Sagepaw closed her eyes after a long day of training and hunting, letting her body go lax in her mossy nest. She was finally adjusting to a Viperfang-free life, where the sunlight was filled with happiness and the black night brought only comforting sleep. It had been a quarter-moon since she had last seen the russet tom, so it was a surprise to wake up in the eerie silence of the Dark Forest.

The ShadowClan apprentice, mildly surprised, swiped her tongue around her jaws as she glanced around the forest, waiting for Viperfang to appear. A heavy weight had entered her paws as she stood, taking a few cautious steps away from where she had awakened.

"Have you missed me?" a silky voice purred from behind her. Sagepaw whirled around on her paws, eyes narrowed as she searched the bushes for Viperfang. The Dark Forest tom was not lurking behind her, however. "I'm over here!" His voice was echoing from where she had originally been facing.

"I'm no coward!" Sagepaw shouted bravely, though her voice shook with fear. "Come out from the bushes and face me like the hero you claim to be." After speaking those final words, the confidence seemed to drain from her body, leeching into the black soil beneath her paws. Where is he?

Viperfang let out a laugh. "Look up, sweetheart." She did so, and a flash of dark ginger appeared overhead. He was in the trees!

No wonder he could move so fast! I just wonder how he was so quiet, Sagepaw thought to herself, watching as Viperfang jumped from limb-to-limb, slowly descending down the towering trunks. He finally reached the ground, landing gracefully in front of her. Satisfaction gleamed in the tom's pale green eyes, as if he was excited by the deception he had pulled on Sagepaw.

"What do you want?" she meowed, a hint of defensiveness entering her tone.

Viperfang swiveled his ears around, a smirk lighting his eyes. "You see, Sagepaw," he spoke in his silky mew. "I am your mentor, after all, and I don't seem to understand just why you avoid me so much. All I want to do is teach you, after all. My only purpose after being exiled here is to train the future leaders of ShadowClan!" he exclaimed.

A chill rang through Sagepaw's body. She had so many things to say, but she didn't want to disappoint him. I. . . I liked training with him, but it's so much easier to be a normal apprentice, she thought. I liked learning the battle moves that helped me win by fights against the other cats. I liked learning the techniques that made Cloudyfoot feel proud. But, why does this feel so wrong? The ShadowClan apprentice wanted to tip her muzzle toward the sky and wail her pain out, but instead she coughed slightly, trying to keep down the volcano of words that was threatening to explode from her mouth.

"I—I just liked getting sleep," Sagepaw finally meowed, cringing at her own weak excuse. "It's a lot easier to live like the usual ShadowClan apprentice. . . but I'd rather be the best ShadowClan apprentice."

Viperfang let out a soft purr. "That's the Sagepaw I know and love. Now, I have a very new skill that I want to teach just you."

Sagepaw's eyes lit with happiness. "Really? A new skill?" she exclaimed brightly. "Just for me to learn?"

"Just for you," he confirmed. "Now, do you remember the time when you were hunting and crossed the border? You had lost control? And do you remember the time when you were battle-training and nearly killed your brother? You had lost control then too! But that control isn't you being dumb or weak or powerless. You were being possessed."

"Possessed?" Sagepaw echoed softly, the word sounding strange on her tongue. "What does that mean?"

Viperfang sat down, curling his long tail around his paws. "I was controlling what you did. You could see what was going on, but I was in control. I could push your body to the limits you didn't know you had. I could make you run faster than a rabbit, fight stronger than a badger, and beat anyone in battle."

A pang of shock rang through her body. "You—you made me hurt my brother?" she asked wearily. I should've left while I could!

He nodded. "It was a test of loyalty. Would you doubt our relationship, or would you become the amazing apprentice that I know you are?" Viperfang's words were asking a question: Would she continue to train with the cat who could 'possess' her, or would she return to a normal life, stuck as a normal cat with normal skills.

It was obvious to Sagepaw which she would choose.

"I'm loyal to you," she answered quickly, nearly stumbling over her words. "I would love to learn how to possess."

Viperfang let a grin rise into his demeanor. "Perfect! The first thing you need to know is how to reach to your target. I chose you because you were an innocent young cat without much mental protection. As an experienced possessor, I could control any cat I wanted, but I picked you." This was the first time Sagepaw had felt special. She nodded eagerly. "Now, you need to reach out to the cat you choose. You think what they think, you imagine what they see and hear and feel. You become your target."

Sagepaw closed her eyes, picturing a small kit in her mind. Brindlekit. She was a hyper ShadowClan she-kit who often annoyed the apprentices and warriors by bouncing into their dens and waking them up at night. She pictured the nursery, with the milk-scent of Fallowstrike wafting up her nose. She pictured the soft pelt of Stripekit pressing against her side.

Nothing happened.

Frustrated, Sagepaw opened her eyes, glaring at Viperfang. "It's not working!" she mewed.

Unexpectedly, the Dark Forest tom just nodded. "It is not an easy skill to learn," he remarked. "You will not be able to do it today, or tomorrow, or by half-moon. By the Gathering, I know you will have possessed your first cat."

⌁ Brought to you by Rio! I hope you enjoyed :D ⌁

Edited by Annco!