TW: Suicidal themes mentioned!
~

Maple softly blinked as she scented the familiar tangy scent of the thunderpath, hearing the faint roaring of monsters, sheltered behind a bunch of long and high stalks near the edge of unmarked territory and moorland.

Just as I was about to take my shoes off, on the rooftop there I see

She ripped at small tufts of grass, blinking as another scent entered her nose past the thunderpath scent. She nudged through the tall earth, blinking gently. Another cat sat near the path.

A girl with braided hair here before me?

The ex-leader stared at the other cat, her eyes widening as she recognized the splotched, curly pelt. ‘Poppydapple?!’ Her kin was long dead, she murdered the poor queen, right at her paws defending an apprentice. Her ears folded, staring as the she trotted across the side of the path still on the grass, ears alert. Maple assumed she was scanning for monsters.

Despite myself, I go and scream

Maple felt a lump in her throat, a thick thorn stabbing through her heart at the sight of her kin actively looking for monsters near the thunderpath. She couldn’t hold herself back, jumping out of the cover, yelping.

“Hey, don't do it please!”

Poppy had jolted at the sudden yowl, whipping around. Maple simply stared her kin in the eyes, tail dragged behind her. She took a subconscious thought that Poppy looked more than alive, no hint of being a StarClan cat shown at all. The queen weakly smiled at Maple, her curly fur turned upright properly, like a natural grooming session. The other also held a green flower in her head, bright baby blue eyes glowing, multiple emotions mixed along in them.

Whoa, wait a minute what did I just say?

Maple blinked as she realized the words that exited her jaw. She had come here to wait for monsters and run on the path, stopping her already dead kin from doing so instead of just joining her. Her heart ached looking at the shecat, she couldn’t just let her end her starry life by running into the path.

I ‘couldn't’ care less either way

Maple frowned, taking a few paces forward, where Poppy simply smiled weakly. “Poppy…” She murmured, her ears flat as she locked eyes with her.

To be honest, I was somewhat pissed

“Sorry.. I didn’t expect you…” The queen started before trailing off silently. A sudden anger bubbled in Maple, perhaps annoyance at the fact she missed her chance or the queen being here.

This was an opportunity missed

In the silence, Maple dug into the emotion. It was anger that she missed her chance. She could tell by the vibrations. She sighed weakly.

The girl with braided hair told me her woes

Maple glanced up to Poppy, her paws scuffling on the floor as she spoke, quietly, weakly, not focusing on her kin.

“You've probably heard it all before..I Really thought that he might be the one, but then he told me he was done..”

Maple immediately knew who Poppy was talking about. That fox-hearted thundercat she had as a mate. The father her kits never had. Rage bubbled into Maple’s figure, growling, her claws digging into the ground as she remembered. She was stalking in the trees when Poppy told her mate she was going to have kits. She remembered the anger on the tabby’s face when he heard this, slamming his paw on Poppy’s head. He spat at her and ran, never to return to the clan again. Maple leaped down and comforted her kin. She was only deputy at this time, but on StarClan’s will, she ran and told the leader. The leader thereforth exiled the tom for abuse on a queen. Maple couldn’t stop herself as the angered words flooded from her jaw.

“For God's sake, please! Are you serious?! I just can't believe that for some stupid reason, you got here before me!”

Maple felt her fur bristle, glaring at Poppy. She had nothing but sympathy for her kin, they respected each other. She couldn’t handle her talking about losing her mate when Maple had lost so much more because of her stupid decisions.

“Are you upset 'cause you can't have what you wanted?! You're lucky that you've never gotten robbed of anything!”

Maple paused as tears started to stream down Poppy’s face, the queen turning from her physical form more into a spirit, stars surrounding her as she murmured.

“I'm feeling better, thank you for listening..!”

The girl with braided hair then disappeared

Maple stiffened as Poppy started to vanish. “Wait!” She tried to leap onto the stars that now disintegrated, left with nothing but emptiness and the whisking of monsters as she sat on the land. Her ears pinned and she turned back. She’d come back another day.

“Alright, today's the day!” or so I thought

Maple hummed as she brushed in the undergrowth, her ears and nose alert for any other cats. She pressed to the ground, looking up at the long golden stalks she was pushing through, the sun gleaming into her eyes, causing her to look back down.

Just as I took both of my shoes off

Suddenly a scent crept past the tar of the thunderpath. She opened her jaw. It was ShadowClan scent, like her own, but she wasn’t sure who. As she reached the end of the golden stalks, she nudged her face through.

There was but a girl short as can be

Featherpaw sat there, pacing and scuffling her paws on the ground as if contemplating her decision. Maple stared at the apprentice in astonishment, her eyes widening.

Despite myself, I go and scream

She jumped out of the stalks and yelped for the apprentice, much like she did Poppy, the smaller having the exact same reaction. They had a bit of sad conversation before going quiet.

The petite girl told me her woes

Finally, Feather spoke, earning Maple’s attention as she listened to her words.

“You've probably heard it all before..Everyone ignores me, everyone steals, I don't fit in with anyone here.”

Maple blinked. A vivid image of waking up to Dawn shoving her in her spot made her ears perk up. She remembers following the apprentice to the nursery where Little was gripping Rocky’kit, a dog they adopted into the clan because he was so young, trying to break out of the camp with the small pup. She remembers after helping Feather, Golden and Dawn rescue the pup back how she comforted Feather, telling her Little wouldn’t do it again. Despite two figures of authority— herself, close to the leader Dusk’star, and the deputy— approving of the decision to bring Rocky and Cinder— a lynx kit— into the clan, there were still some who ignored it and disapproved. Maple rushed to the apprentice, corralling her away from the path as she growled.

“For God's sake, please! Are you serious?! I just can't believe that for some stupid reason you got here before me! 'Cause even so, you're still loved by everyone at home, there's always dinner waiting on the table, you know!”

Maple weakly smiled as Feather stopped struggling against her, gazing up at her mentor with sad eyes.

“I'm hungry..” said the girl as she shed a tear,

The girl short as can be then disappeared

Feather pressed her nose to Maple’s shoulder, a sign of respect, then left through the stalks of yellow.

And like that, there was someone every day

Maple blazed through the following days, meeting a new cat every time she went to the path. Tabby’s, Calicos, Tortoiseshells, the list could go on and on.

I listened to their tale

She remembers taking the same steps she used for Poppy and Feather, listening to the cats and linking it to something she’s seen.

I made them turn away

She would then corral and persuade the cats off and away from the path, bringing them to understanding and happiness once more before they left the way they came.

And yet there was no one who would do this for me

In this process, Maple understood something. No matter how many cats she helped, she was on her own. No one would help her with this, she was the one to help others.

No way I could let out all this pain

Maple frowned as she again whisked away another cat. A calico tom. She lowered her head, sitting for a few minutes before leaping into the growth of the yellow stalks, bounding away.

Maple had shoved her way in the golden stalks once more, this time picking up a scent of fish. RiverClan. She assumed. All of the cats she corralled away all came from different clans, so she honestly wasn’t bothered.

For the very first time, there I see

She poked her face through the undergrowth, examining the dark pelt before her. She examined rather closely, humming.

Someone with the same pains as me

Something about this cat struck Maple right in the heart. Something similar. A feeling of home.

Having done this time and time again

Maple moved a few inches out of the golden stalks, trying to figure out who this cat was that made her tense.

She wore a yellow cardigan

She noticed a golden patch on their back, which she identified as the golden stalks she shoved through. She could see their jaw move as their voice rang in the air.

“I just wanna stop the scars that grow ev-e-ry-time that I go home..”

The voice rung in Maple’s head. ‘Storm!’ Happiness flooded in Maple, her eyes wide as she listened to her old friend that she accepted into the clan and had so much joy with.

“That's why I came up here instead.”

That's what the girl in the cardigan said

Maple was about to happily exclaim before realizing this situation. Storm. The cat she held dearly, right underneath her kin, was sat in front of the thunderpath, looking out blindly, as if daydreaming.

Whoa, wait a minute what did I just say?

Maple blinked. Storm was already dead. Like Poppy. Yet her pelt was clear, no signs of being StarClan.. Like Poppy.

I couldn't care less either way

Maple frowned. All her thoughts focused on Storm. A lump appeared in her throat, much like with Poppy.

But in the moment I just screamed

Something that I did not believe

Maple tensed, before her mew escaped her jaw.

“Hey, don't do it please!”

Storm didn’t react, just turned to Maple sadly. Maple felt her fur bristle as she stared at her friend in sorrow. Her eyes were fogged like when she died, causing multiple emotions to flare in her heart.

Aah, what to do?!

Maple couldn’t say anymore. With Storm not giving in like all of the others did, a thorn was caught in the ex-leader’s throat.

I can't stop this girl, oh this is new!

She couldn’t react, she felt frozen. Like a mouse caught under a cat’s claws. She urged her paws to move forward, to fall and unravel in her friend's pelt.

For once I think I've bitten off more than I can chew!

Maple could feel tears bubbling at her eyes, a whine coming from her jaw as her head lowered.

But even so please just go away so I can't see!

Your pitiful expression is just too much for me!

When she looked up, Storm was giving her a weak smile, a pitiful smile. As if reading her friend, her jaw opened and a mew escaped.

“I guess today is just not my day.”

Storm turned as a monster whisked by, ears perking up, stars floating near her.

She looked away from me and then she disappeared

Maple opened her jaw to cry out, only stopping as Storm was whisked away, turning into stars once more and disappearing. She frowned, trotting back into the stalks.

There's no one here today, I guess it's time

Maple blinked, somewhat surprised by the sudden quiet of being alone on the path. She constantly glanced around and opened her jaw but scented nothing but the tar.

It's just me, myself, and I

A sudden joy flurred through her at finally having her turn. She perked up her ears, hearing a monster turn and tumble not far away from her.

There's no one who can interfere

She smiled, her tail twitching out of joy, swallowing a sudden lump she felt in her throat.

No one to get in my way here

Taking off my yellow cardigan

Maple shook her fur, a clump of yellow from the golden stalks slipping off of her figure.

Watching my braids all come undone

She felt the wind ruffle her curled fur, the tumbling of the monster growing closer.

This petite girl, short as can be

As she stared across the path, she realized how small she was. The monster came rolling into sight. She waited.

Is gonna jump now and be free

As soon as the monster was close, she dashed onto the path, closing her eyes tightly. Something thudded against her. She was sent spiraling, but felt no pain. She landed on.. grass? She opened her eyes when she stopped moving, jaw gaping and eyes widening at the sight. The monster had rolled past, but she wasn’t the one hit. Blood smeared on the ground, scattered stars laying around the sticky liquid. Two bodies lay further down the path. She didn’t have to get closer, she knew what happened. A sob escaped her jaw. The starry bodies nested on the path were Poppy and Storm. She felt something shove her, glancing up.

She lifted her head to see Heather crouched at her side. “Finally, you’re up! You’ve been rolling around for the past few minutes, I got concerned. It’s nearly sun-high, what’s going on?” The deputy gazed at Maple, her voice full of worry. Maple remembered seeing her as one of the cats she rescued from the path. “It’s nothing.. just a dream.” She huffed, standing and scratching some moss out of her pelt. Heather hesitated, but nodded and turned and left. Maple frowned. But now she realized everyone had problems, she wasn’t necessarily alone. She got up with a weak huff, smiling weakly as she slowly emerged from the den. Time for another day.