cloudy day [P]

[spade]

What was he doing?

It was the first night since he had left the sight of the Clans behind, and already Kestrelstar was regretting his decision. A scowl marked his face as his paws skimmed the grass, racing across the open moorland to avoid the steady drum of rain that had already drenched his pelt. Loud claps of thunder rolled overhead as dark gray storm clouds swallowed up what was left of a once peaceful blue sky.

The rain had come out of nowhere. No warning, no scent on the breeze. Serene one moment, a torrential downpour the next.

Nowhere in sight was a den, a safe place for Kestrelstar to hide away in for the night. Just open moorland that stretched as far as his eye could see. His pace slowed as doubt settled in, and the gray tabby let out a yowl of frustration. "Why did I leave?!" he snarled to no one but himself. The only answer sounded in a flash of lightning, startling the tom and getting him moving again.

Muscles pumping under a now sleek, wet pelt, the RiverClan leader's eyes narrowed against the rain. There - ahead, a rather scraggly looking bush. It was small, but it would be enough. Lengthening his stride he made a straight line for it, diving under and ignoring the brambles that tugged at his pelt. Fire burned his lungs as he struggled to slow his breathing, coughing briefly before turning to peer outside.

It was in full rage now, with thunder and lighting colliding in the sky like legendary beasts from old elder tales. Kestrelstar shrunk away from it all. He had enough storms to whether in his own mind, he didn't need to deal with this one too.

Besides, night had crept up on him and already darkness coated the land. It wasn't safe to travel any further, so with a resigned sigh Kestrelstar curled up in the tightest ball he could. Sleep came much easier than he had expected, but he gave in willfully, ready to embrace the quiet darkness with an open heart.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Yellow eyes opened slowly to reveal... no rain. A peaceful blue sky overhead, sunlight warming the ground. Springy flowers rose up around him, and a soft stream flowed next to his paws. Kestrelstar blinked, dumbofunded. Hadn't it just been storming a moment ago? Or was this...

Another glance around confirmed his suspicions. The mystic abyss that lingered on the edge of this eternally peaceful scene. Stars that dotted the blue day time sky faintly were also littered in the grass below.

This was StarClan...

// @Ziera

[Ziera]

// @spade

Ottersplash would be lying if he claimed this encounter didn’t stir nervousness in his belly, like skittish fish swimming in frenzied circles. That being said—he’s not nervous at all, why are you concerned? Honey eyes peered at the charcoal tabby from a distance, stars twinkling in the corners (not that he looked sagely wise or happy or anything. Literal sorta looking stars, since being a StarClan cat came paw in paw with a new getup.)

As he watched Kestrel with bated breath, Otter didn’t feel what cats might expect. He…didn't feel angry. Bitterness was a poison that seeped into the blood, tore cats apart from the inside in the most painful of ways and call Otter a weirdo or weak, but he didn’t enjoy pain. Why would anyone want that for themselves? Honestly, Ottersplash opted to avoid agony and any emotions associated just. As a general rule. Maybe he went too far in the opposite direction but—this intervention wasn’t about him okay. It was about Kestrelstar.

…Who looked pretty astonished by his surroundings for a guy who just left his clan for a prophecy. An instinctive chuckle bubbled to the ginger tom’s throat at the notion. It inspired Otter to look around again, appreciate the cerulean sky, flex his paws in the shimmering, vibrant grass—but the best perk of it all? Had to be the heavy peace covering them both like a canopy. Ottersplash was reluctant to complain about his physical life, knowing a lot of cats had it worse and his wasn’t so bad…but…he’d never felt this safe before, ever. Not once.

He hoped Kestrelstar might draw on some of that security now, hoped his former leader wouldn’t dread seeing a face so recently passed on into the void...like Wormbite did. Otter’s heart clenched to remember that brief moment in his friend’s head; a place of suffocating guilt, blame, and self-inflicted anguish. He didn’t believe in hell until he set paw in that gnarled forest. Ottersplash might be anxious about the confrontation ahead, yeah sure, but no one deserved that. Not Wormbite. Not Sweetsong, and not…

“Kestrelstar.” Ottersplash spoke up at last, a soft smile crossing over his lips. Hesitant as a pseudo heart thudded against his chest but fully and entirely gentle (turns out being dead did wonders for your courage levels, ha.) The large tom rose up on all four paws, stars glinting from where they threaded into his orange fur, body language welcoming. Unassuming. Words squirmed in Otter's throat but still - he wouldn't force this on Kestrel. “Sorry to invite myself here…I’ve been getting better at dream hopping. Maybe too good. Is it okay if we talk?”

[spade]

♚ Kestrelstar

Whoever was running this way-too-sparkly joint was about to get an earful from the disgruntled leader. Although he had wished for the nightmares that plagued even his waking moments to leave, their replacement wasn't much better. Duskfall hadn't visited him in quite some time (the only cat he really wanted to see as he lay unconscious in the waking world) and whoever that StarClan cat had been that had visited when he had lost his second life hadn't shown face. So why did the starry furred deceased cats desire to call him here agin?

"No wonder Snakeheart is always stressed," the gray tabby muttered under his breath as a narrowed yellow gaze swept around, "I would be too if this was what everyone told me to believe in."

It was like birdsong though, the voice and worlds that floated to his ears next. Revitalizing him, shooting a mixture of pain and relief through him at once. Blood ran cold, pouring from his head down to his paws. Yellow eyes widened in disbelief - though, where else would Ottersplash be if not StarClan? Practically the poster child for deserving of a peaceful afterlife.

There was so much he wanted to say, but the words didn't come. So many words that jumped into his mind but refused to exit his mouth. Standing like a freeze frame, Kestrelstar could only swallow as Otterleap took the first dive into the conversation.

Out of all of the dreams he could go into and he picked the one with the cat who had a paw in getting him killed...

I'm sorry...

Kestrelstar could feel it, dancing on the tip of his tongue. Playing chicken with the sound to give them life, but backing out at the last second. It wouldn't be enough - nothing of what he said or did now would ever give the tom back what he truly deserved; his life.

So without saying much of anything at all, the RiverClan leader simply nodded, trying his best to mask the myriad of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him.

// @Ziera