it all falls down // sick

[WILDHEART]

"Dammit... what's wrong with me?" Wildheart growled through the persistent wheezing that racked his form as he glowered off in the direction that the mouse had gone. Normally he would have put away a few successful kills by now, but thus far he had caught nothing during the patrol. It wasn't even like there was a lack of prey, but no matter how hard he pushed his body simply failed to give him what he needed. His lungs and muscles burned in protest, and the insistent migraine certainly wasn't helping either as it throbbed horribly with every beat of his heart.

The calico slumped against the trunk of a tree for support and he closed his eyes as a way of giving himself some minor relief from the worst of the migraine's wrath. "Don't tell me that I've caught it... please no." A trickle of fear ran up the length of his spine as he started to fear the worst. Cats had died from yellowcough, clanmates had perished! He could merely hope that Berryheart's cure was all that it was cracked up to be. Though he still needed to get back to camp, but he wasn't even sure he was capable of doing so. If only his pride would let him call out for help...
​

 

[Moonwhisper]

The tortie point is growing frustrated really, having found not so much as a single mouse this entire venture out and she hopes the rest of the hunting patrol is fairing a bit better than she is. It is only by sheer luck she happens to stumble upon the other warrior leaning alongside the tree and a huff of indignation rises from her throat at his apparent slacking.
"You mousebrain, what are you doing just standing the-" Moonwhisper's scolding catches in her throat, she knows Wildheart enough to know he would not have stopped for anything more than something severe and that he seemed to be almost struggling to remain upright even with the tree's support was enough of a warning that something was terribly wrong. She remembers the sight of Frostglare and Foxpoppy's bodies, overcome with sickness and covered in lavender, how Berryheart had nearly succumbed himself and left her feeling weak and helpless in face of any enemy she could not defeat with claws.
It didn't take a particularly smart cat to realize the tom was struggling to breath because of something more than being worn out and Moonwhisper was a particularly smart cat. "...we need to get back to camp." She strides forward to his side, leans in and gives a sharp click of her teeth, "And don't give me any backtalk or I'll trounce you, come on. Lean on me."
​

 

[WOLFWIND]

A patrol with Wildheart was always bound to be a headache. With his reputation, Wolfwind had just now known what to make of it. Was the light wheeze after every word Yellowcough, or was his voice finally giving out after all the yelling he did? Though he was stupid, Wolfwind had never thought him a bad hunter. Everyone had days – including Moonwhisper it seemed, who trotted over to them with empty jaws. Wolfwind finds herself distracted – thinks she has more of an excuse to, when she already has a mouse dangling in her jaws... She looks on with thinly - veiled concern, the falter of her smile not easy to see around the prey in her mouth.

Him slumping against the tree, like an elder being winded after a climb is what has her giving in, taking an unsure step toward the warrior with creased brows. Surely, he was far too stubborn to to get sick. Agreeing with Moonwhisper, she nods, coming to round Wildheart's other side. " Got you, " is what she can mumble around her catch, sharing a look of concern with her cousin.

OOC ✨ 9.5.2023 BET MY MONEY ON A STUPID HORSE, I LOST THAT

•  

• 

• [ SO I RAN OUT TO THE TRACK TO GET MY CASH BACK ] WOLFWIND THUNDERCLAN LEAD WARRIOR! LITTERMATE 2 LAKEMOON; KIN TO MANY.
  —— SHE / HER, CONFUSED BY BUT NOT OPPOSED TO THE USE OF OTHERS
  —— CURRENTLY 22 MOONS OLD. AGES EVERY 1ST.
  
  FRIEND TO MANY! UPBEAT AND UPFRONT. MOVES THROUGH LIFE WITH AN UPBEAT EXTERIOR AND BRIGHT EYES. MAKE NO MISTAKE! TAKES HER JOB VERY SERIOUSLY. THERE'S IMPORTANCE IN SAFETY, RECKLESSNESS ONLY GETS YOU SO FAR. ONCE A FOOL, BUT NO LONGER

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[RACCOONSTRIPE]

This is not the first patrol he’s on where he’s lost a warrior to fatigue, to stumbling, to yellowcough. The tabby stiffens, turning back to peer through the undergrowth. Wildheart slumps against the a tree, his eyes glazed with pain and fever. Raccoonstripe grits his teeth, anger—not at his former apprentice, but against the nebulous ghost of yellowcough—sweeping through him. Moonwhisper and Wolfwind flock to Wildheart’s side, aiming to prop him up so they can get him back to camp.

“I’ll run ahead and let Berryheart and Lichenpaw know.” Wolfwind is small, but sturdy, and Moonwhisper’s size rivals her littermates’ now. Neither she-cat will struggle bringing Wildheart back, but Raccoonstripe wants to ensure the medicine cats are prepared. They know now that lungwort is the cure—he only hopes they have enough to help the tricolored tom.

✧ INFO.

• @BERRYHEART @LICHENPAW
• 
  — raccoon . raccoonstripe
  — he/him ; lead warrior of thunderclan
  — heteroflexible ; single
  — long-haired black tabby with white and dark brown eyes
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — penned by Marquette
  — chibi by Rai

​

 

[BERRYHEART]

They were running low, though Berryheart did not wish to give voice to the thought. Dwindling supplies and a flat stock were kept locked behind his crooked jaw, and as the last lungwort leaves he had lay watchfully within the herb store, his attention swivelled to his brother. Thunderstorm- too, a victim to this illness. If the Stars were kind, the final victim they would have- though Berryheart was wiser than that, knew foolish optimism would not serve him well.

As ever he kept his emotions mostly guarded, dipping his head thankfully to his brother and letting a storm go off only in his mind. This would be... concerning, if it was not the last case. He knew Freckles could probably tell, too... they had treated so many together that the other tortoiseshell was bound to recognise how little they truly had left. "He will be fine," Berryheart confirmed, certain of only that and nothing else as he began to prepare a nest, beckoning his apprentice to aid him.​

PENNED BY PIN ☾​