The Fawn's Call [Closed]

Snow has started to fall and Fawnsong was lost. His eye wounds were not closing and he feel the flesh getting swollen, making it harder for him to open his eyes. The ginger tom knew he was in Thunderclan territory. He was certain of crossing the Thunderpath before it started snowing. However, he was lost, unsure of where to go. The white blanket falling from the sky made his vision even worse and he constantly stumbled and fell down. Every time, it was harder to get up but he had to do it. Windclan depended on this.

But no matter how hard he tried and how determined he was, his body failed him. After walking aimlessly, he finally stumbled on a root and fell down, rolling in the snow. This time, his legs didn't obey him and he remained on the ground, his ginger body starting to turn white. In one last attempt, he yowled to the air hoping someone could hear him. What a joke of a warrior I turned out to be... Silentstrike was wrong... He thought, closing his eyes and letting his head rest on the cold snow under his body. The son of a former medicine cat and a loner... could never stand a chance... I failed them... I failed them all....

Cold. It was cold, but regardless Dovefrost was out in the territory anyway, paws shoving snow aside as green eyes fell on a plant he grew to hate, but couldn't be bothered to tear it out the ground.. Not after the sacrifices made for it.. He made sure it was taken care of, that it was growing. Despite the harsh leafbare the flower was growing strong, spreading just as easily. A miracle herb huh? It didn't seemed that way..

A harsh yowl startled the medicine cat out of his thoughts, quickly he plucked a couple leaves off the plant before racing to the sound of distress. His eyes landing on a familiar form. One he had seen in passing but never had a chance to speak with. Windclan.. How did he get here? Why was he injured? Oh stars.. "I'm here, I'm here.." He told the tom, making sure he was aware of his company, since his eyes were.. rather swollen.

"What happened? Why are you here? Is there something wrong in Windclan?" The medicine cat asked with some urgency. He was responsible for Windclan too.. Stars.. Just how much would he miss out on? He carefully chewed the herbs before applying the poultice to the wounds, avoiding the sensitive eyes.. He would have to grab a different herb for that.

A familiar voice brought back hope to him. Though he couldn't stand up, Fawnsong managed to lift his head a little to face the Thunderclan tom. He couldn't see him at all since his eyes wouldn't open but he smelled him... and recognized his voice. "Dovefrost! Is it really you?" He mewed weakly but with an enthusiastic tone. "We are being attacked right now... by a group of organized rogues. I think... they want to invade the camp." Before he could continue, he fell a paw on his face. At first, he was startled, but as soon as he recognized the scent of herbs he was more relaxed. After the tom was finished, the pain wasn't as bad as before but it was still there.

"I know you're from Thunderclan but we need you! If Goldenstar and the other warriors don't stop them they are gonna enter the camp and the kits, queens, elders... all the apprentices... Those rogues will attack them just like they did with me." He clenched his fangs in frustration and clawed the snow under him. "I couldn't protect them... All I could do was run and warn them of what was about to come. But you can do much more! If someone gets badly hurt... they can be saved. Please..." The tom begged for Dovefrost's help leaving his Windclan ego behind. This was all he could do in his mind. He wouldn't be able to face his clan nor his family if he had just stayed hiding in a den with the kits, unable to fight and as a failure of a warrior.

"Yes, it's me." He told the tom, his ears alert as he listened to what the warrior had to say. Rogues? Was this like the attack on Shadowclan he heard about.. Stars.. Going for the camp too? He didn't know if he would make it in time, but he couldn't leave Fawnsong here to die. "I will do what I can, I have helped Windclan before, and I will do it again if I need to, but I can't leave you here." The large white tom said. "If you can walk, just follow my scent, if not then I will just carry you."

Fear gripped the medicine cat's heart. He knew that he had to help both clans considering Windclan was medicine cat-less. He didn't want to leave Thunderclan behind but he couldn't ignore cats in need. He would stay with Windclan long enough, and get them healed. If the fight goes well.. Maybe he will send a messenger to Thunderclan or something.. Stars.. Of all the times to have an attack..

Though he couldn't see him, Fawnsong was facing Dovefrost by the sound of his voice. Right now, it sounded like a calm breeze in the eye of a hurricane. The warrior was grateful for the medicine cat's willingness to help a clan that wasn't his own. To be honest, he wouldn't have done it so easily..."Thank you..." He muttered.

When the white tom suggested carrying him, he felt once again useless. Were his wounds really that bad... did he reach his limit? Was this... all he could do? Fawnsong refused it. His ego and pride made him force his body was again to stand up. At his first attempt, he quickly fell down to the snow. The fall made him remember his kithood days... wandering in the vast territories of the clan along with his brothers and mother, hoping to find their new home at Windclan. Despite being a fragile and scrawny kitten, he and his brothers made it. They survived and thrived in their new clan despite the ones who didn't want half-clan cats there. If he could do it back then, he would do it now. But this time the young ginger tom had a real goal: to protect his clan and family. Unsheathing his claws to have a better grasp on the ground mixed with snow, Fawnsong tried one more time to stand up. His aching muscles screamed him to rest but he was able to stand up. Now, the young ginger tom just needed a little help. "I will walk... but I am probably going to need to help. I don't know if my legs are able to handle my own weight but if I l lean on you I will make it." He remained silent for a few seconds wondering what else he could do since he didn't want to be a burden. "I can help you carry herbs on our way there. I know it is not much... but if it helps even a little to be more prepared for what we may encounter at camp..."

Dovefrost let out a soft hum at Fawnsong's thanks. It was what he was meant to do, as much as he hated being away from Thunderclan he couldn't ignore his.. well second home. At this point it seemed that way. He didn't feel the same attachment like he did with Thunderclan, but maybe it was a matter of time, or maybe he would always put Thunderclan first. Regardless, he wouldn't ignore those who needed help.

The large tom stood beside the other, offering his own weight in support. He knew the tom would have a hard time walking but he couldn't keep him here in Thunderclan to freeze or die on his own, while he rushed to Windclan's aid. There would be no one to take care of him. So Windclan would just have to wait a little longer before they could get some help. Before he started the journey though, he grabbed the bit of herbs he used on the warrior, passing them over. "This should help with some of it, but the medicine den at your camp should have most of what I need." Dovefrost stated. "I should thank you.. putting up with this pain long enough to get back, carrying my herbs, plus managing to warn your clan and then finding me while in such a state? There are plenty of warriors that couldn't manage such a thing."

Despite his lack of sight, Fawnsong managed to clumsily grab the herbs Dovefrost was giving him. He made sure not to taste them and instead keep them on the edge of his fangs. He couldn't afford to drop them and lose them under the snow. "You're right... Before coming here I managed to find some cobwebs and other herbs in the medicine den. I didn't see much but I could smell them." He mewed weakly, remembering how he struggled to stop the bleeding from his ears by clumsily applying cobwebs on his shredded ears.

With a snowing path in front of them, the warrior hoped they would arrive in time. To be honest, he would have preferred for Dovefrost to leave him and rush to Windclan. But... his selfish desire to see his family again stopped him from suggesting that idea. Fawnsong shook the snow out of his fur and started taking slow, but steady steps. That was when the Thunderclan medicine cat started talking. Though the large tom's words were king and a compliment, Fawnsong could only drop his head and continue walking. "I guess..." He muttered. "But a warrior would have been able to at least fight one of the rogues. But instead... I couldn't even land a claw on them and look at what a mess I am. Maybe I'm not that good of a warrior..." His last words came as a whisper. Through his mind, the young, tormented ginger tom could only think about how much he had failed his clan, his family and the promise he made to Silentstrike, the Starclan Windclan warrior who visited him. It was still uncertain if he would ever recover his sight and even if he did, of what use would he be to the clan? The tom was defeated and maimed by just a rogue and returned to his leader like a wounded, trembling bird asking for help. "Finding you... was the least I could do after failing my clan."

Dovefrost perked up as he listened to Fawnsong mention finding his own herbs and cobwebs on his way here, even with his lack of vision. That was something interesting to note, that was for certain. Maybe Fawnsong could be of help to his clan once they manage to reach the territory once again.

A rumble of a hum escaped the medicine cat, acknowledging the other tom's words. "You didn't fail them." The tom insisted. He might not see it now, but the warning had prepared them to fight, getting Dovefrost would keep anyone from dying. He helped more than he knew. Sure there would be wounds to attend too, but a few wounds was better than a destroyed camp, and a complete ambush. "We will be back in no time, and I'm sure Goldenstar will tell you the same thing I did."