The First Nightmare

**Spartan-117** · #1 September 13th, 2023, 12:48 PM

It's dark, and Burnetkit almost screams. The darkness - one of his greatest fears. He feels as if he is not enough now, so if he was blind - he would never be enough. Then he starts to think it's a cruel prank pulled by the other cats in the nursery. He tears up and looks around. 'This is not funny!' He signs, his eyes searching the darkness.

Then he realizes that this place does not smell like ThunderClan. It smells like death. Fear fills him again, and he starts to tremble. He begins to think he is dead as his eyes search for his father desperately.

'D-dad? Spottedfire...?' He then smells something fishy, and he looks behind him to see a large tom with a scar across his throat. Something in the other tom's eyes makes him back of - there is something akin to tenderness in there, but the way the large cat stalks forward makes Burnetkit feel like a prey animal - like he is being hunted.

**Spartan-117** · #2 September 13th, 2023, 12:57 PM

The larger tom gazes at the little creature before him. He understands now that this little kit looks nothing like him - other than that one cold, icy blue eye that makes him smile. At least he is like me in one way. He thinks to himself before he approaches the cowering kit.

"Stand straight, Burnetkit!" He growls as he starts to circle the little kit.
"You are a lot like your mother. But will you be a coward like her, little one? You have no idea who she is, do you?"

He then laughs, shaking his head as he backs away to give the small kit some room to breathe. "Of course you wouldn't. She left when you were born!"

**Spartan-117** · #3 September 13th, 2023, 01:04 PM

He cowers slightly, not wanting to think of it this way. He closes his eyes - because when he does so, he is unable to understand a word the tom says. He wants to scream and cry, to tell this cat to shutupshutupshutup! His breathing is ragged, and he curls in on himself.

It hurts! He thinks to himself, eyes squeezed shut as he tries not to scream. Burnetkit's first panic attack - he knows what it is because he seen another cat have one. But he didn't think this is what it felt like. Then he starts to doubt that his father loves him.

No, no, no - if he didn't love you, why would he save you? He thinks to himself, his ragged breathing painful in his tiny chest. But then again...

NO! STOP ITSTOPITSTOPIT!

He then allows himself to scream - a hoarse sounds that tears him up from the inside out. The tears stream down his little cheeks as he tries to stand - he can't just lay here and allow this... This thing to attack him. He's dead meat if that's the case!

But you're dead anyways...

I AM NOT DEAD!

**Spartan-117** · #4 September 13th, 2023, 01:31 PM

Snaggletooth is about to snarl at the kit's cowardice before he stops himself. He reminds himself to stay calm - this kit is his son, and the cat that will always haunt his sleepless nights. Then he cracks a smile, showing his white-but-misplaced fangs to the little kit, who cowers again.

"To be a warrior, you can't be weak, Burnetkit. You must have a heart of steel and an iron will if you'd like to live."

Then his blue eyes look over his son's little body. He shakes his head. "What are those mice feeding you? Nothing, I bet. You look skinnier than I did when I left RiverClan. Here."

He then tosses the kit some maggoty food before laughing again, shaking his head before he realizes that his son is having a panic attack. His heart hardens at that, and he frowns.

"You are deaf, child. You can't risk panicking at an important moment. What about a battle -

"HEY! Look at me when I am talking to you!"

He then steps close to his son, lifts his chin, and makes the bi-colored eyed kit look him in his face. He feels the kitten's heart racing against his paw, he can feel the too-quick breathing. He then sighs and lets the kit's head go down.

"What a disappointment."

**Spartan-117** · #5 September 13th, 2023, 01:59 PM

He sees what the other tom says and he starts to sob. He allows himself to stay flopped onto the ground until his tears stop coming. He then stands on his three-moon-old paws and gazes at the dark grey tom with something akin to a fight in his eyes.

'I am not a disappointment.' He signs as he looks at the other cat, the sadness now completely gone. He is a pacifist - but he does not like to fight. But he is willing to if it means he can prove that he is not a disappointment,

Then he looks at his foe and frowns. Well, maybe not today.

Then, it all fades away and he wakes up in the ThunderClan nursery, with his father by his side.