camp i wish it was cooling me || allergies & nosebleed

[heavybranch]

➳ ➳ Heavybranch has lived enough moons to know that the rattle that occupied his chest in Newleaf was caused by the grass. It was a function of plants and their medicines — to dry or wet noses, to bring burning eyes or a rough throat. While normally the effects of a plant could only be felt after ingesting one or, in the case of a few plants, when one was brushed against, Newleaf was different. The season brought a strength to plants that made their medicines so potent that the effects could be felt just by breathing the same air a plant occupied.

That's how Heavybranch had understood it, at least.

He didn't let such facts keep him from enjoying the Newleaf foliage. After a season of sleep, foamflowers have sprouted along the edge of the outside of the elder's den. Their frothy white petals dance in a breeze, and even at the distance Heavybranch stands he can catch their sweet scent. Heavybranch has never claimed to be immune from instinct — he's too old to deny himself the pleasure of sniffing pretty things, and has already resigned himself to a persistent cough until Greenleaf brought with it sun enough to temper the plant growth.

Heavybranch leans until his flat nose is against the delicate blooms, eyes closed as he inhales. As expected, a familiar tingle runs up Heavybranch's face. He turns his face away from the foamflowers just in time to avoid sneezing on them, not wanting to damage something so easily breakable. And then he sneezes again, and again, and then by the fifth time Heavybranch feels as though his nose has made its point and thinks that it should be done with this whole affair. His nose sneezes once more, just to spite him.

❝Well, shit,❞ Heavybranch's voice comes mildly as he inspects the splatter of tiny cherry droplets he'd scattered with his last sneeze.

shadowclan elder ✰ brown tabby ✰ flat face ✰ polydactyly ✘​

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[GRANITEPELT]

Granitepaw's first newleaf has brought both pleasantries and irritants. The abundance of new life, tadpoles and eggs and frogs circling their stagnant baths, his belly near-full for the first time since he'd been on mother's milk -- it's got him in almost a good mood. It's almost been enough to erase the horrid leafbare they'd faced. Almost enough to clean the blood from Granitepaw's gray paws.

But with the blooms come the pollen, and his experience so far is negative. His nose itches almost perpetually, and his eyes water at the slightest facial twitch. Granitepaw had never known himself to be so susceptible to allergens; at least once a day, he dunks the entirety of his head into the coolest water he can find to rinse the pollen that clings.

He's not fazed, initially, by Heavybranch's sneezing. The elders have a worse time of it, or so he assumes. They do of most things. But he sees the old tom inspecting the results of the sneeze with interest, so Granitepaw lumbers over. At the sight of the red droplets scattered across the blossom, the apprentice recoils.

"Surely that's not supposed to happen?" He snorts and wrinkles the bridge of his nose. As though the elder's bloody spittle is contagious, Granitepaw takes several steps backward.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[GHOSTPAW]

Ghostpaw had been prone to his on bouts of sneezes and wheezes as a kit. Was it the same sickness, here? And oh, would Heavybranch survive it? Ghost had been young. And strong... Yes, stronger than he'd looked. But Heavybranch was odd-faced and odd-aged... Perhaps the size of him would offset the deadliness...?

Oh, he's fighting though. You can tell from the sneezes... too many to count. Ghostpaw is thankfully, immune today. Though that isn't to say he is perfectly normal... Maybe his eyes are drier? His nose... a bit twitchy? Ghostpaw strains to keep his typical stare. Eyes become watery as they land on Granitepaw, and he blinks; once, twice. Heavybranch is sneezing, still. And Ghostpaw's eyes pry open in time to see the splatter of blood. Too late, it'd be too late... THe size didn't matter. Death was decidedly so... He'd thought it'd stop when it turned Newleaf...

"No..." Ghostpaw mews in agreement with Granitepaw. Even if he...he's funny...he's right. "I'm sorry..." he shakes his head sadly, condolences for Heavybranch's ceasing of life. He wishes Starlingheart were here... Granitepaw is next best, isn't he? Next best besides...the old one. But he shouldn't think about her now. "Can we just let it kill...?"​

 

[Starlingheart]

As if she can hear the thoughts of her clanmates, their wishes that she was there with them, she appears. In her mouth she clutches the emergency kit that she keeps near the entrance to her den. An Ivy leaf that holds a small number of various herbs. The scent of blood had drawn her out but when she sets her round eyes on Heavybranch’s face, the blood coming out of his nose, she has no idea what to do.
She cannot let them see her being doubtful though, she cannot let them know that half of the time she guesses at what she is going. Surely they all ready know but there is no use in letting them continue thinking that.

"H-hold this to your uh to your nose until- until it stops " she says and hands the large tom a wad of cobwebs. What else was there for her to do? "Do you ha-have any other sy-symptoms? " she asks, hoping that if he does it is something she knows how to treat.

She presses herself to Granitepaws side for only a moment, to comfort herself and she flashes a quick smile to Ghostpaw. She is glad her friends are here, at least.
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[heavybranch]

➳ ➳ Heavybranch's small ears twist atop his head towards a voice, and then his face turns to follow. Granitepaw. He can judge all he wants, all young blood with nose enough that he never needs to let his jaw hang to breathe. Heavybranch doesn't envy Granitepaw's youth, but he envies the ignorance it brings. A white paw presses to his snout and then comes away red on inspection — but not so bad as to worry him.

❝It'll happen to you one day, I'll tell you what,❞ Heavybranch warns, then makes a low, decidedly nasal sound as he attempts to staunch the nosebleed.

Then it's Ghostpaw, who seems to not think standing too near to Heavybranch will make him catch a nosebleed in the same way Granitepaw does, but who does seem to be far more confused. Heavybranch's head tilts, ❝Kill...? I ain't dying over here, you hear? We got bad air right now from all the plants about, and neither my chest or my nose like it. That's all.❞

At least there are some sensible young cats in the clan. Heavybranch accepts the cobwebs from Starlingheart with a nod and a ❝Thank you kindly miss,❞ Then presses the cobweb to his nose in an all too familiar move. It's far better than using his paw, at the very least. But then Starlingheart needs to go and ask Heavybranch if he has any other symptoms, and he's forced to wonder if his early thought of sensible young cats in this clan holds up.

❝It's a nosebleed,❞ Heavybranch tells her, not unkindly, and then coughs hard enough that his gut hoicks, ❝Jus' a nosebleed.❞

shadowclan elder ✰ brown tabby ✰ flat face ✰ polydactyly ✘​

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