[closed] Recover the Light

Barleytuft knew his former mentor's habits quite well; whether Swiftstep knew it or not, his former apprentice still watched him from time to time and looked up to him, taking notes from his wisdom and actions. The now-senior warrior had become aware of Swiftstep's hunts a couple of seasons ago, and he appreciated the tom's routine. Barleytuft loved how self-sufficient Swiftstep was while still caring deeply for his Clanmates and companions. He, too, loved a quiet hunt by himself on the moor, though he preferred to leave in the early morning rather than the afternoon as was Swiftstep's wont. Regardless of the differences, Barleytuft deeply respected Swiftstep's solo hunt; as much as the tom would love to hunt alongside his deputy at every opportunity, there was something sacred about that lone patrol.

Today was different, though, Barleytuft had decided. When Swiftstep disappeared for the afternoon, the senior warrior had watched him leave camp with an expression of longing. They had a heart-to-heart recently, but the interaction had only made the tom ache for more kind and wise words between them. Barleytuft struggled with his decision for a short while, pacing near the entrance of camp and then away from it as he considered whether or not to interrupt his former mentor's solitude. He wasted a good several minutes with that thought, until he looked at the medicine cat's den and sighed as he remembered his son Cloverpaw slowly recovering in there. No.... he wanted some time out of camp, and Swiftstep would know what to say.

So Barleytuft left, and he made his way across the moor, following Swiftstep's scent at a leisurely pace and, once or twice, scenting the prey that the skilled tom had taken down. Each time he passed such a spot, Barleytuft grinned, pleased as always by the prowess of Swiftstep.

And then, Barleytuft discovered the unconscious body of the tom he looked up to so much.

---

The moments after that had been a blur. Barleytuft barely remembered checking Swiftstep for wounds, but after he'd discovered that the brown tom had fainted without an apparent injury then it was only a race against the clock. By the time he'd found the deputy his breathing had started again, but he was still out cold, so Barleytuft hefted the tom onto his back and raced anxiously home. When he arrived, Barleytuft made his way straight to the medicine cat's den, calling as he swept in the entrance with Swiftstep still laid over his shoulders, "Aspenpaw, emergency - Swiftstep!"

Barleytuft slowly slid Swiftstep to the ground, supporting his head and limp form the best he could. As he stood back up again, he realized that he was shaking. He turned his head and saw his son, Cloverpaw, sitting wide-eyed in his own nest and staring at Swiftstep.

"Dad...? What happened to him?" the silver tom asked, but he was quiet: he seemed to know his input was not needed at the moment. Barleytuft said nothing.

Mintwhisker's ears shot upward as the sound of panicked cries reached her. "Oh Starclan..." She mumbled, standing swiftly and running towards the entrance. "Starclan," She repeated, looking down at the deputy with wide eyes. "Aspenpaw!" She called, stepping out of the den and scanning the brown tom for any sign of injury. "Cloverpaw, lie down." She snapped, pressing Swiftstep's chest lightly with one paw to check for any internal problems.
This was strange- Swiftstep had collapsed from seemingly nothing. His breathing was shallow, but there was no sign of head injury or anything of the sort. This had to be a disease, although were he'd gotten it from, Mintwhisker could only guess. "Aspenpaw, hurry!" She called again, still keeping her murky gaze trained on her patient. Was it possible that Swiftstep had encountered something that he had been allergic to? It would make sense that he'd be unconscious if he'd gone into some sort of shock. But without any symptoms of a reaction, Mintwhisker was hesitant to diagnose it as a simple allergy. She turned to her apprentice as he approached.
"Aspenpaw, what do you think happened? Can we give a diagnosis?"

Aspenpaw had been huddled in the back of the den, observing a spider spinning her wide web on the back wall, when the crash of a warrior running into the otherwise quiet space woke him from his trance. At the sight of Swiftstep, of all cats, collapsed on the floor, his chest tightened up and he stepped over Cloverpaw, rushing as quickly as he could. He leaned close to the tom's mouth and felt a gentle stream of air, but not much. Next, he pressed his paws against Swiftstep's brown chest and felt the thudding of his heart. But... how? If not his throat, head, or chest, what could it be? He looked up at Mintwhisker in horror.

"I... I don't know," he said in a slightly hushed whisper, making sure that Cloverpaw couldn't hear the grave things he was speaking. He, of all cats, was supposed to know. Was that a look of genuine confusion in Mintwhisker's face, or was she trying to get him on the same page? "There doesn't look like there's really anything wrong, except that he's not waking up. Let me think. Barleytuft, can you start licking his fur the wrong way? It might rouse him, and we need to take everything we can get." Aspenpaw hobbled over to the herb stores, trying to ignore the panic that built in him. His disease, after all, was an enigma. He prayed to StarClan that their deputy would not be cursed with his affliction as he gathered coltsfoot, chamomile, a little tansy, and honey.

"He's been coughing like he's got burrs in his throat the last few days, hasn't he? That's all I've got. Except, of course, what happened to me." He quickly glanced at Mintwhisker, but his eyes did not linger before darting back to his patient. "We don't need two Aspenpaws in WindClan, so let's wake him up and get him to swallow this stuff before the damage is done, alright?"

OOC: I meant to post here sooner, but I forgot. Sorry! The topic technically not dead yet, right?

Foxspirit dashed into the medicine den as soon as she realized Swiftstep was hurt. "What happend?!" She asked Barlytuft and Aspenpaw as she sat down next to Swiftstep, looking at him. She turned her tear filled forest green eyes back to Aspenpaw."Is... Is he going to be okay?" Her voice was bearly a whisper. Please... I can't loose you too!