Sunkissed Creek

[korok]

◢◣ RAGGEDEAR | 29 MOONS | HE/HIM ◢◣
fluffy, russet tom with yellow eyes, torn left ear, & black paw tips
header by @/burntToast
꧁꧂

Raggedear nodded in response, deciding to give getting nettle one more shot.

[ RAGGEDEAR ROLLED A 19 ]

An idea formed in his mind as he padded back. The medicine cat had told them that nettle wouldn't sting if wet, right? He scanned the trees for a damp piece of moss and clawed it out, dipping it into a puddle before gently dabbing the nettle patch with it. "There!" He mewed triumphantly, grabbing a couple stalks before also scooping the thyme into his mouth.

[ +2 NETTLE ]

"Les 'o." He mumbled through his haul, using his tail to better signal back towards the camp.

( @Idiotic.Bean101 - FINALLY DYNO )

[BEAR.]

Originally Posted by Fawn

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Beachpaw -

Dang, that scar didn’t seem to be the only thing wrong with Wolfhive. Beachpaw had never seen the guy so lacking in energy. “Hey, so, good training session, right? Do you want to go back?” Really, why they were asking -- they kind of wanted to go back too. This training could wait for another day, so they were more than willing to pitch the thought.

Wolfhive looked like a SLUG. An actual slug. Slow-moving, out of it, and weirdly... goopy. Mucusy. Coughed more than a slug, though.

Oh, ew. That was probably what was the matter. He had the Cough. ... They did not want to get the cough. Could they do battle training without making contact?

“Your face!” they reiterated with a vague motion. “Also, coughs are coming out of it, and that doesn't seem healthy. But you’re all rugged now! Scarred. What happened?”

@BEAR.

"... what?" Go back? No, they needed to do this... Beachpaw was pretty close to being done with training. Wolfhive just.. needed a second. "no, give.. me .. a moment." Another fit of coughing had Wolfhive grimacing, his sides ached from the exertion.

Battle training was important, 'n Wolfhive knew Beachpaw had evaded Nightgaze's attempts so this... was to make sure it got done. "Just.. a bit.. under the weather." Now if that wasn't the understatement of the century! Wolfhive looked and felt like hell. He wiped at his nose again, scrunching it distastefully at the residue that escaped him. ".. Scar?" It wasn't something he thought about, especially under current circustances. "oh. that. No, you.. probably won't.. get that. ..The owl.. that took.. Springlight,.. it pecked me." Tore its beak into his face, though birds seemed to like doing that. ".. but the.. owl's... dead now.. so you're safe."

[Fawn]

Originally Posted by BEAR.

"... what?" Go back? No, they needed to do this... Beachpaw was pretty close to being done with training. Wolfhive just.. needed a second. "no, give.. me .. a moment." Another fit of coughing had Wolfhive grimacing, his sides ached from the exertion.

Battle training was important, 'n Wolfhive knew Beachpaw had evaded Nightgaze's attempts so this... was to make sure it got done. "Just.. a bit.. under the weather." Now if that wasn't the understatement of the century! Wolfhive looked and felt like hell. He wiped at his nose again, scrunching it distastefully at the residue that escaped him. ".. Scar?" It wasn't something he thought about, especially under current circustances. "oh. that. No, you.. probably won't.. get that. ..The owl.. that took.. Springlight,.. it pecked me." Tore its beak into his face, though birds seemed to like doing that. ".. but the.. owl's... dead now.. so you're safe."

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Beachpaw -

If anything, time seemed to be the opposite of what Wolfhive needed. Dude was about to implode on himself.

A tug from inside themselves surprised Beachpaw, and.. they squinted, puzzled. A quiet inventory of themselves revealed nothing HURT, exactly, but why did they feel so . . .

. . bad? Like an invisible wound had cut them somewhere. They didn't understand, and it was kind of freaking them out. Hoping their off-guardedness hadn't been visible, they stole a glance at their pathetic sickly friend, and the mysterious feeling knotted in their throat.

Beachpaw fought to swallow it down.

"Owls are... mean," they finished lamely, catching enough of the explanation to piece together what Wolfhive retold of the incident. And that feeling from before twisted and churned in a burst of sickly bittersweet warmth when Wolfhive added that last, so you're safe piece. They needed a distraction: "Aaaaa--okay! Sparring, let's do that. Should I just, start?"

[BEAR.]

"Just.. part.. of nature.." Wolfhive let out a half-cough half wheeze before he managed to straighten himself out again. For now. "Like.. how we.. eat mice,.. they.. eat us. ..But, the.. Clan will be... eating that.. owl." They killed it, brought it back - Wolfhive had tucked the beak away to go with his bone assortment.

Now onto sparring. "Yeah, let's.."

Wolfhive had gotten to his paws and swiped at Beachpaw, though the loss of support caused him to stagger while swinging.

[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

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Beachpaw -

Beachpaw naturally took a half-step backwards when that sad swing came their way. If this was setting the tone for the rest of the session, they weren't sure how useful it'd be unless their attacker happened to have consumed fermented crab apples right before the battle.

The notion of striking an already-crippled-by-illness Wolfhive caused hesitation. Nonetheless, they crouched down and darted forward to attempt knocking him off-balance. It was the path of least destruction, and least resistance since he already looked wobbly on his paws.

@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

The ground came for Wolfhive faster than he anticipated. Or perhaps his reaction time was just off, muddled by his dulled senses. Regardless of the reason, he had barely recovered his balance when Beachpaw lunged and connected with him; the force sending Wolfhive onto his side with an audible grunt.

He didn't have the energy to lash out with his paws in an attempt to retaliate, what little wind he had knocked out of him.

[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

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Beachpaw -

The pang in their soul echoed stronger than ever when Wolfhive fell. Sure, it was what they'd intended, but they hadn't expected it to be so incredibly distressing. Wide, concerned eyes fixated on him as Beachpaw stood up straight to assess the damage.

They fumbled on their words, some near-incoherent cross between "are you okay" and "are we done" because they didn't see a fruitful continuation. And it occurred to them, a worst case scenario where Wolfhive was too weak to return to camp. Cold prickles of unease spread over them.

"I'll let you catch your breath, then we can head back? Do this again another time?"

@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

Stars, was this what he was reduced to? Being knocked down and unable to get back up like he was nothing? They barely even sparred... it couldn't be considered one, in any form of the word. He had been hoping to shoulder through this, inconvenience but it seemed his body was refusing to cooperate.

Wolfhive hadn't even realized he was panting, the simple exertion enough to leave him breathless. "... 'm fine..." just, defeated in various ways. He supposed this was a good lesson in stubbornness. ".. yeah, we... should." Then, very gracefully (not) he sank his head against the ground. Talking was tiring, a nap seemed ideal. They probably shouldn't nap here but boy was it tempting! "gimme... a moment."

[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

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Beachpaw -

Beachpaw's spirits drooped at the state of Wolfhive. "Here, I'll help!" They couldn't risk his condition worsening, because having Wolfhive conscious but weak would be better than having no assistance at all. The pressure of it, and a palpable dark fear they refused to indulge, conjured strength as they aided him to his paws. And this would be the moment to part, but they were too concerned about him collapsing like a poorly-made den.

"You're getting actual treatment for this, right?" A distant memory stirred, one of Wolfhive's apparent aversion to medicine cats. "Seems kinda serious, is all."

@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

With Beachpaw's support, Wolfhive was back on his paws albeit shakily. He'd much rather be on the ground resting, but even if he had the energy to protest he wouldn't have wanted to upset Beach further. he's just tired.

"... they wouldn't be of help." Wasn't meant out of spite, but practicality. The current medicine cats were still learning, they had a lot of cats to practice on, 'n no one was getting better. .. ".. i dont.. want.. to be.. stuck.. in that... den, ..waiting for ..a cure ..that might.. not come." it was too close to his apprenticehood, the poison, for any comfort. they did nothing, and he survived. he'd survive this, despite how miserable he was in the interim. "let's.. just.. go back.."

[ @Fawn ]