The pale brown tom fell to the ground, blood pooled underneath him, as well as him choking on the scarlet liquid.
His vision became blurry as he saw the calico she-cat, Mapleshade, flash away from him. Stumbling on her paws, blood rushing down her throat and muzzle, and onto the grass.

Surely staining it a sickly scarlet red.

Appledusk tried to scramble back to his paws but fell back down with a thud. Mapleshade turned around and looked at Appledusk, sympathy and fear clouded her gaze but soon her eyes flashed with hatred as Perchpaw yowled something at her. His tail lashing.

Perchpaw, his apprentice that he had been training for almost a whole season, stood in front of him. His claws were unsheathed, as he yowled something after the rouge she-cat.

His tail still lashing from side to side. Through tired eyes he noticed blood splattered on his muzzle and paws. Was he the one who attacked?

Reedshine was looking down at him, nudging him and letting out mute wails, before the pretty expecting queen looked over and yowled at Perchpaw.
'Probably warning Perchpaw to stay back...' Appledusk thought weakly.

Perchpaw ran up to him and said something that he couldn't comprehend. The bleeding warrior closed his eyes, his breathing slowing slightly.
He was in such agony and could feel every inch of his body, every single strand of fur and all his whiskers.
He felt someone grab his scruff and pull his body back to what he assumed was RiverClan camp.
His eyes still shut, he felt to weak to keep them open. He just couldn't muster up the strength; but what let him know that he was still alive was Perchpaw, at least he guessed it was Perchpaw, nudging his nubby tail.

"Come on Appledusk!" The dark apprentice mewed, tears started to spill, his dark blue eyes glistening.
"Stay alive! Please! I need you! You need to watch my warrior ceremony!"
Appledusk heard it, he had no idea but his hearing came back for a heartbeat or two though it was muffled and funny sounding. Appledusk forced a weak smile and soon his breathing hitched.

And slowed.

And soon...

.
.
.

"Welcome Appledusk..."

Appledusk gasped as his green eyes widened in surprise.

Where was he? All his pain had vanished into thin air. He left as light as a feather but as strong as the whole of LionClan.
He felt younger, more quicker on his paws. He stood up, stretching his legs, and feeling more alive than he had in what seemed like moons!

He looked over, eyes stretching even widened as he met the mysterious cats gaze.
Their eyes were a pure, milky white, color. Looking as gentle as the first snow fall of the season.
They were tall, towering over him by a whole fox-length. Their pelt was as dark as the night sky. Stars, twinkling so brightly that it hurt his eyes, tangled and glimmering on their fur. Their fur was angelically long and whispy, looking like fog.

Looking like the whole of Silverpelt...

'Who was this?' he thought, blinking.
The cat looked down at him with a look that reminded him of his mother.
He felt something twist inside of him, a feeling which he hadn't felt in ages. It was was a warm feeling that made his paws feel tingly and his entire body even warmer with proud, bold emotions.

After a few moments of the two staring at each other, the cat purred. Bending down and nudging his ear with a soft nose. Appledusk forced himself to stay put and not lean into this unknown cats pelt.
His heart raced, 'No, not just any cat.' He thought, thoughtfully. 'It's a StarClan cat... One of my ancestors.' 
Appledusk blinked, the StarClan cat smiled and dipped their head in respect. "You have guessed correctly..."
Appledusk took a step back and looked at the cat wtih fear.
"How'd you-"

"You said it out loud."

The starry cat laughed, purring again.
"Appledusk, you have made me and your father proud."
Appledusk gasped, his mouth open agape, "Mom...? Russet-"
His mother, shushed him. Lifting her tail and placing it over his mouth.
"Yes. It is me."
After a heartbeat the shadowy-starry pelt disappeared and his mother's familiar pelt. One which they shared a color in. Appledusk hesitated, now feeling like a kit again as he stared up at his mother.

Before his mind could think, his paw moved for him and he pressed against him mother's chest, breathing in her scent.
Dear StarClan, how much he had missed her and his father.
Before he knew it, he felt a warm tear roll down his cheek. His mother purred again, nuzzling the top of her son's head. Licking his head tuft.

"Appledusk, let me show you something."

He looked up, sniffling as he took a step back. "Huh? What is it?" He meowed, his whiskers twitching. All he wanted to do was spend all his time with his mother and his father.

His mother nosed towards in front of her. He spun around, tilting his head in confusion when he didn't see anything and then his mother slammed her paw on the cool, grassy ground. And in a blur of stars, they where back at RiverClan camp.

Sitting in the raining clearing, the rain phased through him. He shivered at the odd, uncomfortable feeling.

Appledusk blinked, a bit confused at the sight before him but then he gasped in pure horror as he saw himself. He was out of his body!

Flowers where tucked into his fur, mint and marigold, he recognized from his parents death vigil.
Darkstar was perched up on highrock, sadness and fear clouded her usually serious amber gaze as she stared down at his corpse. She said something he couldn't hear what she said properly. It sounded far to distant. Had the rain drowned out her voice?

He looked back down at his body, Spiketail, RiverClan's highly respected and loyal deputy, and his brother, was crying into his fur. Appledusk shuddered at the thought of dampness in his pelt. Not only by the rain but the thick tears coming from his brother.

Reedshine and Perchpaw where nuzzled into his fur, Perchpaw seemed to be asleep but Reedshine not so much.
She was trembling, her bulging belly pressed against the damp sandy clearing. Her tabby striped tail curling around her belly.

Appledusk widened his eyes in horror as he realized, this was no tale he was told as a kit, this was reality and he had died.
He was... dead and there was nothing he could do about it!
The thought hit him like a monster racing down the thunderpath. He felt an icy chill run down his spine as he looked over at his mother before speaking. His mouth growing dry.

"But... I-I can't be dead! I have so much I want to do! I have so much to do!"
Appledusk looked at his mother. Grief settling deep in his chest.
"Im about to become a father- Reedshine's expecting my kits! I can't leave her alone..."

"And how do you think your in StarClan then?" His mother inquired.

Appledusk fell silent as he watched some more. A heavy weight kept him in place as he felt another tear roll down his cheek. This time not of happiness, but the pain of the sudden realization. Grief taking ahold of his body.

He was really dead...

His mother sighed, fluffing out her tan coat and pressing against him, "there is no need to fret my love." She murmured, her tail slowly running down his spine.
"StarClan wishes to gift you something."

Appledusk averted his gaze from the scene that layed before him, "What is it?" He whispered.
The former queen licked her kit between his ears. It soothed him slightly.
"StarClan wishes to give you another chance at life."

Appledusk stood up fully now, his eyes wide with confusion, but also, hope.

"You have chosen a wrong path, and StarClan wishes you luck to take the other."

.
.
.

"So good luck, Appledusk."

•••

1350 words.

~

A/N: HEYYYY WELCOME TO THE NEW BOOK! how are you? Here is some love for reading this! ❤💜💛💚💙💞💕💓💖💗💘💝💟
BTW there will be no Alliance chapter because, no, I'm just, no. You'll see different characters and shit, I'll manage.

you'll see.

ALRIGHTY! thanks for reading and cya in the next chapter my peeps 🐣, creeps 🐜 and sickly sweets 🍬!

UPDATE: I'll add and Alliance soon- as soon as I get wifi lmao

UPDATE 2.0: Don't mind me just editing the book!!