as if i make space saved for placelessness [c]

Whisperear

Whisperear had been feeling more and more exhausted with each passing day. Ever since Brackenwing’s run-in with the monster and Whisperear lapped WindClan’s territory, it felt like they couldn’t get enough sleep. They weren’t even terribly hungry anymore, and instead ate what they knew they needed to. Patrols made things easier, because at least company gave them something to focus on.

They walked with Adderdawn now, adding fresh scent-trails to the borders. They enjoyed Adderdawn’s company. He was one of Whisperear’s closest friends in the clan. Patrols with him and with Flutterpetal were their favorite—even as Whisperear quietly longed for the patrol to finish so they could return home.

“It’s been growing warmer,” Whisperear commented absently. Today felt oddly warm to Whisperear. They often lingered on the colder side due to their thin statue and thinner pelt, but the sun shining above them felt as hot as greenleaf.

Adderdawn

A short chill passed through Adderdawn as the breeze tugged against his fur, but it was quick to leave along with the wind. Distant warmth from the sun sank into his dark pelt. There was still a bit of nip in the air, but the temperatures were finally pleasant again. He lifted his face to meet the light from the sun, a habit he’d recently picked up on nearly every patrol. The warmer weather and the finality of the Fourtrees patrols’ scuffle between twolegs had brightened his spirits. There was still much weighing on his mind, but his shoulders felt lighter than they had since he earned his name. Soaking in the little things, like quiet warmth, certainly helped.

A little hum left him as he walked a little further head of Whisperear, cheek scraping against a nearby stone, leaving his scent across the rock. It felt good, just to walk quietly with one of his oldest friends, padding across the borders. It felt right, the way life was supposed to be. Adderdawn felt good. When he heard Whisperear’s voice and turned toward them, he was smiling faintly.

His smile wavered though, turning into confusion. “It is getting warmer.” He agreed, trotting back to Whisperear’s side. They both ran a little cold, Whisperear moreso than him. But if he was shivering when the wind blew, he figured they would have been cold too. And as he got closer, falling comfortably in at their shoulder, he realized they looked… unwell. Not enough for Adderdawn to pinpoint anything, but enough to make his ears turn downward as he looked them over. They’d been weary since Brackenwing’s accident with the Thunderpath, but… Adderdawn shifted on his paws and ever-so-slightly pushed against their shoulder. “Are you alright, Whisperear? You look- malaised.”

Whisperear

Adderdawn’s voice surprised Whisper. They had had acute hearing all their life, with whispers sounding as loud as normal speaking did to other cats, and thus normal speaking sounding far too loud to their sensitive ears. But now as Adderdawn spoke to them, they sounded almost far away. Whisperear looked at them. The colors around them were so bright. Everything felt like too much and also, like it was distant.

“Do I?” Whisperear murmured. Their ear twitched and they looked back to the ground. The ground felt hot even as they walked in snow. “I have been a bit tired, as of late. More so than I typically am. I’m sure it’s nothing to be…concerned about…”

Their paws moved forward even as their voice dropped away. Whisperear could not quite grasp onto their conscious thought as heat and dizziness and an acute numbness overtook them. From Adderdawn’s perspective, Whisperear’s eyes glazed over as they took a couple more steps and then crumbled to the ground like snow sliding off the treetops. Whisperear’s mind spun and they barely clung onto consciousness as their body seemed to just decide to give out.

Adderdawn

The look on Whisperear’s face made his eyes narrow, scrutinizing. There was something distant about them, a growing fog across their expression. Adderdawn’s confused frown turned into a scowl. He had no time to insist something wasn’t right before they just… fell. One paw in the air, ready to take another step, then their voice fading all together as their legs fell away and they spilled limply to the side.

“Whisperear?!” On instinct Adderdawn jumped away, back arched and bristled tail lashing with shock. The moments where he could only stand and stare at them felt like hours. Eventually, he gathered himself enough to rattle his head and hurry back to their side. They hadn’t– died, had they? The thought instantly tightened his throat. Maybe their heart had just given out. But, however shallowly, their flank moved with their breaths. Adderdawn let out a sigh of relief, breath returning to him.

But… what had happened? He didn’t have time to be thinking about why. “What do I do?” He selfishly wished Whisperear would find consciousness again just to respond to the nervous hiss. They always knew the right thing to do, to say. The only thing that came to mind was to carry them back to camp, to Batsong and Birchgaze. It was the only idea he had, but it was worn down by the concern that the stress of Adderdawn trying to drape them across his back or dragging them by the scruff would be too much for their body now.

So I’ll get them myself, he tried to reason with himself. He’d even convinced himself enough to stand up and pad a few steps away before another worry struck him. I can’t leave them lying here. A quick inhale told him there were no predators nearby… now. But who knew how long they would be unconscious for? Anything could happen to them while he was gone. Adderdawn glanced between his friend and the horizon, paws kneading the ground in frustration as he weighed his options. Eventually another breath, shaky with the anxiety fluttering in his chest, left him and he settled down a little ways away.

They were still breathing… and didn’t seem hurt, as far as he could tell. He knew nothing about medicine though, beyond the absolute basics. Had they hit their head when they fell? What caused them to collapse in the first place? He didn't have answers for any of these questions, and quickly growing fear ate at him. Adderdawn let his head rest against the grass, watching their expression, their body stubbornly for any sign of awareness– or decline. “Wake up, Whisperear.” He murmured as he settled. “Don’t you dare. Wake back up.”

Whisperear

Whisperear’s mind blended into a deep pool of darkness. They felt weightless, like they were a bird soaring through the sky. Old memories seemingly picked at random threw themselves at them: their first talk with Smallbean, or Rosepaw giving them the colored rock, or Lionfur clawing at their neck, or walking through the tunnels with Lavenderdrop, or running and running and running to find help for Brackenwing. It was hard to cling to any one memory as they enveloped all around them. What were they just doing? There was something urgent at the back of their mind. Something was whispering at them. They tried to move and kick their paws to surface from the deep pool. Light began to peek in, being filtered through the surface. They kicked and kicked and kicked…

A tiny moan escaped Whisperear’s maw. Their eyelids fluttered as their eyes rolled forward again. Everything was blurry and they couldn’t quite feel their body. Breathing was a chore. There was that whispering again, some kind of distant sound that they couldn’t quite catch. Their ears twitched and their eyes lazily rolled towards the sound. They saw a dark, blurred figure before them and it took a long moment to recognize it was Adderdawn.

“Ad…der…” they wheezed. Even that much felt like too much exertion. They had never felt such exhaustion as they did right then.

WindClan • Tier 5 • They/Them • 65 | 130 • #9999cc

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 |  image 1 | image 2 | image 3

Adderdawn

Adderdawn hadn’t stayed still for long. Adderdawn hadn’t stayed still for long. Only moments after he settled down, he was hopping back onto his paws. A moment after that, he was pacing back and forth beside the collapsed warrior; then, in circles around them. His tail lashed restlessly behind him as he stalked his wobbly path around Whisperear. Though he continued to move about, Adderdawn’s attention remained stubbornly fixed on his friend.

Eventually, they stirred. Slight, enough that Adderdawn thought he imagined it. Then a quiet noise left them, their ears flicked and their head tried to roll. Adderdawn was back in front of them in an instant, crouching as their hazy eyes traveled towards him. “Whisperear!” He exclaimed in a low hiss. His still-lashing tail had started to bristle again. “Don’t do that.” Concern was thick through the nonsense scolding.

Whisperear looked terrible. The low, strained way they said his name and the weariness that blanketed them made his chest tighten. Shifting anxiously between paws, Adderdawn quietly mewed, “I’m glad you’re awake. Are you breathing alright? You are breathing, but– and does your head hurt, or anything? Can you stand? What happened?” The frantic questions all rushed out before he had the mind to snap his jaw shut. His nostrils flared as he pulled in a deep breath, one that rattled as he exhaled. “I’m sorry. Are… are you okay? Can you sit up?”

Whisperear

Whisperear’s eyes focused on Adderdawn. He was a bit blurry in their vision and they still sounded far away, but Whisperear could still hear the anxiety coating his words. They blinked slowly and tried to focus enough to hear his words. It took a moment to muster up the energy to speak again. It was even more difficult than usual to make their voice heard.

“I’m…not sure,” they croaked. They shifted, trying to roll over onto their belly. The world swayed again and they deflated against the ground. It took another breath before they could push themselves up onto their paws. Their balance swayed and they stumbled, managing to catch themselves on Adderdawn. It hurt to breathe. “I don’t know what…what’s wrong,” they groaned. "We should...get back..." Batsong would know how to help.

WindClan • Tier 5 • They/Them • 65 | 130 • #9999cc

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 | image 1 | image 2 | image 3

Adderdawn

A stiff huff left Adderdawn’s nose at the creaking answer. “Okay,” he mumbled, leaning forward when they tried to roll upwards. He deflated slightly, seeing them collapse again, but with the second attempt they found a way to their paws. He was quick to press against Whisperear, balancing against their slack weight.

“Okay.” Adderdawn repeated. He was tempted to protest– he didn’t want to aggravate Whisperear’s condition with returning to camp, but stars only knew what would happen if they just stayed out on the moors. Sighing, Adderdawn padded forward, mindful of keeping them both steady. “We’ll go back, we’ll find Batsong. She’ll know how to help. You’ll be alright, Whisperear.” The hurried words were reassurance for them both. Batsong, Birchgaze too, they had to know what was wrong. And Whisperear… they had to be fine.