Screaming Bloody Murder [Open]

Note: This takes place directly after Mistypaw flees the territory dispute at the Hidden Outcropping, so any cats present in that dispute would NOT be in this topic

Mistypaw burst into camp, tears flooding her eyes, and blood staining her rear. Most of it had dried by now, coating what was left of her tail in a crusty layer. Although she, herself, had not even had the chance to look. In all honesty, she was afraid to. She was scared of what she would see should she turn around. She was in a lot of pain, and she could tell by the amount of it that whatever would present itself back there, it was bad.

"Help! Help me! It hurts! I-I think I'm going to die! Please, Berrypaw, somebody! Make the pain stop!"

She looked around, golden eyes wide, as she frantically searched for help. Come on, somebody had to be here, right?

Azure eyes narrowed slightly as he stepped into the clearing; the sun had found a way to position itself perfectly into the apprentice's den of sorts, which he had been loving during his nap, but now was quickly coming to despise it as it left him temporarily blinded. His paws smelled of heather and dirt, having carved out his space in the burrow he would reside in with bad weather or better yet the oncoming chill, for which his coat was not nearly thick enough to insulate him for. Buzzardpaw shook the dust out of his fur, lifting a darkened paw to begin grooming himself, when a piercing shriek permeated throughout the clearing; signifying the entrance of Mistypaw.

The tom barely flinched as he turned slowly to face her, frowning at the blood coating the lower half of her body, staining the backs of her otherwise light legs crimson. He lacked alarm clearly, as confusion made itself a home in his head. "Hi Mistypaw! Um, why are you screaming? And is that blood?" Buzzardpaw sounded like nothing more than a fool, and he padded closer, the iron tang immediately coating his sense of smell, and yet he was still unable to fathom the severity of what was in front of him. "Do you need help cleaning it off?" He offered meekly, staring at the bloodied mess of bone and fur that was once her tail, thinking that she must have just had a messy catch and fallen into it, and she was going to die because it was so gross, right? The tom stood near Mistypaw awkwardly, not really entirely sure what to do, wondering to himself why she was screaming for the medicine cat of all those available.

Sitting just beside the camp entrance, Dreampaw casually groomed his fur. He made sure the messy bits wouldn't get so caught up with each other anymore, and gave a purr of satisfaction when it did. Well, he was casually grooming his fur, until an ear-splitting shriek came from a flash of blur, bursting into the camp. Eyes widened, he abruptly stood— only to see Mistypaw covered in dried blood and injuries. An unfamiliar apprentice have approached his sister, though he wasn't sure who that was. But that wasn't the point right now. He had to do something— anything, anything to help at all. Yet, that didn't keep the pure horror from showing clear on his face away.

Mistypaw?!

He was horrified. She seemed so panicked and shaken up, and so did he right at this moment. Never once in moons have he ever expected Mistypaw out of anyone to be rushing back to camp in such a panicked state. Then it occured to him, how Daystar have sent out patrols over to the.. Hidden Outcropping. His ears flattened down closer to his head more than it ever has, and he immediately rushed into the medicine den, thoughts scrambling and scattering through his mind. Finally, he managed to speak up, taking in a deep breath. "Berrypaw, Mistypaw is— she's deeply injured!" With that finally being said, he rushed back to the molly, nervously biting down his tongue in concern.

Oh wow, someone was screaming? It was so boring being stuck in camp while everyone else - including Mistypaw, of all cats - got to go out and fight for territory. His claws itched to tear into some stupid territory-taker. Ever since Hentooth had jumped into the gorge like a rabbit-brain.... It was kind of... almost disappointing when no one stomped over and chewed his ear off, for some reason. He kept expecting to hear her distinctive voice, rolling his eyes in preparation and hearing... nothing, almost like stepping forward and finding empty air under his paws. Oh well, she'd probably come back somehow, if only to tell him off again.

Flamepaw trotted into view of the wailing cat, aaaaand-

A smile curled at his maw. Speak of Mistypaw and she appeared. "What happened, Mists? Did you trip in a rabbit-hole running away?" He called mockingly, his mouth working faster than his eyes as they lazily flicked over the blood on her pelt.

And stopped on her tail.

Or well, the lack of the tail.

He choked on air, limbs and easily waving tail stuttering to a frozen stop as his eyes widened into blue moons, jaw hanging open. "Hk-! What the horsedung- you're missing a tail!" It almost felt like his eyes were going to start watering, stuck open as they were, his expression twisting into something between a horrified grimace and on the verge of laughter. He felt like he was going to throw up. "It looks really, really bad. It's like- it's gone. You know it's gone, right? Are you actually dying?" He threw a look in the direction of the medicine den. "Can you die from losing a tail?"

Overcoming the nausea, he moved closer, up next to Buzzardpaw, the horror dying to morbid curiosity. He swore he could see bone at the end of her stump, poking out. "If you die, can I extend my nest into yours? Horsedung - how are you going to balance with that thing? You're gonna be running like a duck."

When Buzzardpaw showed up, it made Mistypaw freeze up. "No! D-don't touch it! I-it hurts too much! Please..." Her eyes were wide as she spun away from the apprentice, and she distantly heard Dreampaw calling for Berrypaw. At least her siblings were able to look after her.

Well, most of her siblings.

Of course, Flamepaw had to show up. And with every word he spoke, her eyes grew wider. And yet more sobs escaped her. "Oh stars, my tail! No! Y-you're lying! It hurts, but it can't be that bad! Oh stars, Flame, this isn't a foxing joke! Just shut up already!" Seeing as there was only one cat there actually being a comfort, Mistypaw rushed over to Dreampaw, needing a more supportive paw. She was scared, in pain, and shaking all over, and as of right now, Dreampaw seemed to be the only one not making fun of that. Why was every other cat being so mean?

"AhH! I'm not prepared, agh-! Berrypaw rushed over with dock, cobwebs, goldenrod and a few other herbs in his mouth. He chewed up the goldenrod and made it a little mushy, placing it on most of the larger cuts, placing cobwebs on it straight after. "Th-that should help the cuts stop hurting... Ah! The dock-" He again chewed up the herbs, setting down on some other scratches. "Can somebody help be move her to the medicine den?!" He whispered something softly into Mistypaws ear. "Your gonna be fine, Mistypaw... I love you. We're family, after all."

He blinked rapidly as more cats poured in, some calling for the medicine cat- well, the new one, after Hentooth's accident into the gorge, and he was immediately overtaken by confusion. As Flamepaw pointed it out, it was almost as if his eyes had begun to focus correctly, and Buzzardpaw swallowed sharply against the bile rising in his throat at the mess of blood, flesh and fur, the panic running off the other apprentices beginning to make him nervous. Mistypaw dashed away, and his eyes widened in surprise, not incredibly recognising his fault in the situation - completely oblivious to the stress he had cause, that had only been amplified by Flamepaw.

Berrypaw had rushed over, jaws full of various herbs and other things, an unmistakable scent he had come to associate with Hentooth and any who spent any amount of time in the medicine den wafting over. The tom tended to Mistypaw and asked for assistance moving her, and Buzzardpaw took a hesitant step forward; now worried that he would only stress the molly out more, the panic in her eyes finally clueing him in. "Ah- Um, I can help, if you need," he offered meekly, half wondering if he should leave it to her family, as he was prone to making mistakes due to his lack of situational awareness in most situations. Once more, he was back to an awkward stance, unsure of what he was to do in a situation like this.

A disappointed frown appeared on his face, seeing how only Berrypaw and him seemed to be the ones that cared. As Mistypaw unexpectedly rushed over to him, Dreampaw gently set his tail on her shoulder, comforting her from the pain. The gesture was light, but he hoped that'd help ease her down. Even if it was just a bit. "Stay still, Mistypaw. Berrypaw's going to help you. And you'll be okay." He whispered to the molly, forcing his voice to stay as calm as it could. She seemed shaken up enough, and making her anxious would just ruin it even more.

And soon came Berrypaw, quickly rushing over with a bunch herbs carried in his mouth. As he requested for help, Dreampaw immediately nodded, turnng over to the unfamiliar apprentice beside him. "Right—" The tom hastily spoke, "I'll help lift her up by the shoulders, then you try doing so towards the back." He mewed, gesturing for the other apprentice to help along. He barely had any clue who the apprentice was, but that didn't matter. Not now. With a slight grunt, Dreampaw carefully rose Mistypaw up by the shoulders, shifting her weight on his own. He placed her laying sideways by his back, waiting for Buzzardpaw to follow along. Her weight wasn't exactly the best to carry alone, and the other apprentice seemed to help. "Hold onto her carefully, yeah?" The tom gritted his teeth, now helping her back to the medicine den. The scent of dried, and fresh blood mangled in the air; and he wished how the opposing clan wouldn't have attacked so far off to an apprentice. Mistypaw lost her tail, and that wasn't to be taken very lightly.

There was a loud ruckus in camp, and Goldenfang was the highest rank to deal with it. She’d been restlessly pacing outside the gorse wall, looking through the brambles to see which parts needed repairing now that the bitter cold was thinning out the branches, when the screaming started. She hurried into the entrance right away, not overlooking the trail of blood that told her where to go. It was WindClan blood, that much she could tell immediately. “Dear StarClan!” The deputy remarked upon seeing the source.

She came up next to Dreampaw to support Mistypaw’s weight. Berrypaw had already directed them to bring her into Hen—his den. The injury seemed so extreme… hadn’t she been assigned to Daystar’s patrol to remark the Hidden Outcropping? She sent a silent prayer to StarClan to bring the others back safe. Most of her present Clanmates were just apprentices. “Flamepaw, please… make a mossball. Find a puddle, soak it, and bring it back. I need someone fast to get it. Buzzardpaw, get to work scraping the bloody dirt out of camp. The last thing we need are vultures circling our camp and threatening the kits. Dreampaw, stay with us. If Berrypaw needs anything, you’re going to be the runner.”

The she-cat leaned down to ease Mistypaw into a down-lined nest once they reached the safety of the medicine den. She rested next to her, allowing an anxious purr to transfer between their touching pelts. Goldenfang stroked her tongue near the base of the apprentice’s once-tail, trying not to touch the torn skin, and paused to look up at the young medicine cat apprentice. “Berrypaw? What can you do?”

"What? I was only-" Flamepaw blinked innocently, a slight curl of his lip showing a nasty glint of humour. It kind of subsided when Mistypaw ran off wailing, but didn't quite disappear as he trailed after with Buzzardpaw, still eyeing the bloody stump with fascination. "Aw c'mon, Mistypaw. Yeah, it's gone, but you're not dead yet, right?"

He hovered nearby as his siblings and the new apprentice decided to lug her up onto their shoulders, a laugh bursting out of his maw that he at least had the decency to cut off. "What are you doing? She's only lost a tail, not a leg - come on, seriously, the medicine den is right over there. She can just, you know, walk-"

His heckling cut off as Goldenfang joined their mostly panicking group, his eyes widening. Practically looking to her as if she were a StarClan cat come down from Silverpelt, he grinned and stabbed his tail up in a salute, almost scrambling over himself to dart out the camp entrance. "Sure Goldenfang! You can count on me - I'll find it faster than you can blink! Because, y'know, I'm the fastest apprentice here." He spun, blitzing out of camp and racing for the nearest deposit of moss, head filled with thoughts of praise and empty of suspicion at why he'd just been sent away from the action.

Berrypaw had finally come, and the she cat sighed with relief, glad to have her brother with her. It had also seemed to have clicked with the new apprentice what was going on as he offered to help. It was about time he was useful. She couldn't say that it wasn't weird that she was being full on carried, but now that the adrenaline had passed, she was shaking so much that she probably did need to be. She didn't know if she had the strength to walk on her own anymore.

Goldenfang had also come and, much to Mistypaw's pleasure, had sent Flamepaw away. She was almost ready to claw at her brother, she didn't care how much pain she was in. He somehow managed to be an even bigger pain than a lost tail.

Having finally reached a nest with Goldenfang beside her, StarClan bless the deputy's patience and care, Mistypaw realized just how tired she was. Almost as soon as she hit the moss in the nest, she found herself unable to keep her eyes open.

Maybe a little sleep would do her good. She had her brothers with her, and Goldenfang, they would take care of her. She was sure of it. She had to be fine.