Tales of Woe - WindClan's Punishment

Clovertwist jumped slightly as Ploverpuddle started awake with what sounded like a painful, horrified gasp. The dull look over the gray-and-white tom's yellow eyes hurt Clovertwist's heart; the raspy, breathless sound of his name half-spoken in Ploverpuddle's voice hurt worse. Despite the instincts to shrink away from the illness and avoid it - like his father had told him to do - Clovertwist pressed his forehead against the tom's ordinarily strong shoulder. "I'm here. Let's go to the elder's den. I'll help you," he promised his friend. Together they got Ploverpuddle to his paws, and Clovertwist moved slowly beside him, feeling the heavy weight of his companion's sluggish movements. He paused when Ploverpuddle did, and he grimaced when he realized why they'd stopped and turned his head at the sound of the gagging.

When the sound stopped, Clovertwist looked sympathetically aside at Ploverpuddle and murmured, "Aspenheart and Softpaw will help you as soon as we get you resting in the den. Almost there." They slowly began to make their way towards the elders den again. Clovertwist thought his heart would burst from the stress of such a short walk. This was too much like Barleytuft - too much - but Clovertwist wouldn't let fear drive him away. He had to take care of Ploverpuddle and his Clanmates.

Haykit was...Confused. She had been stirred awake by the sound of whimpering and pain. Her nose hated the odd scent in the air that drifted from the nests of the hurting cats. Now she sat bundled in the large grass, watching with wide eyes as the Clan slowly put together what had happened. A sickness had befallen them. She watched in wonder as the medicine cats started to shout back and forth, Olivestone stepping up to deliver orders as Raventail was one of those who was sick. She could hear Spotlake calling out for her kits but she held her tongue - the she-cat might have helped found her and bring her to the camp but...She wasn't one of her kits. She was just an outsider they had allowed in. She wasn't sure she would ever feel like she...Belonged here as even the world of those who had grown up here seemed...Broken.

Her ears twitched at the sound of her name, glancing over to see that Softpaw had mentioned her. She hesitated for a heartbeat, unsure of what to do until Snowkit went scampering after the medicine cat apprentice. Haykit watched her for a couple heartbeats before she finally raced after her, picking up the bundle that Softpaw had pushed her way. She was healthy, she was...Fine. She didn't have this strange sickness so at least she could be of some help. Besides, Softpaw had been so nice to her...She deserve some help from the kit if she could provide it. As they reached the elder's den, she dropped the bundle and looked up at the medicine cat apprentice. "W-What else can I do to help?" she questioned, trying her best to stand brave and tall.

Eaglepaw had checked around the camp and had come back to report to her mentor Clovertwist. "Clovertwist, the land around the camp area is safe! There is no unusual activity-" she gasped as she tried to recover her breath from running around on the moor. "There is no unusual activity around the entrance as well." she then dashed towards Softpaw. "Can I help you with anything Softpaw?"

Eaglepaw had been born into the clan to a full clan mother and a full clan father, although they wished not to have their names know. Eaglepaw looked around at all of the sick cats. "Softpaw, let me help please."

"Help?" Softpaw echoed, confusion momentarily blocking her gaze. Eaglepaw was no longer a brown tabby, nor a she-cat, and was much taller. Golden tabby spots decorated the tall tom's pelt, long tail weaving the air. Finchstar. Of course, it all just a horrid nightmare! But it quickly evaporated, reality shining through. It was Eaglepaw, and her vision of Finchstar had been the nightmare. Haykit followed, asking if there was anything else to do.

"Anything... Anything else? Oh, y-yes, of course! Of course, um, Eaglepaw, Buttercu- er- Haykit, will you both fetch moss and soak it in the nearest water source? Take another apprentice if need be, or perhaps Briarthorn, he has medicine cat experience. But be quick-- and safe!" She instructed, trying to hide her fear from the young cats. Clearing her throat, she looked over as Clovertwist guided over Ploverpuddle.

"Ploverpuddle! Clover, bring him over here, I've got some herbs to help ease the pain-- and a nice mossy nest." Softpaw called, gesturing to the nest beside. Glancing around, she tried to spot Aspenheart. "Aspenheart! Are Dappleshine and Raventail alright? Oh!- Downpaw, everything is good?- great- help guide over Raventail and Dappleshine."

Downpaw rushed back in behind Eaglepaw, and then the she-cat approached his sister, begging her to let her help. Softpaw gave an order to her and a kit, Haykit, but he wasn't listening. "Olivestone! The moors- four fox-lengths out of the camp walls- all clear- no suspicious activity whatsoever- all directions-" He panted, flank heaving from the sprint around the moorland. Softpaw addressed him as he turned to head towards her, and he immediately changed direction. "Morningpaw, Maplepaw, Larkpaw! Help me bring Raventail and Dappleshine over!" He shouted, heading towards the two cats, both of which in serious pain.

This can't be happening...

All around Morningpaw, cats were in pain, and she herself could feel a sinking feeling in her stomach- not of sickness, but fear. This was different to a goose or a StarClan cat or any kind of physical predator; she was a warrior (well, a warrior-to-be) and a diplomat, and her strengths were in words, not medicine. And words could not banish the plague that, seemingly overnight, had swept over WindClan. She had her suspicions, of course- admittedly, given recent events she was willing to blame anything on the Righteous Few- but nothing concrete, not yet... but no, if this was a simple sickness, the medicine cats wouldn't be panicking like they were. She padded over to Olivestone in the clearing, waiting for a moment for the noise to fade a little before delivering her report:

"I just got back from the moor, and I didn't see anything like this. The prey are all acting normal, so whatever this is, it's only affecting cats- and only some cats, too." Her heart pained to keep her suspicions hidden, but she knew if she so much as mentioned the Righteous Few, Olivestone would forbid her from interfering for her own safety. "You've got things covered here-- I'm going to go help." And so, she did- with all the haste of a Newleaf hare, she hurried over to Downpaw- though not to help drag Raventail and Dappleshine to the medicine den, but instead to whisper, "Can't help right now, I need to go check the border- good luck."

(The plan? To head out to the border- not to search for some kind of maggot-infested crowfood, but to confirm her suspicion. But she couldn't go alone...)

A thin face appeared overhead. Recognizing that he’d somehow been heard, Raventail blinked upward. Aspenheart’s question took several moments for his mind to untangle, but at last he shook his head. For every wheezing, shivering warrior, three more joined the rush to help out. It didn’t make sense. If it was contagious, why were Ploverpuddle and Zinnia sick? He’d given them polite, slightly exhausted greetings during his rounds the day before, but nothing beyond that.

Whatever part of his brain could still listen to things decided Aspenheart’s next set of instructions weren’t meant for him. When he blinked again, Olivestone was there. Determination shone in her eyes. In the space between one wave of heaving coughs and the next, Raventail relaxed. Holding ceremonies and assigning patrols had been difficult at first, but his first real test as deputy had been Finchstar’s absence; now Olivestone’s turn had come. She directed some cats to the fresh-kill pile, others to the moor, searching for whatever might have caused this. From somewhere nearby, Softpaw ordered the sick cats into the elders’ den. Raventail’s first attempt to stand was met with a spike of nausea. For better or for worse, all he coughed up was bile. Once his stomach had calmed—as much as it could calm—he allowed his head to fall against the nest and waited for the camp to stop spinning.

An uncertain amount of time later, the sound of his name brought him back. Right. The elders’ den. To his relief, his second attempt at standing ended somewhat better, though it did nothing to ease the pain in his lungs; he managed to land on all four paws and stay there, keeping himself steady half through willpower, half through a miracle. Clovertwist supported Ploverpuddle as they made their way across camp. Raventail, watching them, decided he'd be better off waiting for help. He could hardly hold himself, much less help Dappleshine. At Downpaw's approach, he fixed his eyes on the apprentice. "Is Fogpaw okay?" If she had this, too…

Everything had turned into chaos overnight. It seemed as thought the rising sun had brought illness to many of the cats in Windclan, causing all of those who were healthy to panic. If they weren't panicking, they were rushing to help the medicine cats take care of the sick. Smallbean was one of the few lucky ones who hadn't been hit by the illness, though it was a mystery how, as it seemed to have already spread like wildfire. He didn't know what to do, which opened his mind to panic. What would happen to the clans? Would he get sick? How did this happen so quickly? Then one thought hit him like a stone. 'Where is Spotlake?' He'd always been afraid of something happening to his mother, especially because of the state she was in a few moons before when she had Greencough. She wouldn't ever get out of her nest, and she hardly ate. He never wanted to see her like that again. He started ducking his way through the crowd looking for Spotlake, when he suddenly spotted a familiar pelt. "S-Spotlake! Are you a-alright?" He called out, walking the rest of the way toward her. She seemed okay, she didn't look weak or feverish. He rested his head on her shoulder. "I-t think i'm o-okay. I d-don't think any of m-my s-siblings are s-sick either." He reassured her, practically tripping over his words. "Everything will b-be okay." It seemed like he was trying to convince himself of that more than he was to Spotlake.

He didn't have time to keep conversation with his mother, as not even a moment later he heard his name called from the medicine den. It was Softpaw's voice calling for him to go grab some herb bundles. As if he wasn't already nervous enough, now he had to go deliver herbs to the sick cats. "Stop being so selfish! These cats need you!" He scolded himself, a familiar nervous feeling rolling into his stomach. Shaking his head, he padded over to the medicine den to meet Softpaw with a few other cats that were assigned the same duty as himself. "W-where are these s-supposed t-to go exactly?" He stuttered before picking up a bundle.

Each pawstep was a new wave of fear on Ploverpuddle's behalf, seeing just how weak he got with each shuffle. Clovertwist felt nervous. "Hang in there," he murmured comfortingly to his companion, but his voice was strained as he tried to comfort himself as much as Ploverpuddle. His progress was slowed as Eaglepaw approached, her eyes wide and winded. "Eaglepaw!" he greeted nervously, relieved to see her return. Clovertwist's stomach twisted slightly in apprehension of what she might find, but through her panting she reported nothing unusual. Clovertwist nodded and adjusted his positioning to better support Ploverpuddle. "You did great, Eaglepaw. Take care of yourself; I'll come check in with you later," Clovertwist told her, yet already she was turning and dashing towards Softpaw offering to help.

Clovertwist shook his silver head slightly and turned his attention back to Ploverpuddle. At last they staggered through the entrance of the elders den, and as Clovertwist's eyes adjusted to the dimness he heard Softpaw directing him and immediately pinpointed her location. He guided his friend towards the nest she indicated and helped to gently rest the tom in the moss, wincing as his friend fell tiredly into the bedding. Clovertwist wanted to press his nose against Ploverpuddle's and let him know everything would be alright, but he remembered the medicine cats' instructions. "I'm off to wash in the stream, Softpaw; shall I bring back some moss with water?" he asked her. After a moment, he shook his head, realizing the busy she-cat might not answer him - and water in the camp would do no harm. "I'm on it, I'll be back."

He turned and gave one last mournful look at Ploverpuddle before spinning and exiting the slowly crowding den. Clovertwist raced out of camp to wash himself, uncertain as the medicine cats on whether or not this might be contagious.

Eaglepaw nodded at Softpaw's instructions to being some freshly soaked moss from the nearest stream. She flicked her tail, turned around and ran out of camp to fetch some moss for the sick cats. A little while later she returned with the moss and thrust it at Softpaw. "here!" she growled, dropped it on the ground and ran out of camp to fetch some more. She gathering as much as she could and then ran back into camp, dropped the moss off and then looked at Softpaw. "Is there anything else that I can help with?" she said urgently

Larkpaw woke up, pelt burning. She glanced around. Softpaw needs help. I can probably carry herbs. She rushed towards the medicine cat apprentice, asking, "Can I carry herb bundles? Help, somehow? What do you want me to do?"

OOC: Oof, I ment to post yesterday, and started writing a pot. But then I saw there was a whole -nother page of posts, and I had to completely re-work my almost finished post... This is why we don't postpone posting!

IC: Briarthorn awoke to sounds of suffering. Oh no... He could hear the cries of his clanmates. Dappleshine, Zhina, Raventail, Ploverpuddle, all sick. And probably manny, many more. The clan hoppers and code brakers... Raventail is sick? But... He hasn't reveved his nine lives yet! Wh-what if he dies before he can get them?! They can't take another leader from us! I won't let them! He heard Aspenheart's orders to check the fresh kill pile, Clovertwist was already doing it. Some apprentices ran out to the moor, the kit's were cowering in fear... He rushed to the medicin den, just in time to see Softpaw giving directions. Briarthorn listend, and was going to go with eaglepaw, but the apprentice ran out of camp before he could talk to him. So he then approched the medicin cat apprentice. "Are there any herbs that I can help you find, or anything like that?"

The first cat that Foxspirit went to was her last serviving kit. "Spotlake? Honey, are you okay? Are you're kits okay? Is Crowspirit okay?" She was relived to find one of Spotlake's kits coming over, it seemed at least most of them were still well. She looked around, looking at what her Clanmates were doing. "I'm going to go help Raventail and Dappleshine, I'll be back soon." Foxspirit walked up to Raventail as he struggled to stand. She looked at the gathering apprentices. "Can you apprentices take Raventail? I think I've got Dappleshine." she padded to where Dappleshine was still in her nest. "Dappleshine? Do you think you can stand, dear? I'm here to help you to the elders den."

Spotlake nuzzled Smallbean and Foxspirit. "I'm okay. And yes Crowspirit is okay I think." Spotlake let out a sigh of relief when she was told her other kits were okay. "I'll go check on the kits in the nursery." Spotlake ran towards the nursery and went inside, to comfort the queens and kits in there.

The camp seemed to be spinning around her, not stopping even for a moment as she felt bile rising in her throat over and over. Another fit of coughing gripped the silvery gray she-cat, and when her eyes reopened she thought she saw Raventail standing. At least, for just a heartbeat. Her mate seemed to slump next to her, and she buried her nose in his shoulder fur, feeling the heat coming off of him the same it did for her. A voice cut through the haze, and she forced her eyes open to see a stunning red pelt. Foxspirit... The kind she-cat spoke softly, and Dappleshine attempted to force herself to focus. Elder's den... Stand.... stand.... What was she doing? Oh, right, standing. Whimpering as she tried to position her paws underneath her, she shook like a leaf as she tried to force herself upright, biting her tongue to the point of tasting blood until she was on her paws. She was swaying back and forth like the grasses of the moor, but she was standing.

Relying on Foxspirit, each step seemed to hurt more than the last, and since when was the sky under her paws and not the other way around? Was she at the river somehow? No, that wasn't possible, she could hear the kits, the apprentices, this was surely WindClan's camp. As she collapsed in the elder's den, she heaved further, laying sprawled in her nest the way she had fallen, too weak to do anything more than focus on breathing in and out. Was Raventail coming? Surely he would be here soon....

"I'm fine here, Larkpaw. Go help Downpaw; he called you and Maplepaw over to help bring Raventail here." She mewed briskily, tyen turned to face her brother, nodding in relief. "Yes, please, thank you, Clover. Wash your paws thoroughly! We don't want it to spread if its contagious. If you spot any, poppy heads would be useful!" She mewed, concern fluttering in her soft blue depths. She was stressed thin. Cats were coming to her left and right; she felt as though she could scarcely breath. Anxiety filled her lungs until it hurt to let oxygen in. What was wrong? Was she sick?

No, it was just the overwhelming guilt, sorrow, and stress combined with her lack of sleep and appetite. She suddenly looked thin, weary, half-dead on her paws, strong facade vanishing. In her mind, her eyes were carefree, pelt glossy, patients healed and recovering. But this was not her mind. Sickness filled the air and cats were dying. Everyone was wrong; she was training to be a warrior. Destined to fight off the invisible enemies that hunted her Clanmates down. She couldn't think of herself right now. SHe had cats to take care of.

Taking a shaky, shallow breath, she attempted to regain composure as Briarthorn approached her. A former medicine cat apprentice. She almost sighed in relief. "Oh, Briarthorn, thank the half-blooded stars!"- Impure ancestors could not be against impure cats, surely?- "Yes, yes, you need to gather herbs. You prove your training very useful. Let's see... Catmint will take far too long to gather, so we'll collect chickweed instead.. Borage in place of feverfew, marigold in place of sorrel and wild garlic- but if you happen across sorrel, gather it-, ragweed and snakeroot, and lamb's ear if you find any. We've got plenty of tansy, juniper berries, and cobwebs." She intructed, recalling herbs as she went along, trying in vain to suppress a rush of fear in her voice.

"Eagle-" She cleared her throat, "Eaglepaw, help Briarthorn. Stay with him, he knows what he's doing. Smallbean!" She called to the tom, looking over towards him. "Bring it over here to the elders' den." She mewed, before letting out an exhausted sigh. She smiled as she watched Haykit stumble over to her with a bundle of dripping moss.

"Thank you," She mewed, dipping her head to lick the kit's ears in a gesture of affection. "If you want, I could use an extra set of paws healing Ploverpuddle and Dappleshine. You see that red flower in the leaf-wrap? Shake it gently and hand me four small black seeds, they should smell familiar- I gave them to you before, on our journey home."

---

Downpaw stared at Morningpaw in utter shock. What could possibly be more important than helping their leader!? He was about to growl when the tabby she-cat bounded away. A little bit away, Downpaw growled as he saw Larkpaw approach his sister. Did no cat listen to him? He was about to yell at her when his gentle sister informed the apprentice she'd been summoned. Downpaw huffed in annoyance, which turned to relief when Foxspirit arrived. "Thanks. Once they're with Softpaw, they'll be fine. Barleytuft and Finchstar won't let anything happen to them." And nor will I, He thought solemnly as he brushed against his leader's pelt to steady him.

Aspenheart watched as Softpaw and Olivestone dutifully guided the clan in its damage control, and he suddenly felt hyper-aware of the great cycle of life and death. Right before his eyes, without his meddling paws, WindClan was carrying on with new, youthful energy. For the first time in his life, he was able to take a step back. It felt like there was never a time when he wasn't the sole medicine cat. He beamed in spite of current events at his apprentice.

There was one repetitive and intrusive thought in his mind that he couldn't shake, that perhaps this illness was what they had been warned about. He shuffled back in his mind, hunting, rooting, searching for something familiar in the fog of Righteous-StarClan-blah-blah-blah... and then he found it, with his eyes locked on Spotlake. "Oh, I have it! I have it!" he gasped, mostly in Softpaw's direction, "'Let the spores infect every nest lined with immorality.' You're kidding."

He hacked a few times to clear his throat: "The StarClan cats are to blame for this! There was an omen, before all of this happened. 'Impurities blossom like algae in a riverbed.'" He looked around, picking out the ill cats. Raventail, Dappleshine, Ploverpuddle, Zinnia. "You weren't born in WindClan. Raventail, you brought Dappleshine here. You're mated with a quote-unquote RiverClanner. This was planned. It's not contagious. Rats."