After a considerably amount of struggling, and cutting herself with rose thorn on various uncomfortable places, Berryfrost managed to bring her four roses back to camp and to WindClan's Medicine Cat. "Here you are, Cowtuft." She murmured, extracting the roses from her maw and fur to drop them on the ground. On anxious paws, the smaller-than-average molly shifted. "Would you like me to get some more?"
It was... cold. Unusually cold for newleaf, but then... it could always be the lingering side effects of his battle with the snow fever that refused to let go messing with the massive feline's perception as far as the weather goes. Regardless of what it was, Snowybreeze continued diligently, walking along the crags and cracks of the large stone formations that littered Adder Rocks, grateful for the comforting feel of the breeze - no matter how chilly - blowing through his pelt. He had been lucky. The patched tom had no idea what he'd done to have deserved to be so graced by StarClan, to have gotten ill but have barely suffered when compared to so many of his clanmates. Especially those who had been lost.
Mismatched ears flattened as he remembered the many lost faces that he would never see around camp again. And those who had passed unrelated to the illness. Ashpaw... his friend. Fallen from Swooping Cliffs. A part of him wanted to be mad. Furious, even. Why? Why had she left camp alone again? After that night he'd caught her crying in the snow... he thought he'd made it clear. That she was never alone. That she could always go to him. That he would always be there for her... but... he'd lied, hadn't he?
Too busy being sick and caring for no one... not even yourself...
Yes... Anger would have been the easiest way to deal with this heartbreak. There was every reason for him to become irate at the situation. He'd broken his word! He was no friend... no warrior... He'd been nothing more than a selfish tom who'd taken others' time for himself while the rest suffered. And yet, all he could feel was the sorrow, the empty feeling in his heart that his friend was gone. That his friend had known at that moment she could no longer count on him, because he was of no use to anyone.
It was with this heavy feeling of being nothing more than a burden that the patched warrior moved through the rocks, his mind focused on a single goal. To find prey for his clan. He'd already missed the first potential meal he'd spotted. An adder, by now well awoken from its hibernating slumber. It'd fled between the cracks as soon as it'd spotted him, and Snowybreeze knew better than to follow it. All it took was one bite and he'd be a goner. He'd be even less use to his clan if he fell to an adder. Perhaps they would no longer need to feed him, but... his friend... his beloved Berryfrost. How would she feel if he were to suddenly be unable to make it home?
He hadn't spoken to her. Not since he'd left the medicine cat's den. The shame of having so rudely worried her during his bout of illness making him unable to face her. Not without some sort of gift to properly apologize for this most heinous of crimes. Perhaps a filling meal would work? Fresh kill was always a welcome sight. And it had been sharing fresh kill that they'd begun their bonding, had it not? His first gift to her, that hawk's feather. He doubted there would be any hawks today, but a nice meal would suffice nonetheless.
A head suddenly popping up from among the rocks before him, Snowybreeze's reflexes were instant. One crushing blow to the head with his massive paw was quickly met with the sound of bones snapping, and the adder's body became limp. Before the adder could fall into the cracks, the maine coon mix pulled it up by the head. It was a rather small adder, but Snowybreeze had never been one to complain about food. Sending a silent thanks to StarClan for the meal, the tom continued bounding along the rocks, his nose picking up the musky scent of a weasel in the air, no doubt hunting the late risers of the adders, searching for those still groggy from their hibernation. It would be an odd meal, but Snowybreeze would gladly take it if he could hunt the mustelid.
Adopting a hunter's crouch, Snowybreeze dropped the small adder to pick up later, following the scent, strong in the wind. Whiskers twitched in anticipation as he saw it. It was a rather large weasel, albeit nowhere near his size, and with much of its mass seemingly taken by its tail. The white furred warrior closed the distance in stealth, praying the creature would not turn around, the rocks providing precious little cover from his vantage point as he continued to close in.
By the time the weasel raised its head, evidently sensing something, it was far too late. The tom's fangs had found the back of the creature's neck. Pleased with his findings, and uncertain he would be able to carry much more with the weasel in tow, Snowybreeze doubled back to pick up his adder. It was a good catch, and the weasel would perhaps prove a decent gift for the eggshell colored molly to forgive him after his most recent, boorish behavior. With a satisfied purr escaping him, the patched warrior turned in the direction of home.
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Lightningstorm is WindClan's current medicine cat.
She has a semi-closed den policy.
The charcoal tom looked at the other kit nose twitching slightly as his tail swished before he nodded and jumped up, "My name is Wolfkit!! What is your name?" his paw still moving the moss ball around as he looked at the other kit
Rosekit smiled. "Nice to meet you Wolfkit, I'm Rosekit!" He gave a big smile, now he could play with another kit.
He trotted happily towards the kit. Watching him move the moss ball around.
A gentle voice caught Copperkit's attention. Her golden eyes glittered as the calico molly approached her -- who she recognized as Lighteningpaw -- the new meddie apprentice! Their pelt went hot as she approached them, as it always did around others, but the kindness in her voice was like ice on their heated fur. "Oh, yes!" He chirped, squirming slightly to give her room beside him. "The grass is oh so soft today.. I'm glad the scary winds are gone." A shiver ran down his spine as he vaguely remembered the stormy winter nights as a newborn, alone in his nest. No mother to cower beside or siblings to keep them warm. Her eyes dulled for a moment, but the light quickly bounced back when he noticed another cloud passing by. "Oooo! A rabbit!"
She threw another paw to the sky at a tiny white puffy cloud that appeared to have streaks for ears and a cotton tail. It trailed swiftly through the sky, much like a rabbit would (or at least what Copperkit had heard about rabbits...she had only seen dead ones on the pile). "Do you like rabbits, Lightenen...L...Lightennnening..." Copperkit stopped in her tracks. She had never said the apprentice's name out loud before. Why was it so difficult??? "Lightypaw!" They concluded with another chirp, deciding on a nickname for her right then and there. Oh. Wait. Was that okay? They stiffened for a moment, looking over at the bigger she-cat for approval. "erm...can I call you that?"
Snowybreeze could feel his face heat up with embarrassment once more. Berryfrost's words, while no doubt well meaning, were hard to interpret as anything other than a reminder of the quite frankly fabulous blunder he'd just made. Of all the times to make such a mistake, he was fairly certain that a kit lesson was not the best. Basilkit's laughter was not helping his situation much, although he did quite appreciate the fact that there seemed to be no malice in his action, merely genuine amusement. Which... fair. He had just buried half his face into the ground. Amusement was bound to be found.
As even the eggshell colored molly's hues began to show the slightest indications of mirth within them, Snowybreeze chuckled, unable to help himself. It was a light, mildly nervous sound. Half worried that he would be viewed as irrevocably unfit to be teaching the kits after this event, half amused at his own situation, the laughter and glee the others were showing infectious.
Berryfrost soon heeded his pleas as well, and began showing little Basilkit - Hawkkit seemed to have wandered off during the scuffle he'd had with the ground, no doubt disappointed in having such an obtuse educator - how to properly stalk after prey. Her little brother was quick to imitate, and was soon doing a fairly decent job at a hunter's crouch. After flashing a grateful smile at his beloved friend, Snowybreeze got closer to the kit, attempting to correct some minor mistakes in posture with his paw, softly lowering the energetic kit's tail as well as gently nudging his back to a more comfortable, easier to walk in position.
"That is. Very good. I bet you will. Be catching prey. The moment you take your first. Hunting lesson," the tom whispered approvingly, his eyes brimming with pride at what a good first attempt Basilkit was making. "Now. Please remember. To keep your tail. Down. Otherwise. Rabbits and mice alike. They will spot you. And they will run. Lots of burrows to hide in. Let's try. One more time. Shall we?"
MOTHPAW
fluffy cream feline with a stumpy tail and green eyes. he/they + neos
Something wasn't right.
Since the Snow Fever incident had occurred, Mothpaw felt... off somehow. His nightmares had increased, he constantly felt out of breath, his already small appetite was almost nonexistent. Even as the weather warmed with a new season upon them, they felt cold. Like they could never feel warm again in their life.
Mothpaw had tried to ignore it. He went on with his days, pushing aside the discomfort in favor of training and helping out. Surely it was nothing, right? Just a lack of sleep from being plagued by incessant nightmares. But the more he ignored it, the worse it became. They didn't want to bother Cowtuft, though. The medicine cat was surely busy, what with having a new apprentice and having the aftermath of the Snow Fever to focus on. Besides, they had already gone to see the tom quite a bit in the last moon for trivial matters (at least, that's what it felt like). Surely they were going to get annoying at some point with their presence.
But they couldn't ignore it any longer. He couldn't eat, he couldn't sleep (more than usual, that is) and it was starting to greatly effect him. Stars, he could hardly walk without feeling as though he were going to pass out- or purge what little was in his gut. Ugh, it was such an awful feeling.
Mothpaw stumbled toward the medicine den, exhaustion seeping into his every limb. He felt hot, yet cold. He didn't know if he wanted to step into a burning fire or jump into an ice cold river.
Silently, not trusting themself to talk, the cream colored apprentice made their way toward where they hoped Cowtuft (or Lightningpaw, though he didn't know if she knew enough to help) would be. Mothpaw offered a low chirp to alert the medicine cat of his presence before his legs gave out, tiredness leading him to crumple to the floor in a haphazardous loaf.
Darting into camp she was full of remorse and shame, it had been stupid to go beyond the territory and get lost, trotting over to the leaders den she stuck her head inside,
“TwilightStar? I wanted to apologize if i caused anyone to worry, I had merely been off searching for some of my friends, please accept my sincere apologies, I will accept any punishments you find fit” she hung her speckled head in submission @Moonraven
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Quote:
“Nothing is Impossible. The word itself says I’m Possible”
- Audrey Hepburn -
As Tulippaw's eyes rolled in their sockets and her dainty paws violently jabbed at the empty air, a staticky sheet enfolded her, cutting her off from the rest of reality. She could see, hear, and feel, but her emotions were a jumbled mess, blades of grass that had been tangled together by a violent gale. Nothing made sense. Nothing made sense. Panic choked her soul just as the phlegm choked her lungs as she tried to breathe and comprehend what was happening to her. But rational thought was a far-away fantasy. The sun seared her eyes as more sticky fluid was hacked up, and her jaws parted unnaturally wide in a desperate gasp for air, but more phlegm always rose to replace it. She was a fish out of water, thrashing and choking, desperately trying to find air through a haze of panic.
She hardly noticed the gray she-cat who materialized beside her until words split the air. Yet they barely reached Tulippaw through the filter over her ears, sounding like they were coming from far away even when her brain registered that they were coming from the gray cat beside her. Help. The cat was calling for help. Then a face was looming in front of her; then that face was tilting as Tulippaw's head violently snapped to the side, moving the cat to a different edge of her vision. Help... The words echoed, even as the gray cat tried to talk to her in comforting tones. Help was a word Tulippaw understood. It summarized her terror and desperation well. But what else was the gray cat saying? She... she couldn't understand. Focus... breathe... A smidgen of reality and comprehension settled in, but they were blown away by the breeze of agony and panic as Tulippaw continued to convulse. Her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She was going to cough her lungs out. What was happening? And - and who was talking to her? Was it a StarClan warrior?
Was Tulippaw going to die?
The thirteen-moon-old calico couldn't dwell on that. All she could do was convulse and try to hold onto enough sense not to choke on her own phlegm.
But rapid-fire thoughts flitted through her mind. Some were there and then gone; others stuck. If this was a StarClan warrior, why wasn't the gray cat shining? The sun cast a haze over them, but this wasn't... no, there were no stars. Was this a Clanmate? Not anyone Tulippaw knew. Wait... wait! Was it... Irispaw?! Had her friend returned to save her?
Tulippaw wanted to turn toward the gray she-cat again, but she couldn't. And as her head jerked again, she spotted someone else.
It was her mother.
It had to be.
The small figure... white fur with black markings... green eyes... It was her. Tulippaw couldn't see the orange of her calico pattern, but that was okay! She just couldn't see it with... this... Pheasantgaze! Mother! Tears welled in her dull green eyes, although her face remained contorted as her strength bled into the sand. Desperately, trying to control her sporadic movements, Tulippaw reached a paw toward her. Shudders ran down her grass-thin legs and made her paw jerk irregularly as she tried to brush the spotted fur. "M... uh..." she managed to choke, her sweet voice scratchier than a gorse bush. Before she could finish, more sticky fluids rose into her throat, cutting her off. Tulippaw twisted, spitting onto the sandy floor of the clearing, and her mind wailed, No! Pheasantgaze was here... she was so close... but Tulippaw couldn't reach her. She was too far away.
Just as she'd been for so long.
But if Pheasantgaze was here, she wouldn't abandon Tulippaw, right? Her mother would take care of her. She'd make sure things turned out fine.
A squeaky voice sounded from beside her mother, and Tulippaw didn't recognize it at first. So why did it sound vaguely familiar? For some reason, an image of her siblings as fluffy little kits materialized in her mind. Could it be...? No, they weren't kits anymore. They had been apprentices when... Terror and sadness made a shudder unrelated to her current predicament run through her weak, diminished body. I don't wanna disappear, too. I want them back. And her mother was there. Maybe... maybe the kit was someone she'd adopted? Or she and Oakshade had had more kits when they'd been gone? Tulippaw wanted to meet her new kin.
Any thoughts of the kit or any new kin sank to the back of Tulippaw's mind as she continued to flail her limbs and cough up sticky greenish liquid. But then... Then there was someone pressing against her. Something, someone, strong and solid. Soft-furred and fluffy. Reassuring. Panic struck Tulippaw first as she was lifted, her head pointing skyward and the bright, bright sun searing her retinas. Black spots danced across her vision. But now that she was upright, it became easier to breathe. More sticky phlegm sluiced down her chest, then she was gasping, her chest heaving despite her shallow breaths. Snot still ran down her nose. She leaned into the solid wall behind her, still trembling, her limbs and tail twitching erratically. Some of the panic that had taken hold of her body began to abate.
Breathe... breathe...
Then she remembered that a cat was propping her up. The solid build, the soft fur... Something seemed off, but Tulippaw didn't care because she knew who this was. Joy sprang like a fresh newleaf stream in her heart. It was Oakshade! Her father and mother had come back, and they'd brought Irispaw with them. And a kit. Randomly, she thought of Honeykit, not considering that the she-kit would've been apprentice- or warrior-aged by now. My friends and parents... they're back. Tulippaw could not be happier. But her eyes still rolled, her limbs jerked, and tremors racked her frail frame. The agony assaulting her was still there, and it was hard to focus. Happiness and fear flitted like a flock of birds covering the sun, passing, then covering it again.
Thinking was difficult.
But she did register the solid wall moving, and flickers of distress ran through the ailing calico as she felt her balance shifting. And, and... It was hard for her to scent things, and she hadn't even thought of using her nose, not even as an instinct. But now the heady scent of herbs touched her from this cat's pelt, and she registered that... that... No, this couldn't be Oakshade. He had been gone, so he might've changed, but... He wouldn't smell like herbs. His fur hadn't been long and fluffy; it had been short and well-kept. Right? And whoever this was felt so soft. Her father's pelt had been soft, but this was... was... way too long and feathery. Panic gripped Tulippaw's chest with harsher claws, and her spasms increased.
If this wasn't her father, who was it?
A medicine cat? That would explain the herbs. But whoever it was still felt unfamiliar, and Tulippaw's clouded, irrational mind didn't put two and two together and figure out that it was Cowtuft, WindClan's medicine cat. Fear gripped her muscles. She couldn't do anything. She was too weak to fight back.
But... Suddenly, there was a comforting voice in her ear. The words were incomprehensible, but something about it quieted some of the fear bucking like a trapped animal in the small apprentice's mind. Comforting... like her mother's voice, kind of, but this couldn't be her mother. And it wasn't her father. But Tulippaw didn't care. As her body continued to shake, she found herself leaning into them, feeling the gentle stroke of a long, feathery tail. It was like Pheasantgaze tucking her and her siblings in among the soft moss or Oakshade nuzzling her when he visited the nursery or saw her in the clearing. Tears swam in her eyes. It was difficult for Tulippaw to consciously move anything, but she was able to brave the wracking convulsions for just a moment as she dug her bony muzzle into the mysterious cat's fur, a small whimper rising in her throat. Her skeletal frame dug into their massive, soft one and jerked, but things seemed to be calming down.
For now.
(In my next post, Tulippaw will have another violent round of convulsions before passing out.)
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Some of my characters think or act in ways I disagree with. Please understand that I do not support or condone these thoughts or actions.
Humming quietly, almost unconsciously, to herself as the class resumed, the speckled molly dropped her display of the hunting crouch and stepped back to sit down, bushy tail wrapping neatly around her paws. She did frown a moment, to look around for Hawkkit with worry. Where had the little kit scurried off to? Regardless, Berryfrost didn't say anything. If her best friend wanted to address the disappearance of one of his students, she'd not interfere.
Re: WindClan Medicine Cat's Den
