|:| when a pine tree turns brown, will it ever be green again? |:| {open; MCA needed}

Emberheart finally dropped the large bundle of fur in her mouth, flanks heaving. She stared down at him, not quite comprehending.

Flashbacks of Blazingleap's death hit her like stones. Now she knew how Blacktwig had felt. She didn't want any cat that hadn't known the limp tom before her to be there.

The newly appointed warrior, her usually stunningly bright russet pelt looking dull from the passing storm above, sat near Pinewhisker limply. She let out a strong, resounding yowl in the clearing, her ears flat against her head. Then Ember lay down, her paws tucked beneath her, and rested her head on Pinewhisker. Her pale dusty eyes, usually alight with optimism, were dull and foggy.

A burst of cold air rushed into his lungs.

He could breathe, and he welcomed the oxygen into his mind, stirring his muscles. He was slightly awake, his eyes dry and in pain. His body was scarred by cramps. He gasped slightly, and as his eyes cleared, he met Emberheart's gaze. His heart filled with hope.

"My Emberheart..." he muttered, pain-struck.

Emberheart was struck with a sudden panic and horror. Was he visiting her from Starclan? Had she done something wrong?

But no…she could see the faint shallow breathing…and if Pinewhisker was in Starclan, why did he look so dry and painful?

A faint tinge of yellow began to appear in her eyes, and then all at once, they burst into shining amber and gold streaks.
"Pinewhisker!" she cried, wanting desperately to fling herself on him but knowing it could only make his condition worse, "Oh m—I'll go get—DREAMLEAF!" she yowled. "DREAMLEAF!"

Desperately, she swung her head around, trying to find where the familiar scent of the medicine cat was.

"I'll get Dreamleaf." she assured the tom, as though she hadn't just screamed out the name multiple times.

Dreamleaf sounded like a stampede as she from her den. She had three different herbs that were vital for her procedure. Tormentil, Yarrow, and Snakeroot. She knew she only had a short amount of time to get the poison out of the warrior's system, so she had to work fast. Dreamleaf quickly set to work by chewing up the snakeroot first. She then opened his mouth and placed the Snakeroot in his mouth. She moved it around and forced him to swallow. That would only help to cure it, she would also need to extract it from his body. Yarrow... no that wouldn't work.. the Tormentil. She grabbed the root and began chewing on it to create a bit of a poultice. She put this in his mouth as well and forced him to swallow once again. She then began to run back and forth with various herbs to try and keep him alive.

Emberheart sat by a few tail-lengths away, wanting to help but knowing it would be pointless. Dreamleaf would do all she could in the little time remaining. She watched anxiously, her tail rhythmically brushing the sand behind her. Her claws kneaded into the ground in a distressed way.

Finally, after what seemed like sunsets, she piped up, voice unusually sensitive, "Will he be okay?"

Pinewhisker was curled in the medicine cats' den, sleeping peacefully after Dreamleaf's struggle of keeping him alive. The chocolate tom opened his eyes half-way, peeking around, his gaze foggy. He could make out Emberheart, somewhere, he couldn't quite tell, but with a raw voice from the lack of use, he called out for her. "Emberheart..." he whispered, his heart hopeful.

"W-what? Dreamleaf? What is it?"
Sparkpaw scurried over, worry filling her eyes. Was that Pinewhisker? Was he...dying? Of all things for her to treat, why was death her first case as the medicine cat apprentice? She thanked StarClan Dreamlef was there - at least she knew what to do.
I-is there anything I can do? Anything to help?"