@
BILL.
Hailstorm had stayed around camp after the clan meeting, milling about with her own thoughts and troubles. She remained rattled from the whole experience of Falconpaw's outburst, and how quick the other warriors had been to assume her incompetence. And on top of that, how harsh some of them had been to the young tom. Sure, he was a pain, but he was young, and still had a lot to learn. Maybe
she had been too hard on him as well. She decided she'd pay him a visit.
"Falconpaw?" She had poked her head into the apprentice's den, only to find his nest empty. And she had panicked.
Oh, stars, who am I to think he would stay in camp? Of course he wouldn't! She rushed out the camp entrance and into the territory, the sight of the dog chasing him before replaying in her mind.
If something's happened to him, I'll never forgive myself, she fretted inwardly. It didn't take her long to catch his scent, as well as another, sickly sweet smell. Her heart raced in her chest when she heard his soft cry for help. She followed it, and found him, slumped on the ground with something red coating his mouth, and half his tail missing.
"Falconpaw!" She exclaimed, fear reigning her voice as she rushed to his side.
"Can you hear me? Oh, StarClan, what happened?" She froze for a moment, unsure of what she could do, but she realized that every second could be critical to his survival. Without another thought, she grabbed him by the scruff and started taking him back to camp, as quickly as she could.