House Call [VA]

[dino.]

It’s a bright but chilly day when Bluebellcrackle leaves the camp. Specklepaw has somehow run off ahead of her, but she doesn’t really care enough to hurry after them, so she exits at more of a snail’s pace to go find the herbs Fawnpaw had requested. Marigold, likely near Cattail Pond—that’s where she heads.

She can scent Specklepaw all the way there, but the apprentice must have doubled back before she arrived, because there’s no sign of their presence. It doesn’t seem to matter, anyway—the marigold seems to have been picked over, if there ever was any in the first place. She knows of a different spot near the outsider border, a quiet creek that no one ever visits. She decides to try there.

It’s a long trek to that side of the border, so Bluebellcrackle wastes no time in picking up her paws and moving on. The day only grows colder as it progresses, and even as her fur fluffs to keep her protected, she’s eager to be back in the warmth of a den. It’s just past the afternoon by the time she arrives, and she glances down at the slow-moving creek with assessing eyes. Small orange and white flowers, like the ones Fawnpaw had described, dot the edge of the water.

She crouches down to collect a few of the plants, using her teeth to gently tug them from their spots and lay them by her side. She can’t carry very many, but there aren't very many present to begin with, so she takes three and leaves the rest. She glances around for anything else that might be helpful, but there is nothing, and so she gets to her feet and prepares to leave.

"Bluebell?"

Her claws out in an instant, Bluebellcrackle immediately swings around to face the source of the voice (that somehow knows her NAME, mind you, or at least part of it). She freezes when she sees the gray and pale cat standing just past the border, peering at her with wide blue eyes.

"...Sage?" Her eyes narrow as she speaks hesitantly. It's... her brother. Certainly not someone she expected to see today.

He doesn’t look great. His fur is ruffled, his eyes dull, his lips pulled back into a frown. Bluebellcrackle sets down the plants and hurries forward to press her forehead against his. He leans into her touch with a sigh.

"Thank the skies that you’re here," he murmurs when she pulls away. "I don’t think I’d have been able to find you if I’d decided to wander all the way in."

Her hackles rise. "Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t," she retorts heatedly. "My Clanmates would have ripped you to shreds, and then what would I do with myself?" Her tone softens. "What are you even doing out here, anyway? It’s dangerous to be so close. You need to go."

Sage shifts his weight around on his paws. He’s tense, apprehensive, and his throat bobs nervously as if he’s having a hard time finding his words. Despite her growing concern, Bluebellcrackle doesn’t push him. Whatever it is, he’s got a good reason for coming this close to the territory, and she’s not about to drive him away.

He closes his eyes and swallows. "Mom’s really sick."

And it’s like the whole world comes to a standstill. Her breath is stolen from her and she can’t do anything but stare at her brother for a moment. It’s her turn to dig up her words again, and force them out around the growing lump in her throat. "How bad is it?"

Their mother has always had issues with her health. It’s a wonder she never passed it on to her kits, but Bluebellcrackle has, for most of her life, worried deeply about her. It was always something new every few moons, something else to be concerned about. Her father grew dismissive eventually, but not Bluebellcrackle or her siblings, never them.

Sage swallows again. "Pretty bad. She can’t get out of bed, Bluebell. The Up-walkers have called for the Up-healer to come to the house a few times, but-"

"A few times? How long has this been going on?"

Hurt tightens her brother’s face. He sounds choked. "About a moon. I’ve tried to find you, but I’ve never been able to catch you at the right time, and I- Believe me, Blue, I’ve tried. She wants to see you. Just in case."

Bluebellcrackle wants to be angry with him for not trying harder, but she can’t muster up the strength. She steps forward to push past the scent-markers, intent on leaving now, because how on earth can she wait a second longer? But her paw brushes the fallen marigold flowers, and she pauses to glance down at them.

Fox-dung.

"I’ll be there by sunrise tomorrow at the latest," she says after a moment. Sage looks like he’s going to protest, but she cuts him off. "I promise I'll be as quick as I possibly can. There are just a few cats I need to say goodbye to first."

Sage doesn’t look happy, but he relents anyway. "Don’t take too long. Please. I don’t know how much time she has left."

His tone creates an extra sense of urgency. Sage has always been the brave one, the strong older brother; he stands up to their father and comforts his younger siblings(who, Bluebellcrackle thinks it is important to note, are only minutes younger, but he insists it counts anyway) whenever something like this happens. Hearing him so desperate, seeing him so vulnerable—it is majorly worrying and Bluebellcrackle takes a couple of steps back. "Don’t wait for me," she demands. "Go home and I’ll meet you there. Just give me some time. Sunrise at the latest, remember?"

He nods apprehensively. Bluebellcrackle scoops the marigold off the grass, turns to leave, then pauses again and glances back. "Do Father and Grandfather know you’ve come to get me?"

Sage winces. "Uh... Grandfather knows. I didn’t tell Father."

"Keep it that way." She wants to see the look on his face when she appears at their doorstep. "I’ll be there as soon as I can."

She turns and runs, as fast as she can, back in the direction of camp.

The conversations she needs to have are going to be difficult.