camp Ive fallen and I cant get up || Fainting

[Mountainheart]

Its a morning like any other in the pine forest. Birds are singing, the sweltering sun has yet to fully rise into the sky. Dew dapples the ground and needles on the pines, and the air has yet to become unbearably humid. It is a peaceful morning, one that makes you want to sleep in and enjoy it. But such is not the life of a clan cat. Beautiful and peaceful as this morning is, something is not right.

That something would be Mountainheart.

His large, muscular form lays collapsed on the ground, pointed in the direction of Dawnglare's den. His breathing is ragged and he is barely conscious. His symptoms were tolerable the day before, but it seemed to have gotten worse overnight. Thus, prompting him to stop enjoying the peace of the night and head to the medicine den..... He did not make it, as anyone waking up could see.

He can only think about how he is glad that Sweetybee left for the night. He would not want her to see him right now. She'll fret herself to death... But he knows it's inevitable. She'll be back this morning. For once, he isn't sure he can confidently reassure her. He has always been an unstoppable force, many cats have fallen beneath his claws and many more faced defeat with the mercy to escape with their lives. He was no easy opponent.

And yet, his skill, experience, and battle prowess meant nothing to illness. This was a battle he had no control over. He could not slit an illness open, could not snap it's neck.

His life was no longer in his paws.... And he did not like it, this feeling of powerlessness.

It's when the camp begins to stir does his consciousness fade, eyes closing. All that can be heard is his quiet wheezing, a struggle to breathe.​

 

[DOGBITE]

Emerging from the cradle of slumber, the veil of sleep gradually gave way to the daybreak – a tableau of grays and pastels strewn across the floor. Without quite understanding the impulse behind his awakening, Dog found himself stirred to consciousness, a subtle sense of disquiet gnawing at him. Rousing himself, he shook off the remnants of sleep, tattered ears pricking at a faint sound that beckoned his attention. Swiftly, he transitioned onto all fours, his senses locking onto the source. Casting a gaze out onto the camp, his focus converged on a single point in the distance.

Huh?

Dog's expectations of moving into Skyclan hadn't accounted for the unfurling tide of affliction that now swept through. Whispers, like tendrils of an omen, had ushered in about a sickness, and he'd been a witness to its grim inception. A realization struck him – the muffled sounds that had guided him was none other than the rasping of labored breathing. His paws moved without hesitation and he fell upon the scene quickly. There close to the Medicine Den was the hulking form of Mountainheart collapsed.

A shrill note of distress pierced through his worn ears, a testament to the gravity of the scene. The severity was undeniable, and though untrained in the art of caregiving, he knew the importance of helping those in need. Eagerly, he sidled to the fallen tom's side. Bending down he lent his ear to the others ragged breaths. It was a meager relief to hear it but time was not on their side. He did his best to scrounge up the memories of his tour around camp bolstered by the scents and sights that had painted his mind. His tour alongside Orangeblossom had been fleeting, but enough to guide him.

Amidst uncertainty, his resolve kicked in and leaned on intuition. A revelation illuminated by the scent of herbs – there it was, but doubts loomed, fracturing his focus.

Should I call for help or leave to seek it out... Maybe both?

Dog nibbled on the inside of his cheek only to grunt with annoyance. What am I thinking of course I need to call for help! Dog quashed his hesitations and made way towards Dawnglare's cavern. Spurred by a newfound determination, they stopped at the halfway mark between the Medicine Den and the spot where Mountainheart lay.

In a breath, they bellowed aloud. "HEY! ANYONE AWAKE? SOMEONE'S COLLAPSED! WE NEED HELP!" His voice resounded the walls, a call laced with urgency. Please, hurry! Dog's eye pivoted back to the slumped form and a realization settled over him – Mountainheart's state remained unchanged. This really isn't good. I can't just leave him over there...

True to their thoughts the former loner couldn't in good conscience leave Mountainheart alone in the midst of a medical emergency. The orange and white cat pivoted back to the stricken clanmate, settling alongside him. His scarred face pointedly looking down and nervously watching the others flank. If nothing else, Dog hoped his presence offered some comfort.

To ensure this he muttered out in a low tone and lent his voice to Mountainheart. "Stay strong, big guy. Help's coming, I promise." For all his rough edges, Dog possessed a modicum of decency – an instinct to extend a helping paw to those in need even if there was nothing to gain.

-

ooc; calling out for help I believe near the medicine den to @DAWNGLARE @Fireflypaw
TLDR Dog discovered Mountainheart collapsed. Sticking by his side Dog calls for help.​

 

[APPLEFROST]

With the expectation of still being present in a timely manner and proper ambition, Apple Stem's morning typically began just before the sun's rise. It was with the stars blessing her housefolk seemed to rouse with the same schedule, leaving in their monsters as she departed from their garden. The trek to SkyClan wasn't horrendously long or tiring, and her legs had endured such long travels since she could properly walk, but she wasn't blind to how much more awake she appeared in the morning than her Clanmates that rose straight from their nests to work.

Her commute allowed her the time to get her heart beating and sleep to ebb away from her muscles. That morning like any other, Apple Stem came prepared for the day's tasks and to join her Clanmates in whatever fun they planned to have. As she neared her secondary home, she could hear Dog's shrill for help. Her paws faltered in a moment of surprise before picking up the pace to see what had happened.

"Mountainheart...?" A quiet murmur as she recognized the form of who's body laid across the clearing.

"Dog, you will need to kindly give him space when the medicine cat's arrive." Her advisement is kind as she paused beside the tom before leaving for the medicine den. This time not to pester her lovely friend, but for a more unfortunate circumstance. "I... apologize to wake you, the both of you. It look's like Mountainheart's collapsed. He's still breathing." If he were dead on her arrival, she wondered if there would be need for hurry or if it would be met with the same level of concern at all. ​

 

[Fireflyglow]

A head pokes into the medicine den, alerting the hefty tom to yet another fallen clanmate- Fireflypaw could never get used to this, being called upon during something like a plague. Being relied on so heavily that if he chose to ignore them, just once, it could risk lives. He wasn't a bad person, wouldn't do such a cruel thing, however- the thought remains. He rises to his paws clumsily, stumbling over them momentarily as he wanders outside to check on the hulking tom who'd fainted.

Dog, Apple Stem, they both seemed worried in their own ways. "Stay away from him." Fireflypaw mrows softly in warning, ghostly blue hues staring sightlessly in Mountainheart's direction. He turns his neck momentarily, popping a joint in his neck before he attempts to lean down and grasp Mountainheart's scruff in an attempt to half-carry him to the medicine den. He was much bigger than him, wasn't he? But the den wasn't that far away, Mountainheart had done most of the work himself, wobbling over to the den. Exhaustion causes his shoulders to tense as he pulls on the warrior's scruff, tugging him to the medicine den until he hopefully manages to settle him into a nest clumsily.

Turning back to his clanmates, Fireflypaw dips his head in respect to the two of them; tiredness in his gait. "Thank you.. For not gettin' too close. If you don't mind stayin' alert, watch yourself for the same symptoms Mountainheart has and report to Dawnglare and I immediately if you can."​

SKYCLAN MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE ✦ 12 MOONS ✦ CHUNKY, BIG-FOOTED SEAL POINT ✦ TAGS​

 

[DOGBITE]

At the arrival of another feline came into view, Dog rose to his feet, his expression shifting into a mask of surprise. Apple's warning resounded in his mind, and in an instant, Dog comprehended the gravity of the situation. A shiver coursed through him – this was contagious. A mixture of apprehension and urgency gripped him, prompting him to instinctively step back, a weight settling in his chest like a stone.

"U-uh yeah! Got it, and thanks." Dog stammered, his voice betraying the tremors of unease.

The brief proximity to the unconscious tom had left its mark, an impression on his senses. It was a haunting sight, witnessing a massive cat reduced to gasping for air, held captive by the clutches of illness. Amidst his thoughts, the hushed voices of Fireflypaw and Apple grew steadily closer, pulling him back to the present.

Relief washed over him as the two figures re-entered the clearing, and he welcomed their return with gratitude. Dog took another careful step back, allowing a respectful distance, providing the Medicine Cat apprentice the space necessary to tend to the ailing Mountainheart.

His gaze followed the scarred black and white cat's movements as they assisted the large warrior into the medicine den. Awe colored his one good eye as the same cat reappeared, offering further guidance. While a sense of helplessness lingered within him, Dog found reassurance in Fireflypaw's competence, even as the gravity of reality held sway. The medicine cat's warning stuck like a bitter taste, making him swallow hard. A fleeting thought surfaced – a silent plea that his own well-being would remain unscathed in the aftermath of this ordeal.

"I'll make sure to be careful and thank you Fireflypaw. I know this can't be easy by any means." He didn't intend for his softer side to show but it bled through his gentle meows.

Mouse dung. I hope I don't get infected after this... A flood of memories surged forth – recollections of his own solitary battles against illness, the relentless sun scorching his battered fur, and the acrid muck coating his raw throat. Dog had endured countless afflictions alone, exposed to the unforgiving elements, and his empathy was starkly evident as he peered into the gaping maw of the medicine den.​