Where there is Smoke, there is a fire [Semi-Open]

ooc: like 2 people max pls

It started off mild, like most things did. An itch deep in his bones, an irritation he couldn't fix. He'd toss and turn in his nest, trying to find a way to cool off the heat that was building under his messy pelt. He didn't want to bring it up with Cloudstone, the medicine cat had to be busy with the return of all the clan cats and the days getting shorter. He saw how everyone was bustling about, collecting herbs, prey, moss, anything and everything they needed for the long Leafbare ahead. Since he couldn't contribute, what right did he have to waste their time.

But it grew worse.

This morning, Frogjaw couldn't lift his head. It was as if he was paralysed from the neck forward. His head weighted like someone was sitting on it, but that wasn't the case. Unable to move, he flailed his paws in hopes that some cat would notice.

Lilypaw had been told to grab some freshkill to feed the elders. Her heart sunk as her father had retired there not to long ago. He had many moons ahead of him but his jaw had cut all that time short. The apprentice was heading to where Frogjaw should have been resting with a mouse she had hunted herself.

As the she-cat neared, she saw her father flailing his limbs as if he were struggling. She quickly dropped the mouse and was imediately at his side. "Father?! What's g-going on? W-Want me to call Cloudstone?!" The young she-cat was shaking and whimpering. She layed down next to her father and began to soothe him with a few licks. "I-Is something hurting?" she asked with a much calmer voice.

"H- h- hel..." Those were the only sounds he could groan out between clenched teeth. But his fearful eyes gave away that he really needed help, Frogjaw had no idea what on earth was going on and it was terrifying. He was too young, was StarClan taking him? Not in front of his sweet kit. He didn't want to go yet, and to die in front of his kit. No, that couldn't be it.

"Ge- Clou-" Slowly, his eyes shut as he passed on from the exertion. He needed help, but for what? What could they do?

ooc: pls fetch cloudstone

Fennelpaw heard her sisters call for help and rushed into the medicine cats den"Cloudstone!"She mewed trying to get the medicine cat when she had fogured out something was weong with her father.

9oc I can pm them

"P-Please dad....please be o-okay." she stuttered as she rubbed her face against Frogjaw's flank. "F-Fennelpaw went to go g-get Cloudstone. H-He'll make you better a-and maybe one day y-you'll get to see Fennelpaw and I b-become warriors. W-We work really hard everyday t-to one day serve our clan as warriors." her eyes never left her father's face. She was struggling to keep herself together. First Torrentpaw and now her father was unwell. Starclan seemed to like to take her family away. Maybe one day she'll get to see Torrentpaw in Starclan. She kept trying to calm Frogjaw while she waited for Fennelpaw to come back with Cloudstone.

Gather. Clean. Sort. Repeat. Gather. Clean. Sort. Repeat. That was what each day leading up to Leafbare was beginning to feel like for the black medicine cat. All he could do was prepare for the inevitable, the unexpected, anything. Icepaw should be learning well, what with all the herb-gathering and post-Gathering events. Cloudstone's herb cycle was broken however when a warrior apprentice, Fennelpaw, rushed into his den. She seemed unharmed, but flustered beyond belief. He didn't say anything as he snatched up some raspberry leaves and followed the young she-cat to where his unknown patient lay.

Once he reached the entrance to the elder's den two primary thoughts were running through his mind: Mistfeather, who was practically as old as the forest itself, had passed on, or Frogjaw, someone who'd actually spent a good portion of their apprenticehood laying in his den, had had some complications due to his permanent injury. When he entered, the latter was definitely the one he was here for. He wasn't moving, sure, but his side was still rising and falling. Cloudstone placed his dark nose on the tom's forehead. 'Dear StarClan, he might as well be on fire.' His head jerked up and he would've looked uncertain as he barked orders at the sisters, except his self-control kept his expressions in check. They didn't need to feel alarmed, at least, not yet. He had no idea what the younger elder was suffering from. "Fennelpaw, get some wet moss. Lilypaw, part the fur around his neck."

He half-jogged back to his den and began searching for something to lower the fever if nothing else. 'Fever and infection are twins, when there's one the other shouldn't be far...' Feverfew and marigold were a must in this situation. He was about to return when the little chunk of honeycomb sitting separate from the rest of the herbs crossed his mind. It'd make the herbs much easier to administer, seeing how Frogjaw's disability hindered him so. There wasn't much, but he took it back with him. For a moment he wondered where Icepaw had gotten to, but he didn't have the time to search for her during this pressing situation.

Fennelpaw blinked as she had followed the medicine cat back over to her father. She shuffled her paws worry and her nerves getting the better of the gray and white and dark gray she cat. Her blue eyes round with worry. She could take losing her father as she had already lost her sister. She felt her fur pickle at the thought but when the gray she cat was ordered to grab some wet moss she hesitated scared to leave her father's side but nodded and scrambled from the den going to grab some moss and dip it in some water before she came back with the dripping bundle of wet moss into the den.

At the sight of the medicine cat, Frogjaw closed his eyes in relief. He knew that he would be fine now, he trusted the old medicine cat with his life on more than one occasion. Half his early apprenticehood memories consisted of him suffering in the den, surrounded by strong smelling herbs and the warmth from the moss that Cloudstone would place beneath him.

He relaxed, and gave his daughters a look to tell them it was okay. He tried to convey it in little micro-movements, it was all he could do right now.

Lilypaw did as she was told and parted the fur around her father's neck. The apprentice hoped that he would be alright. She trusted Cloudstone so she KNEW Frogjaw would get better in no time.

ooc- HECK forgive me pikafather

After returning with the various medicines, the medicine cat nodded to the sisters, acknowledging that they had followed his instructions. He tore the moss Fennelpaw had gathered in two, taking care not to lose the water trapped inside the green cobweb-like mass. After watching the tom for a moment, he noticed something odd and rather alarming. 'He isn't moving his head.' Cloudstone's gaze grew more uncertain despite his wish to remain stone-faced. "You two, groom him. See if you can find any injuries on him." He prayed to StarClan that this had come from outside his body, and it hadn't been lingering somewhere. Waiting.

He shook his head and began preparing the herb mix. "Frogjaw, I'll need you to tell me how long you've felt ill. Use your tail if you must." He chewed the bitter feverfew and combined it with the honey and water to make a sort of nectar. Whether or not the suffering tom would be able to swallow it was anyone's guess.