[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Ebonyheart,

Livin' in ruins of a palace within my dreams

Leafbare was hitting hard and it didn't look like it was going to be slowing down anytime soon. Both medicine cats were busy with sick felines of Gorgeclan, first it started off as a simple cough between a couple warriors and now several were infected with Greencough. Only a couple had been unfortunate enough to develop into Blackcough, their lives being passed off to Starclan already. 

Nightfury, a former Treeclan warrior was the first to succumb to the sickness and the distraught on Sageheart's face was enough to pull at Ebonyheart's chest. Not every cat survived every winter, but loosing those so soon after the destruction of the earthquake made it seem even harder to be a healer. 

It was times like this that those self-doubting questions started to creep into the brains and minds of each healer. Was the work they were doing actually helping? Did the herbs they worked so hard on stocking up actually elevate any issues? Did they truly have the skill set given by Starclan to help those around them or were their true fates actually left to those who walked with stars in their pelts?

Ebonyheart found herself nudging Sageheart away from certain nests every once in a while, the dilute blue molly hovering around the sickest even if her restless paws couldn't help for the time being. 

There were several who were already in a secluded part of camp, their nests made from moss and the outskirts of camp shrouding them from the rest of Gorgeclan. Many were severely ill, including the former deputy of Treeclan: Mossheart - who was not doing well at all. He had loss consciousness by this morning and his breaths were short, shallow and in his abdomen.

The brown siamese known as Minktoes lifted her head sleepily when Ebonyheart padded over to check on her, noting that tree-loving molly was still hot and running a fever. Despite how crummy she probably felt, the light-hearted she-cat gave a tired smile and parted her maw to give a raspy meow, "I'm okay Ebonyheart -" She paused as a heavy coughing fit racked her body. 

"Hush, you need to get some rest. I'll have a warrior bring us some prey in a little bit." Despite the sharpness of her tone, the inky molly wasn't mad at any of those under her care. In fact, quite the opposite as she was very much worried but steeled herself due to the nature of this sickness.

Ebonyheart was practically in her element, her paws automatically knowing what to do and her brain on autopilot as she sorted through herbs and cats. This was eerie similar to the Leafbare that she had first become an apprentice beneath her former mentor, Sandblaze. Several fellow Stoneclanners had been lost during that winter, by many more saved by the hard working healers that didn't take a moment to rest or relax.

Despite the distaste Starclan had in her currently, Ebonyheart had been born and bred to be a medicine cat and she would make sure that she did all she could for those in Gorgeclan.

After all, every feline here had suffered enough.  

"Can you see if there are any voles?" Minktoes' sleepy rasp sounded in response to Ebonyheart, though despite her somewhat interest in eating those wide blue eyes of hers were glassy and heavy as sleep tried to once again wrestle her away from consciousness. However, even with her question within seconds the former Treeclanner was asleep again - the same thing had happened yesterday when the brown faced molly had asked for Brackenstride. 

Rest, Minktoes... Ebonyheart said silently as gently touched her nose to the other she-cat's ear for a second, silently praying to Birdstar's spirit to watch over those under the healer's mossy gaze.

Somewhere off to the side, another two cats coughed while sleeping before their bodies slid back into an uneasy rest while trying to fight out the sickness that had seized their bodies. However, it was the noise outside the Medicine Cat's den that caught her attention before Icefang's gray and white body pushed through with the creamy form of Cardinalkit hanging rather limply from the queen's maw. 

Fear shot through Ebonyheart as she raced forwards to sniff the little shekit, who gave a small squeal before coughs ran through her tiny form. "I thought she was just tired earlier, then I noticed she was hot right before she started coughing." The fear scent coming off of Icefang was strong, so was the stench of sickness that was growing upon the secret daughter of the ebony coated healer. 

Without hesitation Ebonyheart grabbed Cardinalkit and padded over to where there were a few empty nests to lay the little thing down. Her breathing is raspy as her chest heaved and she was hot to the touch, but so far she seemed to only have a few episodes of coughing. Still, Leafbare was already hard enough on new kits, let alone the sickness that liked to rage through camps. 

"Ebonyheart... I don't feel good..." Cardinalkit whimpered as she opened her eyes, glassy hues staring up at the she-cat that she would never known as her biological mother.

The healer's heart squeezed as she leaned down to softly touch her nose to the kit's ear, "It's okay little one, I'll make sure you start feeling better." Her sharp tone was soft as she whispered to her cream coated daughter, feeling the soft brush of Icefang's fur against her much longer and denser coat. This was going to be hard on both of the she-cats who cared for the little one.  

42 Moons GorgeClan Medicine Cat 

Abyss Gemini Amber Fawn || Made by Fawn || 933 Words

[Abyss]

Leafbare was unforgiving. Never in her life had she ever known it to be merciful towards anyone, especially those who were weaker. The red Queen was proud to say that she had not been sick very often in her lifetime, and when she had she had absolutely hated it. Sure, she hadn’t exactly come from the best background mentally, but at least she was healthy enough physically to endure whatever came her way. In situations like these, she couldn’t deny that she was grateful that she was a relatively healthy individual, despite her age beginning to catch up with her. But, while she was known for being the self-preserving sort, primarily concerned with her own health over anyone else’s, it wasn’t her own well-being that brought her to padding towards the Medicine Cat den.

Coughing had begun all across camp. She was lucky enough to get a break to escape from the sound each day, as her three furballs had finally weaned, giving her the chance to leave the Nursery at last. She had gone on a few walks, sometimes alone, sometimes not. But, much to her own annoyance at herself, she didn’t take full advantage of them, always returning to the roomy den before long. Her desire to leave the Nursery and go on patrols had been quite strong while the kits were tiny and hardly able to function, but now that they were up and moving, seeing, hearing, speaking, she didn’t find herself leaving their presence for extended periods of time. She attempted to ignore the coughing around camp by listening to them babble, sometimes watching them try to play with Icefang’s trio of smalls. It was only when the coughing started inside the Nursery that she paid attention.

One of the other three were the first to start, Cardinal if she remembered the names (which was a stretch). From what she could tell, none of her three had fallen to it yet, the most she half-noticed being the only she-kit of her group being a little bit warm. Most of them seemed fine. She had heard Emberkit cough a single time, but it was less of a cough and more of a clearing of her throat. At least that was what it sounded like, anyway. And it wouldn’t come as a surprise; Emberkit didn’t exactly know how to stop talking once she had found her voice. It was when the lanky she-kit laid down in the nest and went quiet that she grew suspicious. Emberkit never casually laid down and relaxed unless it was time to sleep. And then she did cough, hardly any time after Icefang had already departed with Cardinalkit in jaw.

“Momma…my chest hurts.” The kit’s whimper caused Foxfire’s ears to pin back against her head. Part of her thoughts cringed at being called ‘momma’, while the other couldn’t shake an image out of her head. Not too long ago, when the coughing had started, a vigil had been held for an old Treeclan cat, one who had caught whatever was going around. An internal battle raged in the Queen’s chest and stomach, one half claiming that she felt it was her responsibility to get Emberkit help, while the other…felt something else. Something she couldn’t quite pinpoint.

Though she had not interacted with the only other primary Queen in the Nursery much, her typically narrowed fiery gaze exchanged a glance with Littleclaw, one that was softer than normal. The remaining four kits couldn’t be left alone. The other Queen nodded, Foxfire turning and leaning down to lift Emberkit from the nest by her scruff. She let out a small mew of protest at first, but she quieted down, either when she noticed it was her mother who lifted her or she didn’t have the energy to keep going. The Queen didn’t let her eyes falter from the tree in which the Medicine den resided, which thankfully was right next to the Nursery. Still, if any eyes had peered her way, curious as to what the temperamental she-cat was doing out and about, she didn’t want to know.

Just as she started to round the corner, she tensed. There was a tightness in her chest, though it wasn’t the sickness sort, catching her a tad off-guard. Foxfire was known for blocking out any emotion she had felt that wasn’t anger, annoyance, or sometimes confusion. She acknowledged this fact about herself, for she did it on purpose. Emotions were…..well, they were an annoyance. All they did was cause trouble and complicate things that were easily solved without them. It was extremely rare that she let herself feel anything different, much less be unable to control it. Which was what made this difficult. She could feel that her heart was racing. She could feel that her ears were pinned back. She could feel the feathery fur along her tail spiking. She could feel that her eyes, always narrowed with furrowed brows, were wide. And she couldn't make any of it go away. She tried, she put as much effort as she could into trying to be rid of it, but to no avail. She was concerned. She would never admit to being scared or upset, but concerned…in that moment it was hard to break, to convince herself that this matter didn't worry her.

As the crimson molly rounded the corner, padding into the entrance of the Medicine den behind where Icefang stood, her eyes were closed, Emberkit hanging from her jaw. The she-kit let out a few small coughs, making her carrier tense again. With any luck, it would be easy to guess why she was there without speaking. Or looking. None of these cats needed to see what she was feeling, even if she had been unable to hide everything so easily.

TAGS Ghost the Undead Goddess@ambereyedwolf
WORDS 967
OOC Notes