Mallowpaw
121/100
One moment Mallowpaw was walking beside Spiderthroat, her head pounding painfully with each step she took, and the next she was lying down, head on the deputy's paw, looking up at the sky. It took her a moment to realise that she had collapsed, that her weak limbs had given out on her. She had expected it to happen when she was hunting, but not when she was simply walking, not doing anything strenuous. Not with all the patrol members there, watching and judging her.
Everything hurt. Her head, her body, her long-shattered pride. She just wanted to close her eyes and rest, regardless of the pain or the uncomfortable ground. But she couldn't, not now. At the sick camp. She would sleep at the sick camp. Mallowpaw rolled onto her side and staggered to her paws, swaying slightly. She was aware of how her limbs trembled, something she hadn't really noticed before that point- the more obvious symptoms had stolen her attention.
She wondered if they were going to go to the medicine cat's den first or straight to the quarantine camp. She hoped it was the former; she didn't know if she could handle the walk to the camp. Where was it, anyway? Had Bumblestar said at the meeting? Mallowpaw could only hope it was close. She needed it to be close. Otherwise she might collapse again and not be able to get up.
At least she hadn't had to hunt. StarClan had answered her prayers, even if it hadn't helped. They had spared her from one humiliation just so she could receive another. Maybe even a worse one; collapsing without warning was more embarrassing than failing to catch anything. She was used to her clanmates, even those younger than her, doing better than her.
Although it didn't change how much it hurt, seeing young apprentices surpass her. She didn't think it ever would. The aching pain in the parts of her body that had hit the ground added to her bitterness and misery. She would have scrapes from this, maybe bruises. Of course she had to deal with the pain from them on top of her sickness. At least Spiderthroat's paw had cushioned her head; the last thing she needed was a head injury when it was already pounding. Maybe the deputy's presence was a blessing after all.
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Starfall