[kairosclerosis]

nettlescratch
#moonlitthorns

Nettlescratch stood there silently, mind racing.
They felt weak.
They felt.. useless.
What had they been doing this past moon?
Absolutely NOTHING.
Now their clan was in shambles.
No leader, no medicine cat, all paired with the threat of those stars-damned otters…
Nettlescratch was in shambles.
They couldn’t do anything.
Their dark paws quivered beneath them. This clan needed serious help. This was worse than a lot of things. Today could be a great contender in Worst Day in The History of ThunderClan. But Nettlescratch couldn’t think about that right now. Their mind was filled with things — terrible things.
Starclan, they hated this.
They hated.. themself.
They hadn’t done anything to help. All efforts were futile.
They’d been worrying about themself and their family for so long, they couldn’t even spare a moment just to..

“Help the clan.” they suddenly found themself whispering to themself. It felt out of their control, even if they’d done it of their own accord.

Help the clan.

A voice suddenly repeated their words within their mind. This didnt feel right. Nettlescratch had only realised it now. Nothing felt right. Clan life.. didn’t feel right.

Maybe Ashwhisper was right.
Maybe..
NO.
NO.
Nettlescratch shook their head, stepping back from their position in their usual corner of the clearing.
And yet, as they thought about it, maybe..
Just maybe..
Their sister was right.

Nettlescratch sighed, and closed their eyes.

kitty softpaws t2: activate

Slowly, and steadily, they quietly left the clearing, not leaving a trace as they left, aside from a single young forget-me-not they had been fiddling with.

[Nettlescratch is to be presumed either missing or dead.]