drowning in fear [help!]

[Shads]

This fire rising through my being
Burning I'm not used to seeing you
I can feel you all around me
Thinkening the air I'm breathing

Clouds covered the sky. They were thin, but blanketed the heavens. Not very well, however, because patches of the sun's rays peaked through them, warming the forest. Birds were flying and singing in joy, seeing as the day was fairly warm. A breeze kept the air circulating, so it was not muggy. It was a beautiful day to say the least. Even if the air smelled of an approaching storm.

Small white paws padded on the soft ground. Their claws were unsheathed, ready for anything to happen. The legs they were attached to rippled as they walked swiftly. It was a she-cat, her sharp angular features of the face and her lean body gave it away immediately. Her white and gray fur stood out against the brown and green background, but she did not care. She wanted to be noticed, in fact. It was better if she was. Then she would not have to bother with boring "Hey who are you!" She was almost certainly the most noticeable cat in Thunderclan. She looked like she belonged to Riverclan, by the texture and hue of her fur. I most certainly am not, however! She was arguably the most loyal warrior in the clan. In her mind, no one cared about the clan like she did. They were her family, the only things she had left in her life to keep her going, to have her back. And she had their back. In fact, that was why she was out here.

She was out on a border patrol of her own making. Yes, alone. Logically speaking, it probably was not the smartest idea. But if you factored in her battle skills, awareness, and frame of mind, her odds greatly increased. She was a lone she-cat, what clan would find that threatening? Exactly. None. She was not crossing the border anyway, so they could not get upset. She would not dare break the warrior code. She only did that once, and it ended going terribly wrong for her. Never again. She shook her head and kept padding along the Thunderclan/Riverclan border. She had heard reports of badgers and foxes from her clanmates that had gone to the gathering, so she was even more alert. She had her maw slightly open, breathing in all the scents around her. She would not want to be caught off guard. But if she was, her clan was only a yowl away. Her voice was known for being loud. She was sure she would be able to reach at least some other cat in the forest if she needed to.

As she continued swiftly walking close to the river's edge, the apprentice noticed something peculiar. She stopped padding right where she was. The birds had stopped singing. The only sound that reached her ears was that of the breeze rustling the leaves. Her sky blue eyes went from the green leaves of trees to the brown trunks and branches of bushes. Her search of the area by sight failed to pick up anything unusual. She tried listening once more, her eyes swiveling around like radar. The silence was unnatural - ghostly. It made her muscles tense. She had this almost irresistible urge to break it by running and yowling. Something was not right here, she could feel it. She opened her maw wider and took a deep breath, tasting the smells that swirled around her. As soon as she did, she wished she hadn't and just kept walking. The scent she picked up was her worst fear come back to life. Her eyes widened; the fur on the back of her neck stood on edge. No! No it can't be! She turned in circles trying to find the source of her fear, but to no avail. Then her eyes rested on a black tom just a few tail lengths away. His green eyes gave him away.

She saw her mentor, Addergaze, staring her in the face.

Her breathing stopped. She was pretty sure her heart did, too. He smiled, as if basking in her fear. He took a step toward her, and she took a step away. No. No, no, no! She couldn't bring herself to speak. Fear coursed through her veins. It took over her, crashing all her responses. But then something happened. She counted. One.... two... three... four.... five. She took a deep breath, and her fear fled. It's raging flood had been calmed to not even a mere trickle. She stood up straight, all her sense alert. She stared her tormentor in the eyes. You do not scare me, Addergaze. Her voice was firm and steady. She was a completely different cat then just a few moments ago. His smile only got wider. Good. Because I'm not really here.

Confusion entered into her eyes. It was written all over her face. How could he not be here? He was standing right in front of her.... You're hallucinating! The realization gripped the she-cat's stomach and twisted it.

No. No it's impossible! Addergaze laughed just as the thought entered into her mind. Oh, it is possible sweetheart. He stepped closer and reached out his tail. It brushed her cheek, and it felt real enough. But it also felt ghostly, as if it were just a memory of what it felt like. The touch that she used to crave, even yearn for, now caused her to shudder. She backed away more, shying away from his tail. Anger filled his eyes. You did this to yourself! You caused me to do those things! It is all your fault Cinder!

He came rushing toward her, but she only backed away and dodged him. He recovered quickly though and came at her once more, this time with an unnatural speed. He knocked into her as if he were a real cat, and suddenly there was no ground beneath her. She was in the air, falling down a short cliff into the water. Her tormentor disappeared, and tears swelled in her eyes. Why? Why was she torturing herself?

To any cat looking, it would have looked like she simply fell.

Her back hit the rushing water first. She sunk down almost the bottom. Her eyes wide open, she fought her way to the top. She broke the surface of the rapids rather quickly, and let out a gasp for air. She couldn't swim. The water froze her muscles. She knew how, but she couldn't make herself do so. The freezing water was not as cold as it was in winter, but it was enough to make it hard to breathe. She let out a sharp yowl for help. HELP! ANYONE! She managed to get out the words before going back under the water. Her mind was not working, she couldn't do this by herself. She struggled to get back on the top, letting out yet another shrieking yell.

If someone didn't come soon, she would die here in this river, killed by a cat that her mind created.

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C I N D E R P A W

[Trick]

The weather was perfect for hunting. The calm just before the storm made a still atmosphere that created small pauses seemingly in time here and there, little pockets of still, unnatural silence. Storms were Eaglefeather’s favourite type of weather, the rolling thunder and crashing lightning was sheer power, raw and primal in its existence. Of course it wasn't particularly safe to be hunting in a storm, so this was second best and something that Eaglefeather was willing to compensate on most of the time. He had perhaps travelled further than expected and if he wasn’t careful there’d be no chance of making it back to camp before the heavens broke. The river than made the Thunderclan and Riverclan border rumbled beside him, spilling over rocks and bubbling along with laughter.

His golden pelt, spotted through with dusky brown was stark against the reeds and water that the tom trudged through. He didn't mind though, being different wasn't necessarily a bad thing. His build was that of a Riverclan cat, though perhaps a tad taller. It was his short coat that was out of place amongst his clanmates, with their sleek, waterproof fur. It didn't mean he loved swimming or fishing any less though. In some ways, he loved it more. It wasn't uncommon for Eaglefeather to swim simply because it struck his fancy, or because he enjoyed it.

Eaglefeather's attention was snatched by a pleading call, resonating in his ear fur. His broad head turned wildly, trying to pinpoint the source, a loud splash leading him right to the river's edge. There were bubbles under the surface, but nothing disturbed the green plane of glass. His green eyes inadvertently widened when the surface shattered by a thrashing body, before sinking again. Someone must have fallen in! A Thunderclan cat definitely, in Riverclan, even kits knew not to thrash about like this cat was. Of course he couldn't just stand by and let someone drown.

Surging to the edge, Eaglefeather took a breath and ducked his head underwater, leaning as far as he dared without falling in himself. Opening his eyes, the world was gritty and hued under the surface of the river. Bubbles escaped his parted jaws as he swung his head to the side, looking for the pale fur he had seen before. He almost missed it, but when he felt something warm bump his nose, he latched on, recognizing it as the cat's shoulder. He would much rather have grabbed her scruff, his fangs driving into her shoulder had to hurt, but he wasn't going to let the cat go and try to his luck at trying to get a good grip again.

Heaving back with all his might, Eaglefeather's hind paws dug into the soft mud at the river's edge, shoulder straining and neck arching with the weight of sodden fur and another cat. The river finally released it's grip with a decisive 'pop' and flung both cats back onto Riverclan territory. Eaglefeather tumbled back slightly then sat up, the fur on his face slick compared to the rest of his body, unsuccessfully, he attempted to shake it out. Only once he had cleared most of the water from his ears did he turn to look at the cat he'd saved, not recognizing her grey pelt.

The spotted tom stood and gently prodded the soggy bundle with a curious and worried nose. "Hey there now, are you ok?" His warm voice was tinged with concern and a slight bemused air as he examined his latest catch.

E A G L E F E A T H E R