Struck by a Hawk

ooc: Continuation of this topic
TL;DR Muddypaw got his throat slashed open near the Highpine, rendering his ability to speak
Idk who brought him in, if anyone wants to RP as the cat (or patrol) that found him. ^^

ic: The limp body of a tom was dragged into RiverClan camp. It was a creamy brown tom with darker brown markings. It was Muddypaw, barely alive. Blood poured from his only wound- a severe gash on his neck. His mouth and chest were also wet with fresh, scarlet blood. Muddypaw was hurried to the medicine den where he awaited Scorchclaw's care. His blue eyes were glazed over and unresponsive. He'd lost a lot of blood on the way. Hopefully they weren't too late to save the apprentice.

Flowerpaw rushed over to the tom. "What happened to him?!" She mewed frantically. The newly made apprentice sniffed him and saw a bloody gash on his throat. She ran to the medicine den and halted in the entrance. "Muddypaw's been hurt!" The silver she-cat said, an herb-y smell filling her nose.

Goldeneye blinked when Muddypaw was practically dropped at her paws, her eyes turning to slits as her teeth gritted. Turning on her paws she grasped some goldenrod from her den and chewed it to a pulp as she washed her paws in a puddle close by. Swiftly the medicine cat spat the polituce into the apprentice's neck, her paws quickly pressing against it, blood gushing up to drown the fur between her toes. Goldeneye's ears pressed against her head in seething anger, she was so tired of the endless slaughter around her. Her clan-mates blood clotting her toes, the stench of it constantly filling her den.

OOC: Taking the role of the cat who found him cuz why not...plus, I want to rp my lil boi as much as possible before I gotta get rid of him when the plot ends.


Darkpaw was nearly panting after the long trip from Highpine to camp dragging his clanmate, his fresh scarlet blood covered his paws and chest. He had gone out in a patrol to check the borders when he had stepped away from the group after spotting a squirrel ad hoping to be able to hunt it…but as he chased the small critter he stumbled upon his injured clanmate. He didn’t even warn the patrol he was in about him not tell them that he was leaving, he could only think on running as fast as his paws could carry him in hopes of saving Muddypaw’s life after he had noticed he still was breathing…even if barely.

Amber eyes looked up at Goldeneye with low ears, not sure if the news he was going to hear were good or bad “Is…is he going to live?” His meow was almost a quiet whisper as he tried to hide the fear in his voice. He had heard about this kind of situations before, where the life of a clanmate could be in lethal danger, but this was the first time he actually faced it, and for the first time the usually proud and somewhat selfish apprentice felt legit concern for someone that wasn’t himself.

Something was wrong. His clanmates seemed to be making a lot more noise than usual. Their voices filtered through the well-woven walls of the Warriors' Den, frantic and full of anxiety. Scorchclaw didn't even have to step outside to know that something had happened - something big. When he inhaled, the faint but noticeable scent of blood rushed into his nostrils. The fluffy deputy stiffened, immediately getting to his paws. A coil of dread rose up within him, and he struggled to shove it back down. Please, don't let it be something bad. An involuntary plea to no one in particular slipped across his mind. What exactly 'something bad' referred to, he had no clear idea himself.

He saw it almost immediately. A bloody trail of bright crimson stretched from the camp entrance to the Medicine Den. His clanmates were staring wide-eyed in the direction of the trail, whispering among themselves with worried expressions. He swept an expressionless glance at the surrounding cats before plunging into Goldeneye's lair. The situation seemed like it could hardly be worse. Muddypaw lay at the medicine cat's paws, almost unrecognizable because of the blood that soaked his fur. A deep gash cut across his throat. Darkpaw sat to one side, his front also stained red. However, compared to the first apprentice, the latter seemed unharmed. "Who did this?" Scorchclaw forced the words out through gritted teeth. The question was directed towards Darkpaw. 'Who', not 'what happened.' A cat was undoubtedly the culprit.

Darkpaw’s ears went flat against his head when Shorchclaw’s voice forced him to look away from Goldeneye and Muddypaw “I-I…I don’t know…” He looked down, clearly ashamed of the useless answer he had just given to the deputy “When I found him he was lying in the middle of strong smelling bushes and there was no cats around to be seen, Scorchclaw…I didn’t think on trying to find the culprit at the time, I could only think on bringing Muddypaw to camp as quickly as possible. There was a lot of blood, if it wasn’t because he was breathing I would’ve thought he was dead for sure” He had attempted to at least find a scent on the cat’s body that wasn’t his own, but the scent of whatever herb those bushes had was so strong…whether it had been mere bad luck of the cat that did this knew exactly what they were doing, they had managed to erase any scent trails through it.

However, a sudden idea arrived to the tom’s mind and he quickly moved to check Muddypaw’s front paws, between his claws, ignoring any cat’s protests. It took him a bit, if Muddypaw had fought back it was clear he hadn’t landed many hits, but in the end he found what he was looking for in the form of a couple brown strands of fur stuck between his claws, brown fur that clearly didn’t belong to the tom and immediately caused Darkpaw’s mind to go some days back in time “Scorchclaw…” His voice was low, lightly fearful, as he pushed the paw with the strands of fur towards him. Just like the rest of Muddypaw, the scent of the bushes and probably even the water he had been forced to swim through to reach camp had completely erased any scent from them, but the shade of brown the fur held surely would be enough to deliver the message “Y-you think…that Shadefa- I mean, Shade did this? I mean I was near Highpine with a patrol when…” And then, the realization dawned to him, causing his eyes to open wide in fear and whole fur to stand on end.

The patrol…

'Darkpaw, you mouse-brained excuse of an idiot!'

“Scorchclaw! I left the patrol without a word! If Shade is there they could be in danger and they don’t even know it!” It was clear the apprentice was about to have a panic attack as he started to wonder if his quick thinking and action to save Muddypaw could’ve possibly put the patrol he was in in lethal danger, or worse, if he was going to be the responsible for their deaths if they found they had been also attacked.

Goldeneye's paws were pressed against Muddypaw's throat, trying to stifle the stream of blood that seeped almost endlessly from the wound. Scorchclaw knew better than to disturb the medicine cat in this crucial time that could mean life and death for an apprentice. His pale green eyes were fixed intently on Darkpaw as he waited for an explanation. At the answer he received, his brows furrowed. The culprit - a potential murderer - was unknown. It seemed like only a few days ago that Muddykit had stood before him to receive his apprentice name. Now he lay on the sandy ground, barely six moons of age, his life slowly slipping away from him. It was a miracle that Darkpaw had found him before he had died. In fact, Scorchclaw was surprised that the younger apprentice was still alive. He had never heard of a throat wound not being fatal. What was Muddypaw even doing out alone? Hadn't he ordered that no apprentice was to leave camp by themselves? Frustrated anger, stirred up by helplessness and worry, churned his heart like the waters of a raging river.

"What's to stop me from catching an apprentice all alone during their assessment, or a kit too curious for their own good to stay put in the nursery?" The fluffy deputy's eyes widened as an all too familiar voice sounded in his mind.

Darkpaw slid the strands of cat fur towards him. Brown. Too dark a shade to be Muddypaw's own, not to mention they had been found between his claws. Scorchclaw stared numbly at the fur stands. What if the culprit had just been another brown-furred cat? A voice in his head raised the question. After the threats Shade had made as he left RiverClan camp?

His gaze snapped back to Darkpaw as the apprentice began to panic. The fear in the younger tom's amber eyes shook him. "Calm down!" He ordered. Aware that his tone was sharp, he struggled to soften it. "You did well to bring Muddypaw back." The gears in his brain were already turning even as he spoke. Who had been on Darkpaw's patrol? "Come with me; we'll go to your patrol." Without giving the formerly black-furred apprentice a chance to respond, he had already stepped out of the Medicine Den. If Shade really was the culprit, his clanmates could be in great danger. He could not lose another cat like Duckpuddle. He didn't think Shade would really be able to fight that many cats on his own and win, but for precaution's sake one more warrior was needed.

Goldeneye, if any cat can save him, I know you can.