[Justice]

TreeClan || 50 Moons || Warrior-Queen

Pain. The rushing of water in her ears, all around her. Her limbs flailing, desperately trying to orient herself to find the surface, praying her daughter got to shore safely. Darkness. When she came back to consciousness she was washed up on a bank, unsure exactly where she was. The scent of the area was unfamiliar, and the sights were strange. But she had to get home. Everyone would be worried. Falconstorm would have her hide for getting hurt, and her children would fuss. Sleeping in a nest with her beloved offspring sounded wonderful right now. She was cold, shivering and dazed.

Moonfeather stood then yelped as her back leg gave out under her. Pain, sharp and stabbing. The leg was probably broken. She was in a smear of her own blood, and her head hurt. Where was she? Which way was home? Dazed, the huntress got up again and pointed her nose for what she hoped was the direction home. Limping and dazed, vision clouded and leaving smears of blood in her wake she started on, telling herself that she was close, that someone would find her, that there was a patrol close by that could bring her home.

"Just keep going, home isn't far." Her mind drifted as she focused on putting one paw before the other, going endlessly in a rhythm she hadn't had since coming to the valley. She knew because she was injured and dazed it seemed like she was going further than she probably was, so she didn't worry. The rain was still pelting down, so it couldn't have been too long. Someone would find her.

Eventually the she-cat simply couldn't go any further and curled up in a ball next to a large stone to seek what little shelter there was from the relentless water.

My Power's Turned On, Starting Right Now I'll Be Strong

Tags || Words

[Taxx]

You knocked me down, but I got up

The rain had caught them off guard, a deluge that had soaked them almost in the time it took to blink, and the group had abandoned their hunt to run for shelter, a small cave that was hardly big enough to fit them all. Drenched pelts were squashed together and the smell of soaked fur filled the space. Snow tried to shift, and at her side Leaf fidgeted, trying to give her space, but in so trying the younger she-cat scraped her shoulder against the wall, opening a tiny gash in her skin. She was able to lick it and stop the ooze of blood, but it put an end to any more attempts to move and the four spent the next few minutes in uncomfortable stillness.

Then, abruptly, the rain eased, and by unspoken agreement the patrol bolted all at once. It wasn't a long run to the Tribe's cave, but none of them knew when or if the rain would start again, and none of them wanted to get any wetter. It was Hail who first spotted the she-cat who was lying out in the open, looking wet through but not making any attempt to seek cover. The four Tribe cats exchanged glances before Snow approached. "Hello?" she called to the stranger. "Are you okay? Listen, if you're new here- if you need shelter- you can come with us. We're part of the Tribe and we're heading back home now."

Sunrise on Fallen Snow

63 Moons Prey Hunter Tribe of Forgotten Water

Justice || Made by Fawn || Notes

[Justice]

Voices. Voices calling out to her. Had a patrol found her? Where was she? What territory had she been washed to? Was she far from home? Green eyes opened but were dull and weak from pain and blood loss. She didn't know these cats, and they smelled strange. "Please...h-help me..." Would they help her, she wondered? Or was she to rely on her own strength again, as she had when she'd first wandered into this valley so many moons ago.

She was so tired, her head dropping back to the ground without feeling the weight of her wet fur or the cold seeping into her bones. "Fell in...the water...just want to...go home." She didn't raise her head again, just laid there, concentrating on breathing. She had to get back up, if they were a patrol they'd take her to somewhere and let their medicine cat treat her then send her home once the storm passed. Right? Unless they were NightClan cats and this was their patrol. Then she would just die.

[still open, but maybe this gets her to the Tribe camp area.]

[Taxx]

Teller of the Mountain Sky

The scent of blood became impossible to miss as the cat moved, lifting her head and blinking dazed eyes at the four Tribe cats. Deep concern lit Snow's gaze, and she stepped closer as the she-cat spoke, words barely audible- her request for help just clear enough. The two cave-guards with the patrol approached, one of them crouching while the other three, as gently as possible, eased the gray she-cat onto his back. One of her legs swayed unnaturally, not to mention the blood that was smeared across her fur. Had she been attacked?

Once she was settled, the Tribe continued on their way home, the prey-hunters making sure the injured she-cat didn't slip from the cave-guard's back, and they'd just reached the slope leading up to the cave when the rain began again. They were drenched once more before they entered the cave, Snow and the other two heading right toward Skyteller's alcove. The big ginger tom turned to blink at them, his amber eyes flicking instantly to the gray she-cat, and he approached as they tugged her from the back of the cave-guard.

"We found her," Snow began, speaking before Skyteller could prompt her. "She was just lying there- one of her legs is broken and she's hurt..."

"Hello?" Skyteller spoke as Snow fell silent, crouching down face to face with the stranger. "Can you hear me? We will help you. My name is Skyteller and this is the Tribe of Forgotten Waters. Do you have a name?" His eyes scanned her thin body, taking in her saturated fur and the deep red stains of blood streaked across it. Reaching his head forward, he touched his nose to one of her pads- it was cold. "Snow, lie with her and help her warm up and dry off."

Justice | table by amber

Tribe of Forgotten Waters

[Justice]

It was probably for the best that she passed out before they moved her, else-wise the pain of her leg would probably have made her sick. She could tolerate pain, but she'd used up all her strength and felt as weak as a kitten. Moonfeather came in and out of consciousness, feeling only occasionally the stab of pain in her body and the swaying of someone walking. Was she being carried?

It was only when the rain stopped pelting her that she opened her eyes again, too numb to feel anything. Which, even without any training as a medicine cat, she knew was a bad sign. Was she going to die? And then...someone was talking, someone was talking about her, around her, and then too her. What was he saying?

Skyteller. The tom smelled of herbs. Medicine cat? Would he protect her if his clan turned hostile towards her? A medicine cat was neutral right? Name. He wanted her name. Her eyes wouldn't focus, but she could see a blurry shape and feel the warmth of being inside something and no longer exposed to the storm. "My mother named me Moon." She took a breath. "And when I came to age father changed it to Moonfeather." It had been a family tradition to start with a simple name, then change it to something like from the mysterious clans later when they came to age and earned it. Her body twitched when the tom touched her, not from pain but just from the heat. He was warm and the touch hurt.

Someone was lying next to her, though she didn't know who. "Thank you." She offered quietly, starting to shiver slightly as her body began to warm.

Taxx

[Taxx]

Teller of the Mountain Sky

The she-cat's eyes were unfocused, staring at him but not clear. Who knew how long she'd sat out there before Snow had found her? The ginger-pointed she-cat had settled beside the stranger, pressing her pelt close and gently grooming to remove what water she could. Moon... Moonfeather. That sounded like a Clan name, but the way she relayed it was strange to Snow. Unless her father was the leader? But a Clan queen would have named her Moonkit- not just Moon. Maybe that was what she'd meant. She might have gotten confused. "You're quite welcome. And don't worry, Skyteller will help you."

The Healer was going over Moonfeather, parting her fur to get a look at the cut oozing blood and quickly turning to fetch cobwebs to lay over it. The leg seemed to be the worst injury, and dealing with it would hurt, but he couldn't leave it like that. "Let me know if she gets worse," he asked Snow before turning to fetch herbs. Aspen for the cut, thyme for shock, a couple sticks and weeds to bind the leg so it could heal. "I'm going to treat you now," he continued as he returned, making sure Moonfeather would understand as he spoke. "You have a bad cut; I'm going to put a poultice on it and then we'll have to set your leg. If any of it gets to be too much, let me know and I'll stop." Once he had her understanding, he peeled back the layer of cobwebs staunching the bleeding and began.

Justice | table by amber

Tribe of Forgotten Waters

[Justice]

Moonfeather was out of it, but the pain cleared her mind very quickly. She hadn't understood exactly what the medicine cat was talking about until he started treating her injuries, and then the pain cut through everything. She made one sound, a startled yowl of pain, before locking her jaw and baring through it. She'd given birth, walked on shredded pawpads for days and days, she could get through this. But her body was weak from fatigue and blood loss, and she shook as the pain came more and more. She told herself to remain conscious, to stay with the cats rescuing her. She was afraid if she went unconscious she wouldn't wake again. She didn't know how badly injured she was, or if sleeping was an option yet. She couldn't leave her offspring, not yet.

Amberwing, Fawnspring, Aspenfire. They'd be worried about her, they'd be looking for her. She was their mother, she had to be strong now. It remained bearable until he got to setting her leg and then she saw stars, tears coming down her face as the pain became too much. She ended up burying her face into the cat beside her, muffling the sounds of pain that she no longer could contain. But she didn't tell him to stop.

Taxx

[Taxx]

Teller of the Mountain Sky

As gentle as he tried to be, Skyteller knew there was going to be pain. He worked quickly, smearing the poultice across the wounds he could see before binding them with cobweb, and then moving on to her broken leg. Steadily he straightened it, and then wrapped it in several layers of cobweb- strengthening the fragile fibers with sticks- and then sat back.

Snow, who had rested her head on the Clan cat's, murmuring sympathies and assurances, gave the she-cat a lick between her ears. "it's over. He's done."

"Don't move," Skyteller added on. "I'll have someone bring you nesting material and you can stay here. First, take these..." Hurrying to his store of herbs, he collected a few before returning and setting them down in front of the she-cat. "Dandelion leaves will ease the pain, thyme will help you relax, and rosemary will boost your healing. If you'd like water I can soak some moss for you- you shouldn't move too much yet, or your wounds will bleed again. Do you understand?"

Justice| table by amber

Tribe of Forgotten Waters

[Justice]

Her body shook from the pain, claws dug into the ground below her as she kept herself as still as possible to minimize the amount of pain she had to endure. Once it was over all she could hear at first was a dull roar in her ears and her face was wet with pain caused tears. Her ears flicked and after a few more minutes she understood what was being said to her. "Water please." She rasped, her voice hoarse.

Moonfeather nodded but tried not to move since it hurt. "I understand." She laid her head down on her paws and breathed slowly through her nose, her body trembling as the shock set in. She knew she had to eat the herbs, and eventually just planted her face on them and ate them in one go despite the taste. She just wanted to feel better. "Thank you, for helping me and for taking me in."

Taxx

[Taxx]

Teller of the Mountain Sky

It bothered Skyteller, any time he had a patient, that helping them often meant hurting them. He tried to be quick, if efficient, but the tight feeling in his chest only eased when he had finished. The she-cat ate the herbs he gave her willingly, and at her request he turned to fetch moss which he soaked thoroughly. He turned to Snow, asking her to collect bedding for Moonfeather's nest, and the ginger-pointed kit-mother gave a nod of understanding as she gently and carefully rose, trying not to jostle Moonfeather too much.

Placing the water close enough that the she-cat had only to move a short amount to reach it, Skyteller took a step back and sat. "If you want more water, let me know. You're welcome, but really, you don't have to thank me. I could not leave you untended. Your wounds will take some time to heal, and until then you will be made welcome. I will ask a to-be to stay close, to help you however you require. But now, sleep is the best thing for you. Snow will be back in just a moment with bedding. I'm afraid you'll have to move to the nest, but it's just a short distance. Or... I could carry you, if you'd rather?"

Justice | table by amber

Tribe of Forgotten Waters

[Justice]

The gray she-cat lay there breathing slowly, trying to let the pain seep away as much as it was going to with the herbs before she attempted to move. She listened to the cat called Skyteller and shifted slowly to allow her body weight to be on the side that didn't have a broken leg.

When he offered to carry her she shook her head, but smiled at him. "I think I should at least try and make it on my own. Would you mind supporting me on one side when the time comes? If I can't make it then I would like to take you up on the offer of moving me yourself, but I have to try." It was less for being stubborn, and more to see just how much strength she had remaining after her injury. She would need to know if just to move to the dirt place out of necessity.

"Is a to-be like an apprentice?" She was trying to understand from unfamiliar terms, and felt it was much smarter to just ask than to guess. She had heard of this group somewhat, but paid it little attention. "Maybe your to-be will appreciate a good story." She put her head back on her paws. "I came from beyond this valley and wasn't born here." Her world was starting to swim, and she was speaking only to keep herself awake. Soon, she told herself, soon she could let herself sleep, but not yet. Now she had to stay awake, just long enough to get a nest made up and to move into it. She could make it.

Taxx

[Taxx]

Teller of the Mountain Sky

A nod followed Moonfeather's reply, that she would walk on her own. "You can lean on me, then. I'll help however I can." His gaze flicked to Snow and Leaf as the two appeared, feathers and moss clamped in their jaws. They spread it in one of the available nests, as close to Moonfeather as possible so she had a short walk to get to it, and then they both retreated again. Stepping closer to the Clan she-cat, Skyteller nodded. "Yes, a to-be is what we call a young cat in training. I'm sure our three little kits, as well as the to-bes, would love to hear any stories you've got to tell." Maybe some of the elders, too.

"Our youngest were born here, but most of our Tribe weren't born here, either. You know we come from far away, led by a Clan cat to settle here. Now, we have our home and you have yours. They must be missing you. If you tell me what Clan, I can send some cats to let them know you're here. Once the weather clears, of course!"

Justice | table by amber

Tribe of Forgotten Waters

[Justice]

She rose slowly, letting her weight lean against Skyteller so that she didn't end up falling and potentially hurting herself more. The world swam and her vision blurred for a moment before she was able to focus again. Just a few steps and she could lay down and get some rest. Moonfeather leaned against the tom and slowly padded to her new nest, relief sighing out of her as she settled in.

"I have this feeling we may have similar stories." She laid her head on her paws and settled so that her bad leg was situated as comfortably as possible. "I'm from TreeClan. I have three grown offspring waiting for me. They must be worried sick, and Amberwing saw me fall into the water. I hope she's okay and didn't try and swim after me." She gave a weak smile. "I appreciate all your efforts, and I hope I can repay your kindness someday."

With that said she settled in and let her body relax enough to drift into an exhausted sleep, hopefully to wake feeling a little better when her body didn't hurt all over.

Taxx

[end?]