pafp ancient dreams in a modern land — " herb hunting "

[DUSKPOOL]

anger makes you stupid . stupid gets you killed .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

He padded through the familiar pine-scented undergrowth, molten copper staring tiredly ahead. His wooly tail was barely off the ground, not too thrilled to pick out the twigs and dried leaves, but Duskpool didn’t have the energy to pick it up, not now at the very least. He heaved a sigh, chest rising with the motion to peer at Fireflypaw until a molten gaze shifted to the bits of sunlight peeking through the pines.

He wondered how long it had been since he enjoyed what SkyClan territory offered. Now? He supposed he had more time, sitting outside the bramble walls in a nest that poked at his backside, but it kept his bumbling self awake. An old fool like him didn’t need to be causin’ a ruckus. Not now. He sure as hell didn’t need the pitying looks sent his way.

Giving his helm a subtle shake, Duskpool trudged forward on tired paws, molten copper crinkling. His thoughts remained a muddled mess, no doubt some of ‘em collecting cobwebs, just as they deserved while others remained at the forefront of his mind, glued to the back of his eyelid which was one reason he couldn’t catch a wink of sleep without jerkin’ away.

It was a tiresome process, but one Duskpool was familiar with before he joined SkyClan. Even then, the old warrior still couldn’t shake off the habit before Johnnyflame came along. He winced.

Damnit. The obsidian-furred male huffed, padding forward in search of herbs in disguise for the slow-moving group to take a stroll through the familiar forest. It left a bittersweet taste in his mouth. A home he cherished, but a home that had taken far more, leaving him with fraying ends and a wavering heart. Blinking several times, he turned, leveling Fireflypaw with a blank stare, wooly tail flickering. “How are things holdin’ up for ya?” He rumbled, ignoring the way his bones twinged in pain, reminding him of the cold comin’ in. He grunted, shaking his front leg, twisted, but barely noticeable against the thick, wooly fur that covered his bulky frame. An old injury that never healed right. Didn’t give him much of a problem during the warmer weather, but once the frosty air seeped into marred skin, it sure as hell gave him a run for his mice.

“Seems like the cold is headin’ our way.” He remarked, expression deadpan, torn ear swerving. He wasn’t speaking to anyone in particular, molten copper staring at the quivering undergrowth with rapt attention. It was nice but left him to fester in his thoughts. He wasn’t complaining because in times like these he got to enjoy the rare sights with his clanmates, regardless if they were strangers. He cared of ‘em whether he wanted to admit it. Some were more special than others, but days like these, without worrin’ over a sickness that plagued the five clans or the rapid number of deaths (he nearly flinched at the thought).

/ please wait for @Fireflypaw ​

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thought speech​

 

[Fireflyglow]

Like a wandering soul, Fireflypaw drifts from one odd plant to the next, tail low and dragging as he shoves through bushes halfhazardly. He's looking for any sort of cure, any sort of medicine that might help him relieve Sparrowsong and the others' suffering. His eyes are clenched shut for once, hiding the ghostly blues that made most uncomfortable in his stare. Duskpool calls out to him, asks him how he's doing- and Fireflypaw grunts as he rips a plant from the ground to taste it.

"Nothin' here. Just weeds." He grunts around the weed in his jaws, dropping it without much thought to turn back to his patrol of cats. His tail flicked, guilt gnawing at his bones. "I'm sorry we haven't cured everyone fast enough. I'm sorry we couldn't.. Couldn't keep Sheepcurl and Tallulahwing and.. And Mountainheart.. And the others- others alive." He hiccups softly, tears welling up in his eyes. He wants to press close to somebody, to be told that everything would be alright.

The fireflies had told him good times were coming. But when would that be, he wondered? He blinks sadly, eyes opening just to stare at the ground. "Maybe I'm not cut out for this.." He mumbles to himself.​

SKYCLAN MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE ✦ 13 MOONS ✦ CHUNKY, BIG-FOOTED SEAL POINT ✦ TAGS​

 

[Abysspaw]

He's on this patrol because Charlielight had once again not shown up to the clan, he knew she was scared but his childish feelings remained hurt and it was hard not to be a little bitter at his training being delayed due to this sickness. He felt bad for being so bothered, cats were dying and he was selfishly thinking only of himself but it was hard to push the thoughts down once they started to spiral. Duskpool has found weeds and Fireflypaw seems to almost deflate with despair, apologizing for the cats lost and he blocks it out - flattens his ears. He doesn't want to think about it. Foolish as it was to ignore, he wants to be worry free at least for one day.
He is just close enough to catch the quietly mumbled words and his ears prick upward in bewilderment. Maybe I'm not cut out for this.
"Maybe it's not about you or your skills." Abysspaw adds helpfully, "All the clans are having a rough time they say. I think its bigger than you are." Bigger than Dawnglare, bigger than all of them. It was a mystery illness they had to name and figure out and the lack of the herbs used to help was not something anyone had control over. Supposedly StarClan had a plan, or something. Surely they weren't put here just to die, choking and delirious like Tallulahwing had been...
Her bow limp on the ground is seered into his mind.

"...maybe a dumb suggestion but..what about the two-legs? The nice ones? There are nice ones who fix cats who need help. I wonder if there is a way to use them." As soon as he suggests it he is ashamed of it, burning under his cheeks and the insides of his ears turning red; his fascination with the two-legs was fortunately not that strange in SkyClan but his fixation on them as being some kind of messiah figures had certainly earned him a few looks already.
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[DUSKPOOL]

anger makes you stupid . stupid gets you killed .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

A molten gaze shifted, listening to the apprentice with a minuscule frown. He sighed, shaking his helm. Idiot. He doubted any apology could help them now, not when it had nothin’ to do with anyone to begin with. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, but whoever star-forsaken asshole thought it would be funny to watch a bunch of cats suffer. It was a brief second, but a thought, leaving Duskpool’s stomach churning. Was this StarClan’s doing? He wasn’t religious, but seein’ a leader get up after gettin’ his throat bitten wasn’t somethin’ he should be ignoring.

Shaking his helm, Duskpool padded closer, resting a wooly tail on the other’s shoulder. He wasn’t one for comforting, but he learned the ropes a long damn time ago. Maybe he wouldn’t be such a screw-up this time around, even if his heart filled with grief, threatening to spill through the cracks of his skin. He sighed, letting the other press into him if Fireflypaw wished. “Hey. Stop that, kiddo. No need to get your fur in a twist.” He rumbled, soothing, but rough. He glanced at Aspenpaw, torn ear flickering in mild agreement. “You did everything ya could.” He grunted. “So quit apologizing.” He shifted, tearing his gaze to the pines, expression indifference.

“Chin up, kiddo. Dawnglare chose ya for a reason.” He learned a long time ago that life was cruel. He knew that better than a lot of cats. It was lively as much as it was unforgiving. He could empathize. Watching cats grow sick from something unknown and die not long afterward. He remembered all too damn well what it felt like to lose cats, especially when he did everything he could. It never was enough, was it?

Firefly didn’t need ghosts hangin’ over his shoulders. Duskpool had enough of ‘em to remind him of everything he could have done differently. Nothing but a bunch of what-ifs. He sighed, nose crinkling at the thought. Damnit.

He sighed, shifting his attention towards Aspenpaw, brow crinkling at the thought of trusting upwalkers. “How would we know which of ‘em are nice?” He rumbled, gaze narrowing. “Some of ya might trust ‘em but I wouldn’t put my faith in them. It’d be the last we see of ‘em if we do.” His wooly tail flickered, peeling his gaze away from the young apprentice with a tired grunt, padding forward to paw at one of the upturned weeds.

He grunted, shooting a glance towards Fireflypaw, molten copper narrowing. “Things could be better, but we have a cure because of that ThunderClanner.” He rumbled, skin prickling beneath obsidian fur. “The hard part is over. Just need to find more. Sure as hell won’t be easy, but we’re stubborn fools.” ​

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thought speech​