Tears for Comfort

 TEARS FOR COMFORT

Episode Nine, Season Three, of Rise.

Enjoy <3

Tears for Comfort
“Aleric!” The brown tom turned when he heard his name being called. “You’ve been gone for quite awhile,” the panting tom grunted, “what’s gotten into you?”

Aleric tipped his head and watched the other tom carefully. He debated on his story. “Just a tedious mission,” he finally said, “do the High Committee members want me?”

“They say you’ve been turning down missions,” the tom shrugged, “they want you to take one tonight and start up again. The Coalition is getting restless and they fear retaliation.”

“The High Committee members fear retaliation?” Aleric echoes in disbelief, “That’s new.”

“The Coalition has been on edge since the last battle and it is anticipated that they will make the first move.”

“Getting rid of us first would be logical,” Aleric mused, “perhaps so they could have a final showdown with their first enemy, the Vipers.” Though we are not quite friendly with the Vipers either…it wouldn’t hurt to be fighting against them instead.

To be honest, he hadn’t been on some crazy mission. He hadn’t taken a mission since he started thinking about Karina and the others.

“What’s the mission?” Aleric asked finally.

“Rumor says the important Viper prisoner we had escaped. The High Committee wants you to hunt him down and kill him.”

The brown tom licked a paw. “Consider it done. Any idea which way he went?”

“The Committee said you wouldn’t need that information.”

Aleric smirked. “I don’t, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.” He stood and began to pad towards the prison area.

He didn’t want this mission, but he knew he couldn’t directly disobey the High Committee. He wondered if it would be worth the trouble to just let the tom go, and then decided against it.

“Can’t just let my reputation go to waste,” Aleric muttered, “even if my emotions are already scattered.”

His reputation, his name…it was all Aleric had for now.

Even as he set off, Aleric couldn’t help but remember the defiance held in Karina’s eyes and it shocked him how cold it made him feel. He remembered a fact about the prisoner he was being sent after.

Aleric shook his head to clear it and tried to place a clean slate over his troubled emotions.

Aleric almost wished he hadn’t interfered with Bryce’s investigation that day. Then he would be trouble-free of these thoughts and he could be as loyal as he possibly could to the Blood Army.

Cursing himself and the group of outsiders quietly, Aleric set off at a run, trying to chase the thoughts away.

~

The borders are quiet tonight. I’ve made a routine to patrol them each morning. Each time I draw near the Dip, I imagine and almost anticipate Vicky emerging from the undergrowth and telling me to back away from the border.

The only cat I’m looking for is Terran. I patrol the Blood Army border for good measure and I’m surprised that one day I nearly trip over a brown tom who’s lying near the border.

“Who sleeps on the border?” I snap.

“Hm?” The tom groggily lifts his head and curses. “Stars, I fell asleep.”

I recognize his cunning, sharp look. “Aleric,” I hiss, unsheathing my claws.

Aleric scrambles to his paws and rubs a paw over his eyes. “Hello Bryce,” he mumbles, “contrary to popular belief, I’m not here to do anything.”

“Sure,” I roll my eyes, “why are you sleeping on the border then?”

“I wasn’t supposed to fall asleep,” Aleric shakes his head, “Look, I’m not here to stir trouble, I swear.”

“Cats will fly before I believe you.”

The brown tom’s eyes are bright with an emotion I can’t pinpoint. “Is Karina all right?”

“Karina?” I blink, a little taken aback, “How do you know Karina?”

“I’m the all mysterious tom,” Aleric twitches his whiskers, “I know everything.” I can tell he’s trying to make me laugh so I put on a straight face.

“I’m sure you do,” I snort, “I’m not telling you anything about Karina.”

“I just want to know if she’s okay,” Aleric’s green eyes look uncharacteristically soft. In this stance, he looks like so unthreatening that I almost relax.

“She’s none of your business,” I say shortly.

The dark brown tom stares at me for a few moments and I stare back. I refuse to be the first to back away, in case Aleric does perform a sneak attack on me. I can’t risk anything with this tom.

Then, without another word, Aleric turns and disappears across the border. I blink after him in surprise, not actually expecting him to turn tail and flee first. After watching the spot where he had been for a few moments, I turn myself and continue towards the Viper border.

Even as I patrol the border insistently, I know with a sinking heart that neither Terran nor Vicky is going to show up.

Tears well in my eyes before I can stop them. I feel so useless. I stumble back towards camp, blinking away my tears, trying to find something else for comfort.

I don’t know how, but I manage to get to my den and curl up in my nest before I let the tears fall.

~

I wake up in an unfamiliar clearing. I look around for a moment, confused. I’m certain I made it to my den earlier before I fell asleep, I remember Jewel and Emerald asking if I was okay.

I investigate for a few moments before two cats step out of the bushes. I turn to them immediately, ready to ask them where we are.

The question dies in my tongue.

“Aura? Smokey?” I gape at my parents, “How are you two here?” You’re dead.

“Have you heard of StarClan?” My mother says gently.

Of course I have. Nightshadow and Feathershine explained the concept to me before. I gaze at the stars more often now, wondering if StarClan really is up there. I nod in response.

“This is something like that,” Aura continues, “we are spirits just like the StarClan cats, and we are able to visit you in your dreams.”

“Not easily though,” Smokey warns, “this might be the only time you see us.”

At this moment, that doesn’t matter to me. My legs feel weak just from seeing my parents; it’s been so long. “Jewel and Emerald would be so happy to see you,” I glance around me, “you didn’t bring them along into this dream?”

“This message is only for you,” Aura smiles sadly, “Your sisters are not to be involved.”

“Bryce, you must remain the rational one.” Smokey says solemnly.

“The rational one?” I echo, “What do you mean? What about my friends? What situation am I supposed to be ‘rational’ in?”

My parents don’t reply, they just gaze at me forlornly, “We cannot tell you that,” Aura sighs, “you must find that out by yourself.”

“No, wait!” I cry out, darting forward, desperate for their warmth, their love. They are just spirits though, and I pass through them. “Please don’t go.”

“There are troubled times ahead,” Aura whispers. Smokey is already gone. “You must be careful, Bryce.”

“Please tell me,” I beg her, “what will happen to my friends? What about Terran?”

Aura shakes her head and begins to fade as well. “Don’t go!” I shout, “Don’t leave like you did so many moons ago. Jewel and Emerald need you…I need you.” My voice cracks.

But my mother fades, just like my father did and soon the dream begins to disappear as well. The last words I hear make me shudder with anticipation or fear, I don’t know.

“Avenge us, Bryce, avenge us.”

~

Feathershine is daintily grooming herself when I approach her. Nightshadow is nowhere to be seen, so I assume he’s out training Applepaw.

“Hey Bryce,” she smiles at me with genuine kindness, “is something wrong?”

“Not really,” I shake my head, “not more than usual at least. I just have a question to ask you. It’s about StarClan.”

“StarClan?” Feathershine’s eyes widen, “Have you tried asking Flameshadow?”

“This isn’t like some prophecy or anything,” I mutter hastily, “it was my parents. They visited me last night.”

Feathershine blinks rapidly. “Your parents?” She echoes. She knows they died, but I can’t recall if I told her the entire story. Thankfully, she doesn’t ask. “What about your parents?”

“Well they didn’t say much,” I say vaguely, not really wanting to dwell on the personal moment I shared with my parents. “But I was wondering how spirits do it. Does StarClan visit you?”

“No,” Feathershine admits, “usually it’s the medicine cats that get messages from StarClan. Sometimes the leaders get it too. But if a warrior or apprentice gets it, then I suppose they’re really special. Are you sure it isn’t anything you want to discuss with Flameshadow?”

“I’m certain,” I furrow my brow, “Do you understand how it works?”

“I think you’re just stressed,” Feathershine shrugs, “or your parents had a reason for visiting you. There was a message, right?”

I nod, though I still don’t elaborate. Feathershine just keeps going. “You shouldn’t worry so much about Terran, Bryce. He’s going to be fine. He’ll come home soon before you know it, trust me.”

I want to trust her, but at the same time, I can’t help but think about the way he looked at me, so sad and sorrowful.

“Thanks,” I manage to smile before I pad away, finding my sisters in my den, still asleep. I sit by them, waiting for them to wake up.

Jewel is the first to jerk awake. “Bryce?” She murmurs groggily, “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” I nose her up, “How are you and Emerald? I haven’t spent a lot of time with the two of you and I’m sorry for that.”

“Don’t worry,” Jewel rubs her eyes and nudges Emerald awake. “The other kits are very nice.”

Emerald sits up and opens her green eyes blearily. “Bryce?” She yawns, “Why isn’t Terran around to watch us anymore? I mean, we’re always playing with the kits but didn’t he used to watch us with you?”

I feel a stab of pain in my heart but I carefully make sure I keep an affable expression. “He’s just busy, Emerald, he’ll come by when he can.”

“Feathershine says he’s not here,” Jewel says quietly, “is he not staying here anymore?”

“No, this is still his home; don’t worry,” I reassure the two of them, “Terran’s just…away right now. He’s dealing with some business and when he’s done, he’ll come back.”

I can hear the echo of uncertainty in my voice and I waver slightly. If my sisters notice, they don’t comment on it. Jewel and Emerald begin to tussle slightly and it brings tears to my eyes.

I want Terran to be here like he used to, scratched up but happy, watching over my sisters despite the Coalition’s distrust of him. His sky-blue eyes, flecked with those tiny white dots, imperfections that made him perfect.

The thoughts flash across my mind and I find tears replacing those thoughts instead. There was no bright-eyed tom who would be watching over Jewel and Emerald. There was no strong shoulder that I could cry on, lean on, rely on. Instead of a white-pelted tom, there was vast emptiness that became wider and wider until I was ready to tip myself in.

I curl myself around Jewel and Emerald, letting my tears drip to the floor, letting them soak my sisters’ fur.

They don’t protest or ask questions. They just burrow in deeper, letting me hold them close. I can’t lose them…not now.

As the tears fall, I can’t help but wonder if this is it: me breaking down with only tears for comfort.

Emerald takes this moment to let out a tiny whimper and I’m reminded that no, I don’t only have tears for comfort.

I have my sisters.

“I love you both very much,” I murmur to them, “and I won’t ever let you two go. I’ll protect you with my heart, my life if I have to. Do you trust me?”

“We trust you,” Jewel says quietly.

I hug them close, praying that I will be able to keep that promise.

The End.