sensitive topics my god (bleeding out) what a mess i've made

[HOWLINGSTAR]

// mild TW: bleeding from stomach, not descriptive
This takes place after this thread
SUper short because mostly everything was said in the private thread! She's unconscious but alive, with an open wound on her stomach.

Trufflepelt could be anywhere by now. She doesn't know how long it's been since he left her there to die, but a thin layer of snow has now accumulated across her limp form. Beside her, a drying pool of blood is coated in red-stained frost. Her breathing is shallow, but there. He'd believed her to be dead, and though she may be on the verge of death, she is not at StarClan's doorstep yet. She slips in and out of consciousness, desperately fighting to stay awake. She knows her clanmates will come. By now, a patrol should be nearby. The scent of blood is sharp and strong on the breeze, and though the snow dampens it, it does not erase it. Alone, she waits for help. The edges of her vision grow dark once more, and again she slips away, heartbeat weakened, but there nonetheless.​

 

[LITTLE WOLF]

Little Wolf needs to take this time to clear her head, she is out on a hunting patrol, her feet crunching in the crisp snow as she lifts her head in the air, trying to catch the scent of prey. Instead, a metallic smell hits her nostrils and her eyes fly open in panic. Blood.

The small black she cats rushes to the source of the smell, her mind racing. What if it was one of her kits? What if something terrible happened? The sight that greets her when she finally reaches her destination is almost worse. Her mother. "MOM!" she screams upon seeing what she almost believes to be her mothers corpse, bloody, strung out, left to die. What kind of animal could have done this? She runs forward, tears already leaving trails on her cheeks. "no no no no no no please please mom please" it feels like she has lost too much already how could this be happening? She could not loose her mother as well…

When she draws closer she can see that Howlingwind is breathing, but so faintly. She doesn’t know what to do, she doesn’t know how to help. Does she move her? Would that make it worse? Would whatever attacked her come back? Little Wolf has no idea. "okay mom okay please… please stay with me… I can’t loose you" she pleads, trying to stay calm despite how wet her face was. Not knowing what else to do she puts her paws on the wound, in seconds they are hot and sticky with her mothers blood and the gash is so large it barely does anything. She lets out a choking sob. "Help!! We’re over here!! Help!" she calls out to the rest of her patrol desperately.

Please Star Clan, you can’t take her too.
​

 

[Leafshade]

SO YOUNG, YET SO BROKEN​

---

Leafshades' ear flicks in his usual annoyance at their lack of prey caught on this trip. He didn't hate leaf-bare per se, but it sure as hell didn't make things any easier. His mind wandered to Howling Wind and her family, wondering if he should check in on them since it had been a few days since Morningpaws' passing.

The lanky tom is thinking of what to even do or say when his senses are assaulted with a smell so familiar yet gut-wrenching that he physically recoils back. Blood. Little Wolf catches the scent first and takes off and Leaf signals to the rest of their patrol with his tail before sprinting off toward the source right after the black-furred molly, what could have possibly gone wrong NOW?

He gets his answer soon enough, and the scene that greets them almost makes him vomit right there on the spot. Howling Wind, stomach seeping blood, and looking like death had already taken her. The usually unemotional tom would let out a sound like a wounded feral animal before rushing to the deputy at Little Wolf's side and lightly nudging her cheek with his nose.

NO. No no no no no this couldn't be happening! Not to her. Not to his Mo-

"GET BERRYHEART NOW!!" He would screech the words immediately after Little Wolf's cries and he looks around in panic. He had spent plenty of time with Berry, why hadn't his useless brain retained ANYTHING?! His paws move before he can think, pushing clean snow forward and barking at Little Wolf in pure panic, "Put pressure on it! Use the snow!" Leafshade hated that he didn't know what to do, that he was as useless as his father always said he was. His steel blue eyes snap to Howling Winds face as he growls like a stubborn kit, "Do NOT die. If you die I'll never forgive you." ​

 

[Flycatcher]

The smell of blood makes Flycatcher's heart drop. His patrol had been a peaceful one up until then but as soon as that familiar metallic tang hits his nose his hackles raise and he is on edge. He worries another scuffle has broken out on the border and that he will have to return to camp and bring news that another clanmate has been injured or worse. Little Wolf darts head and Flycatcher isn't far behind, quickening his pace when he hears the desperate shouts of the black she-cat.

When he stumbles across Little Wolf and Howling Wind he is truly lost for words for a moment. "Howling Wind?" He says with a shaky voice, green eyes looking at her, and blood all around her. "Howling Wind!" He says with more conviction when he has processed the sudden shock. He rushes to the aid of Little Wolf and Howling Wind but keeps a slight distance so as not to potentially further harm the deputy. Up close, he can see the true extent of her injuries and he can't help but recoil. What sort of beast could have done this?

"Stay with her," Flycatcher urges Little Wolf and the rest of the patrol, He doubts the black she-cat would have needed telling anyway but the point still stands. "I will run back to camp and fetch Berryheart." And with a final glance, the blue tabby tom turns and runs back in the direction of camp, shouting out for the medicine cat upon his return.

// giving a little itty bitty mention to @BERRYHEART ​

 

[Flamestar]

Flamewhisker — I'll sleep when I'm dead

Here lately, wherever Flycatcher was, Flamewhisker wasn't far behind. Her scratches and bites were already starting to heal, but she was afraid to be alone with her thoughts. She still blamed Morningpaw's death on herself, wishing she had been just a little faster, wishing she had kept a closer eye on her. What she didn't notice, was that she was lost in her thoughts right now.

thump

She stepped back, startled, as she realized she had bumped into her mate. At first, she started to apologize, but within seconds she realized why he had stopped. Blood. Her blood turned to ice, and her paws froze to the ground. Flycatcher took off, running towards the camp. She could hear Little Wolf and Leafshade yowling, but she couldn't understand them. Blood was roaring in her ears, and her heart was racing.

Someone had hurt Howling Wind. Was it Skyclan's doing? Was this an ambush? With wide eyes, the red tabby glanced around, but she was too overwhelmed to think right now. Howling Wind was going to die...

No....I refuse to let her die.

Taking in a deep breath and shaking her head a few times, she managed to push her thoughts away for a moment. "C-Cobwebs...we need cobwebs." That is what Berryheart had plastered on her after the battle. "Leafshade, help me look!" Her voice was more confident her second time speaking. Even if she could at least find some by the time Berryheart got here, it would be helpful.​

 

[BERRYHEART]

His name in the air meant nothing but doom. Cobwebs, cobwebs, cobwebs- as many as he could carry. How lucky it had been that he had been gathering them only earlier that day- and how much he hated that it had been luck. Never did he find himself prepared for these terrible happenings; the injuries, big or small. The news of death, the news of- near-death. At Blue's call he was swift as he could be. He failed to let his limp hamper him, tunnel-vision dead-set. This was urgency he could not falter in the face of.

"Mama..!" His voice shattered through the clamour, though noticeably frayed. It was exceedingly rare for Berryheart to even slightly raise his voice, but in this din he shouted above the rest, desperate to fracture the crowd and get to his mother. Luck blessed him, plagued him. Fortune offered him these cobwebs, but was it that same fortune that dictated he needed them? No, no- this could only be the most hellish of curses. The devil's hands presenting his mother to him in this state.

But it was his job to stand strong. Even when the sent of blood went to his head, made his paws feel a little lighter- even when the sight of her like this made him want to fall into her fur and never let go. This, now- to fix this was his job. And he could not think of how ill-prepared he always was, could not think of the fact it was luck rather than skill that lead him to hold these cobwebs. He simply worked, laser-focused, no beat missed. This was not his mother. This was- this was an injury affecting her, one he needed to fix. "I've got you, Mama," he choked out, pressing the cobwebs to her stomach as hard as he could, wrapping and wrapping, pressure stony in his paws.

Fortune that he had enough cobwebs to cover it.​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[emberstar]

IT WENT FROM A SPARK TO AN OPEN FLAME ⋆⁺₊⋆ Emberstar followed the frantic voices she had heard in the distance, her legs burning with effort. Something was wrong. There was the scent of blood on the breeze and panic tainted the voices that echoed between the trees. She was close now though, any moment she would be there. All she could do was hope that she wasn't too late.

The leader only hesitated a moment as one of her lead warriors raced past her, heading in the opposite direction. She blinked in confusion. "Flycatcher, wha-" He was gone before she could finish her thought. Pushing herself to go faster, she ran toward the voices.

She skidded to a stop as she caught sight of the grisly scene before her. Blood coated the snow, and in its center Howling Wind lay motionless. Her breath caught in her throat. Stumbling forward, she slipped in between Little Wolf and Leafshade, examining the body of her deputy frantically. She was breathing at least, but that felt a small consolation. The wound was on her stomach. Emberstar remembered keenly the feel of Cinderfrost's claws cutting into her own stomach. Remembered how quickly death had found her.

Silently, she joined Leafshade in shoveling snow against the wound.

Only when Berryheart arrived did she step aside, watching intently as he worked. She forced herself to hope with the reminder that when she had lost her first life, there had been no medicine cat to tend to her. If there was anything that could be done, he would do it. ​

 

[ROEFLAME .]

I TOLD YOU ONCE, I CAN'T DO THIS AGAIN​

---

Roepaw had found that lately, she couldn’t stand silence- her realization perhaps an obvious one as she trails after Flamewhisker and Flycatcher, babbling on about this and that, how she was sure she had grown a couple inches in the last quarter moon.
Look! I can-
Her point is abruptly cut off when the heart-dropping smell of metal catches her senses, blood- a lot of it, she begins to say something when Little Wolf dashes off, her mentor quickly following in pursuit.
Roepaw doesn’t take a moment to hesitate, and she is at Flycatchers heels, a blur of cinnamon when she tries to push ahead but ultimately fails.
The stench is almost overwhelming when they finally near, brown tabby fur is the first thing Roepaw see’s against the snow, the pelt almost blending in with the rusted blood that froze on the ground.
Brows furrow, and Little Wolf screams.
Mom!
Mom? Mom…
A cry leaves Roepaw’s throat involuntarily, Howling Wind, the lump of tabby fur bleeding on the ground is Howling Wind.
She weaves her way around the screaming adults, shakily taking the deputy’s head between her paws. She couldn’t help, bodies clamored upon bodies at the tabby mollys side. Roepaw didn’t want to look anyways.
So, the apprentice rests her forepaws on each side of Howling Winds temple, but there’s no flutter behind her eyelids. "H-hey, I don’t know where you are, but that’s okay, I don’t need to- but if you can hear me, for the love of stars please keep breathing" her words are hushed, rasped.
Berryhearts arrival is not silent as usual, he is crying out. Crying out for his mother. Roepaw selfishly cannot take it, and only looks up to see the tom at her side, packing the wound.
"Help is here, it’s going to be okay, you’re going to be okay" who Roepaw was trying to reassure- herself or the unconscious deputy at her paws- is not known.
"speech."​

 

[Rabbitnose]

The smell of blood sent Rabbitnose bolting with Sparkpaw close behind but in a....less graceful manner. The scent filled Rabbitnose with terror, remembering what had happened to Patchpaw. He couldn't let it happen again.

The voices he picked up made his blood chill as he came to a halt at the scene. What had happened here?

He never expected to see Howling Wind on the ground. She was so strong.... He admired her. To see her bleeding out like this....

"What....What happened here- Who did this!?" He asked frantically.

Sparkpaw watched in mild horror that he tried to swallow. His jaw was clenched shut, but he had to do something. He moved closer, helping the others put pressure on the wound.

People kept slipping away from him, and he was tired of it.

"It's gonna....It's gonna be okay! We're gonna fix it. And then we'll go find who hurt you and kill them." He said, voice shaking.

He refused to believe Howling Wind was at risk of dying. Nope. Not allowed.

​

 

[Patchpaw [in.]]

THERE'S A WORLD THAT WAS MEANT FOR OUR EYES TO SEE​

---

Seeing her mentor bolt as unceremoniously as he did sends dread creeping up Patchpaw's spine. Hardly thinking twice, she gives chase after Rabbitnose, white paws sending snow up in a flurry. That awful scent was already too recognizable, but it only made her kick her hind legs more. They had to find the source of this blood, and soon--oh StarClan, let it not be another hurt cat. Let it be a fox, or--or a badger, or even just an awfully long-since-dead squirrel-- Her prayers were left unanswered, however, as they swiftly approached the source of the commotion. Someone was laying in the snow, belly split open and a horrendous amount of stained red snow surrounding them. Cats were shouting over each other, paws pressing down on reddened brown fur to stop the flow, pressing as many cobwebs as they could and shaking them, trying to keep them awake--it was all so much.
Patchpaw halts just short of the crowd, her hackles beginning to stand on end. So, so much... When she attempts to speak, to cry, to scream, to utter any sound at all, her throat seizes up and her tongue hangs limply.
Howling Wind was dead...? No--no, this can't be happening. Not her, please, not her, after all this--

She's not dead yet.

Yet.

Suddenly, as though a switch had been flipped, Patchpaw snaps back to focus, stumbling forwards with her legs moving only on pure muscle memory. "Berryheart, what other herbs do you need? I--I can run back to camp, I'm fast, I can make it! Just tell me what you need, and I'll bring back as much as I can, even if it's just more cobwebs!" Anything, please, give me something to do. Let me help, her mind echoes faintly, her claws digging into the snow. She has to help--Howling Wind desperately needs everything they can give her. There's enough cats already helping stem the flow of--of that putrid substance--and Berryheart could only carry so much.

She has to help.​

 

[covecatcher]

It looks like Cove arrived too late to the party, only brought forth by panicked screams and the strong scent of blood. What she didn't expect was to see their deputy looking half-dead in the snow, shallow breathing. Berryheart is on the case almost immediately and her stomach twinges with a foreign emotion, furrowing her brows. First Morningpaw, now Howlingwind, who was next? How much more does Thunderclan have to suffer? It wasn't fair and the way her clanmates had tears in their eyes made her want to cry too.

But Howling was strong, surely she had been through much worse. Cove had hope, no, she knew Howling will pull through.

"Give him space to work, guys." her voice remains calm despite the roaring typhoon of crying cats all around. Calm, calm, oh it was breaking her heart further. "Don't crowd... She'll be okay." it sounds reassuring but then Patchpaw comes and offers help and she nods. "Yes, we'll get you anything you need." shes surprised that her voice is not cracking, how it has remained even this whole time. Idly she thinks about pressing against Little's side, giving her slight comfort, but she knows Little will probably want her family.

There were too many cats now, too many to comfort and Cove flicks her tail, avoiding Howlings body as she looks around. Most of all she wants to give comfort to Berryheart, his shout echoing in her mind as if it were an empty cavern. This wasn't fair, this wasn't fair! Later they will find out what wretched creature had done this and she knows her clanmates will scream for revenge. Just please come back soon, okay?​

✦ ★ ✦​

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

( ♬ ) There's a cluster of ThunderClanners around something, something that taints his senses with the coppery sting of blood -- not a wounded animal that can't identify, no, but their deputy. His mother. Raccoonstripe's hackles rise, an eerie chill weeping through his body like the frigid wind that finds his bones. His sister's scream, much like the one she must have emitted at seeing her daughter's body, is followed by his littermate's haunting cry.

Raccoonstripe has never heard his brother wail like that. There's maybe no one he would do it for, if not their mother.

He's no medicine cat, and he does not offer pawfuls of cobwebs or murmurs of reassurance. His paws fall to the scarlet-stained snow, conspicuous red paw prints leading blithely away.

He cannot heal his mother, but he can punish the creature who sought to take her away from him, and his anger is like a streak of hot flame that sends his blood boiling. He stalks past the crowd of cats to brush his nose to Howling Wind's fur. They are like twins, one young and full of rage that makes his eyes spark, one stiff and cold like a forgotten corpse beneath the snow.

"I'll be back, Howling Wind. I'll be back. You better be here when I return." He gives the other cats a defiant look. "Berryheart was chosen by StarClan. He knows what he's doing. Give him space, damn it!" His voice is cramped, frantic with anger, with bloodlust.

He touches his tail tip to Little Wolf's shoulder, his cheek brushes against his brother's, and then he's off. He wants to find where the pawprints end. He wants to slaughter the creature that harmed his mother, and StarClan willing, he will be on of the cats to carry out that justice.

/ out; obviously he's looking for whoever hurt Howling Wind​

( I CAN SEE THE SKY LIGHT UP , AND THE GROUND EXPLODE )

 

[WILDHEART]

"LITTLE HELLIONS, KIDS FEELIN' REBELLIOUS"​

---

Wildpaw arrived behind the rest, no wiser as to what he was about to witness. He liked to think that very little could rattle him, but this... this rocked him to the very core. The apprentice stared with a look of true horror as he beheld the sight of Howling Wind, gut torn and laying in a pool of crimson. He honestly believed that she was dead, but the fact that so many were frantically working to stop the bleeding it seemed to suggest that she was clinging on. Hope, just a slither, remained.

Help... he needed to help somehow. He wanted to do something! Covecatcher and Patchpaw seem to be readying themselves to take over the duty of fetching herbs, so that was out. There was really only one option left, and Raccoonstripe had just opened things up for him. Wildpaw was a whirlwind of aggression, it was time that he had an outlet for his violent tendencies. "Wait up!" He moved to follow after the warrior, keen to catch up and to join the cat hunt.

//out
​

★ ​

 

[Flycatcher]

After fetching Berryheart, Flycatcher eventually returned to the scene. He went slower on the return but still kept a quick pace so he could return in time should the worst happen. It was a dreadful thought to think of but Morningpaw's death had only served to prove how fragile life could be in the clan. Flycatcher gets back in time to see Raccoonstripe stalk away, imploring Howling Wind to still be here when he gets back.

Flycatcher watched her son leave closely followed by Wildpaw with a sad expression before his attention flickers to the rest of his clanmates who are present. "Give Berryheart some room," Flycatcher urges, unknowingly echoing the words of Covecatcher. He didn't doubt that Berryheart would have this handled despite his relative lack of experience on the job. Or that was the hope he had at least.​

 

[HOWLINGSTAR]

She's in a lulled sleep, numb now to the pain. Whether it be from the cold or because she's already lost so much blood, she does not know. Though when pressure is pressed against her room, familiar voices surrounding her, her eyelids flutter. A spluttering breath and green eyes peel open, slowly. Someone is embracing her head - she thinks it's Roepaw, it sounds like her voice. Pupils shift and she sees Berryheart diligently working on her wound, pressing cobwebs into it and urging her that he's got this. She blinks slowly, gaze continuing to try and see who all is there. Beloved faces, all around her, and they look so scared. She thinks she can see the blurred form of one of her youngest sons stalking off into the undergrowth. And finally, she sees Little Wolf among the faces. And then she's reminded of Trufflepelt's final words to her.

She lurches, but it doesn't get her far. "Gyngh." It's a gurgling, slurred sound as she tries to gain the energy to speak. She can't get up and so she sinks back into the snow, her eyes now holding a fear within them. "He's afterm....after her...." She moans, wincing. "Little Wolf....my kits....they're next. You can't let him-" A few harsh breaths follow the words as the pain returns, a groan escpaing her as she squeezes her eyes shut. Someone asks her who. She has to take a few more breaths.

"Trufflepelt."

// Emberstar will be making the follow-up thread! Pin has requested that no one is allowed to kill him, but anyone here will be able to respond to the thread!​

 

[Tybalt [Stagstrike]]

Tybalt had never grown to be particularly fond of Howling Wind. When he had first encountered the ThunderClan cats, he had formed an opinion on her rather quickly. He'd found her too strict, and upon being given his apprentice name he had argued with her on whether or not he should keep it, which had only made him more wary of her. She had been a stickler for rules he felt were frivolous, and the two of them had been at odds moe often than not.

But that didnt mean he wanted to see her die. He stared, eyes round as he hung back from the group to give the medicine cat his space. “Shit,” he muttered quietly.

Trufflepelt had done this? For a moment Tybalt was convinced he had heard her wrong. He’d always thought the old man to be relatively harmless. But perhaps he’d been wrong. A growl rumbling in his throat, he turned and padded back the way he had come, determined to corner the bastard before he could run for it.

 

[emberstar]

IT WENT FROM A SPARK TO AN OPEN FLAME ⋆⁺₊⋆ The chill of helplessness had settled over Emberstar as she watch it all unfold in front of her. Her deputy, her friend, her most trusted confidant, was bleeding out in front of her and there was nothing she could do. The scarred molly sat there as her clanmates milled about in panic, still as the grave.

Howling Wind lurched forward with a gurgling, choked sound and Emberstar winced. Her claws dug into the dirt. She forced herself not to look away.

Then her deputy began to warn them that the danger was not passed, and she leaned in. Life crept back into her body. It was something for her to do, a way for her to help. With bated breath she listened to every word, waiting for Howling Wind to tell her what she needed to do. It might be the last thing she would be able to do for her friend.

"Trufflepelt."

Emberstar blinked. That had not been a name she expected. She remembered welcoming him into the clan, so long ago now. He had been the one to do this?

Her helplessness was burned away by the fire that rose in her chest. A hot, passionate fury that - for the first time in a long time - she did not deny or push away. Every memory of her conversations with Trufflepelt, of the time they had spent together, only served as the fuel.

A warrior of the great battle rose to her paws, and along with her a hiss rose in her throat. She turned it into a call that she threw into the air. "Get word back to camp of this, and Little Wolf, get back to camp and stay safe. Everyone that isn't either doing that or helping Berryheart, with me. I will not rest until Trufflepelt is found."

With her orders given, Emberstar turned and stalked off, flicking her tail for as many warriors as were able to follow.

Trufflepelt was going to pay.

//continued here ​

 

[LITTLE WOLF]

More cats come to their aid, they speak, but Little Wolf can’t hear them. All she can think of was the sheer terror she felt at the idea of loosing someone else. Her father, her daughter, and now her mother. She couldn’t loose her, not now, not ever. Her mother had to live to see her grandchildren become warriors, had to see Berryheart live up to his full potential. She could not go yet.

When her brother appears she stumbles backwards, moving out of the way to allow his more knowledgeable paws take over. She lets out a choking sob as she does, the sounds of her family crying out hitting her ears and wrenching at her heart. If she could protect them all, she would. If she was stronger, better, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.

Suddenly, her mothers eyes open and she is saying something. Little Wolf let’s put a relived gasp before processing her words. ‘Little Wolf....my kits....they're next.’ It causes her to freeze, her mouth hanging open in shock and surprise and fear. Whoever had done this to her mother was coming after her and her siblings too? She didn’t understand, why? Why would anyone do this. And then even more surprising. Trufflepelt. Their own clan mate. She feels her blood run cold with equal measure of hatred and fear. She is torn between wanting to go and hunt that sneak-hearted tom down and dig her claws into his flesh and wanting to run and hide in the nearest crevice.

Her eyes find Emberstar as she tells her to go back to camp. She does not say anything but she shakes her head. She can’t, she has to stay with her mother. Surely Emberstar would understand.
​

 

[Hollow Tree]

Hollow Tree came running as soon as she heard that Howling Wind was hurt. The warrior nearly tripped on the way here from being so caught up in her head. Was her mother dead? Dying? Has anyone else been hurt? What hurt the deputy of Thunderclan. She stumbles before regaining balance. Coming across a group of cats setting out and a few staying behind. Those who stayed behind were either watching Berryheart work or staying close to the figure on the ground.

“Mom.” she does her best to keep her voice from straining. Finding herself beside Little Wolf. Looking over their mother, holding their breath till she saw their chest move. They were still breathing! Hollow Tree felt dizzy from temporary relief. Looking over Berryheart, she used their facial expression to judge the situation. Fear prickled over her heart like a thornbush.

Taking in a deep breath the warrior tried to lean against Little Wolf gently. They both would look over Berryheart and Howling Wind. She knew her sister would help get their mother into the medicine den when Berry gave the word. Until then the brown cat remained silent. Watching Howling breath to make sure they don’t stop. ​

[ well i didn't tell anyone, but a bird flew by . tags ]​