camp knocked for six || illness

[heavybranch]

‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ It is late evening when Heavybranch accepts that he is well and truly ill.
It had started as a slight tickle in his throat, as though he had swallowed a feather, but as the day stretched on the tickle progressed into an ache. Freshkill that had been left for him by an apprentice earlier in the day sits untouched at his flank — for the first time in a long time Heavybranch has been wholly uninterested in a meal. Heavybranch knows the feeling of seasonal sickness, the sneezing, eyes watery sickness that came from grass and pollen, well enough to know that this isn't that.

‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏Heavybranch stands with a grunt; there isn't any use in putting off the inevitable. If Starlingheart's reaction to him having something as simple as a nosebleed was anything to go off of, she'd doubtlessly be all to eager to stuff him full of herbs at the soonest sign of a real issue. The elder's den could be a lonely place, he reasons with himself as he steps out into the dying golden light. Better to spend some time with company. His walk to the medicine den is unhurried, he even nods a quiet greeting to different faces as he walks by.

‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏But then Heavybranch stops at the medicine den, niceties from a different time and place.

❝Is Starlingheart in?❞ Heavybranch calls into the entranceway, ❝Or that... apprentice of hers?❞

// med cat tags: @STARLINGHEART . @Magpiepaw
no need to wait for them!​

P. 14​

 

[Kestrelshade]

The illness that spread through ShadowClan was something that Kestrelshade tried to pay no mind to. In the beginning it was easier, simply going about his day and seeing that there was a cat here or there that had come down with some kind of sick, something that happened from time to time. He was sure that if he simply kept away from those that were sick it would run it's course and everyone would get better as they always had, Starlingheart and Magpiepaw were doing good after all, they were learning and healing as they had been for moons, nothing was changing.

Until it did.

Suddenly cats weren't getting better and it was something that Kestrelshade no longer could ignore as he had hoped. Watching as freshkill soon became ignored, the warrior shuffled slightly out of the way when Heavybranch had decided that he needed to get up to walk to the medicine den, ears swiveled forward as Kestrelshade watched and listened to what the other said, soon looking back to the prey before eyes cast over to the warrior once more. "You sick or something Heavybranch?" It was said in a lighthearted tone, hoping that it wasn't true. If it did so happen that the other was sick, the only relief Kestrelshade got was that he was trying to get help before he collapsed on patrol and had to be carried back.

↳˗ ˏˋreferenceˊˎ ˗ ↴

• [[ooc]]
• 
• ● he/him || 36 moons || ages on the 20th || shadowclan warrior
  ● loyal to shadowclan || bisexual || not currently in a relationship
  
  strength ●●●●●●●●○○
  stamina ●●●●●●●○○○
  agility ●●●●●○○○○○
  hunting ●●○○○○○○○○
  swimming ○○○○○○○○○○
  climbing ●○○○○○○○○○
  grace ●●●●●●●●●●

​

 

[GECKOSCREECH]

a deadly illness is beginning to fester within their very walls. cats who appeared fine one day are suddenly decrepit and nest-bound with an assortment of symptoms that none have really seen before and it brung about a rippling wave of both alarm and unease. such hardships are not uncommon for shadowclan to experience, that much is a given, but most of the time they barely come out standing on their own four paws again and one has to worry if this will be yet another case for them.

if anyone was to show even the barest signs of sickness whether it be a sniffle or a sneeze, geckoscreech ensures that there is atleast a few tail-lengths of space between her and the infected until they are swept away into the medicine den to be stuffed with an assortment of herbs to get rid of whatever ails them. ugh, just the thought of having to deal with a persistant scratchy throat and achey limbs makes the older rosette tabby grimace. movement is captured in the corner of her eye in which she readjusts her focus to where she'd see heavybranch trudging over to the medicine den with kestrelshade making a passing question about the elder's health.

"if he is, i'm sure starlingheart will be able to fix him up good as new." her voice comes out rather tepid and not that very reassurring but atleast it's better than just blatantly stating the worst though she's sure someone else will come by and do that for her.

: ̗̀➛ info ✧ reference

• ✎ . . .
  
• to be added.
  
• "SPEECH" ◦ THOUGHTS
  
• to be added.
  

​

 

[Starlingheart]

The amount of cats that are quickly falling ill worries her. The sickness is very clearly in ShadowClan, and it is infecting more and more by the day. Halfshade is already ill, and all she can do is try to make the queen comfortable with honey, with feverfew and chickweed. She has yet to find an herb that works as a complete cure, hwoever. It is like Dawnglare had said. Ravensong had called it Yellowcough, and Starlingheart thinks it a fitting name for a terrifying illness.

When Heavybranches voice sounds from the outside of her den she can feel her heart fall. Another clanmate falling ill was not a good sign. With a heavy sigh she goes to her herb stores and grabs a small bundle of feverfew and chickweed then also grabs the honey to bring to the older tom. When she exits her den she places the herbs in front of him "I c-can guess from your voice what's-what's wrong" she tells him, her voice soft "Eat these, they'll uh they'll help." with one paw, she pushes the herbs forward.
​

 

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

DON'T YOU GIVE ME UP, PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP​

---

their mate's optimism is ill-placed. starlingheart is an amazing medicine cat for what she's been taught but they barely knew anything about this disease. about what to do for it, how to help, how to cure it. yellowcough was a curse from starclan, and shadowclan has never been in their good graces. this would take them out, one by one. picking them off like birds pick worms from the ground, until there is simply nothing left. they sigh, furrowing their brows at heavybranch before looking over at starlingheart.

"would you like him moved to your den? we can't risk the other elders getting sick... we can't really risk anyone getting sick, you included, but i don't know what else we should do."
​

 

[COMFREYPAW]

Each day, Comfreypaw wakes with a new dread to see which of her Clanmates begins to fall ill. Applepaw’s mother Halfshade is sick, and now her brother Swanpaw curls among Starlingheart’s herbs. They are all young and strong, and she’s sure they will be fine—that’s what everyone says, anyway. But the Gathering… she knows the SkyClan leader had not seemed optimistic. They know the cure now, but still there’s worry draped over Chilledstar and Starlingheart like shadows.

And now Heavybranch is sick.

She sits a foxlength away from Kestrelshade and Geckoscreech, but finally she gathers the courage to speak. “Do you want me to bring you something to eat?” Her mew is anxious. She can hear his breathing this close, and it rattles dangerously in his throat, like loose pebbles.

Then she remembers the plump frog she’d brought to his den earlier, and how it still sat, untouched. She shuddered. “How—how about fresh moss? I can go get some.” She looks at the medicine cat and Magpiepaw, her voice rising—just slightly—in pitch. She does not want the kind old elder to be in pain or uncomfortable—how many days had he spared her a story or his attention when her own mother would not?

✧ INFO.

•  
• 
  — comfreykit . comfreypaw
  — she/her, apprentice of shadowclan
  — bisexual ; single
  — short-haired charcoal tabby with amber eyes
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — penned by Marquette
  — art by Meadowllark

​