PLEASE CHECK BACK INTO PROLOGUE FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY, DO NOT PROCEED UNTIL YOU DO SO!

Patches awoke and looked around the room, trying to remember the time he was in. After a few minutes, he finished processing it and got up and left to head back up to the rails. He had to do his job, after all.

As he walked onto the deck, he noticed the land mass. His heart sunk as he didn't think it would come so soon. He took a deep breath. He felt great yet was so fearful at the same time. He remembered the grin on MottlePaw's face after Captain Ghostly tragically died, and Patches remembered MottlePaw's face when it came to his own death, too.

It was terrifying to recall. 

"Patchy, thou are to meet with me off the boat. Pearl, Marshy, and Moon, unload the Dragon's Blood and prepare for't to be used. We't hast it unprepared for Tana, may we?" MottlePaw commanded. 

Marshy and Pearl nodded, Moon just slunk after them. It seemed losing Skye did a number on Moon, that's for sure. 

Patches hesitantly nodded as MottlePaw slowly started heading towards the beach. Patches took  a deep breath in once more and tried to calm his nerves.

He waited as the boat eventually came to a halt, and Patches followed MottlePaw off the boat.

The sand was wet from the waves, and Patches already felt it in his paws. The other crew members unloaded the Dragon's Blood and watched with curiosity.

"What's wrong with thou, Patchy?" MottlePaw demanded. Patches's mind flashed with memories of this happening over, and over again. He was terrified as MottlePaw stepped closer, and as he stepped back.

He bristled his fur, refusing to die so soon. He knew he couldn't change the future, but he could try to at least fight it.

"Nought! I just wot what happens, and I care not for the way you-" Patches was cut off by MottlePaw. "Whatever Winter told thou ere his perpetual wink is not of importance. He's aye been delusional, and everyone knows it."

With a snarl, Patches responded. "Do not mention his name like that! Winter's aye known what was going to befall, and thou wot it! Thou've seen his true form, thou wot!" He tried to reason. MottlePaw glared at him and pushed Patches into the water, yet he wasn't submerged.

It was hard for Patches to know if anything changed or not, but it sure felt like it did.

"Let this be a lesson to all of thou. I do not tolerate as much talking back as what Ghostly didst. That fool was ne'r fit to be captain." MottlePaw announced, glaring at the crew, then at Patches.

Patches's eyes widened further as MottlePaw tackled him, submerging him in water. As the water filled his lungs, his breathing became harder and harder to do. His fur bristled as he tried to fight her off, but he failed.

The darkness consumed Patches, and all he could do was wait to join Winter. 

However, unlike most of Patches's normal occurrences with this death, something new happened. A light, a spark, something made Patches feel hopeful that perhaps, just maybe, everything was going to be okay for once.