Diagnosed with a developmental disorder at a young age, Duskelle Waterlee has always been special - but not necessarily in a good way. Even at the age of fourteen, she is still unable to truly grasp human ways of life.
Her only relief is River, a st...
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Sorry about the non-canon-ness of the name. I created it before I realized that they call it the sun-drown place, and it was too late to change it, so yup, you're stuck with Seapaw. :D
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Duskelle stared at River as her forelegs almost buckled. She couldn't believe that River would've abandoned her.
"Duskelle..." River started to say, but Duskelle cut her off.
"I thought you were a friend, River," she hissed, seething. "A reliable friend." Her voice cracked as she said, "My best friend."
Then her gaze hardened and she stood straighter. "I guess you're not what I thought you were." Duskelle realized that this cat wasn't River. No, she wasn't River, and she never could be. River's spirit had been stolen by the land a long time ago. If her actual spirit was still in her, then River never would've left. So it was useless break down, useless to ask her why she did it, how she did it.
With her new resolution made, she turned and strode over to Minnowstar, the other cats making way for her once again. "I'd like to talk to you, Minnowstar," she said without hesitation when she reached the she-cat. The cats around her bristled and their fur slightly rose off their haunches. She wasn't addressing their leader with proper respect, she realized. But she didn't care. Not when she'd lost so much.
"Alright," Minnowstar said, a sliver of pity lingering in her voice. "Come on." The leader of the cats began to walk to the place where she apparently slept, the rock cliff with a hole in it. Duskelle followed. All were dead silent. The branches being rustled by the wind could be heard over their heads. The slight sound of running water could be heard from the stream that they had crossed earlier. All eyes were on Minnowstar and Duskelle. She took no notice and stalked after Minnowstar.
They finally reached the leader's hole. Minnowstar turned back to her. Frostmist, back in the clearing, was yowling, "Move cats! We still have work to do!" The regular sound of a bustling place with many creatures sounded once more.
"So," Minnowstar said, looking everywhere but Duskelle's blue eyes, which were glittering intensely with anger and betrayal. "You wanted to talk."
"Yes," Duskelle said, eerily calm. She inwardly took a deep breath and said, "I would like to join you."
"What?" Minnowstar asked, baffled and not quite sure if Duskelle had actually asked what she thought she had asked.
"Yes, you heard right. I want to join you forest cats," Duskelle said.
"A Twoleg..." Minnowstar drew out.
"I'm going to change," Duskelle said. It was true and she knew it. She could feel it, deep in her heart, that she was going to change into a true cat. Form and mind. Though her mind was already cat.
Minnowstar eyed her warily, sizing up her options. After an agonizing few minutes, she seemed to make her decision and sat straighter. "You may join," she said. "But if I ever feel like you are a burden or if you are putting my clan into danger..."
Duskelle didn't get what she meant by "clan" but she assumed it was all the cats who lived here. "Then cast me out," she replied to Minnowstar's hanging question, locking her gaze onto the leader's.
"What is your name?" the she cat asked, curling her tail elegantly around her paws.
"Duskelle Waterlee," she replied stiffly.
"Hmm," Minnowstar said, seemingly in deep thought. Then she snapped back to Duskelle. "Would you like to keep your present name or be given a warrior name?" Once again, she eyed Duskelle up and down. "No, you would be an apprentice. Still need to learn everything and apparently rather young."
Duskelle was baffled. What was a warrior name? An apprentice? She had no idea what that meant. But if getting a new name was something that would help her fit in more, and become more cat, she would do it. "Alright. I'll take on the name you give me," she said coolly, returning Minnowstar's expectant gaze.
"Alright then. I will announce your joining of RiverClan to the others later. For now, I think you just need to rest a little bit, and I need the Clan to settle down before I break the news to them. I'll have Seapaw take you to the apprentice den and ask her to explain everything to you." Before Duskelle could say anything else, Minnowstar leapt around her and yowled, "Seapaw!"
Heads looked up, but continued working a minute later. After a moment, a shaggy-furred brown cat bounded up to Minnowstar and Duskelle. Her pale green eyes were wide as she skidded to a stop in front of them. "Minnowstar, no, it wasn't my idea! It was Mosspaw! He made me do it!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Seapaw. I just wanted you to take our guest to the apprentice den."
"Whoa," Seapaw said, this time her eyes widening in surprise. "A Twoleg! Agh!" She slipped her claws out of their sheaths and held an awkward battle position. "Do I need to attack her? Is this my warrior assessment?"
"Seapaw, just take her to the apprentice den. She means no harm. Okay?" Minnowstar said, rolling her eyes.
"Okay, okay, okay, Minnowstar. Follow me!" Seapaw said to Duskelle as she bounded back down.
Duskelle wondered why this cat wasn't as scared of her as the others. Maybe it was because she was such a young cat. She shook off her thoughts and padded after the overexcited she-cat, a sense of dull tiredness that slowly blotted out everything taking over her mind.
