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

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

Vaporpaw tried to ignore it as it padded around camp, shooting her it's unsettling grins every now and then. It claimed it didn't have a name, so Vaporpaw had just named it Crowshadow. 

Is Crowshadow really just a hallucination? It's been following me around for a moon, hallucinations don't do that, do they? Maybe Crowshadow's different. But my hallucinations normally don't talk to me . . . Could I try controlling Crowshadow's responses to me? Worth a shot.

She hurried over to Crowshadow, ushering it away from the Clan. She lead Crowshadow to a quiet clearing, making sure no one was around. "Crowshadow, why have you been sticking around in my camp?" 

Say that it's just to bother me.

"It's just to bother you," Crowshadow replied. Hope sparked in Vaporpaw's chest before it snorted. "Nice try," Crowshadow snarled. "I control myself, nobody else."

Vaporpaw felt embarrassed that she'd been caught and shifted her paws uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, I just-"

"I know what you wanted," Crowshadow told her. "You want me to go away, which I don't plan to do anytime soon."

"I'm sorry," Vaporpaw repeated. She began to head back to camp when someone stopped her. "Vaporpaw, who were you talking to?"

Vaporpaw whirled around and saw Juniperheart. "Uh . . . nobody."

"Vaporpaw, who was it?" Juniperheart demanded, taking a step closer. "No one was replying but you were still talking. To who?"

"Nobody," Vaporpaw snapped. "I told you."

"Who?" Juniperheart demanded again, raising her voice.

"Crowshadow," Vaporpaw admitted. "I need imaginary friends sometimes. What do you expect when half the Clan thinks I'm crazy?"

Vaporpaw shot Crowshadow a look. It was eyeing Juniperheart as though it wanted to kill her. Don't hurt her! I didn't tell her who you really are. You're lucky. I could have and should have.

Crowshadow glared at Vaporpaw as Juniperheart spoke again. "You've never had an imaginary friend before."

"Just mind your business!" Vaporpaw spat. She turned away and stalked back to camp. Juniperheart slowly followed her, and Crowshadow bounded up to her side. "I didn't know you named me," it mewed.

"Of course you didn't," Vaporpaw quietly hissed. "You only know what you want to, everything else just doesn't exist."

"Crowshadow," Crowshadow meowed, completely ignoring her. "Nice name. Wish you didn't have a name so I could name you Brightfur."

"Well I'm an apprentice, so it'd have to be Brightpaw for the time being." Vaporpaw made sure to keep her voice down so Juniperheart couldn't hear her. The she-cat was still walking behind her, far enough behind that she was out of earshot of their murmurs.

"Look," Vaporpaw whispered, leaning over to Crowshadow's ear. "I'm a Clan cat, I'm meant to become a warrior. I need to train. Please just stay out of my fur until that time comes, okay?"

Crowshadow looked thoughtful for a moment. "Can I call you Vaporfur?"

Vaporpaw sighed. "Do whatever you want, just let me do what needs to be done."

"Will do, Vaporfur!" Crowshadow chirped.

Despite it constantly bothering her and making her uneasy, Vaporpaw couldn't help but feel a little spark of joy at Crowshadow's happiness of finding a name for her.

It's always around, constantly following me. It's unsettling, but kind of comforting. Almost as though Crowshadow's keeping me safe . . . 

Have I made a new friend?

I have a terrible taste in friends.

Crowshadow kept close to her side as she practiced battle moves with Otterpaw. It was slightly entertaining to watch it around in circles. It leapt over to the right, then over to the left, then back again, nearly tripping over it's paws.

Run, Crowshadow, run! she teased. 

Shut up! Crowshadow's voice rang through her head, leaving a long lasting echo. Vaporpaw had to try not to laugh and focus.

Otterpaw began to run at her legs, but Vaporpaw got out of the way just in time. She grabbed Otterpaw's tail gently in her mouth and pulled her back. She pounced onto her back and pinned her down.

"Okay, okay! I surrender!"

Vaporpaw smiled. "Do you really?"

"Yes!" Otterpaw squirmed uncomfortably, trying to get free. Vaporpaw let her go and she quickly got to her paws, rolling her eyes as Vaporpaw let out a triumphant yowl.

"Well done, Vaporpaw!" Stumpfoot called from the sides where she'd been watching. Reedfrost let out a small giggle and Otterpaw shot him a look. 

"Yes, well done Vaporfur," Crowshadow chuckled.

"Hush," she giggled quietly.

Crowshadow stretched out it's forepaws in a stretch. "You know, it's relieving that I don't have to be quiet all the time when talking to you. Only you have to be quiet when talking to me, it's almost hilarious."

Vaporpaw rolled her eyes and bounded over to her mentor. Stumpfoot smiled at her, pride shining in her eyes. "You've been doing so well lately! What happened to all those hallucinations? Did Snowyleaf cure them?"

"No," Vaporpaw admitted. "I've only had one recently. It hasn't really gone away, but it's easy to ignore."

"Rude!" Crowshadow called from the trees on the far side of the Battle Hollow.

Vaporpaw held back a giggle.

"Keep this up and you'll be a warrior soon," Stumpfoot purred.

Vaporpaw's ears perked up. "Really?"

"Yes!"

"Good job, Vaporpaw," Otterpaw purred as they began to head back to camp. "You've done so well lately. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Otterpaw," she mewed happily. "I appreciate that. You did well today, too."

"Thanks."

Crowshadow bounded up to Vaporpaw, anxiety flaring in it's normally mischievous eyes. "Vaporpaw, I warned you," it mumbled. "It's coming?"

Vaporpaw let herself fall behind Otterpaw, who seemed more focus on getting back to camp and relaxing.

"What's coming?"

"The end of the Clans!" Crowshadow snapped. "I told you this, mouse-brain!"

"I-it-you . . . That's real?!"

"Obviously!"

"I thought it was just to scare me!"

"No!"

Fear flooded through Vaporpaw. "I need to tell someone. Trunkstar, Mistyear, Snowyleaf, I need to tell all of them!"

"Do what you want," Crowshadow mewed. "Just find a way to save the Clans, especially your own."

Vaporpaw blinked. "Do you . . . care about MoonClan?"

"What's that got to do with anything?" Crowshadow hissed.

"Just wondering."

Crowshadow sighed. "Just find a way to the Clans. Please."