Why Won't They Believe Me? {A Warriors Fanfiction}

~Why Won't They Believe Me?: Chapter Four~

"Why did she leave the Gathering so early?"

Cats around the camp were asking questions about the previous night. Vaporpaw was tired and irritated about everything. She tried to ignore, but it was next to impossible. So many voices that wouldn't quiet down, she was so stressed and mad. She padded past Darkstrike murmuring to Kitefur. "Vaporpaw wanted to leave the Gathering early last night, meaning I had to leave, too. It was so unfair! Why must she ruin it when I'm having a good time?"

Vaporpaw whirled around to face him. "It's not my fault!" she spat. "If you were like me, maybe then you'd understand! My hallucinations, they're terrifying . . . Yet no cat seems to understand I can't control it."

She turned and stalked off angrily. She felt Darkstrike's eyes burning through her pelt. Whatever, he's a mouse-brained fool who doesn't actually understand what's going on.

"Vaporpaw!" Snowyleaf called "How're you feeling?"

"Alright, I guess," Vaporpaw murmured. "I don't know, my head still hurts a little and cats around the camp are talking about me. Darkstrike blames me for him having to leave the Gathering early."

"It's not your fault, Vaporpaw," Snowyleaf reassured her. "Maybe you should go see if Stumpfoot wants to get some training done today."

"Stumpfoot's out patrolling," Vaporpaw told her. "With Mistyear and Xantheapaw."

"Great StarClan!" Snowyleaf hissed under her breath. "Well maybe it's best that you don't train today. Clearly your hallucination last night terrified you. Just rest up today."

"I want to go for a walk," Vaporpaw told her. "To clear my mind."

Snowyleaf blinked. "But Vaporpaw-"

"I'm leaving now," she interrupted, turning and padding away. "Bye Snowyleaf." Vaporpaw padded to the camp entrance and left, her head spinning. 

It's so nice out today, the sun is shining, there's barely any clouds, I love it. I should try to catch something and impress Stumpfoot.

Vaporpaw parted her jaws and scented the air. Trees, wind, grass . . . Mouse!

Vaporpaw got into a hunter's crouch and crept closer to the mouse's location. It was nibbling on something, Vaporpaw couldn't tell what. StarClan seemed to be in her favor as the wind blew so the mouse couldn't scent her. One paw in front of the other. Vaporpaw pounced and killed the creature in one swift move. She looked down and saw what it had been nibbling on. Some form of nut lay where the mouse had been. Vaporpaw leaned over and sniffed it, then drew back. Whatever it was, it wasn't something a cat should eat. She grabbed her mouse and buried it. I'll try to catch Stumpfoot and show her, she'll be so happy! It's my first catch in moons!

Vaporpaw padded toward the border where, hopefully, she'd find her mentor. As she got closer, an odd voice rang through the trees.

Ah, you. It had an odd echo to it, sending chills down Vaporpaw's spine.

"Wh-who are you?" she called out. 

It's just another hallucination, calm down. Just another hallucination . . . Just another . . . 

"Vaporpaw," the voice cooed. "So nice to see you."

"Are you real?" she murmured, her fur bristling.

A crow-black cat stepped out from the trees, it's eyes pure white with just little narrow slits in them stretching from bottom to top. "I could be." It's head suddenly tilted in an unnatural way, it's chin almost touching it's shoulder. "Or I could be fake. Your choice."

"What do you want?" Vaporpaw snapped.

"To prepare you," the cat said. It twisted it's head back to so it sat normal on it's shoulders.

"For what?" Vaporpaw demanded.

The cat shook out it's fur, then grinned a long, wide, toothy grin. "For the end of the Clans."