Dreamcatcher (Departure)/Never Lose Your Smile

"Frit, are you sure about this? This doesn't seem safe." Swiftclaw said softly, glancing around apprehensively. Dark trees loomed over the pair, their leafless branches reaching for them. An owl hooted above them, its yellow eyes following them. Swiftclaw tried to ignore it, striding to catch up with the other feline. "Frit, this isn't okay." he said. He trembled fearfully, looking over his shoulder into the pitch-black shadows.

Fritillaryspots shook his head, continuing onwards. "It's fine, Swift." he said dismissively, barely giving their friend a glance.

"But... Frit, please, it's not safe. Frit, the Clan can wait." Swiftclaw's pleas grew more desperate the further the cats walked, the tom trying to drag his friend back. "We can get it tomorrow, we can get the catmint tomorrow, okay? The Clan can wait, everyone can wait."

"Sickness doesn't. It could take half the Clan by tomorrow." Fritillaryspots growled. "The garden's not that far ahead anyway. We'll be fine, Swiftclaw." His words were assuring, but his tone was cold. Unusual for him. Unfitting.

Swiftclaw felt his heart in his throat and he couldn't reply. No, they wouldn't be fine. No, it wasn't safe. No, no, no, no. He froze in his tracks, watching as Fritillaryspots stopped and turned, a confused look on his face. It quickly turned to concern, a complete shift from the icy cat he'd been only a moment ago. It was almost satisfying - Frit cared more for him than the catmint or the Clan. However, Swiftclaw only stared ahead blankly, oblivious to his friend's voice near his ear.

Fritillaryspots gently nudged Swiftclaw's shoulder, trying to urge him forward. "Swiftclaw, we have to go!" he said urgently, his voice filled with fear.

Fear?

Swiftclaw snapped out of his blank state and turned his head to see a giant beast staring at the two through dark, cloudy eyes.

Its dark pelt hung in tatters over its hunched body, patches of pale skin clear in the light. Its narrow face was lowered to the ground, its lips drawn into a snarl, revealing sharp teeth. Its frame was thin and fragile, its legs like twigs that could snap from the weight they supported. Dull claws raked against the grass under its paws. Pointed ears were pinned flat to its head, and its tail was fluffed out and held over its back. Its spine and ribs were visible through the creature's pelt and skin; it was starving, desperate for a meal.

Was that what they were going to be? A meal for a ragged canine that could hardly stand?

Despite the canine's appearance, Swiftclaw was terrified. He took a step back, his eyes wide. In response, the creature advanced on him, slowly, like it was stalking prey. Fritillaryspots shoved Swiftclaw behind him, his white teeth flashing. His height rivalled that of the canine's; standing side-by-side, Fritillaryspots' ears could reach the latter's forehead.

"Swiftclaw," Fritillaryspots said quietly, "go climb a tree, as high as you can. Stay there until other cats arrive."

"Wh-- Frit, I--"

"Go!" The large tom leaped, claws outstretched toward the creature's face.

Swiftclaw obeyed, bolting toward the nearest tree and climbing as fast as he could. After passing a few branches, his legs already screamed at him to stop, and he perched in the crook of one of the branches, huddling against the trunk. He was too scared to look at the fight going on beneath him; Frit's shrieks paired with the creature's snarls were terrifying.

The fight went on for what seemed like hours. Every cry of pain made Swiftclaw flinch, knowing it was his friend suffering a potentially deadly bite from the beast's needle-sharp teeth. He took in a shaky breath, hoping to calm down, but it wasn't possible.

Suddenly an ear-splitting shriek sounded from below, making the small tom freeze up. That had to be Frit. Frit was dead, no, Frit was dead. No, he couldn't be dead, no, no, no. Feeling sick, Swiftclaw sunk onto the branch and curled up tightly, trembling from both fear and the chilled winds sweeping over him.

The sound of claws scrabbling at bark made Swiftclaw raise his head groggily. His mouth and throat were dry, and his limbs were stiff. He shifted slightly in an attempt to stretch his legs. Remembering what had happened, fear shot through him and he scrambled away from the trunk, his eyes widening. Had killing Fritillaryspots not satisfied the creature? Was it coming for him now?

However, it wasn't the narrow face of the beast that appeared; it was a soft, rounded gray one with warm eyes. They blinked at Swiftclaw before asking, "Are you Swiftclaw?"

Unable to speak, the tom nodded.

The gray cat sighed inaudibly. "It'd... be nice if you could come with me." they said, their voice not betraying any emotion. They patiently waited as Swiftclaw shakily stood and padded over to them. Both climbed down, with the stranger making sure Swiftclaw wouldn't fall, and the sight and stench of the blood on the ground made Swiftclaw's stomach flip. Without a word to the gray cat, he stumbled over to the bushes and vomited.

After a moment, Swiftclaw returned, his head hanging. The gray cat led him through the trees until they reached a clearing - a Clan camp. He followed them to the mouth of a den. Ferns hung like a curtain over it, so the warrior couldn't tell what was inside.

"Your Clanmate is in here." the gray cat said quietly, nudging him forward.

Swiftclaw nodded numbly and pushed through the ferns, trying to prepare himself for what he might see.

Even if he had, it wouldn't have mattered.

His breath caught in his throat and he stood, frozen, staring at the barely moving form of his friend.

Patches of Fritillaryspots' pelt were torn away, nasty scars in their place. Fresh cobwebs covered them, and Swiftclaw could see a wad of older webs soaked with red at the back corner of the den. The medicine cat, Shademask, noticed and hurriedly shuffled to obstruct the tom's view of it. Swiftclaw looked back at his friend, sadness clear in his eyes. Half of Frit's face was ripped away, the ear shredded. This, as well, was wrapped in cobwebs. It was probably better that way.

Swiftclaw took a deep breath but couldn't say anything. He simply sat down and waited for his friend to wake up.

It hadn't taken long; Fritillaryspots shifted slightly, blinking his single eye open. "Wh... what's..." He stifled a yawn and blinked at Swiftclaw. "Swift, what ha-- my eye." A panicked tone entered his voice. "My eye, I can't feel it, it's gone."

Shademask stepped forward, having tossed out the bloodied cobwebs. "You were attacked by a venom-fanged fox." he explained, his voice monotone. It had to be forced. "With as many bites as you suffered, you're lucky to be alive, honestly." he admitted. "You're in LotusClan's camp. We sent a patrol to inform your leader of your condition."

Fritillaryspots stared at him, disbelieving. "I..." he tried, but his voice failed him.

"Whatever you were doing out at that time of night," the medicine cat said sternly, "it could have waited. Don't go out after the sun's light has disappeared completely. Understand?"

The calico nodded hesitantly. Swiftclaw shuffled his paws guiltily. "We wanted to find catmint." he piped up. "Members of our Clan are sick, and... it's my fault. I wanted to go find the catmint. He came along to escort me."

Shademask studied him. "Oh, you're... Fawnbelly's apprentice. I'll have to tell them about th--"

"No!" Fritillaryspots suddenly snapped. "It was me, okay? He's lying to defend me. It was all my fault. I dragged him out of camp so we could get the catmint." He curled his tail tightly around himself. "We-- I made a mistake."

"I... see. Alright then." Shademask sighed. "You'll have to rest here and recover for a while before going back to your Clan. Our patrol mentioned that, don't worry. Swiftclaw," he said, turning to face the smaller cat, "you can go back. Your friend will be fine here."

Swiftclaw stood. "No, I have to stay with--"

"You just told me your Clanmates are sick, didn't you?" Shademask interrupted.

"Uh... y-yeah, but--"

"Fawnbelly will need your help dealing with them. We'll send a cat to accompany you back, and you can get your catmint on the way. That's final."

Swiftclaw saw no need in trying to protest. Shademask was a very stubborn cat. "Yes, Shademask." He looked back at Frit, a small smile on his face. It immediately fell, seeing as the calico's scarred back was now turned. The tom hurriedly exited the den, his head hanging.