❦ story ❦

the siamese she-cat watched silently as seablossom left the medicine den. after half a moon of staying under aspenrise and her care, he must want to get back to his duties quickly.

"pansybright wonders if you could have done it faster."

she froze as the meow tickled her ear, and the brown tabby she-cat touched down just shy to earth, her paws not quite on the ground like they always were.

"why are you still here?" peonypaw's voice came out colder than she'd expected it to.

pansybright blinked in surprise. "pansybright is trying to help you, dear."

"well, you're not!" the medicine cat's icy tone rose to a yowl. "ever since the fox fight, you've been missing. are you ashamed that you got seablossom hurt?" her eyes stung as she spat out the words, but pansybright only sighed and lay down, tucking her forepaws under her.

"maybe pansybright was ashamed of the harm she'd unintentionally caused," the brown tabby murmured. "remember that pansybright cannot see the future, dear, and she cannot change the past. maybe it's time to let that wound heal."

"but that's not it. you've been getting harsher and harsher to me. why? I thought we were friends!" blue eyes bore into hazel ones; pansybright stiffened in shock, and real hurt lit up her gaze. "medicine cat training is hard, dear. you should know that you can't afford to make-"

"well, a little niceness or praise never hurt anyone!" the cream point hissed through clenched teeth. "it feels like you want to hurt me. it feels like you're trying to break me!"

pansybright opened her mouth to defend herself, but the medicine cat wouldn't listen. "and you keep trying to make me practice more and more. i want to spend time with my friends, you know! if i'm not happy, what's the point?"

pansybright flinched. "you thought she was trying to distance you from your friends, but you could have just invited them here to help and chat at the same time. pansybright only wants you to be the perfect medicine cat for your clan..." the ghostly she-cat sighed. "pansybright is sorry she couldn't make you happy. she is sorry you think she tried to hurt you. she's not enough, is she? but if you'd just-"

the cream point siamese cut her off with a growl, baring her fangs. "i'm a full medicine cat; i don't even need you hovering around me anymore. just go. and don't. come. back."

pansybright stared at her friend in shock. her expression, agonized and despairing, made the medicine cat wonder if she shouldn't have said that to her. but neither cat made a sound.

"pansybright has been told time and time again," the brown tabby finally choked out, "that she pushes too much." her voice cracked. "maybe that's why pansybright is destined to be alone."

the brown tabby's pelt flickered for a moment. when it became somewhat solid again, pansybright sat up. she was holding a delicate flower- four yellow and violet petals, with burgundy stripes in the yellow parts. two more royal purple petals fanned out behind the blooming flower. pansybright lay it on the ground between the two cats with her shaking forepaw.

"at least keep this to remember pansybright by, de-... i mean, peonylinger," pansybright whispered. her voice was so small, so fragile. then she faded away- and this time, peonylinger knew it was for good.

but was it a change for the better?

peonylinger stared at the flower- a beautiful pansy, the flower her old friend had been named for. after a moment of silence, she dipped her nose under it and flicked it into the air, letting it land just behind her ear.

❦ winners ❦

first place: welosttouch with peonylinger

second place: Varulven15 with peonymurmur

third place: Dewywrites with peonywhisper