lately i've been losing sleep ! [open]

pricklepaw
everything that kills me makes me feel alive

Pricklepaw was standing in a clearing, surrounded on all sides by cats with eyes gleaming with hostility. His heart was pounding in his throat, and he spun to the left--the right. Arching his back to try and make himself look bigger--futile, he was far too small, far to weak--Pricklepaw hissed and bared his fangs. "Who's there? Show yourself! I'm not afraid of you!"

"Liar!" came a furious hiss from his left. Pricklepaw whirled, his heart leaping in his throat as he was knocked into. There was a stifling stench of carrion--it choked him, made him gag. The black apprentice shoved out with all four claws, slashed brutally at his attacker. The stench of rot seemed to increase. It was horrific, and he was gagging, physically choking on the smell of it.

"Get off! Leave me alone!" Pricklepaw howled, pinning his ears against his skull. Suddenly the weight vanished, and he found himself rolling away with his chest heaving. Just when he thought he'd escaped, something smashed onto him from above. Claws burrowed deep into his pelt, and he yowled with pain as his face was pushed into the ground. "No!"

"You think you can be through with me just because I'm crowfood?" breathed his attacker. Fear smashed into Pricklepaw, and he squirmed desperately, "You'll never be rid of me, I'll follow you until the end of time Pricklepaw. What's a mentor for?"

Pricklepaw woke with a strangled yowl. His heart was hammering in his chest, his head practically screamed at him in pain. The apprentice's stomach clenched in agony, and he hauled himself to his paws with a start. Was he going to be sick? It was just a dream, mouse-brain! Calm down! Calm down!

"Pricklepaw?" Lionpaw meowed drowsily from his spot a few tail-lengths away, "You okay?"

"It's nothing, shut up!" Pricklepaw hissed, his pelt prickling with anxiety. He brushed past the bewildered apprentice, practically throwing himself outside. The bright light of the day nearly blinded him, and his head shrieked with agony. A shudder of pain raced down his spine, and he stumbled for a moment, disoriented by the severity of his headache.

"StarClan, he's kicking my tail even in my dreams," Pricklepaw meowed weakly. Beartail's death should have been the end of it, but he felt like he was being hunted in his sleep. Like the big tom was stalking the shadows of his dreamscape just to make sure he never got a proper rest. Misery weighed the apprentice down like a heavy boulder, and he tucked his nose into this chest fur and heaved out a shaking sigh.

A prickle of guilt worked its way up his spine. He ought to apologize to Lionpaw, after all the apprentice was only trying to look out for him. It wasn't his fault that Pricklepaw could hardly explain that his father--who's death he was actually grateful for--was driving him half-crazy with guilt. Maybe he ought to talk to Firedream? Didn't Medicine Cats know a lot about dreams?

And tell him what? I hated Beartail and now every time I go to sleep he's there heckling me? Pricklepaw scoffed, disgusted with himself. Yeah, right. I'm not getting signs from StarClan, I'm just punishing myself subconsciously for being a heap of foxdung.

What about the headaches though? Surely the Medicine Cat would have something for the pain--but no, he couldn't bring himself to ask him for something like that. His pride wouldn't let him bother him, Firedream had better things to deal with than an apprentice whining about a headache. Ugh, he felt awful though. Pricklepaw heaved an exhausted sigh.

notes: poor baby's been having nightmares and has a helluva headache. yay lionpaw cameo!!
wc: 606