[BEAR.]

The sensation of falling left Fernpaw panicked, jerking awake in the woven reed nest. He scrambled to his paws, eyes wide as he took in his surroundings. The fishy scent .. His heart thudded in his chest, confusion overtaking his senses. This wasn't ... was he alive again? Where was he? He knew he'd been speaking to the StarClan ladies only moments before, how..

He craned his neck to take a look at himself, scanning his pelt and body for the wounds he received what felt like a lifetime ago. His tail was there.. his leg was fine.. a long, jagged scar caught his attention along his underside. He didn't remember that? But it sent a chill along his spine, and he swallowed as he returned to investigate where he was. (he didn't see the scar on his throat, partially hidden by his fluff.)

Fernpaw didn't recognize anything about this den, it stank like fish. Fish Bird? Fish Dad? A lump grew in his throat, it felt thick. Like emotions threatening to spill over. What if this was just a dream? what if fish dad was going to be upset with him? Every muscle in his body screamed for him to flee, but he felt rooted to the nest.

Alive or not... he was scared, he wanted to curl up and cry and make the fateful patrol not exist. He wanted things to go back to how they were; he wanted Nettle, and Dead, and bigger Fern back.

he felt broken. He wasn't ready to face Fish Dad yet and he sank toward the nest, trying to make himself smaller. Invisible.

(it didn't work.)

[ @spade ]