>>Only @ nightmare? Nightmares K1LL.

[le Dawnz]

Who will catch him before he hits the ground?


The heavy sound of breathing and a loud thumping heart beat. The classic start to a horror story. Through the dark woods that seemed to never end a ginger cat was led by what he knew and trusted. And for this particular cat, that was nothing. Deeper and deeper the trees seemed to go until he couldn't find his way anymore. He was hopelessly lost. That's alright. he thought silently. I'll find my way out of here someway or another. But he didn't really believe that. He knew he'd be better off staying there in that lonesome forest, far away from everyone else. It would be better for BloodClan. Better for his family. It'd even be better for Massie if he just disappeared. Wait, what's that? His attention was distracted as he glanced up at the black sky. There was just a tiny trickle of light. But it seemed so far away. It almost resembled... a star! The tom cat didn't know what to make of it. Not that he was given the chance. In less then a moment, he was ripped away from the dark scene. He now found himself in a pit dug by the claws of BloodClan cats. He looked around and saw his clan surrounding him at the pit's edges, yowling and screeching as if watching a fight. But it wasn't just his clanmates. There buried within the pack were cats he knew from all the clans, and even some loners and rogues. They all cheered on angrily, as if they were hoping he would go mad, or maybe die. Before he could guess, another body was launched at him. He fell back in surprise. Leaping to his feet and whirling around to face his attacker, he found himself face to face with his father.


Mikkikko aroused panting and claws at the ground, trying to scramble to his paws. His eyes were wide open in fear and his pelt glistened with sweat. He looked around, unsure of where he was. He soon came to realize he was in Massie's barn. and the she-cat was curled up beside him. His eyes rolled up into his head as his eyelids closed and he let out a heaved sigh, resting his chin on his paws. It was only a dream. "It was only a dream." he breathed through a whisper. Swallowing and taking deep breaths, he tried to get a hold of himself. What was happening to him?


Who will help this falling cat land safely on his feet?

[Roxie !]

The she-cat's calico flanks rose up and down gently as she breathed rhythmically in what was, unlike her mate's, a dreamless and peaceful slumber. But Massie had always been a light sleeper, and as beside her, Mikkikko awoke and murmured the words to himself, her left ear flicked toward him. After a moment, she stirred, lifting her sleek head in sleepy confusion. Massie yawned, revealing clean white fangs and a small pink tongue, before turning to Mikkikko. She surveyed him with keen green eyes that were toned as light as summer leaves, her expression half skeptical, and half concerned. "A Dream? Are you okay?" Her tone was as soft as the night winds, partly because of her concern, and partly because of the late hour and her exhaustion because of it. Her multi-colored tail flicked, and she pressed her orange- and-white fur against his darker ruddy pelt in a comforting gesture. Massie could see, not only from the way Mikkikko was now taking noticeably deep breaths, but from his shaken expression, that it had been more than 'only a dream'.

[le Dawnz]

The tom closed his eyes for a moment as Massie leaned against him, taking comfort in her scent and her presence there beside him before pulling away and clumsly getting to his paws. "I'm fine." he murmured to his mate, a little grudgingly. But relization crept into his mind that she didn't deserve to be snapped at for caring and he added gently, "It was just a dream, I'm alright." Shaking his pelt and making his way through the dark toward the door, he sat down in the cool moonlight. And it was clear to see he wasn't alright. Over the past moon his posture had changed from proud and strong to exhausted and fragile. His sides were caving into his ribs, hungry for the prey that hadn't been eaten. Even his attitude had changed. The spark that once held ambition and thoughtfulness had burnt out. It was obvious that this wasn't the first night dreams had haunted his sleep. But he wouldn't let Massie see it. He didn't want her to worry. Mikkikko was more concerned about her. She didn't have any idea of what was going on because he was trying to keep it hidden. He didn't want her to get hurt by whatever was so obviously after him. Weither it was just trying to drive him insane or kill him, something was getting him lost. And he seemed to have given up hope of finding his way back.

[Roxie !]

Massie's ears twitched at the initial snapping tone, but she said nothing, accepting the gentler words silently. She surveyed Mikkikko briefly, but said nothing as he turned and padded away out of the barn. For a moment, the loner lay there thoughtfully, her green eyes narrowing. Mikkikko hadn't been himself lately, for whatever reason, and it bothered her. Before long, she she-cat fell deep into her thoughts, but shook them away as she got to her paws. She stretched quickly, before padding silently over to her mate's position. Pausing a few feet away, Massie regarded him warily. Maybe he just needed to be alone...but something told her that he'd been alone for a long time now. With a soft sigh that barely broke the silence of the cool night, she padded a few paces further until she stood beside Mikkikko, her expression softening. "Okay," She meowed softly, although she knew he was anything but. "It's just...I can't help but...worry about you sometimes." Massie wasn't sure if this was the right thing to say, but she wasn't going to just pretend that there was nothing different in Mikkikko's movements, voice, and his expression. The she-cat sat down, her tail curling delicately around her small paws as she waited for an answer, although unsure that she was even going to get one.

[le Dawnz]

>> Ahh!! -ish frustrated with sub writing- Screw that, I need bolded text.]]

Mikkikko's glossy eyes searched the ground gently. His body longed for food and sleep. But he was wide awake, no longer wishing for sleep to over come him again and take him into the reaccuring nightmares. Torture was his misfortune. He blinked slowly, Massie's words sinking in. Then he looked away. "Leafwhisper is dead," he said roughly. "All because I didn't get there in time." He swallowed hard, refusing to let himself weep tears that for days had threatened to spill. It wasn't telling his mate everything, but it wasn't lieing to her either. The brutal death of his sister wasn't the only reason he'd been in such a slump lately. But it was part of it, and Massie deserved to know atleast that much.

[Roxie !]

OOC//Lol I know, it gets annoying!

IC// Leafwhisper. The familiar name of Mikkikko's ThunderClan sister flashed into her mind. The silver she-cat had almost killed herself by diving purposely into the icy RiverClan river, and Massie had resentfully saved her. That had been how she and Mikkikko met, and as awkward as it might have been, it had brought them together. But now, it felt like it had all been for nothing that Massie had saved her that day. She turned to her mate, her green eyes flickering with pale grief, and even this, she knew, didn't match what Mikkikko was feeling right now. It killed her to see him like this, and she felt helpless to do anything about it. For a moment, she was silent, speechless at the news. "I'm so sorry, Mikkikko...." She spoke at last, her voice soft and almost shaky as she meowed the words. With a sigh, Massie pressed her muzzle briefly into his dark red fur, before pulling away and shaking her head slowly. "What...what happened?" The question had come naturally, and it had spilled out before she had a chance to ponder it. But after this, Massie's eyes grew wider. It seemed like such an insensitive thing to say...and Mikkikko probably didn't want to talk about it. "Never mind, I'm sorry." She meowed afterward, her gaze falling to her paws.

[le Dawnz]

The ruddy tom sighed deeply and replied without peeling his gaze from the earth's floor. "A dog. That damn BloodClan dog." he began, lightly at first, then anguished. "She'd been looking for me you know. If it wasn't for me, she'd still be alive, dammit!" He looked up at the sky as if he were blaming something up there. StarClan perhaps? He shook himself out of it. StarClan didn't exist. Besides, it was his fault and he knew it. He tucked his chin into his chest and shut his eyes tightly against the world. If only he'd gotten to her in time. Or if she'd never come looking for him in the first place. But it didn't matter anymore. She was gone and that was it. No amount of ifs, ands, or buts, was going to change that. Mikkikko only wished it could.

[Roxie !]

Massie listened quietly, her eyes narrowind slightly. She said nothing as he told her what had happened, only flicked her ears sympathetically. She racked her mind for a way, any way to help Mikkikko through this. It wasn't is fault. "I don't know about StarClan, or whatever Clan-cats believe in. But one thing I do believe in...is fate." She glanced over at Mikkikko, sadness reflecting in her eyes. "You couldn't have stopped her. Dogs are just...too big. If she hadn't been in BloodClan lands, maybe something else would have happened. Maybe it was just...her time." Massie paused, considering her words. "Whatever the reason, it wasn't your fault. You have to believe that." Her words were soft and gentle, although she wasn't sure of the exact effect they'd have on her mate.

[le Dawnz]

Mikkikko looked at Massie as she spoke, but his expression didn't change. "If she hadn't been looking for me, she never would have been killed!" he yowled to the ground, turning away from her again. "It is my fault and I just have to accept that. There's no such thing as fate and there's certainly no such thing as StarClan." He snorted with disgust and looked up. "It's all one big lie. Something that others tell us because they get a kick out of watching us squirm, or trying to make it seem like it was nobody's fault when it really is." He sighed and dug his claws into the ground. Now he'd gone past Leafwhisper into deeper territory. Territory that Massie still didn't know about. Now instead of anger there was fear and shame. He didn't want her to get hurt. The best thing for everyone would be if he were to just run away. Run away from his problems, his so-called home. Or maybe just get it over with and kill himself. It would make things so much easier. If things keep on like this, I'll end up starving to death anyway. he thought, looking down at his ribs poking out from his sides.

[Roxie !]

Whether she agreed or disagreed, Massie did not indicate. Her ears twitched slightly. At any other time, she might have rebuked him slightly. But she knew that there was more behind this than Mikkikko let on to, and said nothing, her own green eyes traveling to the ground. She had expected an answer somewhat like what he had just said, but it didn't make her feel any less guilty about not being able to help. She was his mate, for crying out loud. She wasn't supposed to just sit here and watch him suffer! For lack of words, Massie sighed silently, and brushed her pelt against Mikkikko's again. "...I'm sorry."

[le Dawnz]

Mikkikko closed his eyes, feeling like he were deflating. For a moment, he didn't say anything. Just basked in her sweet smelling aroma trying to think. But he couldn't think straight and that was the problem. Everything little thought that got on track veered off in another direction as if avoiding the next one to come. He sighed and felt as though he were now melting like puddy in his mate's paws. If you were close enough you could see and almost feel the way his stiff joints fell into a deeper, more appologetic then suffering, slump. He raised his head to Massie and looked her in the eyes. "I know. And I'm sorry too." he said gently, border-lining a whisper. "I know I shouldn't... blame myself, but I do." Over all, Mikkikko wasn't a very big talker. Tonight was one of those few nights where he said more then need be. He longed for the comfort he used to know. For Massie to just curl up against him, his head resting gently over hers, their minds as in sync as their breathing as they just enjoyed each other's company. Times like those, even times unrelated, it was as if they could read each others minds. They were one, body and mind. But life was making it so hard for him to relax even for one peaceful moment with his mate. As he layed down on the forest floor carefully, as if he were in stiff pain, he thought, I don't even really care what happens to me anymore.

[Roxie !]

Massie sighed softly, slowly letting herself relax under the starry blanket of the night sky. Her eyes narrowed slightly out of contentment, for despite the circumstances, it was enough that they were together now, at least. "I don't think she'd want you to," She meowed softly at last, her words almost tentatively breaking the night's silence. "But I know it's hard." She had once gone through a similar experience when her brother had died. Generally, she had grown to blame BloodClan when she couldn't deal with blaming herself any longer. But that hadn't been the answer either. Instead of speaking more, Massie lay perfectly still beside Mikkikko, hoping that perhaps tonight, actions would speak louder than words. Her orange tail tapped silently on the ground behind her, its movements generally growing slower and slower until the calico loner lay motionless on the forest floor. Her breathing was soft and steady, almost as if she were in a deep slumber, although this was clearly not the case, as could be seen from the way her leaf-green eyes were open, and sparkled softly in the starshine.