The first time Dawnpaw could recall being scared goes back to when she was a kitten. She and Brinepaw had snuck into the warriors' den. They meant no harm, however later in the day, all the nests had been completely destroyed. Her father yelled at her and Brinepaw like he never had before and she remembered crying into her mother's fur the whole night.
Turns out, it was Dovepaw who had wrecked the den, and it was Dovepaw who blamed it on them.
Now, Dawnpaw was terrified once more, and the only other cat who she could relate this feeling to was— of all cats— Dovepaw.
Because no matter how much she despised the calico, now they were in the same boat. They were both terrified, and now they both had one common goal.
Getting back home.
Harvestleaf had brought them to an unused den, a prisoner den. FallClan had one too, however she had never seen it in use. Now she was the one being used in one.
Dawnpaw was perched at one end of the den, completely curled up by herself, and Dovepaw was on the opposite side; she seemed much smaller than usual.
The two sat in complete silence, both with drumming hearts, until the silence was broken as three cats entered the den.
She instantly recognized Harvestleaf. Beside him was a ginger tomcat, and on his other side was a light brown molly with white markings and green eyes.
"Greetings," the she-cat started, her tone terrifyingly bleak, "I'm Ivystar. This is my deputy, Yellowbird, and you've already met Harvestleaf."
She seemed young, younger than most leaders, however Dawnpaw hoped she was fair. It was against the warrior code to kill another cat, much less an apprentice. It gave her little hope, but hope nonetheless.
"Listen, I don't wish to hurt you both, and if you cooperate, you will be just fine. However," the brindled molly paused, gaze momentarily moving between the both of them, "the faster your clan decides to behave is a different story."
To her shock, this time Dovepaw spoke up, her voice a mere whisper.
"When will you let us go home?"
"Soon, I hope. But again, it all depends on your leader." She murmured, her eyes softening.
"You see, you're our leverage to get Sunstar to cooperate." Yellowbird then spoke up, Harvestleaf nodding beside him. "Once he agrees to surrender Fishcape to us, you will both be escorted back home, and no one has to get hurt."
"And if he doesn't agree to your terms?" After a small silence, Dawnpaw finally questioned, slanted blue gaze narrowing on the splotched molly before her.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
~~~
"Do you think Sunstar will surrender Fishcape?"
Nightfall had settled, and despite many attempts to sleep, Dawnpaw couldn't. As Dovepaw spoke up, she felt eased to know the calico couldn't, either.
"Honestly," the medicine cat apprentice paused, "I don't know. I hope he does, but-"
"You don't think we're a big enough price to pay?"
Dawnpaw fell quiet, finally meeting rounded sage eyes as she sighed, nodding in defeat.
"Yeah. Something like that."
The two fell into another silence, but Dovepaw didn't say anything else, so Dawnpaw placed her head down as she tried to sleep, though it was just another failed attempt. Instead, she let her mind wander. The warrior stationed to guard them was a white molly with many black freckles, however she had fallen asleep. For a mere second, she contemplated escaping, but then she'd have to make it out of camp, which was also guarded. Not to mention, she wasn't familiar with SpringClan territory.
"Hi!"
Dawnpaw nearly jumped as an overly enthusiastic voice traveled into her ears, her crystalline eyes resting with those of a deeper blue.
"Uh," she murmured, "hello?"
"I'm Bluepaw," the apprentice greeted, a small smile on her face, "everyone has been talking about you all day, I wanted to see you for myself."
"Aren't you scared you'd get in trouble? Or wake our guard?" Dovepaw then queried, slowly approaching them, however Bluepaw just glanced at the snoozing warrior and giggled.
"That's Flurryfall; she's my mentor. She's also a deep sleeper."
"Right, well you've seen us." Dawnpaw muttered, eyes narrowing. "You can leave now."
"Excuse you," Bluepaw retorted, "before you get all hissy, I was just trying to help. However if I'm not wanted..."
"What do you mean?" Dovepaw instantly queried, green eyes widened. Dawnpaw nudged her shoulder, hardening her gaze on the calico.
"We can't trust her." She muttered.
"She's right here, you know." Bluepaw retorted.
"Come on D, She can help us escape." Dovepaw grinned, Dawnpaw nearly flinching at the nickname, but alas she sighed in reluctance.
"Fine, but when your hopes get shattered because she betrays, don't come crying to me."
~~~
She wasn't sure when, but sometime after Bluepaw left, Dawnpaw was able to sleep.
Then morning came, and the plan was in motion. Bluepaw mentioned that by the setting sun, a lot of the camp was going to be cleared as a major training session was occurring, and Ivystar was going to be there, evaluating.
When the time came, Bluepaw was going to distract Flurryfall, and give them the signal. She mentioned that all they had to do was make it to the warriors' den where there was a small opening they could get out from, and then they'd be in the clear.
"Do you think we'll be able to pull it off?" Dovepaw queried softly.
"If Bluepaw isn't lying to us, then I think so. The warriors' den is closest to us, and once we're out of camp, we'll be good- I think."
"You think?"
"Yeah Dovepaw, I think. I can't promise we'll make it out." She sighed. "Besides, I don't exactly remember how to get home."
~~~
The day was slowly coming to an end and Dawnpaw was far from calm. Bluepaw didn't lie, Ivystar was out of camp with nearly all the apprentices and their mentors. Truth be told she didn't understand why Bluepaw was helping her, or what she got out of it, but she was grateful nonetheless.
"It's almost time." Dovepaw spoke softly, rounded green eyes falling with Dawnpaw's own gaze.
"Yeah," she sighed slowly as she glanced at Flurryfall, "we're just waiting on Bluepaw's signal."
"You know," Dovepaw spoke after a small silence, breaking her gaze briefly, "I'm sure I'm the last cat you'd want to be here with."
"Yeah. You are."
Dovepaw nodded slowly, though instead of firing back, she just sighed.
"That's fair."
Dawnpaw just looked at her, and yet the smallest part of her seemed to sympathize with the calico. Whenever she was around her, she was fueled by anger. She hated Dovepaw, but now, she couldn't bring herself to feel as strongly as before.
At the end of the day, what comes out of someone is reflected by their own experiences. Dawnpaw didn't know how the calico's mind worked, or her story.
Her mother always told her that no one was fully evil, and no one was fully good, but that everyone was a mix of both and it is usually the experiences we endure during life which determine which one we lean more towards.
Or maybe it was more difficult for her to see cats who she grew to think were indestructible, be destroyed. Everyone was hurting, and everyone lashed out in different ways.
It didn't mean she liked Dovepaw any more than she had before, the other molly still put her through trauma Dawnpaw wasn't sure she could ever forgive, but she could empathize, and the next thing she knew, Dawnpaw was placing her tail on the calico's shoulder in an act of reassurance.
"We'll make it."
~~~
Crimson light bled into the prisoners' den as dusk approached, the sun's vermillion glare descending over the horizon. Dawnpaw's heart was racing against her chest and as she hoped, Bluepaw had arrived, pulling out fake complaints to Flurryfall about not getting to go on the major training lesson that day.
She stood beside the calico, who appeared much more determined than the day before, which seemed to ease Dawnpaw. Seeing Dovepaw more confident gave her the determination she had been lacking previously.
Dawnpaw exhaled briskly, her stomach seeming to do flips as Bluepaw flickered her tail, which was her cue to go. The two prisoned apprentices gave each other a brief glance before nodding to each other.
Dawnpaw took the lead as she slowly and silently crawled out of the den, her companion's hot breath on her heels. Slowly, the warriors' den was approaching, and as they made it, their movements grew more messy.
"Here!" Dovepaw beamed as she found the opening, the two squishing between the small crevice before being met by a vast forest full of pines.
"We did it!" The calico hummed, Dawnpaw joining in on her excitement as the two beamed at each other.
"Okay," Dawnpaw paused, "we're not in the clear yet. We have to get home."
However before the two could begin to act upon their plan, Ivystar and the others were returning home, leaving Dawnpaw and Dovepaw completely glued.
"Run!" Dawnpaw screamed, and almost instantly, Dovepaw rushed past her and she quickly followed suit.
The forest blew past her in blurs and Dawnpaw had no idea where she was going. All she knew was that she had to get away.
She could feel her blood roaring in her ears and she was sure if her heart beat any harder, it would rip right out of her chest. The pale she-cat didn't even think she could run as fast as she was now, but her adrenaline kept her going.
However, the two were forced to abruptly stop as they were pushed into a corner, sharing equally terrified glances as they were surrounded by two warriors.
"It's over guys," one of the warriors spoke, "come back with us and no one has to get hurt."
"That'll happen." Dawnpaw hissed, Dovepaw looking at her with widened eyes, though the white she-cat kept her ground.
The two SpringClan warriors shared amused looks, however they looked back at the two apprentices and before Dawnpaw could react, they attacked.
Her mind was racing. Her heart was racing. Everything was racing.
Dawnpaw watched as one of them charged at her, and in the few seconds before the attack, she went over every fight she had ever witnessed, every mental note she took, every move she witnessed, how the winners won, how the losers lost. She had never fought before and she had never learned how to. She was the medicine cat apprentice, yet she was always analyzing, and she hoped that her observations would be her saving grace.
As the warrior neared, Dawnpaw messily moved to the side, however she lost her footing. This gave the SpringClan warrior an upper hand as they twisted around, and Dawnpaw felt teeth connect to her shoulder. As the pain pierced through her shoulder, she hissed, blind fighting as she let her extended claws recklessly swipe at the other's face. To her luck, she had managed to hit the wariror's face and they released their grasp on her shoulder. Dawnpaw tumbled to the ground, but she quickly regained her footing as she looked around frantically.
Then she remembered everything her father taught her about combat as kits, that fighting with composure and control was the best way. Dawnpaw swallowed her fear as her gaze landed on the warrior and she immediately crouched, circling them until she was behind them, kicking off her hindquarters like she had seen Brinepaw do one time. She aimed her paws for their back, claws digging in as whimpers screamed into her ears, which only made her dig deeper. To this, Dawnpaw felt her herself growth breathless as the warrior slammed her to the ground, and she rolled away, panting heavily. However they seemed weakened, and Dawnpaw's attention was then drawn to Dovepaw.
"Dawnpaw, I can't breathe!" She heard the calico croak as she watched her, the second warrior's paw crushing her throat. At this, Dawnpaw felt herself grow overly defensive, however she remained calm. She couldn't let anger take over.
Everything seemed to slow down as she glanced at the warrior she had been battling, who seemed too weak to retaliate, before she glared back to Dovepaw's opponent who seemed only focused on the apprentice underneath her.
"Do you guys have no respect for the warrior code?" Dawnpaw hissed, her voice full of such deep animosity, even she was shocked. However she didn't waste time as she charged at them, the two rolling around. It reminded her of the time Brinepaw and Leopardpaw sparred, trying to find an upper hand.
However she ended up pinned by the warrior, who she realized was the pale she-cat who had caught her the first time.
"You just saved your friend, how sweet. Hope it was worth it." The she-cat whispered as Dawnpaw struggled underneath her grip, and she looked longingly to Dovepaw who only stared at her with apologetic green eyes.
Dawnpaw went limp as she inhaled slowly, before she forced all her energy into her hindquarters and kicked the molly's stomach like Leopardpaw had, messily staggering to her paws as she pushed Dovepaw in an effort of telling her to run.
She was out of breath, but she forced herself to keep going, trying to block out the burning pain in her legs.
"Look! We're almost home!" Dovepaw cried out, and this seemed to motivate the white she-cat to push harder. Luckily, as they entered their territory, Dawnpaw was relieved to see that she was greeted by Flowerbee, Lakelily and Hawkhowl.
"It's over, Creamlily. You're outnumbered." Flowerbee spoke, her tone harsh as she glared at the SpringClan warrior across the border.
"This is only the beginning." Creamlily hissed in return, her pale azure gaze narrowing on the two apprentices before she looked back to Flowerbee. "Ivystar wants Fishcape, and she will do anything to ensure she gets it." She threatened before she gave the FallClan cats one last glare before storming off.
"That clan is being lead by an inexperienced, overly egotistical excuse of a cat." Lakelily hissed, Hawkhowl nodding in agreement.
"I heard it was only a couple moons after her warrior ceremony before she was chosen as deputy." Hawkhowl added, Lakelily nodding his head in disapproval. "They're being lead by a child."
"Are you guys okay?" Flowerbee then spoke after a few moments of silence, her gaze softening on the two apprentices.
"We're fine, just a little scratched up." Dovepaw murmured to her mentor, Dawnpaw nodding in agreement.
Really, she was just happy to be home.
｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈•ﾟ｡
It's common for people who go through the same thing to find comfort in each other and to bond over it, which explains Dovepaw's evolving feelings.
However, a little note to add that bonding over trauma does not always make you compatible! Actually, it can lead to very toxic relationships, however this isn't always the case.
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! The next chapter leads to a little discovery and I'm very excited. :)
That's all! Any and all feedback is appreciated. 💘