TW: Emotional Distress, Mention of Death, Vomiting. Read at your own peril!
Oh boy, what an eventful day so far. Many many patients had to be tended to, and one of the young ones even asked if she could be their mom! There was just a lot. Speaking of, Firestorm just finished up with the last of her patients. Everything seemed to be fine with most of them other than the occasional runny nose or slight sneezing, but nothing was too concerning. The issue, however, was Foxkit. Foxkit was the only one of the cats that she actually had to give treatment to, and she hadn’t seemed to be doing too well when she last saw her. Hopefully, the feverfew would’ve kicked in by now…
Contently making her way back to Foxkit, she stopped in her tracks when the young she-cat came into view. Something was wrong. Very very wrong.
Snapping out of it, the orange tabby warrior hurriedly padded over to the still kit. Why wasn’t she moving? What was wrong? She just stepped away for a moment, and even gave the right herb… what happened…?
Gently, Firestorm nosed the young cat but was met with a cold, lifeless body that offered no resistance when pushed. Eyes widening, she stepped back. ”No…” She whispered to herself, a small whine carried in her voice ’There’s no way…” Foxkit was dead. The kit that said that she wanted to be strong, and the kit that she promised would be alright, was dead…
It was at the moment of her realization that the sound of a loud yell caused her head to snap up. The medicine cat was calling for her, Spots, and Mr Fallow. Wait… That was right, Cowtuft needed to know about this! Quickly (albeit reluctantly), Firestorm gathered the kit’s corpse into her jaws – fighting the urge to vomit from the stress and thought of having the deceased form in her jaws, she began heading in the direction that the healer called from. She needed help, Cowtuft… he’d know what to do right? He could still save her, right?
When the young warrior made her way into the warrior’s den, she nearly dropped the small form in her teeth. Standing over a very familiar speckled and cream-colored form was Cowtuft, and the form itself – like the kit held within her jaws, was very very still.
It was Berryfrost.
With her head resting within the fur of the now-deceased warrior, Peachfrost was also there, tears streaming down her face. She never inquired about their relationship, but Peachfrost and Berryfrost were pretty close, right? Almost like a mother and…
Oh.
Berryfrost was Peachfrost’s daughter.
Numbly, Firestorm walked forward to where the crowd was beginning to form, paws weighed down by the fear of what she'd encounter.
Step. Step. Step.
One small paw step after another, all sounds drowned out by the roaring of blood in her ears. Gently, the orange-furred warrior set the young kit down a tail-length away from the deceased warrior before quietly approaching and taking up a spot next to her. She didn't want to, but she looked down at the small she-cat's soft features and speckled fur. She couldn't help but wonder if the warrior had gone in peace.
Her relationship with Berryfrost was… complicated. She wanted to imagine that she had befriended the other she-cat during the latter’s life, but she didn’t ever actually have more than a few conversations with her as she noticed that the cream-colored warrior seemed uncomfortable around her. So she tried not to put her denmate in awkward situations, as much fun as it would’ve been.
A warm wetness fell down the sides of her cheeks as she sat there in subdued silence, very unlike the personality she generally showed. If someone was talking to her, she couldn’t hear it. Firestorm started to reach out to touch the cat, but couldn’t manage it. She couldn’t. This was Berryfrost! They’d been apprentices together, trained together… She was going to be her proper friend… That’s why she had been so eager to befriend Snowybreeze so that she could find a way to get closer to the timid warrior.
Oh great Starclan, Snowybreeze…
Suddenly remembering, she realized how hard the news would affect him. That was his mate. The two of them, though not often seen with one as of late, were still lifelong partners. How would he react? He'd be devasted right...? She knew that when she almost lost Milknose in the fire that she felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest, she couldn't even imagine what it'd feel like to genuinely lose your partner. What would he…
No… Berryfrost couldn't be dead. Neither was Foxkit… They were still alive, right? They were just sleeping. Yeah, that was it! Cowtuft would know what to do! He could fix them! Foxkit hadn't had enough time to live, and she hadn't been able to be a good friend to Berryfrost yet... Surely he had an herb that would be able to help out? Maybe do some weird StarClan prayer to bring them back? Anything would be fine right now.
Deep down she knew that wasn’t the case, and some part of her had already accepted that the two cats would never wake up ever again. Turning her pale green eyes to the healer, she realized she could hardly see, as the tears had caused her eyes to become misty and her vision blurry. Everything just... She didn't even know, she had no words to describe the pain and grief she was feeling in the moment.
”C-cowtuft… I t-think s-something is v-very wr-”
Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest, the roaring of the blood in her ears had only grown louder, and it felt like something was gripping her by the heart and squeezing as tight as it could. She felt like she was drowning, as if all of the air around her had suddenly turned into water and every time she tried to breathe, her lungs were filled with the imaginary liquid instead of being met with the air that would give her relief.
It was too much... She couldn’t do this… She had to get away, she had to leave.
Hurriedly, Firestorm clamped her mouth shut and ran out of the den, brushing into Lightningstorm, before maneuvering around and emptying the contents of her stomach onto the ground next to the entrance, no longer able to hold back the building pressure that had taken hold of her. Why did things like this have to happen? Why couldn't there be less death? Why couldn't there be more happiness, instead of the content sadness that seemed to hang over the clan the last few moons? Was this the kind of leader she'd be when she took over the clan? Helpless? Useless? A terrible friend? She didn't even know that something had been wrong with Berryfrost, and Foxkit hadn't seemed so ba- Oh Stars it was coming up again.
Firestorm vomited again, small frame spasming under the effort. The poor feline's legs were trembling from the shock, and she could hardly remain on her paws. She desperately hoped that Cowtuft didn't call her back in there, because right now? She couldn't handle seeing the two cats lying there again. A small whimper escaped her at the thought of it. She wanted someone, anyone to tell her that things would be okay and that Berryfrost and Foxkit were just playing some ill-thought prank. Hell, at this moment, she'd even be satisfied with Spots (who she secretly wanted anyway) comforting her. 'Please StarClan... let them be alright...' she found herself praying while standing outside of the den.
'Let them be okay...'
Spottedkit had been slowly inching away from the nursery as stiff as a tree. She was mustering all her might to not look back as she could feel something very bad was going on ever since she heard the medicine cat scream out for everyone. Dark temptations clawed at the back of her head to just peak. Only a peak. The kit was broken free from this battle when a familiar scent, a familiar shape ran past her. Firestorm
That wasn't the only thing. Firestorm wasn't alone, she had the limp form of a kit held in her mouth. A kit that Spottedkit recognized, Foxkit. She felt stones in her heart when she pout two to two together. Oh no, oh no. What could have been the cause for all of this, what evil lurked in this clan? Was nothing safe? Her mind moved to when she saw an apprentice dragged in killed by a Thunderclan cat. Was this Thunderclans doing? What was Spottedkit supposed to do about this, how was she supposed to keep herself safe when even inside the clan wasn't?
One thought went to her mind for safety and that was the one adult she knew at all. So without a second thought she rushed over to them. When she started to get close to them she slowed down to a crawl seeing the other adults, perhaps she was just being in the way. So to not intrude too much she sat down a few feet from them and curled her tail over her feet, her head held low. Should she speak up? Firestorm was right there but she seemed so stressed, she just might added to it. "Firestorm?" Spottedkit said meekly.
✩｡°°｡✩ he . . him ➔ massive white tom with black splotches and floppy ears. scars cover his neck. x-marks on his shoulders and his left hindleg is covered in burn scars
╭₊˚purrks﹕monkey's paw, the collector, herb knowledge, kitty softpaws ₊˚੭ ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦
⌦ .｡.:* ✮ @Alchemist Kitsune @Dark @Poprock || mostly mentioning those who cow interacted with but anyone is allowed to help if wanted !!
His heart was going pitter-patter, skipping, and skipping. He didn't want his clanmates to see. Cowtuft hadn't wrapped his head around what had happened (it hadn't settled in, not yet, the permanence of the loss.) Someone approaches him, and he looks to them with round, watery eyes. (Whowhowho -) He nodded his head in response. Yes. Burial, burial. He needed to examine them further but the idea twisted his stomach. Everyone was approaching, some looking into the warrior's den but he did his best to block. "Can, you .. stand by..? We, will need, help,,but .. " He couldn't confess he didn't know. [ @RavensCall ]
There was nothing more terrifying than the unknown. He did know, didn't he? A plague. Whiskerwing had a cough. Berryfrost had a headache, chills. Did the other two also have chills? Was this the snow sickness? Had it returned? That was something he could work with. If it was familiar, it didn't seem quite the same. Cowtuft closed his eyes, he had to breathe. He had to calm down. He couldn't think about who had been lost. He had his clanmates to care for. "Stand by,,please? I need to examine them before they are buried.. If you, are able, please focus on.. calming others around and .. keeping them away from the medicine cat den.,, " He gestured swiftly, a bit sloppily. His head felt foggy, as if someone had stuffed it full of cotton to get his thoughts to cease. He didn't entirely feel here.
Someone spoke his name softly which dragged his attention away. They were crouched, low to the ground. Rigid. The other couldn't quite form words, to offer proper comfort but he did shuffle closer. He would attempt to lean down gently to press his nose against their shoulder sympathetically. If they looked up to him, Cowtuft would make a small gesture to Twilightstar's den. If they wanted somewhere to stay, to get away from everything loud -- that would be the proper place. He hoped the molly would not mind but his den would soon be occupied. [ @AlliWant4XmasIsDdeonghwa! ]
He was swept away, unable to offer them too much when Lightningstorm — he knew because of the feather in her tail. (He mourned the feather of his that had been burnt to ashes.) She was crying and he swore to the stars they were reflections of one another. He understood. "Who?" He signed, looking to the warrior's den, sucking in a sharp breath when another cat entered. He wished they wouldn't crowd. "Berryfrost and Whiskerwing. Can, can you bring ,, them to our den? I, need to examine them,," He didn't say more. He didn't know more.
Someone else showed but he could conclude it was Firestorm holding a small, limp kit. She had been the one in charge of the kits. His face crumbled into something of helplessness, shaking his head back and forth. Another, he was too late. It was all too late. She went into the den and Cowtuft followed swiftly, tail swishing back and forth. He didn't want her to see but any words died on his tongue.
It was only then when he saw a warrior kneeling down at Berryfrost's body. He had been listening to their wails but with everything, he simply hadn't been truly aware. It hadn't clicked. It clicks now. It was Peachfrost. Her mother. (Fluffy, large with cream fur. The bite mark on her right shoulder, scarred back left leg. He knew, there was no one else. ) There's another cat at her side and all Cowtuft could think is they could be contaminated. He freezes at the sight. How could he separate them? It was cruel. This was cruel.
He looks away only briefly when Firestorm speaks before clamping her mouth, running swiftly out of the den. Away. He blinks. His vision wavers, and he moves to run after before stopping himself with a pained look. She's gone like the wind and the medicine cat understood he could not comfort her. If this was she was needed, she could have it.
Cowtuft turns to Peachfrost, surely, his body is aching but he does not feel it. He's here, but he is also watching himself. Someone else is performing, he is the witness. He knows what needs to be done and moves to push that forward. He attempts to gently lay his fluffy tail across her back. Everything is roaring in his ears, a numbness, a drifting.
"I'm, sorry Peachfrost.. She was, sick, I don't .. It happened,, so fast.. I'm so sorry, " He signs messily, even if she isn't looking. Even if she might quite not know, he gestures anyway. He can't bring himself to ask. Berryfrost could wait. He doesn't fully understand it either, Cowtuft reasons to himself. Maybe it wasn't infectious. Maybe it wouldn't, maybe they would get lucky. He hopes because it is all he knows; it is in his blood, it is his reflex.
He shakily rose to his paws, pulling himself away to pick the little kit up first.
__________________
❝ hold on tight to this time,
this place 'cause everything you know will be erased.
you were born inside your head.
and that is where you'll be when you are dead. ❞ -- easing back into roleplay / dealing with finals --
꒰ pronouns.cc꒱
Last edited by wolfie; November 24th, 2023 at 09:40 PM.
Since no queens or elders had shown up, Fallownose had mostly been observing and making sure everything was running smoothly, as well as occasionally poking his head into the nursery and elders’ den to make sure they were alright. It was on one such trip when Cowtuft’s yowl rang out, and he turned on his heel to dash back to the clearing.
The sight that greeted him was reminiscent of Snow Fever. Bodies were being brought from various dens and his heart ached. And then he saw the one who broke it.
“BERRYFROST!” Fallownose cried, an anguished yowl as he rushed to where Peachfrost was hunched over her. Nononono, this couldn’t be happening. He had thought he was used to the death of Clanmates. It still hurt, of course, but Fallownose had grown to accept that it was a part of the life they lead. But this… this was different. He had lost his only child who remained in the Clan. At least if they were missing, like Basilkit, Fallownose could have hope for their return. Now, however…
“How did this happen?! None of them were this sick before the checkup. How did so many die?” he demanded, whirling to face Cowtuft with an anguished gaze. Had the symptoms been worse than either of the medicine cats realized? Was this some sort of new disease that could cause cats to drop dead?
Whisperingpaw let out a cry, his anger melting into sadness as he tried to pad over to Berryfrost's body to see his mentor. 'This has to be a joke. It has to be. I've pissed off some cats... Maybe this is all just a joke.' He thought as he saw Fallownose and PeachFrost around Berryfrost's body. The tom knew he couldn't be all protective and mean, as they were close to her. "May I see her..?" Whisperingpaw choked out the words as he saw the dead bodies around.
PLEASE KNOW THAT MY CHARACTERS HAVE VERY DIFFERENT VIEWS AND OPINIONS THAN ME!! And that they may think or act in ways you might not deem acceptable, but I do not think or act in these ways.
Not sensing Twilightstar's presence before, Frostpaw couldn't help but flinch from the nudge to her shoulder. Turning teary hues to the cat who'd touched her, her heart went a beat faster as she saw it was her leader. Oh no...she looked like this in front of Twilightstar?! She must think she looked weak or pathetic o-or-
Opening her mouth to speak, the young she-cat found that the words were caught in her throat as panic was choking her. She couldn't process anything! Her mind was in a spiral and she was being smothered by the stress of the moment. She took in another shaky breath as tears rolled down her cheeks, stinging her eyes. She needed to explain why she was acting like a kit! That she wasn't daft!
"I...t-they...d-de-dead..." she croaked. She forced the words out of her tear stung throat in the attempt of a less than understandable answer. What else could she say? What else should she say? She was still shaking and drawing in sharp breaths, she was in no condition to give a detailed account of her current condition. She could only stare at her leader with tearful eyes in the hopes that she would realize what had caused her hysteria.
(Strange Twilightstar seems to have all of my symptoms so my diagnosis is that she needs her tonsils out...if cats even have tonsils...)
| Lightningstorm |
Flock Together [Tier 3] - Inactive
The young healer had rushed towards the warriors' den as swiftly as she could, stopping only when she caught sight of her mentor. Horror was clearly etched upon her sharp features, not a hint of the usual cheek and sass she usually carried with her. She had made a mistake. She hadn't realized just how sick Stickpaw was. The lithe calico couldn't save him, and there was nothing that could be done about it. It wasn't something as simple - no matter how sorrowful - like the young apprentice's death that had devastated the medicine cat so.
It had been the lie. How she had left him alone to obtain a gift he would never receive. How he'd died alone when she should have been right besides him. When she should have told him what he was to expect instead of reassured him, given him promises on events that would never come to pass. The thought made her sick to her stomach, but she had to deal with the consequences. Tell Cowtuft that he had obviously made a mistake. That StarClan had obviously made a mistake - that part was less surprising - because she was obviously not meant to heal anybody. Not if she couldn't tell a cat was at death's door minutes before he collapsed.
Her heart had started racing the moment her mentor had yowled. She had been prepared to help with whatever had happened before she admitted to her own faults... and yet she hadn't expected... this. Lightningstorm had seen death, after all. It wasn't new to her. Had walked right besides it since she was but a moon old. She had learned what a corpse was before she had learned there was a world outside the walls of the camp. Seeing one was just... part of life at this point. Seeing two? A tragic day. Seeing three? All at once? That just didn't happen... What were the odds here?
The wiry framed she-cat's paranoia was flaring up. Her large ears were flat against her skull, the look of horror still plastered upon her face when she felt someone knock into her, bringing her back to the present. Back to face the reality before her now. Befuddled, the spotted lass turned just in time to see Firestorm leaving the warriors' den, emptying the contents of her stomach right at the entrance. Her tear stained gaze softened. She had heard what had happened. Knew that Firestorm had found the body at Twilight Falls. It seemed she was not used to it yet. To the sight of those blank eyes who would never process the anguish they beset upon those who gazed back at them. Not that she could blame her. Even she was having trouble processing the deaths of today.
Because how had this happened? Three deaths? Caused by what, exactly? Did all three of them have the same illness? That just happened to kill them all the moment the check ups started? It didn't make a lick of sense.
Stepping forward, Lightningstorm's paw brushed on someone's fur, coaxing her to look down, only for the terror to return. Was that... was that a kit?! Oh stars! That was Foxkit! Foxkit was dead?! But how? Oh no... Firestorm... she had been sent to look out for the kits, hadn't she?! To check up on them. And now one was dead! Had every group somehow ended up with a dead cat?! That was impossible! How did they go from having barely a symptom showcase the beginnings of a plague to having four dead cats in a matter of minutes?! Not even the snow fever had ended its victims at such a high mortality rate! And with barely a symptom?! Stars alive! Were they all just infected in some way and death was inevitably coming for them all sooner than anyone could have expected?
She could feel it. The beginnings of her paranoid, hyperactive imagination taking hold. Seeing things that weren't there in a desperate attempt to explain all this in as irrational a rational way as it could. Making just enough sense to make the young Oriental mix question herself and teeter down the path were fact and fiction walked together with tails intertwined. It was only the familiar, comforting scent of her mentor that brought her out of her reverie, no words escaping her as she caught sight of his signs. With a nod, she took a step forward before pausing once more, her mentor grabbing the fallen kit making her realize he had to know before he left...
"There's another," she mewed, her voice broken. Confused. Yet harder and more distant than she'd ever sounded before. The conflicting emotions behind it mirroring the storm brewing in the darkest recesses of her mind. "Stickpaw is... I need to bring in Stickpaw from the apprentices' den as well. I... I failed him, Tufty. I don't know what's going on."
Stepping forward, she dipped her head, attempting to grab at Berryfrost first, only to find herself interrupted by Fallownose. The deputy had arrived, and had flung himself towards his daughter in a moment of anguish. He voiced the same doubts that were already raised in Lightningstorm's head. That clawed and yowled, refusing to be ignored. That stated this should not have happened. That nothing about this seemed like the natural progression towards a sickness induced death. But what else could it be?! What else could possibly kill so many sick cats so swiftly?!
She didn't know. She didn't know. She didn't know. And it was driving her mad! Almond shaped eyes narrowing in thought as the paranoia paved way through her sorrow for more malicious thoughts - thoughts that went nowhere yet, albeit not for a lack of trying - she dipped her head, grabbing at Whisperwing's corpse. This would take multiple trips... more than enough time for her to reign in her paranoid thoughts... or be consumed by them.
Peachfrost sobbed for a long while, drowning out the cries from behind her. Distantly she registered a light presence resting on her back, but even that was soon washed away to her own delusions. Only for Whisperingpaw ( @ChaosBringer. ) did she move a single arm to allow Berryfrost's apprentice space to say goodbye. He deserved that much. Oh my sweet girl, you deserved so much better... so so much better. Better than the monster who began to sputter out excuses behind her.
"Sick? Don't make me laugh! Cats don't die in mass from a sickness our clan. They don't die that quickly unless they've fought in battle. You did something to them. To all of them!" The large molly reluctantly left her daughter to spin around and face him, finally looking the killer in the eyes. Had they ever held anything but bloodlust within them? Had she missed the signs all those moons ago??? Who was his next target? There were too many cats here, too many spirits he could snuff out. Including--
"Q-quillpaw." Her blindly pawed around for her apprentice, never taking her eyes off of that murderer."Y-you need to leave honey. I don't know what's about to happen but I don't want you getting ki-- hurt, ok?" Hopefully she would understand. Best case scenario they would run and hide until Peachfrost fixed this mess. Quillpaw... no. No one was safe until this monster was destroyed.
Taking a few steps forward, Peachfrost got as close to him as he would let her. Her voice dropped low and sinister, each word coming between clenched fangs. "Don't act like this was some accident. I know your dirty little secret." Enraged eyes flashed over to Fallownose, then to Twilightstar, before returning back to Cowtuft. Traitors."That vision I had of you all those moons ago? It wasn't a prophecy of the savior of Windclan. It was a warning of their destruction. You aren't anything but a parasite. If I could go back to all those moons ago, I would've saved us both the misery and killed you then." Skies she hoped her words hurt. Hurt more than a vicious slice of claws against his throat. Hurt more than poison burning in his lungs. Because no matter what she said to the murderer, he would never know the pain she felt right now. No one ever could.
Like a tidal wave rising up to drown everything in its path, her mentor rose swiftly to her paws. Quillpaw watched with round, worried eyes as she spun around and spat towards the Clan's healer. She'd never seen her mentor this distraught, this... lost. Her heart ached and she instinctively stepped closer while her eyes never left Peachfrost's face.
A paw reaching back for her made contact with her shoulder and she glanced down at it. Peach was telling her to leave, but that was the last thing Quill wanted to do. Her slightly broken speech, the word 'hurt' barely concealing the true reason of why her mentor wanted her to run. Killed. Could she really... be killed right now? Her heart was beating fast in her chest as her eyes shifted towards the black and white tom. Had he killed these cats??
"I don't... wanna leave you," she murmured finally, finding the strength to lift her voice above a murmur. Paws rooted to where she stood, Quill watched as venom poured from her mentor's mouth, flinching at the implications. Vision. Prophecy. Savior. She didn't know much about what all was going on but she knew she felt almost... protective over Peach. Something was going to happen, she could tell by the tension that crackled in the air.
The Place of No Stars... that sounded terrifying. Quill had heard whispers about it, otherwise known as the Dark Forest. Shadows and dead trees, a rotting smell that clung to everything. Nothing good prospered there it seemed... so why was a cat appointed by such a dreadful place in charge of healing other cats. It was all confusing, and Quillpaw looked directly at her mentor with shimmering, tearful eyes. She felt lost, scared, helpless. Part of her wanted to run away, another part into the fur of Peachfrost. She remained frozen however, gaze never leaving her mentor.
He nodded in thanks as he was left through to see his mentor. He sobbed as he stared at BerrtFrost's body. Whisperingpaw tilted his head as PeachFrost spoke. The tom had saw Quillpaw, but didn't speak to them. 'How dare they kill her!' He thought as his fur bristles. The apprentice hissed and stood behind Peachfrost, a bit to the side so he was in view. "Traitors! Murders!" He yowled to the medicine cats in anger, his tail lashing behind him.
PLEASE KNOW THAT MY CHARACTERS HAVE VERY DIFFERENT VIEWS AND OPINIONS THAN ME!! And that they may think or act in ways you might not deem acceptable, but I do not think or act in these ways.
Spottedkits eyes went wide when she heard the accusations being thrown around. There was no way that Cowtuft could have done something so insane as kill cats like this. No she could hear the fear in their voice when they called out to the other helpers to stop. Why wouldn't Cowtuft do something to kill more cats, not stop the helpers as quick, say anything at all? No it must have just been the warrior who lost her child that was being irrational. Spottedkit didn't know what it was like to lose someone personally but this must have clouded her thoughts.
Instead of getting in the way of anything, Spottedkit moved over to hide behind Firestorm for safety and reassurance before yelling out. "Why wouldn't he just try to kill everyone if he's the trouble? Why yell out to stop?!" Spottedkit yelled at Peachfrost
@Poprock @Dark
Re: WindClan Check-Ups! [ Event ]
