There's really just one thing that we have in common: Neither of us will be missed

[Shade.]

@dino.

Roseraven had curled up, in a nice corner of the clearing. It would feel strange, moving to the warrior's den. Instead, the cinnamon tabby would rather sleep outside, even if it meant bearing the cold. At least she didn't have to be surrounded by all the people who knew what she'd done.

As soon as she fell asleep, an odd sensation appeared. Familiar but distant. Her blue eyes opened up and she realized she was no longer home. Oh, she was dreaming. And it was that kind of dream. Why now? Those dreams, the ones where you crossed to the realms of the dead, they were supposed to happen to medicine cats often. Yet they hadn't happened to her. Until now, when she was no longer a medicine cat.

The trees around here were darker and more desaturated than those on ThunderClan territory. They were so tall, taller than any she'd see. Looking up gave her vertigo. It was nighttime, but there were no stars. The sky looked oddly matte and heavy. This wasn't StarClan.

[dino.]

albatrossflare === > @Shade.

StarClan's messenger was confined to a land that was not his own.

He did not deserve this, this cruel twist of fate. He had done what he had been told, he had followed the wishes of Silverpelt, he had devoted his LIFE to the stars' very whims.

And what did he get for it?

An eternity of imprisonment. An eternity of aimless wandering in this sickly form. An eternity of wondering if his father had been right.

Albatrossflare—he had decided to discard the name 'Vulturesnow'; it hadn't played a significant part in his life to earn a lasting presence—slid through the murky undergrowth. His once-pristine white fur clung to his frame, now matted. He supposed he was lucky dying cast away his other ailments; he wouldn't have been much of a mover if he was still trapped in such a rotted form.

The walking he was resigned to had allowed him to think, and perhaps that was the only upside. He thought of his father, of all the times he had visited him in a dream here. The white cat closed his eyes and reached out, to find a presence that felt as lonely as he, and that all it took was the slightest little tug…

Roseraven faded into view in front of him. A disgraced medicine cat, cast down from her position following a mistake that had not been her own. Albatrossflare had watched from a dark puddle as the event transpired.

His ghostly green eyes held an odd form of sympathy as he watched survey her surroundings. Yes, he agreed it might be a strange experience, especially for one's first time. With a tilt of a head he inched a little closer.

"Greetings, Roseraven," he murmured quietly. "I hope I am not disturbing you this evening."

[Shade.]

@dino.

Roseraven's muscles tensed as she realized where she was, only to get jump-scared by someone addressing her. Though not visible under her fur, the blood drained from her face as she recognized the walking corpse of the cat that spoke.

"A-Albatrossflare...Why are you...Oh." she said as her rather agile mind connected the dots. Albarossflare had killed someone unprovoked, that's why he was here.

The small cat looked around once more at the doom and gloom.
"Am I dead? I'm not dead, am I? Or is this StarClan showing me my future residence..." she asked. She wouldn't be surprised if she was. After all, that's where she was going to end up anyway. Either way, she didn't know if cats could hurt her here, but had no intention of finding out and kept a polite tone, though her body language was stiff.

[Shade.]

@dino.

(bumpus. if you'd like me to change up my post or if you'd rather drop this pls lemme know )

[dino.]

Albatrossflare === > @Shade.

"Dead?" The white tom twitched an ear. "No. Though I see how you might think so, given my presence and your..." He searched for the word. "...situation. An entire family, lost at your paws?"

It was not said with any sort of malice or ill intent, only the faintest hint of sympathy. Albatrossflare lowered his head, green eyes flickering over Roseraven's face. "You are like me. Disgraced by the stars you had sworn to serve. Outcast by your Clan despite all you have done for them. Their deaths were not your fault, Roseraven. StarClan is a cruel master."

[Shade.]

@dino.

Okay, so Roseraven wasn't dead, which made more sense, 20-something moon-old cats didn't tend to die in their sleep. Her posture tensed and her face was a confusing mixture of emotions.

An entire family, lost at your paws?

Was he mocking her!? Roseraven's fave twitched with anger and sadness, as she debated in her head whether to cry or to point out all the cats that had been lost as Albatrossflare's paws. Then again, that didn't erase her wrongdoings.

Her mouth gaped as she was about to say how she was nothing like him, but her heart ached because she knew it to be true. Or was it?

Their deaths were not your fault, Roseraven.

That was the first time anyone had ever said that. And, instead of the anger and regret she had expected, the slightest twinge of relief washed over her. Down or, perhaps, up there, in the waking world, she'd never be this bold. But, perhaps, due to the lack of consequences in dreams, Roseraven couldn't help but break. All her life, she tried to push away her own emotions and just...be professional. Her sibling Sagepaw disappeared and she just...kept going. She always kept going, always did what was asked of her, always apologised...like she didn't have a mind of her own.

"They wouldn't listen." Her head was facing down at her paws.
"I told them what happened, that I was trying to save the kit, that it was 100% going to FREAKING DIE ANYWAY...I'd heard of patients being lost, I'd seen cats die because there's nothing you can do about it so why, why was I treated differently? I didn't know how to help, i was alone! Is it because I cried? Is it because I didn't stand my ground!? I-...I felt so horrible at the time. So horrible. I felt like...I deserved all of it."

[dino.]

albatrossflare === > @Shade.

Albatrossflare tilted his head as he shifted into a sitting position, plumed tail curling around his paws. He watched her as she spoke, filled with such frustrations, such grief. It might have broken his heart, if he still had one to break. But that was something else the stars had taken from him.

"The minds of fools are often clouded with unjustified ideals," he said softly. "They seek weakness just as a hound seeks a meal and they chase it. If they refused to listen to reason, it is because they found your distress more filling. This is not to say you deserved the treatment you received." The white tom looked off to the side, face creasing thoughtfully. "It is but an explanation. Should you be faced with hounds again, become unwavering." His whiskers twitched. "They enjoy the hunt. Do not give it to them."

[Shade.]

@dino.

Roseraven was a tad surprised. This was a weird place to get advice from. A weird person. But it made sense. Roseraven had been denying it, but she was angry. All her life, she'd just gone with the flow, did what she was told, and wanted nothing more than to just live life with no more heartbreak and danger. But being a medicine cat had given her a greater purpose: she could heal people, help people! That's all she'd tried to do. How was she going to help cats now!? It really did feel like they were preying on her weakness. Did they even care about all she'd done for them?

"I...don't know how to do that." she said, bitterness lacing her voice with small tears in her eyes.

[dino.]

albatrossflare === > @Shade.

"Hungry beasts want easy meals. So make them work for it." Albatrossflare looked back to Roseraven, head tilting again. "If you have an opinion, speak up. Hold your ground. Make your words heard." He poked a claw into the dirt and scraped out a shallow gouge. "The ones worth your time will listen. Do not bother with the fools who just wish to cause a stir."

He saw the tears in her eyes. That wouldn't do. "I had to learn how control my own emotions, although I was much younger than you. Steel yourself in the moment and let them out later. Displaying yourself as a target helps no one, but neither will bottling everything up."

[Shade.]

@dino.

Roseraven looked away as Albatrossflare encouraged her to express her opinion. She couldn't help but be scared, knowing how her childhood had been.
"I remember what it was like, expressing an opinion beck during the period of uncertainty. Everyone would gang up on you, unless you were popular. You could get beat up and nobody would care." There was bitterness in her voice. She remembered what it was like, revealing Dogbark had appointed her as medicine cat apprentice. Immediate backlash from Shiningskies.

Roseraven looked away, and took a deep breath, trying to stop herself from crying. She'd done it before, bottled it up, pushed it aside so many times. Why was it hard?