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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on May 25, 2017 18:46:52 GMT -5
[smear:74ffd2]Echobreeze[/smear:ffffff] ~~~~~~~~~
For the first time in what felt like moons, the small figure of the calico she-cat stirred from a full night's sleep. Her breaths were still shaky, her body exhausted from near constant writhing, but they were clear. She could breathe without pain, without choking on the air itself. Although her throat was still dry, her jaws parted with a soft sigh of relief. Green eyes cracked open, blinking against the change in lighting as her head swam with the effort of clear thought. She barely noticed the stench of surrounding sickness, having been so consumed in it for so many sunrises.
Her ear flicked to the sound of someone coughing, the petite calico pulling her wits about her enough to lift her head from the bedding. Shuffling her paws out from beneath her body, Echobreeze rolled onto her other side, something she'd not been able to do under her own power for several days. A foggy mind still struggling through the drowsiness, the calico NightClan senior warrior was just as clumsy as a newborn kit, all four of her paws stretching out to their limits. She felt a piece of moss snag in her claws, yet she couldn't seem to care.
Eventually, she found it in her to focus, hauling herself to a shaky stand and stumbling one nest over until she found the dark-furred shape of her mate. She could feel the warmth emanating from him, his once sleek fur matted from his feverish fits. She could only imagine hers was in a similar state just then. Pressing her forehead against his flank, she took a trembling breath, tears threatening to break through. Tightening her jaw in timid determination, she whispered to him. "I-I'll.. G-Get us some p-prey, H-Hollowcry." Willing herself to pull away from him, she glanced around the den.
It was empty, save for those ill. The medicine cats must have been checking on those not confined to the makeshift medicine cat's den. Stumbling to the entrance, she ducked outside and squinted against the light. Unable to see much of anything until her eyes adjusted, the petite she-cat croaked out the first name she could think of. "Sh-Shadow..paw?" |
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Post by Fawn on May 26, 2017 16:42:09 GMT -5
curiosity is not a sin... ...but we should exercise caution with our curiosity Shadowpaw Normally so fluid and controlled, Shadowpaw's ears swiveled to the sound of his name being softly called - and his feet responded before the rest of him did. He made an untidy lurch in that direction and quickly righted himself, uttering a tired, self-depreciating laugh. "I'm worse than a dazed spider." But there was no one within the immediate vicinity to appreciate that imagery, so he shook himself and hastened onward.
"Mother!" he purred, surprise and concern coloring his tones. In no uncertain terms, Echobreeze's pelt was in a sorry state; there were bits of herbs - stale, dried and crushed - and bedding stuck to her pretty tortoiseshell fur, and the many days gone without a proper wash were certainly showing themselves. But to Shadowpaw, his mother looked beautiful. She looked alive, and he had to resist the urge to mewl like a kit and curl up against her as if he were only two moons old again.
"How do you feel?"
Already, the young tom was scooting close to stand beside his mother, offering her a supportive shoulder to lean on. He wasn't yet very tall, but he felt strong enough for this. Ever the filial son, Shadowpaw was scenting and sensing what he could of Echobreeze's physical state. With a delirious kind of joy, he noticed the only sickly scent clinging to his mother's fur was not her own, but from the other occupants in the den. Her breathing was clearer.
She's getting well again. Thank you, StarClan. Thank you. Shadowpaw wanted to sink to his belly in his nest, which likely hadn't been changed in the last couple of days, he was so busy - but Shadowpaw didn't care about that. A few cats had recovered since this sickness had begun, but Echobreeze's and Hollowcry's continuously deteriorating conditions had worn him away too.
He didn't want to feel fear like that ever again.
Shadowpaw glanced back to where his father lay, and his tail twitched in puzzled jabs. Why did Echobreeze get better, but not Hollowcry? What determined a cat's chance of survival? Was there anything he could do to help Hollowcry fight it? medicine cat apprentice of nightclan |
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| Conquer the monster in your head, and then you'll fly |
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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on May 27, 2017 9:45:12 GMT -5
[smear:74ffd2]Echobreeze[/smear:ffffff] ~~~~~~~~~
A sense of relief washed over her as her son's voice met her ears. Head turning to allow her green eyes to settle on his approaching figure, she was purring by the time he reached her. Stretching up so she could properly nuzzle his ear, she allowed herself to lean into his shoulder. Grateful for the familiar contact now that she could enjoy it, she rasped her tongue over his shoulder several times. Completely unconcerned with the haphazard state of her own pelt, Echobreeze at least wanted to ensure that Shadowpaw was well taken care of.
"I-I'm.. Tired. R-Really tired, but b-better. Much b-better." She told him, and it was the honest truth. Pulling away from him just slightly so that she could get a better look at him, her eyes were alight with warmth. She was indescribably proud of him; worried too, for he was working so very hard. But StarClan above, was she proud of him. Her ears pricked at the sound of coughing from the den, the little senior warrior not needing to look behind her to know that it was Hollowcry. Momentary pain flickered through her green eyes, but she held herself together, choosing to focus on her son in that moment.
Smiling tiredly at him, she leaned forward to rub her cheek against his again. "And... Y-You? Have you eaten? A-Are you getting enough s-sleep? Is S-Smokefur working you too hard? Do you w-want me to get you something to eat? How about a walk? Are you g-getting enough f-fresh air?" Realizing she'd gone off on a motherly tangent, the timid warrioress snapped her jaws shut and sheepishly shuffled her paws. "S-Sorry. I can't help b-but worry about my kits." Licking his shoulder again (there was this one piece of fur...), she waved her tail thoughtfully, haunches sinking to the ground in a sit.
"H-How... Are your s-sisters? I h-heard Cobrapaw in the den a few times.. W-Was she sick? And Thornpaw and Darkpaw?" She needed to know her kits were alright. It had been far too many sunrises since she'd seen any of them properly. And although she would not return to camp so long as Hollowcry was here, she still needed reassurance that her daughters were healthy. |
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Post by Fawn on May 28, 2017 8:32:46 GMT -5
curiosity is not a sin... ...but we should exercise caution with our curiosity Shadowpaw Shadowpaw couldn't suppress a purr. it felt so good to have her back. Echobreeze's gentle barrage of questions was like the brush of a cool spring breeze against his pelt, and he welcomed it. "They're all fine. Cobrapaw had a little cough, but she's better now." Shadowpaw's whiskers twitched, his eyes shining with a reverent affection for the three. "Not even greencough can stand up to Cobrapaw, Darkpaw and Thornpaw."
The young tom welcomed the chance to just sit and talk with his mother. He would be needed again soon, in fact, the sound of coughing never fully left his ears, and he was always keeping tabs on what was happening in their makeshift medicine cat's den. But the blessing of being an apprentice was that Smokefur would call him when she needed the extra set of paws.
"They all brought us prey every day, while you were sick. Cobrapaw especially." Shadowpaw confessed, wanting his mother to know of how much her daughters cared. What hovered at the edges of his words, however, was mention of Hollowcry. He didn't want to scare her; he didn't want to voice aloud the very real possibility that their father may not get better. Shadowpaw was aware he had a paw stuck in each world; the role of a son, frightened for his father, and the role of a medicine cat, whose duty it was not just to heal his injured Clanmates but to prevent injury, emotional or otherwise.
He just wanted her to feel better, at least for a little while. Then... Then they could talk about Hollowcry. Shadowpaw purred, a self-soothing gesture, though it was directed at her. We'll... We'll be alright. Even if the worst happened. medicine cat apprentice of nightclan |
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| Conquer the monster in your head, and then you'll fly |
| |
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GaleClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by BlooRey DVD on May 28, 2017 13:11:24 GMT -5
[smear:74ffd2]Echobreeze[/smear:ffffff] ~~~~~~~~~
Her relief was evident, the petite she-cat's shoulders sinking as the tension ebbed from her shoulders. Giving Shadowpaw's shoulder one last, satisfied lick, she returned to leaning against her son's frame. Shadowpaw was not an overly large cat, and she was his mother. Despite this, the small she-cat's exhaustion kept her from thinking too hard on whether she should be relying on her son's strength the way she was. She was just content to have him near her in this moment. A small, purring laugh escaped her, shaking her head at the mention of her three daughters.
"They... Certainly have hearts filled with determination, d-don't they?" She mewed, her voice surprisingly steady now that she was feeling a little calmer. Her smile turned soft as Shadowpaw mentioned their consistent delivery of prey. Glancing to the side, she nuzzled his cheek affectionately. "That s-sounds like my girls." She meowed quietly, caring clear in her tone. "They're just like H-Hollowcry, you kn-know? They might seem a little r-rough around the edges... But they still care. They l-love you, just like I do." She meowed, butting her head against his shoulder.
She fell silent for a moment, green eyes flicking down to her paws. The little she-cat was barely aware she was holding her breath just then, struggling against the questions burning in her mind. Questions about Hollowcry. Finding something else to hold onto, Echobreeze met Shadowpaw's gaze again, tipping her head to the side questioningly. "How is your t-training with Smokefur?" She inquired, her tail tip twitching behind her. "You... Must be so busy... But this... This is what you want to do..?" She cared for her son, and though she didn't doubt his choices, she couldn't help but want to hear it from his maw one last time. If only to settle the still-dying anxiety rippling through her. |
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Post by Fawn on May 31, 2017 9:01:17 GMT -5
curiosity is not a sin... ...but we should exercise caution with our curiosity Shadowpaw Surprised, his eyes were widened by the unexpected question. He'd been a bit silly, hadn't he? To think everyone knew how certain he was of his role in the Clan? Shadowpaw laughed, some of the fatigue ebbing away in the presence of his mother's gentle inquiries. "Do I look unhappy when I'm helping Smokefur? I'm just... worried about everyone." But he was learning quickly, and not just about herbs.
This was an accelerated pace in terms of study, but Shadowpaw hadn't buckled under the pressure for long. Instead, he'd found his strength and steadied himself, giving Smokefur and their patients nothing but his best.
Shadowpaw smiled, and leaned his nose into his mother's fur, taking a muzzleful of her soft, soothing scent. When he straightened, there was clarity of purpose in the young tom's eyes. "This is what I'm meant to do, Mother. Cobrapaw, Thornpaw and Darkpaw... They're going to make NightClan feared and respected by every other Clan in the valley."
But Shadowpaw cared nothing for glory. He didn't want prestige. He didn't mind that he wasn't going to stand beside his sisters, a mighty victor in battle. Shadowpaw looked at his mother, knowing she understood. He believed that if the trio took after Hollowcry, then he definitely took after Echobreeze. "I'm meant to be a medicine cat." Shadowpaw glanced back at Smokefur, tempted to rush back to the den and tell her how grateful he was that she had picked him for an apprentice.
"I should get back," he mewed, remorse in his voice over cutting their time together so short. He had a role to fulfill - a role other than 'loving son', though it was one of his favorites. "Please rest, Mother. Send Cobrapaw to bring you some water, it'll make her happy to have something to do." Cobrapaw's mentor was sick, too. Shadowpaw nuzzled her one last time, feeling like a kit again. "I love you."
He wasn't fully grown, but he felt as if he'd aged seven moons since this greencough had started. He'd been forced to mature in ways he hadn't expected. medicine cat apprentice of nightclan |
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