camp It's the Little Things | [Badger Set]

[Sedgerunner]

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Her trek to camp was slow, numb paws carried her across the moors as if on auto-pilot as her mind was elsewhere. She had tumbled over her kill a few times, accidentally stepping on a dragging back foot. She gripped at the hare's scruff harder, determined to get back to camp with her kill. But, her body felt as if she were in a slow-motion trance. She grew clumsy, exhaustion playing at her eyes as they drew heavy. Sedgerunner just wanted to sleep—to feel the warm embrace take in her shivering body and caress her till she was energized once more.
She narrowed her virdian gaze, large ears flattened against the piercing wind rushing at her repeatedly. She had to get back to camp. Her clan depended on her efforts, depended on her skills as a warrior. But, her body was just so heavy. The rabbit she carried felt more like a boulder as her jaws ached and her muscles screamed in desperation. Maybe she should just stop for a minute. A small break wouldn't hurt, right?
No! Keep going. You can't show weakness, you just can't. Everyone will think less of you than they already do. Just think how useless you would look if you couldn't manage to bring back one single rabbit. Get over yourself. Keep. Moving. Forward.
Sedgerunner shoved her body's needs to the side, forcing herself to take longer strides. Camp wasn't far now. Just beyond this hill. She could detect faint scents of her clan mates through the mouthful of rabbit she carried. She was close.
The thick clouded sky loomed over head, thick snow drops began to fall at a faster pace than normal. It was snowing again? This time, it seemed to fall like a ever lasting downpour, it's winds pummeling her as if she were nothing. Ivory claws dug into frozen snow, but her grip held no chance towards the howling wind thst continued to nearly whip her off the ground. Damnit! Just let me get home! The gorse heather was so close, she was so close.
With a few more determined strides, Sedgerunner finally pushed herself through the frozen limbs into her home. The wind seemed to howl in protest as she finally found coverage from—well, at least most of the harsh weather. She stumbled on numb paws towards the back of camp near the old badger set, quietly entering the burrow and nearly moaning in relief of the temperature change. Exhaustion slammed into her body, the sweet caress of sleep nipping at her eyelids as she finally dropped the half-frozen hare at the entrance. Half-lidded eyes scanned the area, pupils barely making out a silhouette of a moving feline. "Dan-Dandelionwish! I-I've brought so-some food fah-for you o-or who-whoever wo-would li-like to-o ea-at." The molly managed to stammer out in between violent shivers and teeth chattering. Clumps of frozen snow hung onto her pelt like burrs, the warmer air beginning to melt and soak into her skin. She was cold—near freezing in fact. Luckily, it seemed likenshe could at least feel all of for extremities a little. Hopefully no nerve damage would come upon her.

TLDR; Sedgerunner was caught in tne blizzard while bringing back her kill to the badger set for the sick or for Dandelionwish. She's got mild hypothermia with no nerve damage. No sniffles or cough yet :3

@Dandelionwish
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[Dandelionwish]

The badger sets were uncomfortable warm with so many sick bodies clustered together, he felt every step he had to watch for a stray tail or paw before setting his own foot down in the sea of cats. Coughs filled his ears like war drums, he wanted to run out into the cold snowy moors to scream his frustration but he could not shatter into pieces when there were so many still in need. He was stronger than his predecessor, he would keep it together.
A shadow cloaked the entrance as he turned, paws kneading the edge of moss nest to try and soften it further for the weary head that lay upon it and when he turned it was to cedar smoked fur and a smile; a surprise but a welcome one.
"Sedgerunner-thank ye! I was jus' about to head to camp to grad something m'self." Back and forth, tail high and head low, through the snow and the chill with herbs in his teeth and blood boiling every step; it was a struggle and he often times did not so much fall asleep at night as he just collapsed in a silent and overwhelming stupor of darkness that felt like a mere blink. It was only after he rose to stand and great the she-cat did he notice the tremble, the shake, the way her teeth set into a tightly drawn line that shifted with each jittering bounce of them; the sheen of her coal black nose that was neither natural nor what he'd come to recognize as one of many whitecough signs. Without much room for pause he raised his arms up, gestured for her to step in and pushed his side into hers in what looked like a friendly shoulder nudge but he was gauging body temperature by the close proximity and he did not like what he felt.
"Sit-sit, let me check ye too." Just the cold perhaps? He hoped so, because the alternative was terrifying and to lose another skilled hunter was something he dreaded having to bring up to their leader. Though he often dreaded all of their discussions.

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[Sedgerunner]

"BUT I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR"​

The feeling of a warm touch brushing against her chilled fur nearly had her flinching from it as his body heat pressed against her. The sudden heat felt like needle-like claws piercing her skin, but she relished at the feeling. It felt so painfully better than the iron grip of frost clinging at her. The warrior sighed as a small smile pulled at her lips, her tensed muscles relaxing under sleek fur. Frost began to slowly melt away, bit by bit, turning to chilling water as it dampened her where he had previously been. Dandelionwish examines her carefully with watchful eyes, taking in tell-tale signs of too much exposure to freezing temperatures. Virdian eyes slightly widen as he gestured her to sit down, moving seamlessly through the maze of resting bodies. No—no! This was the last thing she wanted for the already over worked medicine cat or for her clan, to be another victim of sickness that blazed through WindClan. No, she just needed rest and a chance to warm herself, right?
The all similar looming shadow engulfed her as she stood frozen for a moment, her mind forgetting how to move her limbs. Of course you'd get sick, you imbecile! Always a burden to everyone around you. The warrior gritted her teeth, jaws locked as she stood there staring at the retreating tom that ushered her farther inside. "N-no, Dandelionwish, I-I'm fine! You needn't worry yo-your paws with me when there's far worse you need to fo-focus on. I-I'm okay, really! Se-see? Getting be-better already. Just n-need a spot to wa-warm u-up in." Sedgerunner managed to stutter out with tight lips, attempting to force her shivers down with feeble success. Look at what you've done. Her gut twisted in her abdomen into a knot, twisting harder when she finally listened to the tom; following slowly behind him. "P-please don't worry about me..." She whispered, her eyes falling to her frosted cedar paws.
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✦ ★ ✦​

 

[PALETHROAT]

if someone had told him it was freezing outside, palethroat would have laughed in their face and called them a dumbass. he's burning up, sweat accumulating on the pads of his paws. no matter how he twists and turns in his nest, searching for a spot not yet warmed by his body heat, he could not find comfort. he is suspended in this feverish hell, slipping in and out of consciousness, seeking out the void of fitful sleep because at least it's more comfortable than squirming in his nest with every muscle aching.

dandelionwish's voice rouses him, the sick warrior groaning as one paw lifts, trembling from the weakness that grips him, to cover his ears. "...shut up," he rasps out, voice long since lost from coughing and complaining. he just wants to sleep this terrible sickness off. silently, he blames dandelionwish's incompetence on the reason why he has not recovered yet- why none of them have recovered yet. how could you call yourself a healer if you could not heal?

the so-called medicine cat continues to talk, another voice joining in, and palethroat groans louder. bleary eyes crack open just enough to see what the noisy bastards are up to, the pounding behind his eyes growing. someone else is standing at the entrance, dusted with snow and carrying a hare. his crusted nose could not even smell the aroma of fresh-kill, and for that, he's lucky; he thinks that the scent would only send a wave of nausea crashing over him. just the thought of trying to eat... his lips purse, swallowing down burning bile. typically, he would be so eager at the prospect of digging in to a good meal... now? he wants nothing to do with the vile hare. he doesn't even know why sedgerunner bothered to bring it.

the voices of the two fade into little more than a buzzing in his ears as exhaustion tries to reclaim him, annoying but persistent. his paw digs deeper into the skin of his ears.​