WHAT I'VE DONE // tigerpaw

[WILDHEART]

Wildheart had never been a good patient, not for Berryheart and he certainly wasn't going to be for Gentlestorm either. But today he was quiet, unusually quiet. The calico had moved to sit just outside the medicine cat den so he could soak up some the heat from the midday sun, though he could not ignore the thrumming pulse of pain that came from his torn ear and facial wounds. The urge to paw at it lingered, but he knew well enough to leave it alone.

As time began to pass his mind gradually wandered back into deeper thoughts. The visage of Flamenose's form filled his mind and it prompted his jaw to tense. The taste of the other tom's blood flitted across his tongue all too easily from his memories of the fight and he wished it wouldn't. His chest tightened under the weight of guilt and feelings of disgust. He had killed another cat. How was he ever meant to feel normal again after doing something like that? Wildheart had always felt strong and sure of himself, so why did he feel so lost and low now?

The tom had been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed the approach of another feline.

// @tigerpaw.
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[tigerwing]

It was the most relieving thing, to see the warrior arrive into the medicine den- alive. He had saved her, and tigerpaw would be forever indebted. Or at least feel that way.

The apprentice was relatively the same, though the kill did not go to her, the blood still clung to her tongue from cleaning her paws- and the images was still strong in the young girls mind. The torbie chimera quietly approached the side of Wildheart, her walk awkward from the limp in her hind leg, to trying to avoid the piercing pain in her front paw.

What- what could she say? Would thank you be enough? Green eyes held hesitance, grief- fear. A small swallow before finally reaching his side, her tail curling tight to her side. "I.. owe you a lot, Wildheart. I.. am sorry you- g-got hurt because of me. Are- are you okay?" The question was more for mental matters rather than physical.

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[WILDHEART]

The voice at his side made him jolt with surprise and he snapped his head round until he had Tigerpaw in his field of vision. He was dumbstruck at first as his brain tried to process what was being said, but he recognised that he was being thanked. At one point he would have made some remark like 'sure, whatever' or 'get good so I don't have to keep saving you', but not now.

Wildheart's expression seemed to soften as a realisation hit; Tigerpaw was here and alive because of his actions. Twice she had heeded his instructions; the first being to flee the border when she had tried to return home, and again during the final battle. It didn't change the fact that he had killed a cat, but it felt better being reminded that he had also saved another. "I'm just relieved that you are back home. You're a ThunderClanner, and we help each other. I'll be fine, I'll be able to return to my duties soon once the swelling around my eye reduces. How are you holding up? I bet this wasn't the sort of homecoming you had been expecting."

The tom managed to muster a half smile, but it was clear that he was holding back something. Mentally he wasn't right, but he didn't wish to burden Tigerpaw or anyone else with his internal strife. Sharing his feelings had never been easy for him, and he hadn't really let anyone in since Patchpaw. Letting others get close had always been a trial for him.
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