Chapter 5 I stand on shaking limbs outside Hollyheart’s den, waiting for her to say something. “I don’t understand. You’ve been having visions. How do you know these aren’t just nightmares? The last couple of days have been stressful. One fox dead, another injured, and now this! Spiritclan help us!” Hollyheart keeps pacing the entrance of her den, almost as if deciding whether it’s safe to come out or not. “I-I saw something else last night. It was you. Dead.” I sputter the last word out, its bitterness coating my tongue. Hollyheart stops pacing abruptly and snaps her head towards me. “WHAT?! Why are you just telling me this now? How was I dead? Am I going to die?” Her anger fades into shock. Just before I can try to comfort her, a brisk wind blows, trailing a familiar sweet apple-like scent that makes my heart flutter. Echosight? I’m sprinting through the woods before I can even register what I’m doing. Paws and heart beating in sync, and mind reeling impossibly fast. My body is on overdrive, and I don't realize I’m crying until my vision blurs to where I can't see. I crumple to the ground and remember my dream last night. Echosight was in the woods near tallgrass. I need to get to tallgrass. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, I rise to my feet once again and weave between the trees. My pace quickens, leaving me breathless. I'm dizzy with exhaustion by the time I come to the clearing of tallgrass. I smell Echosight’s sweet apple scent and a glimmer of light blinds me. As I regain my vision, a figure starts to take shape. Echopaw is standing in front of me. A yip of surprise and joy escapes my muzzle and I bound to her only to realize that she isn’t really here. “Aspenpaw, I have left this plane. I am now among spiritclan, but they have sent me to watch over you and the rest of mossclan. Aspenpaw, a grave danger is befalling the foxes of the wild. You need to find the cure. You need to find salvation.” Echosight's eyes glimmer with hope and love. Suddenly an image of a strange plant clouds my vision. A ghostly white, bell shaped flower. Its leaves looked as sharp as claws and it was covered in thorns. “Echosight. It’s my fault. I just had to catch that stupid robin! Son of a slug! I never even got to tell you… I’m in love with you. I really, really, am.” I hang my head with shame and guilt. “Oh Aspenpaw…. I know. I’ve always known. I didn’t know what to say. Well I did know, just I didn't know HOW to say it. I love you too.” She smiles so wide I want to cry. I wish I could touch her, touch her tail, groom her face. But she isn’t really here. And she never will be.
TW: mentions of blood
