Flipped Sides of a Different Coin

Sprucebark had been healing for so long, he had been so weak from the recent events. He had a terrible cough and was very ill. The stress of everything was so great on him. Losing his brother Rowan and being swept away only to hike all the way back to 4trees to get chased more by twolegs and then back to camp.

He was ordered by his sister to just try and rest which for the most part he agreed to do. But he hadn't seen the forest in so long, hadnt had fresh air outside the med den in so long either. He felt so trapped here, and while he wouldnt ever sneak out he longed to see the forest again, to be a little allowed to roam and away from camp for just a little.

He sat at the edge of the med den, tapping his paw against the ground slowly, he wanted more than anything to get to go to the river again and sit by the waters edge. But he wasnt allowed to go out... not till he was all healed up.

He sat up bored out of his mind...

(Just in comparison, cause I like to do them so much: IF Rowanpaw had been in his paws he would have snuck out of camp long ago. But Sprucebark would never break a rule like that.)

however, even sprucebark's iron willpower to follow the rules and stay in this little med den was being put to incredible tests here and now, with nothing to do he just wanted a little break, a little slack to go out and see things again... sandy would understand right??

He had tried to convince some kit earlier to play but they seemed shy and not at all interested even.
He coughed a little his sides shaking but he ignored it instead focusing on a little ant who was marching along in the med den, he was so bored and lonely that he examined it carefully watching the little creature with great interest, but when it burried underground he sighed... so.. mindnumbingly... bored.


He heard pawsteps approaching and he straightened up being very formal of course. He purred seeing his mom approach. "Mom!" he meowed grinning.


He flicked his tail so glad to have a visitor.

"Mom, can we please go out for a walk??? Just a little one? I feel so stuck in here... so trapped" he purred softly.

"I just want a little freedom... I cant keep being cooped up in here he added on, free as usual with his feelings when it was poppyshine.

His mom was deputy and if she said it was okay ... then there was no rule breaking and that was the only way he could get out of these 4 walls that had boxed him in for so long.


*Cough Cough* he glanced at his paws... mom knew he was still sick but he couldnt stand being held in here any more... please say yes...
"We dont even have to go far... just a little ways? he meowed almost in a begging.


... "I promise Ill take an extra nap when we get back?"

Sprucebark purred a little but too much made his throat hurt. He was grateful that she understood. He was so happy to be away from camp now, and the cramped med den that he had been in for what felt like forever.


Despite his sisters amazing care and work, he had not recovered well at all. He had gotten himself pretty sick indeed with a bad case of a cold that kept lingering and not going away. The little guy was thankful form his moms help as they slowly went along. It was so nice out here, so peaceful and how he missed the openness of the forest the freedom feeling of it all.

"yes, yes I promise resting when I get *Cough cough* he coughed away from her into his paw as was the most formal thing to do of cousre.

"back" he agreed.

The air was refressing because it was fresh but it was also very cold and his lungs were not the happiest with his decision while being so sick but he just couldnt stand being confined to a little area any longer. He ignored it for now wanting to reach the river, after all that is what he wanted to see even if it was msotly frozen over. Even after the river had swept him away it still was somehow comfroting to look at, it was the clans lifeline in the amount of prey it provided and he enjoyed getting to look at it in a calming sense.

He sneezed a couple of times and then was hit by another serious of severe coughs enough to make him have to stop until it finally ended a little while later. He wanted so badly to get to see the river but he knew moms agreement also had in there that they would turn around if he was getting too tired out... those were the rules that he had agreed to... and as everyone knows he is a very close rule follower.

The longing to see the river was strong, as was the sense of completing what he set out to do... but not as strong as remaining to his word of what he had promised mom and sticking to the rules that his clans deputy had set out when they started... he felt so silly, they hadnt even gotten that far.

This sickness was making him weaker than a kit, it was so unfair... Poppyshine probably wouldnt be too happy that she had only gotten to go a little ways with him but he just was feeling so awful.

Sprucebark's called to his mom hesitantly, "I ... I dont think I can get to the river all the way... we should go back" he said quietly,

As he slowly turned around he spotted a little mouse right nearby to them... well since it was right there he might as well try his paw at it.


He wiggled his tail back and forth before leaping right at it! YES! he caught it right between his paws!

CREEEEEK , SLAMMMM, CLICK

he head spun around confused as something swung down behind him. Instinctivly he swatted at it with his paw and it smacked into a cold hard surface that was a gate looking cross section of bars.

He jumped back a bit but in doing so just ran into the other side of the trap. Now fully panicked he realized he was surrounded by the mesh bars criss crossing. He was trapped. He fought back waves of panic best he could as he shivered a bit in the cold. His illness was not helping matters as he coughed a lot more from the nervousness of the situation he was now in.


"Mum!? mum!? his voice trembled from fear and was horse from the illness

"I dont wanna go, I dont wanna go... I dont wanna lose you *COUGH COUGH* not again" he mewed helplessly. He tried ramming into the cage but it just left him with a sore as the cage did not budge.

As light snow began to fall around them he began to shiver a little. His mind raced and he thought what could I do. But there was no help coming for him... no one could get him out of this.

A little beep sounded on the cage and with it a red light blinked, and another beep

BEEP .... BEEP. .... BEEP the red light blinking blinking . It was contacting the twolegs that this trap had recent movement and activity which was actually a good thing because poor spruce might have gotten pretty cold without them being notified.

But our characters knew nothing of this. They only saw and evil looking eye blinking at them.

Sprucebark had enough, his brother was taken by these monsters and now so was he.

"mum... I'm gonna find a way out of it I *COUGH COUGH* he was out of breath from this illness. It was getting worse.

"I'm gonna find you again I promise, just like the river... I will be back.

He tried to stick his paw out of the trap but only could a little.

"I promise ill return... have faith in me" he mewed quietly.

Crunching in the snow could be heard in the distance. Crunch of big paws and boots that the twolegs wore. The hair along his spine rose instictivly in fear.

"Go... quickly... do not *Cough wheeze* let them see you. You have to keep sandy safe... the clan safe.

CRUNCH the boots getting louder as they approached.

Spruce did his best to at least look like he wasnt about to break down and cry... it wasnt fair for mum to see her son like that for maybe the last time ever.

The twoleg was getting very close now, sprucebark practically trembled in fear. Puffed out to be much bigger than he actually was

(Bold is twoleg 1 the one that found him
Underline is twoleg 2 the vet)

Sprucebark was full on trempling in the corner of the cage coughing and sneezing and miserable as his eyes teared over watching his mom run vanishing out of sight.

"I love you too... i promise ill come back.  The twoleg appeared, towering over him looking down through the slots of the cage in at him.  Sprucebark felt numb all over as they locked eyes briefly.


Awwe... you sound sick little one the she twoleg said gently reaching out and grabbing the cage and hoisting it up carrying him off.  Dont worry... we will get you feeling better in no time


Unfortunatly, Sprucebark didnt have the advantage that the readers do of knowing what she had just said.... to him it sounded like an alien language ... maybe it was some ritual humans said before they would eat him.  He pawed at the cage trying to get out again but it was hopeless... as she carted him off he watched the ground sway below him making him feel dizzy.... he had always dreamt of flying but not like this!

Peeking through the cracks and through his teary eyes he saw she was taking him to a monster that was asleep for now... He mewed in protest but the meow was very hoarse from his cough

The twoleg frowned looking at him

Better get ya to the vets first thing, they will wanna have a look at that cough of yours

Sprucebark closed his eyes so scared... she was saying something some curse right before he was to be sacrificed to the monster wasnt she??

The lid of the monster opened up and the cage was placed inside it.  Sprucebark winced waiting for big teeth to bite into him and eat him... but of course that did not happen, the she twoleg went infront of him and a few seconds later the monster roared to life and then... his eyes went wide realizing that they were moving!


He tried He tried so hard to map out in his mind how the monster moved... when it made a turn he tried to memorize it but they soon got all jumbled in his mind of the order of them... He cowered down into the corner of his cage and lost it realizing that without knowing the turn orders he wouldnt ever get back home.  Tears ran silently down his face the lump in his throat made the sickness hurt even more... but what hurt worst of all was the same feeling that he had when the river washed him away... that feeling of losing his family and clan.


In reality it wasnt long before they arrived to the destination... to Sprucebark it was an eternity filled with the worst feelings imaginable.

The monster haulted and went silent, the twoleg got out and came around back to get him too.... oh no not more awful swaying!

And there it was he was being carted into a large looking nest... it smelled of so many differnt cats...

Is this where all the prisoners were taken?? before they could be eaten??

He felt sick to his stomach... it was their giant kill pile... but the twolegs were cruel creatures choosing to keep their prey alive until it was just the right time to eat them... Sprucebark was about to be put on a fresh kill pile (at least, thats what he thought)


He was set down on the ground ... or his cage was, as the twoleg talked with someone back and forth none of it sensible to Sprucebark.

Not long after he was carted back to a brighter back room with another twoleg with an all white pelt.... or whatever these twolegs had.

The she twoleg clicked open the cage but before Sprucebark could do anything she grabbed his scruff and held him down to a table.  He hissed angerly and scared but he couldnt get out of her powerful paws.

The second twoleg examened him for a bit.  Looked at his ears for some reason then he had the nerver to open his mouth and look in there too.  Sprucebark tried to bite at him but it was of no use.

After discussing with his partner for a second the second twoleg held up a long needle and sprucebark froze puffing out all his furr on edge,

Dont worry little one this will help you feel better.  You have quite the nasty illness, not to worry, this will take care of it.

Again to Sprucebark this sounded like he was being taunted by this cruel creature who was about to stab him with this.

Sprucebark was helpless as much as he squirmed to get free as the giant needle was poked into him.

He hissed again and again and clawed at the table... soon though they had him back in his cage... A couple minutes passed and he felt so sleepy... so tired.

He fell asleep not long after despite wanting to escape so much he couldnt keep going any more.

The two twolegs discussed a little,

Hes lucky we found him when we did, much longer out there and the illness may have taken him

...

You disagree?

No, you are right... just unsure that we found him soon enough

she raised a worried eyebrow but also shook her headhe had lots of fight left in him... he will be alright