[BlooRey DVD]

Sharp yellow eyes scanned the Pineneedle Clearing as the red and brown mottled she-cat stalked through. Hanging from her jaws were two mice; she had long since decided who would have the honor of eating the mice she'd caught today. Hunting had been slightly more aggravating today, every movement made more difficult by the constant ache in her joints. Add to that the sore throat and sporadic coughs? Keeping silent and still was no longer as effortless as it had once been. Still, she'd succeeded. Of course she had. And now, she would feed her parents and her brother.

A near-indiscernible flick of her tail betrayed the worry nagging in the back of her mind. She was, quite frankly, pissed that StarClan had allowed something like this to happen to a she-cat as perfectly kind-hearted as her mother. Narrowing her gaze at the sky above, Cobrapaw stifled a growl if only because she didn't feel like suppressing to cough just now. Striding straight passed Grimjaw and Brightmoon returning from patrol, Cobrapaw didn't bother with courtesy; she had better things to do, and more important cats to attend to. Stony determination lit her already-eerie gaze, so much so that Cobrapaw was fairly certain Gloompaw had avoided her path on purpose earlier.

She slowed only as the medicine cat's makeshift den appeared before her. The scent of sickness drifted to her nose, slipping passed that of the freshkill with ease. Stepping forward so that she was in view, Cobrapaw stooped to deposit the two mice. She could just make out the calico pelt of Echobreeze, the petite warrioress writhing in what her daughter could only assume was a disturbed sleep. In the nest next to her, Cobrapaw's father seemed no better. His flank rose and fell in short puffs, as though he struggled to attain the air his body desired.

He'd deteriorated rapidly since leading Echobreeze to the medicine cat's den two days ago. Cobrapaw frowned, displeasure coating her features. Both Echobreeze and Hollowcry were victim to a much more severe case of this greencough, she was certain; neither one of them would have been bested by a simple sore throat and cough like she had. Dragging her fierce gaze away from the tortured figures of her parents, she sought out another familiar figure. "Shadowpaw." It was less of a question, and more of an expectation. He was likely busy, but he needed to rest at some point. And he most certainly needed to eat.

Fawn

[Fawn]

Shadowpaw
9 Moons - Tom - Medicine Cat Apprentice - NightClan

His waking hours were full of water, chickweed, catmint and prayers. His dreams were full of the same things - but his fears and doubts as a medicine cat apprentice, as a good son, came creeping in on black wings, driving out any chance Shadowpaw had of a decent rest.

Dozing when he good, he had finally gotten used to the coughing well enough to drown the more constant cases out. It did not mean that he stopped caring. The opposite was true; he cared very, very much. It just no longer kept him from curling up into a tight ball in a nest of pine-needles and sleeping whenever he could.

Yet as soon as Smokefur or any number of their patients called his name, Shadowpaw was up, out of his nest faster than bees in a kicked hive.

This time, it wasn't Smokefur's voice of quiet command, or the croaked, miserable cry of the very, very sick.

It was Cobrapaw.

"Shadowpaw."

The thin feline woke with a slight scattering of his makeshift nest. Long slender legs were drawn in until he could get his bearings, not even bothering to stretch as he gravitated towards the source of the noise. Mouse. I smell mouse. Was she bringing him something to eat? StarClan, when was the last time he'd eaten anything? All Shadowpaw could remember was working herbs into a paste with his jaws, or rubbing the flanks and chests of their patients, trying to work some of the sickness out. As for food... It had been too long.

"Cobrapaw," he greeted her with tired warmth, and rather than brush his pelt with hers like he had days before, Shadowpaw stepped closer with the intent to inspect her.

She looked healthy, but looks could be deceiving. Hollowcry had looked healthy two sunrises ago, but now he was... Deteriorating. Shadowpaw's nose, still sharp as ever despite living in such close quarters with ill cats, quivered as he detected a few scents he didn't like. "You've caught it too. Wait right here, I'll get you some chickweed."

If he wasn't saving as much of the catmint as they could for the very severe cases, he would've gladly brought his sister one of the sweet-tasting herbs. But, chickweed would have to do. The young tom went to their herb store, his steps light but purposeful, and dutifully picked out the right plant, bringing one leaf to his sister. "Chew this, please. How does your throat feel? Sore? We may have some honeycomb left." Though he felt worn out, as if a badger had wrung out all the energy he had left, Shadowpaw was able to move so quickly and think so clearly because of Cobrapaw's presence.

Though she had brought him some food, Shadowpaw had already forgotten it, his whole being attuned to taking care of others.

Words: 470 Words
Tags: BlooRey DVD
Notes: xD busy busy!

[BlooRey DVD]

Cobrapaw had come to expect certain behaviors from her brother. She assumed she'd be subjected to his typically friendly greeting, and the feel of his fur brushing up against hers were. Yet he stopped short of her, eyes scanning her fur and his nose sniffing at her. Passive intrigue flickered in her eyes, ears pressing forward to watch him as he inspected her. As he came to a conclusion and stepped away, the red-brown she-cat gave his instructions a nod of understanding. Sharp eyes followed him the entire way, though her paws didn't budge.

Shadowpaw returned with a leaf, which she peered at. Chewing herbs was no one's favorite task, and Cobrapaw was no different. However, she was not about to disobey her brother's request. Stooping to lap up the single leaf, she chewed it dutifully. As he continued to question her about her well being, she flicked an ear dismissively. "My throat is not aggravated enough to warrant wasting any more of your store of herbs on me. Give it to mother." She rasped, tail dancing slowly behind her. Tipping her muzzle to indicate one of the two mice, she continued. "You, however, should eat. I brought one for mother and father as well. I assume their appetites are still not well enough to eat a whole one alone."

Cobrapaw had brought them one the day before too. Echobreeze had only managed two or three bites. Though Hollowcry had fared a little better, it had not come anywhere close to his usual appetite. The worry for her parents bubbling in the pit of her stomach took form as a mix of impatience and aggression. She would never turn such coping mechanisms on Shadowpaw; it was the rest of the Clan that had to deal with her thorn-sharp eyes and equally deadly tongue.

A moment's pause saw those brilliant eyes drift to the barely conscious forms of their parents. Deep frown pulling at the corner of her mouth once more, the red-brown she-cat leveled her gaze with her brother's. "How are they."

Fawn

[Fawn]

curiosity is not a sin...

...but we should exercise caution with our curiosity

Shadowpaw

Shadowpaw wanted to be stern with her, to insist that she take a few licks of honey anyway - but Cobrapaw was right. They needed to save it for the worst cases. I can't play favorites. Resting a paw on the mouse, his head moved on his slender neck in a slow couple of nods. "I will." He'd share it with Smokefur if she hadn't already eaten; he couldn't remember if his mentor had or not.

Golden eyes followed the path of Cobrapaw's gaze to the bodies of their parents, lying sickly and prone upon Smokefur's den. Shadowpaw's heart rang hollow, the sorrow echoing through the chambers like a kit wailing into the night. "They're..." The medicine cat apprentice trailed off, trying to find the words that were both truthful yet carried a smidgen of hope. No matter how small, faith and hope were important. He'd quickly realized that - if you lost those things, then... caring for the sick, realizing how helpless you were... it could suck the soul right out of you.

"They're surviving." Shadowpaw finished, and silently moved to sit beside Cobrapaw, seeking comfort in the familiar brushing of their pelts. "Mother seems slightly better than Father." In a quieter voice, faint with dwindling confidence and many days of fatigue, Shadowpaw spoke. "I'm doing the best I can."

What if that wasn't good enough?

Shadowpaw sheathed and unsheathed his claws, agitatedly plucking at the dead mouse's fur. "We need catmint. Chickweed will do but catmint is better." If we could just get that, Hollowcry and Echobreeze might pull through. Trying not to let his worries leech into his words, Shadowpaw drew himself up, his slender frame regaining some of Hollowcry's poise. "I should get back to work. Thank you for the mouse, I'll make sure it gets eaten." He smiled weakly at his sister. "Stay healthy. Give my best to Darkpaw and Thornpaw too."

medicine cat apprentice of nightclan

BlooRey DVD | jk rowling | background image | table by phoenix

[BlooRey DVD]

Another frown bit at the corners of her mouth. As her brother pressed against her side, seeking out the comfort he found in the feeling, Cobrapaw draped her tail over his shoulders. Sharp eyes slid from the comatose figures of their parents to her brother, her paw shifting to butt his slightly. "I know." She told him. "And mother and father know too." She had no reason to doubt Shadowpaw and Smokefur were doing everything they could to save those suffering from greencough. But she also knew that, despite everything they did, NightClan would lose warriors to this. The scent of sickness was heavy, and Cobrapaw could almost feel death lurking.

A brown ear pivoted atop her head as he mentioned catmint. Something glinted behind her yellow stare, but she said nothing, simply listening to him as he spoke. Shadowpaw had once told her that sometimes just listening was the best remedy to another's problem. She was mousedung at offering comfort, too impassive and a little cruel too. But for Shadowpaw? For Shadowpaw she could listen. You could bet your tail that she would do just about anything for Shadowpaw. It was for this reason that a plan was already roiling in her mind.

A plan involving getting this catmint that her brother so desperately wanted. As Shadowpaw pulled himself to his paws, indicating he should return to work, Cobrapaw nodded her head. "Of course, I won't keep you. If you need more prey, let me know." She told him, always willing to hunt for Shadowpaw. Tapping her nose to the top of her brother's head, she waved her tail in farewell and ducked out of the entrance to the temporary medicine cat den. But she didn't return to her den, nor did she fetch herself something from the freshkill pile.

Instead, she padded straight out of the sick camp. She wanted to locate this herb while the scent was still fresh in her nose. If she could figure out where it grew, she could bring Thornpaw and Darkpaw with her later to gather some. Of course, for that to happen she would need to shake this stupid sickness. Dimstar wouldn't allow her back into camp otherwise.

Fawn (end thread?)