Fall of the Panther || Chapter 13

Instructions

“Pantherstar?” Pantherstar pulled her head out of the camp’s gorse barrier, squinting in the light of the first rays. She couldn’t help but smile as she saw Shimmersnow walking towards her. “Yes, Shimmer? Is everything okay?” Shimmersnow smiled, licking her ear playfully in response. “Yes, everything’s fine. I just came to ask if you’d want to go on patrol. With me, maybe…?” She looked so adorable with her pleading eyes, it was hard to say no. Still, Pantherstar hesitated. She had been planning to reinforce the camp defenses today. After all, Brownflash had pointed out rogue tracks two patrols ago. She had reacted calmly, of course, but the thought of the camp being attacked greatly worried her. Pantherstar looked over at the prey pile. It was lower than usual, since they only had four cats that could go on patrol. Hunting would have to come first, right? Right. “Well, if you want to bring Chasingpaw, then—” “No, she’s asleep,” Shimmersnow said quickly. “You know how she is. And Brownflash is going on the noon patrol. I suppose it’s just you and me, then.” Pantherstar’s stomach did a small flutter. She would’ve usually compared it to a butterfly, but today it felt as jittery as a hummingbird. “Well, you’re the deputy. I’ll trust your judgement, my dear.” Shimmersnow beamed, her excitement contagious. It felt as though a gale was lifting her out of all the worries she had been mulling over. All she could see was Shimmersnow. All she could hear was Shimmersnow. All she could feel was love. She could hear the chatter of other cats, perhaps talking to her, but she could barely hear them over the sound of her own beating heart. “Close your eyes, my love,” Shimmersnow whispered as they entered a part of the territory Pantherstar had never been. She closed her eyes, following the warmth of the scent that filled her with comfort. “Stay close to me.” The air shifted, and Pantherstar had to fight the urge to open her eyes in response to the new freshness that wafted towards her. She kept them closed, though, as per Shimmersnow’s instruction. Everything felt clear. Even though her eyes were closed, a bright light still pierced through them. There was no prey-scent, but it didn’t really matter. “Can I see now?” Pantherstar asked, eager to see. “Yes, dear, open your eyes,” Shimmersnow purred, brushing against her lightly. Pantherstar blinked and immediately shut her eyes again. She hadn’t expected the light to be coming from below. She slowly opened them again, and realized that they were standing in front of a huge stream of water. The leaves of willow trees hung from above, adding to the soft fragrance. The water bubbled and rippled as it slowly drifted left and away. Pantherstar lifted her head, soaking in the warmth that seeped through the willow leaves. “Shimmersnow, this is beautiful…” she breathed. Shimmersnow beamed. “There’s something else I want to show you, too,” she added, flicking her ear for Pantherstar to follow her. She set off through the undergrowth at a brisk pace. Pantherstar began to follow her, but stopped for a quick moment to take a drink. As she lowered her head to the water, Shimmersnow shook her head in alarm from up ahead. “Don’t drink that,” she warned, circling back quickly. “That’s the reason there is no prey here. And why do you think the trees close to the water are so small?” Pantherstar staggered back from the water. “You think it’s the water? But… it looks so fresh,” she muttered, taking a closer look. Shimmersnow watched over her carefully. The water smelled normal, and still looked perfectly clear. Could something appearing so harmless really be deadly? “O-okay, let’s go. What did you want to show me?” Shimmersnow lit up again. “Quickly, come on! Before the sun fully rises!” She began to run in the direction the stream was flowing, glancing back to make sure Pantherstar was following. Pantherstar tripped over her own paws, but managed to match her pace. She hadn’t run like this in so long. It felt exhilarating, almost like the day she had first proposed to Shimmersnow. Pantherstar let her tongue stick out, feeling the coolness hit with a fascinating prickle. She caught up to Shimmersnow quickly and lightly pressed herself against her. Both of them lost their balance and fell, tumbling down a soft slope. The ground underneath them changed from dirt to pebbles to sand. With a muffled thump, they landed in a pile of fur and claws, laughing.