Getting Somewhere

“C’mon, I gotcha, Row.” 

  Otterspark digs her teeth into the scruff of her largest ( but youngest ), sister Rowanscar with a grunt, helping the large warrior into the water that she had brought her toward. The tabby couldn’t help but feel relieved when her sister didn’t argue with her, and was even more relieved that Rowan had even agreed to come out with her for this swim therapy. It had taken little coaxing from Mintberry and Otterspark, who suspected that if they had approached the scarred warrior before she began to change her outlook on the world… Well. It would have been a lot more of a fight. 

She couldn’t blame Rowan for being upset, for closing in on herself these past couple of moons. Rowan had lost her kits, left her mate, and on top of it all, had been taken by Hailbelly and that freak show of an army that she created alongside an exiled Ravenclan Warrior. But now that everything looks to be settling down again ( ignoring this weird hunt for some cat by those two strangers that come around every late leaffall now… ), Rowan’s mood seemed to begin taking a rise for the better. It wasn’t perfect and her sister wasn’t who she used to be, no, but Otterspark would take anything that she could get if it meant she could see Rowanscar smile and be happy about life again. 

  Any progress is better than no progress, Otterspark tells herself as she feels the water brush against her front paws. The familiar body of water is cold as always, but the chill that accompanies it due to the arrival of leafbare would make the temperature uncomfortable, had it not been for her thick coat. Her thoughts wander to Bumblefoot, who she feels a pang of sympathy for— as much as her former mentor loved the water, it didn’t seem to agree with him in the colder seasons. Oh well. 

“Okay… I think I can support m’self right now.” Rowanscar rumbles after they continued moving deeper into the water— Otterspark hadn’t even realized that they had moved past the shallows and into the deeper portion of the downstream current until her sister spoke. The tabby warrior hesitates for a heartbeat, and then loosens her grip on her sister to allow her to support herself. Otterspark right here, and nothing will happen to Rowan on her watch. Her expression must give away her anxiety despite trying to control the swell of emotions in her chest, as Rowanscar casts her a playful side glare before lifting a large paw, thumping Otterspark’s shoulder meekly in assurance. 

  “Would ya quit looking at me like that?” The large she-cat questions, squinting her amber eyes. Otterspark almost feels like she’s under interrogation because of her sister’s sharp gaze. “I’ll tell y’if I need ya help, Otts.” Rowanscar continues, although the warrior hesitates before hoisting her paw on Otterspark’s shoulder. Otterspark takes this as her sister’s silent request for help to begin moving with the current, and wordlessly shifts her weight to let Rowanscar hoist her leg fully against and around her upper back. 

“I know.” Otterspark mumbles. “I just.. Guess it’s hard not t’worry ‘bout ya, Row. After everythin’ tha’s happened recently, and I know ya… Ya tryin’ ta improve, but…” She feels guilty, and a little embarrassed to be admitting all of this to her sister. Sure, her relationship with Honeythroat had initially opened her up to the idea of expressing thoughts and feelings to others without shame… It had been moons since her mate’s passing, and Otterspark could feel the effects that the honey-colored she-cat once had on her slipping from her memory, from her heart. Maybe this was part of the changes that took place after Honeythroat’s passing. Either way, everything feels stilted— strange. 

Otterspark can’t ignore the silence that deafens the pair of them after she confesses these thoughts, these concerns. All that Otterspark can hear is the gentle paddle and splash of water moving under the manipulation of her and her sister’s paws as they begin to go downstream. The tabby warrior isn’t sure how long the silence sits between the pair before she hears Rowanscar’s voice, soft and meek— it makes her stomach tighten with anxiety. She isn’t used to this, but it’s a change that she’ll do her best to adjust to for Rowanscar. 

  “ ‘m sorry…” Rowanscar begins, but Otterspark shakes her head and offers a strained smile in return. 

“Ain’t gotta apologize, just… Swim wi’me, okay?”