Berryheart advanced shakily from his den this morning, squinting at the harshness of the daylight. That morning, as ever, he had taken both hawkweed and chickweed, suspecting his illness to pass by quickly. Whether it was whitecough or something else, he doubted catmint was the only cure- and either way, it was benign so long as he was sure not to spread it. And during the yellowcough plague, he'd enough practice in that. Symptoms had been eased, and day by day they continued to be there but ignorable- dull headache, no appetite, a mere croak in his throat. Nothing that would not disappear, even without the best cure. He was versed enough, by now.
The difficulty breathing, that was regular. In the cold months, the shortness of breath he suffered with was incessant, all-encompassing. Thus, he should have known. Should have been more careful.
Today, his breaths rattled. An ugly sound that Berryheart heard the moment he gulped his first mouthful of fresh air- like dusk falling, his face darkened. Tightness, weariness, overtook bespeckled features. On cue, as if his own body- his own illness- was jeering at him, a gravelly fit of coughs burst from Berryheart's chest the moment he began to back away from the bustle of camp. He angled his head away from the onlookers, into the leaf-dressed wall of his den.
Dull eyes newly set with worry swept over the camp- he searched for his apprentice, and beckoned the large tom closer.
"Keep your distance," he murmured, voice a whispery, razed thing- it wasn't just to Snowy, but to anyone who might have wandered close. Green eyes wobbled from their usual stoicism. "I- I have greencough." He swallowed, falling onto his haunches. Rattling, rattling breaths. How hadn't he noticed it earlier? "Please, could you... go to SkyClan, and ask them for catmint?"
\ speaking to @HAILSTORM. but no need to wait!!!
The difficulty breathing, that was regular. In the cold months, the shortness of breath he suffered with was incessant, all-encompassing. Thus, he should have known. Should have been more careful.
Today, his breaths rattled. An ugly sound that Berryheart heard the moment he gulped his first mouthful of fresh air- like dusk falling, his face darkened. Tightness, weariness, overtook bespeckled features. On cue, as if his own body- his own illness- was jeering at him, a gravelly fit of coughs burst from Berryheart's chest the moment he began to back away from the bustle of camp. He angled his head away from the onlookers, into the leaf-dressed wall of his den.
Dull eyes newly set with worry swept over the camp- he searched for his apprentice, and beckoned the large tom closer.
"Keep your distance," he murmured, voice a whispery, razed thing- it wasn't just to Snowy, but to anyone who might have wandered close. Green eyes wobbled from their usual stoicism. "I- I have greencough." He swallowed, falling onto his haunches. Rattling, rattling breaths. How hadn't he noticed it earlier? "Please, could you... go to SkyClan, and ask them for catmint?"
\ speaking to @HAILSTORM. but no need to wait!!!
PENNED BY PIN ☾