ECHO [p]

[Minku]

Sink in the deepest depths
Never return, meet your end
In this game of life and death

…Soaringpaw…
STc. She/Her. 13 moons/12 Moons at death
No Purrks
“Who have I become and who will I ever be?”

[ @korok ]
══════════════
post 2

SPIRITUAL ENCOUNTER [1/2]

Who knew. That breaking the boundries that seperates what's meant to be for the living and what's for the dead. Was easier than she expected? She's only been dead for a couple of days.

So now. She was here.

A...beach. Of sorts. With..crabs. And..sand. She could feel the sand was underneath her as she shifted She really. Really. Was here. The waves move along the water and shores. Her starry paws brought her forward, eyes scannign the area. There was no one in the area yet. No one. It was..empty. And even if there was. No one has noticed her.

Where was she. She's never been here.

She brought herself. Away from the beach's shore. Further and further away. She knew she was in Riverclan. She knew it. But she didn't know where. Where she was. So she continued going away from the shore. Further and further away. Until she could see something she recognize. While avoiding being recognized. She was a spirit. It's not like. She had any business being there in the first place. She probably had no scent by now. And if she did. It'll..it'll probably just blend in with the territory. Sure. She. Didn't know much about all this. She just knew. She was here. Among the living. Where she didn't belong. She didn't belong here anymore. She's supposed to be dead.

But then. Why did she keep walking? Why did she keep moving. Further and further. Into the territory. When she knew she wasn't meant to be here anymore? In hopes someone'll at least spare a glance? That she'll get to grip onto the last bits of winds of what it's like to be alive?

What was she trying to do here? She hasn't done enough in life. To make any point in death. She had nothing to say. Nothing to do. Nothing to reach for
Maybe..well, if she found a way to break the boundries of life and death. She..might as well live it while she can. Whatever that meant. If she gets into trouble. If someone's possibly out there to kill her just like what she thought in life. She could. Disappear. She. Didn't need to worry. She's already dead. She need to worry about getting injured. Or sick. Or whether lr not she'll be able to make it into warriorhood. Because. She already knew the answer to that.

So she just..continued walking. At a slower pace than when she was trying to go away from that beach place. To. Observe? She didn't need to. She already knew what the territory looked like. And nothing has changed from the few days she's been dead. Really. Nothing. Her death had no effect on anything. It's like she could disappear and nothing will happen. Really so.

[if anything needs to be tweaked, lmk!]

[korok]

header & divider by @/Marigoldwhisper

mind reader - [ active ]

Days. Weeks, even, at this point. The tom felt as though he had spent all of his spare time trekking through the territory to catch even the slightest scent of his apprentice. Nothing. He had found nothing. It was almost as if Soaringpaw had just vanished into thin air. Had she wanted to?

Pain seered the deputy's heart. Sunheart felt as though he had tried his best to encourage her to be more apart of Clan life, but had he pushed too hard? Was it truly not for her? He was having a hard time accepting that as a possibly. She had such a bright future- she would have been a warrior earned through trials and tribulations, and not just simple training- he knew. Coming from being an outsider with limited memories to fighting for something that she didn't fully understand but doing it anyways...He sighed. Did she not trust him? The bengal's pawsteps were growing more weary by the step.

Then...

His eyes flashed. A wisp. Just a whisper of a familiar scent. Sunheart couldn't help himself- he broke into a run. "Soaringpaw..." He gasped when he saw the she-cat. No- the outline of her. No, no, no, no, no. This couldn't be. How did this happen? How did he fail at protecting her? His apprentice? A sob threatened to rip at his throat, but instead, for the moment, only his vision blurred. "Soaringpaw, what happened to you?" He choked out. Sunheart couldn't help but feel that he had led her to this moment. Should he have turned her away at the border? Would she have had a better chance at survival?

The deputy felt as if he had watched the spunky she-cat grow up a little since he had encountered her at the border, back then. Several moons had passed and he had been tasked to train her- raise her. Despite having no mate, the tom had started to consider Soaringpaw something akin to a daughter. She had just needed some guidance, but she was a good kid who strived to do her best. And she trusted him. And yet, he still failed. What kind of mentor was he? What kind of deputy? Was he fit to lead a Clan if he couldn't even keep his own apprentice alive? Especially if he didn't know what had happened to her? His body trembled slightly as he gaze at her with an open jaw, clearly searching for more to say, but he simply...couldn't find the words. Speaking more threatened to leave him a mess. Now was the time to be strong...was she scared in the afterlife? Would she be able to make it StarClan after the cave had collapsed?

So many questions ran through his head, but his tongue felt dry. "I- I failed you. I'm so sorry. I should have kept you safe." He finally said hoarsley.

( @Minku )

[Minku]

…Soaringpaw…
STc. She/Her. 13 moons/12 Moons at death
No Purrks
“Who have I become and who will I ever be?”

[ @korok ]
══════════════
post 3

SPIRITUAL ENCOUNTER [2/2]

A stop. As still as a frozen river.

The world is weird sometimes. Isn't it. It could take away something from you. Then give you something. Then take it away from you again. Then give it back to you. Repeat. Even in death. The cycle. Never ends. Until you get tired eventually.

She. Considered herself a cat of little emotions in life. She didn't know. She didn't know how to talk to other cats. What to do when something happens. What to say. And. For a moment. She was stuck. Her eyes stuck on the ground. She didn't need to look at him to know. Who he was. What he was here for. She didn't need to. She already knew. She heard his words. She took in his tone. The way he spoke. It already told her everything she needed to know. For once. She didn't question anything. For once. She just accepted it as it was. Even as he spoke. The scene kept replaying. And replaying. And replaying. In her mind. It never stopped. The cold. The water. The cut. Her vision fading to black for the first time.

No. She. Didn't understand everything. But that wasn't. That wasn't the first time her vision could've gone dark. She woke up somewhere with her memories gone. Before then was the first time her vision went dark. When she must've gone unconscious at some point. This was just. The second. Second time. But she wasn't given. Anymore chances. That was it. That was the end.

The first cat she met back. Those moons ago. After waking up. The first time. She let his words stick as she pondered. She. Was this. How it felt. Both regret that she couldn't do more in life. That she didn't achieve what she should've in life. But relief. That she wasn't completely forgotten. ? . At least. Not for now. "Somewhere. Stones and water. Even the little things" water. She died. Of water. Maybe. Maybe she really didn't belong there. In a place. With rivers. Fish. Cats that take whatever chance they could get. To swim. She was dry. But she could feel the freezing water. Dripping from the tips of her fur. But that was. Only her. "Death just. Gets you when you least expect it. Huh. ? ." that was all she can think of. But it wasn't like she was wrong. Life just got her. As soon as she lets her guard down. As soon as she does. As soon as. Death strangles her quicker than she could even count "I knew that. But. I still let my guard down"

A flicker in her form.

She took herself. To look at him. Gauge his expression. Of course. She knew how to do that. She's done it many times and death couldn't change was she was capable of "Safe or unsafe. Nothing. Nothing changes reality" That wasn't. Wasn't his fault. That much she knew. she. She didn't need to. She didn't need to hide her emotions anymore. Now that she had no reason to be paranoid. Even if she feels unsafe. She could. She could hide wherever she wants. When she wants to. Whenever. Wherever. However. If the dead have no bounds.

flicker

"Things. Just. Happen for a reason. Don't they. ? ." maybe. Maybe her death had a reason behind it. Or. Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe. Maybe this was just. A chance to. For something. Something...something. She doesn't know "Maybe. Someday. I'll figure out why"

Flicker. Reality. Reality. The bounds. It was holding her. Holding her back

"Focus. Just focus on. Your duties" his other apprentice. His role as deputy. To not fall. Even if. If he forgets about her. The world forgets about her. Unless someone else knows her death. In whatever way. However they could figure out. For now. He was the only one that knows. "Maybe death was. Just a way to learn. Whether me or you . ? ." Maybe. That was the reason behind her death. Maybe she needed to just accept her fate.

Flicker. She.

"I can't. I can't stay for..too long" even if she tries to stay. For longer. She just couldn't. She brought her head down and closed her eyes. For just a second, before looking back up at him. A small smile. Just a small one. A farewell. A proper goodbye "maybe I'll. Find myself somewhere in the territory again. Someday. For now. I'll still be observing. Just from. Elsewhere" a small smile. Albeit. A little bitter. ? . Definitely. Maybe she wasn't as deprived of emotions as she thought. But it was only because. She knew. She could've still be alive. Or not. Life was confusing

And after that. Her ghostly form faded away like smoke in the air. No trace of her left behind. Like her presence was no more than an echo of the breeze.