Juncostar
shadowclan leader
It was the day after Juncostar's leader ceremony. Upon returning to camp, he'd named his deputy-- nearly falling off his perch with laughter upon the groans and eye rolls from many of his Clanmates-- and had retired to his new den. He had felt uneasy, laying alone in the same den Smokestar had claimed not long ago; he couldn't help himself and dragged Tigershadow along with him, asking the tom to lay with him while he slept despite the sunlight streaming through the entrance. He'd woken sore, with a pit in his stomach. Something felt off, and he couldn't quite place it. He feared that maybe he was getting sick, and for once he decided he'd be responsible and seek treatment before it got too bad.
As he made his way toward the medicine cats' den, the grey-spattered tom's paws felt like lead. Juncostar didn't remember ever feeling so sluggish, and his head was pounding. He was probably just coming down with a cold, he supposed, and the fogginess in his mind would fade once he'd gotten the appropriate herbs. He stepped to the entrance of the den, forcing down a shudder as he looked inside. He couldn't see Hareflight, but he supposed that she was likely sleeping. She'd had a long night, as well, and she needed the rest. Amber eyes falling on Waspsight, Juncostar's shoulders slumped as he sighed with relief.
"Hey, little dude," he greeted easily, a lazy grin settling on his lips. "I think I might be comin' down with somethin'," he began, tailtip flicking uneasily. "Just my luck, huh? Who would'a thunk a bunch of ghosts could get you sick?"
W A S P S I G H T
Waspsight had to be firm. He knew that if he babied Juncostar right now and threw caution out the window, they would regret it later. "I'm not joking." He stated, expression deadpan. Before him, he watched as the shadow clinging to the ShadowClan leader changed form once more. It buried itself within the subconsciousness of the grey tom, trying to disappear from the only pair of eyes that could locate it. He frowned. If this spirit knew that he could see it and was trying to keep itself a secret by hiding within their Clan leader, he didn't think it meant anything good.
"I don't think this spirit has good intentions, either." The medicine cat fixed Juncostar's pale yellow eyes with an expression of seriousness. Whether the Clan leader wanted to hear it or not, it was his responsibility to report the facts to him. And the situation was simply: something sinister was attached to him.
Juncostar
shadowclan leader
He was fully prepared to brush off Waspsight's congratulations with a joke, but then the medicine cat's demeanor changed. The expression on the other tom's face caused Juncostar's stomach to sink, his heart squeezing painfully in his chest. "Wha--" was all he managed before the tom was speaking again. He blinked silently, blood rushing behind his ears as he processed what had been said. He clamped his jaw shut, nostrils flaring as he swallowed hard. "I... Waspsight, don't," he pleaded quietly, for once sounding serious.
"If-- If this is some joke, it really isn't funny," he went on, tapping a paw anxiously on the dirt beneath him. He turned slowly, gaze trailing over the den walls behind him. He couldn't see anything, but a feeling of dread had seeped into his gut.
W A S P S I G H T
By the time Juncostar and Hareflight had returned from the mooncave, Waspsight had been fast asleep. And vice versa, when he had awoken, his mentor and his leader had both retired to their respective dens, surely catching up on sleep they had lost during their trip to service Juncostar for his nine lives. So naturally, when the Clan leader stepped into the medicine cat den, his mentor was fast asleep.
"Ah, Juncostar," The healer murmured, his tone soft and quiet as not to awake Hareflight. He got up from where he rested nearby her and exited the portion of their den that was separate from their main healing space. "I hadn't had the chance to congratulate you yet. Congratulations on getting your nine li--" He stopped short. As he exited their nesting quarters to greet Juncostar and the leader came into view, Waspsight saw something sinister.
Ebbing ominously from the grey tom was an aura unlike anything he had ever seen. Inky clouds, thick as night spiraled like tendrils off of his pelt until they diminished into thin air. He paused, jaw agape as he took in what he was witnessing. It felt as though the impression was coming from within Juncostar-- deep within him, like its presence was feeding off of the leader's own energy. Something wasn't right and the longer Waspsight stood there, the more he slowly began to realize what it was. What lay dormant enclosed in the tom was a spirit, one with intentions so menacing that its very residence was eerie.
"Juncostar," he began slowly, knowing that the Clan leader was never a fan of the supernatural and trying is best to stay calm, he told him, "I think you might have brought something home with you."