sensitive topics lose yourself and sink into the sunlight - o, injured.

[flowercloud.]

https://tabbytales.net/threads/awaken-—-flowercloud.10818/. continurss off this thread.

flowercloud had grabbed duskpools scruff, carefully pulling the scarred tom through the iced over forest. lealves were a subtle reminder of death hanging in the tense air that twisted and turned at her stomach. blood dripped from both of them, and all she could smell was the metallic scent that came from her injury and his own.

he wasn't that heavy, the struggle mostly coming from her own exhaustion from the fight. even against the rogues, she had instead helped the queens and kits find sanctuary from the fight. she did not fight, but she was a guide. all she wanted was to guide her clan. not as a leader, rather as a positive figure that could be reliable. a warrior still, she had no aspiration to be anything but someone who could protect her clan.

and she felt confident she could protect her newfound family. but even still she had failed. duskpool lay in what she feared was the brink of death. she was going to be alone if she didn't hurry. if she already wasn't alone. her own heart pounded and she could not tell if duskpool was still breathing from her angle. her mouth sticky and dry from the fur as she set him down next to a puddle so that she could lick at it.

but the puddle was a sign that things may not be as okay as they should be. the amber Molly gazed into the paw, green eyes meeting green eyes with horror. her teeth clenched, the tears she thought were done came yet again, soaking her bloody fur further. above the left side of her face, her ear had been torn, fur and skin ripped off around it, a gnarly and deep wound that even still dripped with blood.

it was a long moment she stared, a paw moving to touch the reflection to see if it was lying. the cold liquid seeped through her paw, quickly shooting cold up her limb. her reflection rippled but to no avail it stayed the same with a frown on flowers maw. she-

she got these wounds saving someone. you should be happy.

theyre dying.

she quickly turned away, for a moment growing sick from the anxiety that stabbed at her stomach. she did fail. she failed herself, she failed duskpool- and if he woke up, would he tell her that? would the clan hate her for that- that she failed protecting him? she shook her head. these thoughts that flooded her mind were of no use. she'd ignore the need for water to speed up just a little as she carefully continued to pull duskpool.

they still have a chance.

I will never forgive myself for letting duskpool try to save me.

she had been circling around thoughts in her head, frustrated with herself. duskpool did try to save her. but she didn't the same for him. they both tried to save each other....

---

coming into the camp was her own current nightmare. she hoped she would wake up- she hoped that this would just be a dream. she hoped that everything could go back the way it was. but she knew damn well that was not how it worked. flowercloud continued to lug her cousin further into camp and closer to dawnglare. a quick and loud alerting voice came from her through teeth holding scruff. "someone help me get duskpool to dawnglare."

she herself felt like she was going to be sick. she dared not look at others as if looming stares would look at her head the way she did. ugly. sickening. would kits still play with her? would she be cast as an elder, unable to perform simple warrior duties. she fought her dry eyes from
spilling again.

​

 

[DUSKPOOL]

anger makes you stupid . stupid gets you killed .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

He couldn’t tell when the world slipped beneath his paws, turnin’ around to stare at Flowercloud’s bleeding helm when everything went dark, collapsing like the dead weight he was. He let out a strangled groan, muscles quivering as he came to, mind groggy and incoherent. He could barely make out anythin’ being said over the harsh thump of his helm, fluttering in tandem with the beat of his heart, Duskpool breathed shakily. Foxdung.

A mangled ear swerved, molten hue blinking sluggishly to peer forward, staring at familiar territory. His body moved, breath rattling deep within his chest, muscles straining to pull himself upright, but before he could manage to get a paw hooked underneath, his body collapsed in a heap of wooly fur. “‘M fine.” He muttered breathlessly, letting his eyes flutter shut, shifting subtly despite the white agony that burned at his hind leg and side.

His gaze was groggy the second time he reopened them to stare ahead in a transfix-like state, mind still reeling. His mouth tasted bitter, dog and ichor swirling against a sandpaper tongue like crowfood which didn’t pair well with the bubbling queasiness that he felt the second he came to. “‘M fine.” He repeated, voice heavy. He was. He sure as hell felt like dung, but it wasn’t anythin’ new to the older warrior, still reeling from somethin’ that shouldn’t have gone the way it did.

His stomach clenched, teeth gritting at the blatant refusal to gag, instead letting out a choked grunt to disrupt the need to dispel everything from his stomach. Shit. His throat bobbed, chest rattling with a silent grunt of pain, blood crusting around the bite wounds that burned, adding more to his already throbbing headache, Duskpool cursed, teeth-gritting. “Go.” He muttered, movements jerky as he gathered himself onto his front paws, molten gaze narrowed, stomach curling in guilt at the sight of his cousin, still so keen on being a self-sacrificial moron ( hypocritical, but damnit ). He would have said more, tellin’ the molly to get her ass to Dawnglare before she bled out, or that no, he wasn’t dyin’ but he wasn’t all that there in the head, letting out a series of mumbles that sounded nothin’ but gibberish.

Duskpool found enough strength to settle on his haunches, swaying messily until his front legs just about gave up on him, darkness weighing heavily on his mind, begging to pull him under if there was anythin’ to go by the dots cloudin’ his vision.

In a last-ditch effort, Duskpool attempted to shove the molly toward the medicine den with a groggy hiss, nearly sounding like a scolding parent if it weren’t for the half-lidded hues and ragged frame, one paw tucked against his chest while the other wavered, holdin’ up most of his weight. ​

​

thought speech​

 

[flowercloud.]

a groan beside her made her ears flick towards him, a gentle look in her gaze towards him as he struggled to get up only to fall back onto himself. he was convincing himself and attempting to convince her he was fine. but it was all delusions of blood loss and pain she assumed. even her own vision was foggy, but the blood that had become a drizzle from her head had gotten in a closed eye.

it was only the struggle of getting duskpool safe that made her drive forward. she just wished she hadn't stopped for something to drink. she wished she didn't know, that she didn't feel the anxieties of what she looked like. she was not convinced he was fine.

even as he told her to go, she grimaced, shaking her head in a fashion that she yet again would disagree with the words. "im not leaving you duskpool." her words were stern, the gentleness there but it was as if it was a promise. she did not want to leave him. he had cracked his head pretty bad, so she understood where all of this was coming from.

she was a bit concerned when he finally got to his paws, the larger warrior still trembling and shaking from weariness. and at the shove with incoherent speech and hissing, she would bristle. "damn it," she hissed back. it was not a common occurrence to let those words slide off her tongue, or even hiss. but they had been through a lot, and his antics and worry was unappreciated at the current moment. "you're going to have to drag me dead to go there without you. you're coming with me, even if I have to continue dragging you. don't be an idiot." her eye flashed with something different- with stubborn anger. "just come on." and she would attempt to press against his side in an attempt to help him get there, hopefully convincing him even if it was in anger.
​

 

[edenberry ?!]

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 〰 It felt like a cruel joke.

Edenpaw stared in transfixed horror to see Duskpool dragged into camp, to see Flowercloud's marred face like a mirror of their own... like he was a mirror of Tawnystripe. Their breath hitched in their chest, like a bird was trapped there and fluttering wildly to escape. Run, run, run... just like before. Flowercloud's gaze snaps to them then and in a barkish command, demands for help getting the barely conscious warrior to Dawnglare- "I-" Their voice crumbles, betrayed in the shaking of their two-toned pelt... their paws are numb as they move towards the pair, feeling their throat clench- their head spins, threatening to add them to the pile of dismayed and distressed but-

They will just fetch him first... and then work on helping carry...

Haring like a coward towards the medicine cat's den, they practically shout despite their proximity, "Dawnglare- Fireflypaw- Help!" It does not offer explanation, nor do they wait to guide the two to the obvious crime scene of blood being drawn across the camp floor. Turning on heels to stumble towards Flowercloud, they cast her a wary glance. "What happened," they ask, voice hardly above a whisper before lunging towards the tom's other side to support him as well.


-- tagging medicine cats for visibility @DAWNGLARE @Fireflypaw​

 

[DUSKPOOL]

anger makes you stupid . stupid gets you killed .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

He could barely make tails of why the hell she wasn’t—Duskpool huffed bitterly, pressing a paw against his pounding helm, undoubtedly not from his wounds, minor as they were, but the lack of care he possessed when takin’ care of his damn self. “Real stubborn, aren’t ya, kid?” He muttered sluggishly, muzzle wrinkling causing crusted ichor to crack and flake.

The smokey warrior would have scoffed if he didn’t want to lose whatever prey he woofed down, gritting his teeth. Like hell, she’d sit there and wait. Damnit. She needed them before he did. “‘M in camp.” He muttered, voice sluggish with a crinkle of his brow. “Ain’t goin’ anywhere.” He muttered with a slow blink, seein’ the slow trickle of black dots clouding his vision, threatening to pull his consciousness under. The anger did nothing to sway his views, already feeling the slow trickle of annoyance at her stubbornness, seein’ himself in her more than he’d care to admit, but traits that sure as hell shouldn’t have been passed down. “Worse ‘nd me.” He breathed awkwardly.

He grunted at the pressure, side pulsating in pain, feeling Flowercloud press against himself in an attempt to help him to his paws. A mangled ear flickering to hear Edenpaw’s voice, muffled despite being pressed against his other. His vision whitened, body shivering with the familiar queasiness that came with it. “Damn ‘utts.” He muttered, barely answering Edenpaw’s question before slippin’ unconscious, helm tipping downward as his body gave way, falling limp with a ragged breath, exhaustion weighing heavily on tired shoulders. ​

​

thought speech​

 

[MALLOWLARK]

Duskpool never seemed to stop getting hurt, did he? Littered in scars already, routinely shredded by whatever beast he decided to throw himself in front of next. Imagining it was almost funny- with every wound that healed, another one would split at the seams!

It was less funny, of course, when it was right in front of you. Mallowlark grinned at the sight, of course- an attempt to prove optimism, his faith in his mate, because of course Dawnglare would heal him and of course he would be alright- but there was a twitching discomfort in wide eyes that didn't take much perception to notice. Uncertain footsteps carried him closer, looming ghost- mutts, dogs, he'd mumbled something like that. Mallowlark cocked his head.

"They still out there?" Worry warbled in his voice, even though he tried to stop it. A tearfulness despite his grin. Of course he kept smiling though, of course of course- what would he do if he lost that? If he shook, maybe Duskpool would think he was going to die. In this state, though, he might not notice. Unconscious, could be dead- wasn't dead, though.

"You'll be healed, you'll be fine," encouragement like a little hymn. Immortal were Skyclanners, with a guardian like Dawnglare to care for them, surely-surely. But death bloomed in daylight and in breath and in everything. It was fickle and unkind. He fidgeted. ​

☺PENNED BY PIN​

 

[flowercloud.]

The poor startled apprentice- she didn't mean to scare her, but she was in her own panic. Adrenaline was wearing off. The majority came from the dog- the rest was making sure Duskpool was okay. Because he was right in his incoherent slurs. Her own head had not stopped bleeding, and she herself felt dizzy from simple blood loss. But she was fine. She would be fine. Everything would be okay. Just take a breath.

The apprentice ran for the medicine den. And she was more than thankful. "Stubborn, relentless- call it what you want ... You got kids," she said, looking away before back towards him. "Any one of us deserve to make it to safety." She couldn't help but have the care she has. She always had it, and she'd always show it. Even if others had burned her in the past. The past was the past and right now? It was only hopeful that everything was going to be okay.

Edenpaw came back, trying to help the large brute to his paws, and move him forward. Shed hear him respond to her, and then he buckled. Flowercloud cursed under her breath. The male was even taller than her, bigger- so that wasn't going to work. "We were by the two leg place, far enough away I thought wed be safe. It came charging toward us, then well..." she trailed off, grimacing. Her head pulsed, her own words beginning to slur.

She had to stay awake.

Mallowlark approached, his determined cheerfulness despite the underlaying fear was appreciated. "It's gone, ran with tail between its legs thanks to duskpool." she responded, lowering her own body to the ground next to duskpool, trying to keep focus on her paws instead of the swirling camp. She felt like she was sick again. The way the world wanted to crumble around her.

"everything.. will be okay," she repeated slowly, offering her own smile. because she followed the same aspects to an extent. she had to stay positive and remind herself that everything was okay.

was blazestar going to be mad? she had only just recovered and here she was again, causing other issues. using up more herbs. losing one more warrior that is needed during leafbare.

she felt like an idiot.


​

 

[Drizzlepelt]

If there was one thing Drizzlepelt could count on in life, it’s finding Duskpool getting severely wounded time and time again. It’s a sad truth, but the truth nonetheless. Sometimes he wonders just how his adoptive father has managed to survive so long, with how much luck seems to hold a grudge against him. Maybe he should spend more time following him around to make sure a fox doesn’t appear out of thin air? His old mentor might be quick to the draw way too often, willing to sacrifice himself entirely, but that doesn’t make it heroic. Drizzlepelt has spent many nights worried for his health, mad at him for being so aggravatingly reckless.

When he arrives on the scene, Duskpool is already down for the count. Seeing him mauled once more from wounds clearly made by a dog ends up with his anxiety stirring, threatening to bubble from his chest and getting out. There’s worry he won’t actually make it this time, anger that he was with only one other cat who only just recovered, and a sense of coldness that isn’t coming from the weather, instead nipping at him from inside. He watches in horror, before his expression turns into one of disappointment. “Why couldn’t you just let yourself rest, for once in your life!” Drizzlepelt yells, voice louder than he meant it to be. But he hurts. This didn’t have to happen!​

 

[Fireflyglow]

"Quiet down, quiet.." Fireflypaw's voice raises above the panic in the air, the massive tom shrugging his way out of the medicine den with squinting milky eyes. He leans forward, sniffing Duskpool hesitantly. The smell of dog is thick in the air, and Flowercloud makes it known that it was Duskpool himself who drove the beast off. Mallowlark speaks true, and Fireflypaw hums out a soft hymn as he gestures for the cats to help carry Duskpool into the medicine den.

"Come, come. Set him down. Edenpaw, will you go and collect some cobwebs for me?" Anything to make the apprentice not have to see the bloody sight, or the smell of wounds that could gain infection. Dog saliva was disgusting, after all. "I'm going to need to clean the wounds first. Flowercloud, stay- the rest must leave unless you are also injured."​

SKYCLAN MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE ✦ 17 MOONS ✦ CHUNKY, BIG-FOOTED SEAL POINT ✦ TAGS​

 

[edenberry ?!]

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 〰A dog did all of this? Edenpaw shudders, thinking about a training session where they'd ridiculed the idea of even getting caught in combat with one. Just run away, they'd said, why would we wanna fight them when they can totally kill us, they'd said. They were right... and Duskpool sat as testimony to their astute observation. Mallowlark offers some much needed reassurance but as the apprentice turns to look at him, the pale furred tom looks like he too has seen StarClan's messengers tonight, come to collect their bleeding clan-mate and steal him away.

It's always stealing when they do... no one ever wants to go. No one is ever ready.

It shouldn't be a surprise that Drizzlepelt is furious to be caught in the crossfire, to be forced to bear the grief of seeing a father-figure hurt, even dying. Their throat tightens, eyes glassy with the threat of tears. His yelling hurts their ears, makes their heart quiver sympathetically. They missed Tawnystripe.. wished they could yell at him like that too.

The night-dusted, cloudy figure of a savior comes in the form of Fireflypaw, who gives a soft command for quiet, for calm. He seems so unbothered... so certain... it's enough to convince the anxious apprentice that it really will be okay. Mercifully, he tasks them with running off to find something to bind the wounds with- they are familiar enough in appearance that it should be easy.

Edenpaw had been adorned with them once...

Giving a small mhm to confirm they were going, they gingerly step away from Duskpool as he is cautiously collapsed to the ground before scampering towards the medicine cat's den again to snoop around. Cobwebs... now they just had to decipher where in there that Dawnglare kept them. (It is a relief... to run away and hide).​

 

[DAWNGLARE]

The call of his name has him lifting his head. Familiar mantra, this— like the ringing of the dinner bell, but without anything to properly sink his teeth into. Nothing but sadness; nothing but sorrow. It comes at him in waves, ever - relentless. He can shake it easily. What a terrible arrangement this all might've been, if he could not, but perhaps the constant thrashing has left him weakened . Perhaps the walls have been torn down for so long now, that he dares to feel something. There's a hesitation, as Fireflypaw is already rushing to meet them all. Idle discomfort, and feeling that at all makes it worse. Claws hanging off the edge of every rib, waiting for the bone to give way... It had him almost fully now, that grip.

Shaking his head, he pushes his way forward, too late to be of any use, early enough to hear the last breaths of frantic words. Mutts, dogs. Seasons ago, Dawnglare would've never known to fear such things... —Not as if he did now. There was no reason for him to fear anything, anything. And anyone who would doubt him so would be but a fool. He reassures them all, in the glint of blue eyes. He reassures his mate, with the brush of a tail.

The wounds on them both sink deep. Fireflypaw need not see it and panic, because he could not see at all. Dawnglare need not do the same, because he was... him. A hasty gaze is cast sideward.

Duskpool slouches pitifully to the ground, and Flowercloud follows soon after. Drizzlepelt's distress falls on unhearing ears, and Dawnglare would look to the young tom with a pitying look. He certainly did too often find Duskpool within his den, didn't he...? Dawnglare would come to occupy the shoulder Edenpaw has left behind, frowning deeply at the lump of flesh that was Duskpool. Despite his size, moving him would be a challenge... Moving a limp body was much more difficult than moving a live one, no matter how compromised they were...

He pinches his brow at his apprentice, frowning in the direction Edenpaw disappears to. " Well— let's bring him in first, why don't we? Flowercloud, " he would turn to the molly in question, debatably an uglier heap than her friend was, given the state of her poor face. He would jerk his muzzle toward his den. " Go get yourself a nest before you collapse in the open. You need rest. " His gaze would swing toward his apprentice, before coming to focus on the unconscious tom— still breathing, thankfully... ( Because he had to care )

A sigh, then, " We have him. " In a painstaking effort, he would attempt to wedge himself between Duskpool and the ground so that he could be brought to a nest...

A WISE WOMAN SAID I'M ALIVE 🍷 NOBODY'S EVER TOLD HER SHE'S WRONG

• ooc: apologies for late reply and if i misunderstood the situation at all,, i dont believe theyre in the den yet but sorry if i've misunderstood!!!
  

• 

• ( I'M AS ALIVE AS HER BEARD IS LONG ) DAWNGLARE Medicine Cat of SkyClan. Mentoring Fireflypaw
  𓆩♡𓆪 He / him , deeply confused by the use of other pronouns
  𓆩♡𓆪 Currently 60 moons old as of 12.05.23. Mated to Mallowlark
  
  Unsettling and strange, Dawnglare bears a unique perception to the world and stars above on top of a generally unpleasant disposition. Holds others to uniquely impossible standards and himself undeniably above the rest.
  Mood is decided by dice - rolls per thread, with the exception of some important threads

​

 

[flowercloud.]

everything was happening so fast for flowercloud to understand what was happening anymore. a grey warrior- stress wafting off of him and making her even more dizzy as he begun yelling about how Duskpool should have been resting. "It's not his fault, I wanted a walk," she slurred, obviously struggling more as she helped fireflypaw get the large male up off the ground. but she could feel his pain quite well. duskpool could have died, and did indeed visit the medicine den far too often. she felt guilty, having pulled him out on said walk.

the red and white medicine cat she could barely recognize as dawnglare had pushed his own way from the den. her world was spinning, so of course, her recollection of names were slipping her mind. she only found herself nodding as he replaced where she was to help carry the other to the den. she moved slowly to the den, the large golden warrior taking each wobbly step with as much precision as she could.

as she pressed into the den, the second empty nest (the first was closer enough that duskpool could be set there and not stress their muscles as they pulled the heavy male in) was where she did finally collapse. her mauled side was on the other side of the mossy bed to prevent them struggling to deal with her wounds.

and before she could say or do much other, she was out.





​