For your own good (closed)

OOC: excuse my spelling, all my brainjuice was used for an exam this morning

This talk was long overdue. Anyone with eyes could see that her wound was getting in the way of nearly anything she tried to do, and she'd even notice that her duties had seemed less stressful as of late. As much as she hated it, she was grateful for the relief. Tawnyshadow was one of the first to admit that she wasn't as capable as she was before, with the sickness and then the infected wound so close to each other her body only seemed to grow weaker by the day. That didn't make Sablestrike's words sting any less. Personal attendant. The words made her pride, already bruised and broken, flare up once more in a pathetic show of self-defence. "I apologise for accepting help offered but a kind clanmate," though her words remained polite, her voice was laced with a layer of sarcasm and accusation. It wasn't like she had asked Quillsplash to help her around; the tom was just a much kinder cat than Sablestrike could ever be, and far more understanding.

Her anger had not disappated by the time Heatherberry spoke up, and though her irritation still showed in the flicks of her tail, the warrior managed to soften her gaze as she spoke to the medicine cat. "It's that wound again. I think the infection's getting worse, but now that we're back in ShadowClan territory the herbs neccessary to heal it must be far more accessible than in the mountains, right? I'll be fine," She echoed her own thoughts, stretching out her front paw to show the sour wound on her shoulder. Surely, this was simply a small hiccup, and she'd be back on regular duties in no time.

She did everything she was told. She always had, to some extend, even when it seemed like she was going against everyone. She followed the rules. She kept to order. She did her best at every given task. So why, why, was this still how things turned out? Tawnyshadow did not register the words at first, still too busy wincing from the pain that came with the medicine cat's prodding, but when they finally did, it seemed like the pain had vanished. In fact, the ground had vanished below her as well. She was suspended, too in shock to comprehend anything. "I'm afraid there is nothing I can do for you." But you're the medicine cat, she wanted to protest, you're supposed to do something about my wound. Burdockroot taught you how to deal with infected wounds, did she not? "Tawnyshadow will never walk the same again." But why not? You just said that you could heal the infection, and my bones are perfectly fine, so what's the problem? I can rest if needed. "My opinion would be to retire." No. No, no, no, there must be some kind of mistake. She was still fine. It- it was just a wound, for StarClan's sake! She was stronger than this- she had to be stronger than this. Heatherberry must be tired, or she wouldn't make such an assumption. She still had seasons left in her to serve her Clan! Tawnyshadow was young- well, not as young as she used to be, but there were far older warriors in the Clan that weren't even close to retirement. Just look at Sablestrike! He was a warrior when she was born, how could she retire before that reckless, big-headed fox-heart?

But Tawnyshadow was a logical cat. Emotions rarely clouded her judgement, and unfortunately the same applied for her in this moment. Heatherberry was a trained medicine cat, and such a decision would not be made easily. Plus, that "wound" had been bothering her the entire journey. It didn't take a genius to guess that it would affect her a lot more than an ordinary wound, though all the same she had never expected this to be the outcome. In one last desperate attempt to find this to be a mistake, her gaze searched her medicine cat's, but the sorrow there sealed the new reality: she was going to be eldered. The thought made her heart fall to her paws, and the she-cat suddenly wanted nothing more than to curl up and cry. She was going to be useless.

Tawnyshadow remained silent, head facing her paws while the medicine cat and deputy discussed her fate.