Arriving [SITEWIDE]

Birdstar

Hacking coughs, wet with mucus, clawed out of Birdstar's chest. The same hoarse wheezes rattled out of almost every cat around her. Their bold journey into the illumined unknown had lead to nothing but disaster: storms to begin their passage--storms that stole her family, who still hadn't been seen again)--and the violent dissolution of camraderie she was foolish to choose, illness. It was only a matter of time before death would join their many misfortunes (Birdstar refused to believe Ploverpaw had died to the wastes of churning weather). Either the mysterious disease that gnawed deep into the matter and minds of her Clanmates would cause enough waste to claim their lives... or Perchstar would overcome her own delirium , and wet blood would leak into their newly dug graves.

Birdstar squeezed her eyes shut tight enough for spots to form behind her eyelids. With the pressure in her head reaching a roar and a wracked breath, she looked to the world again. Her head moved slowly to compensate for her swimming vision as she looked around. Immediately, her eyes sought Perchstar: struggling to support herself beside Poppyshine, struggling more when her deputy drifted away to call announcements and assist their Clanmates. Deep in Birdstar's heart, beneath the guarding hate, she felt a traitorous pang of concern. She hated to see someone she had, until so recently, considered a friend struggle in such a way... but with a sneeze that nearly split her skull and a snort of derision, she turned away. Let this plague weigh heavy on Perchstar's body. She was in no state to lead armies when she couldn't lead herself.

None of them were. Birdstar continued her blurry survey. Acornstem was working her way through ThunderClan, just as Poppyshine had been doing; Mottlestar was sick, too. There had been no confrontation from the calico yet, though one was perhaps long overdue, but her same bitter feelings toward Perchstar churned over the calico. And looking further on was WindClan, lacking both leader and medicine cat now, of all perilous times... only ShadowClan, though struggling in their own right, seemed spared from the threat of destruction roiling under every shift on the breeze.

Birdstar spat through another cough and turned forward, facing the dizzying heights of the mountains continuing into the horizon and the sparkling lake beneath them. Wolfblossom stepped closer, putting voice to the actions of now Birdstar needed to take. "I know," she murmured, sparing a glance back towards the hunch of SkyClan. Shivering, coughing, staggering against each other. They needed to rest, create space to tend to their ill... but not here.

"SkyClan!" Birdstar called out, fighting to suppress the wince that wanted to show over how raw her throat was. "We're going to continue moving closer to the lake, and take shelter in the trees there. All who are healthy: support those that aren't. No one is to be left behind. Assist Smokepetal as well. And stay close." Her last few words sputtered. Swallowing down the cough that brewed in her throat was tormentously difficult and it only aggravated the searing. "Those of you not otherwise occupied will collect moss and water as we pass by the lake. Necessary patrols for hunting and continuing to search for Ploverpaw will be arranged when we stop." She hated to make them continue like this, but she refused to let her paws rest so close to cats who would kill them for a moment longer. With a grimace, Birdstar looked across all of SkyClan, head lowering in a somber nod before she turned to press the march onward without a word to the other leaders.

Though she moved forward, Birdstar didn't go far before her paws came to a staggered halt again. Creamsky lay sprawled across a tone, coughing blood onto his paws. Birdstar's chest twisted. She did not want to press her nose to his head and risk worsening either of their symptoms by sharing breath, but she jaw quivered with the want to extend the effort. Though a gross number of them were ill, with many nearly debilitated by it, it was hard not to think some of the gravity to Creamsky's own symptoms was aggravated by his tireless devotion to the trust position he'd been given. Stifling a bitter cough of her own, Birdstar bent down to press the flat of her head to his shoulder instead, gingerly urging him. "Thank you, Creamsky," she said softly. "I'm proud of you. Walk with me. We'll make sure Smokepetal can look after you once we reach the woods."

Birdstar has ordered SkyClan to regroup and continue moving, and stopped to collect Creamsky on the way. [Moderately sick]

Rookflight

Since the fierce storm descended on them, something cold and scratching had settled into Rookflight's chest. It was not just his own, though: the disease spared few as it took root amongst the Clans. He had, though somewhat distantly, been aware of his Clanmates' decline before he took notice of his own: Cindersky, Perchstar, Willowwisp. Larkspring and Sunpool stayed healthy, at least... that was some relief. But only a few short days before reaching the lake, Rookflight's body revolted, waging bloody war against only itself. He could not see clear enough to walk in a straight line, whether his vision was blurring or it had gone worryingly dark; even if he could see, his legs trembled with the effort of supporting even his own light weight. Rookflight's lungs were in agony, flaming with every breath he hoped to take. Sweat built on his skin, bunching in the dampening over-layers of his short fur, but Rookflight felt colder; colder even than the leaf-bare air should have made him.

Every step forward was a test to see how far survival instinct could carry them. More than almost anything, Rookflight wished to just collapse into the springy grass, stain it red with the blood that kept coming out when they coughed; lay there until the fitful hours of relief sleep would bring found them. But an acute awareness, not of their own mind, but of the hard-wiring of their nerves, had possessed Rookflight: they were certain that if they fell asleep, they would die. It was only instinct and the rotating weights of Larkspring and Cindersky at their side that kept them aloft.

The motion around them was changing. Not stopping, but shifting--rather than coursing forward, as they had been seemingly endlessly, the mass of Clanmates was now circling within itself. They wobbled dangerously as they came to a halt beside Larkspring. Rookflight blinked dazedly, realizing they hadn't been seeing the ground they'd been staring at, and lifted their head with a hiss of effort. Between the swarming bodies, they could see a great bed of reflective blue, obnoxiously warm colors dappling the edges of their vision. Craggy peaks continued far, far on, their spread jaws disappearing into the hazy blue horizon.

It was impossible to tell if the shudder that wracked Rookflight was from cold, fever, terror, or the muted thrill of seeing the world lively for the first time in moons. Either way, Rookflight's body sank, legs threatening to bow, and the trembling shook loose a cough that spat blood onto the ground between their paws. His claws flexed, embedding deep in the soft earth to fasten him in place, and Rookflight shut his eyes tight to combat the dizziness that overwhelmed him.

Lost in his trembling ache, Rookflight was certain he was going to collapse soon--wholly positive his muscles and heart would give under the strain, if he hadn't been pushed forward. He rocked uncertainly but followed the voices and pressure guiding him onward. Oh... Larkspring. Rookflight hadn't even noticed him speaking. It felt like wet moss had been stuffed in their ears, muting every sound. Even Cindersky was walking alongside them, who gave Rookflight a startle they were too tired to show when they realized her presence. They dragged their attention between the cats on either side of them, trying to make sense of the urgent mews, but it all just sounded like noise. Rhythmic but senseless noise, like the gentle lapping of small waves against the riverbank.

Waves... Rookflight blinked. Larkspring had pushed them further away from the amassed Clans, standing closer to the water now. The cold wind blowing off its surface made Rookflight shiver again. They blinked glassily at Larkspring, seeking direction--and he answered, but Rookflight still struggled to comprehend. Whatever he'd said, Larkspring was pushing them and Cindersky both to rest. The thought of lying down made deep dread freeze through their organs, and Rookflight repeatedly insisted with themself to protest or wrestle back, but they couldn't command the energy to. Being still prompted their bones to finally melt within them, and Rookflight found themself suddenly stretched prone where they'd just been standing up. They were now overly aware of how deep and fast their flanks heaved in an effort just to breathe. An impossible weight held them pinned, keeping them from even lifting their head to call after Larkspring or look for Cindersky nearby.

Rookflight is laid out, accompanied by Larkspring and Cindersky. [Severely sick]

Rowansong

Rowansong's stomach turned as the endless drumbeat of pawsteps slowed to a halt. Suffering the weather had been bad enough, but two things had happened between the storm and now: something had, rather swiftly and unsubtly, killed their alliance with SkyClan, and plague was trying to kill them. There'd been a rippling tension under Perchstar's coat he'd never seen before. Day by day, the air around them grew thicker with both miasma and hostility. Rowansong cast his eyes across the expansive lake, thinking foggily of Felix's stories about the sea, but Poppyshine's hesitant warning to avoid contact with SkyClan made it impossible to marvel at the sight. The anxiety left by unspoken tensions filled any space in his mind not taken up by fever-fog.

However he felt, Rowansong figured he was one of the few lucky enough to not be brought completely to their paws by their disease. It had caught him, sure--his pelt burned and he could not keep from sneezing and he frequently stumbled as the world fell out of balance beneath his paws... but he was standing, and he was largely coherent. Rowansong ducked his head to cough into his ruff, expeling his gnawing nerves alongside half his air, before forcing himself to focus on where he drifted among his Clanmates. There were many of them he wanted to tend to, nearly all of his loved ones stricken in some way, but it was Stormdance his paws led him staggering to first. There was some relief just in seeing the senior warrior, but it was flattened by the state of his health.

"Hello," Rowansong said quietly, mew roughed by his recent side, as he moved to approach Stormdance's side. He pressed his shoulder against his former mentor's, firm but gentle support. "Let's stay together, shall we? I needn't watch you stumble about and invite more grievous ails." He spoke with that flippant little huff natural to him, but no matching laughing accompanied his quip, and Rowansong's dulled eyes had grown full with concern.

Rowansong is checking on Stormdance. [Moderately sick]

Silverpaw

Silverhawk kept looking sidelong at Pineblossom while the pack of them shuffled forward. He couldn't stand seeing her sick. He'd been terrified from the moment she showed even the faintest cough. He didn't care about a single other cat that was sick right now. Pineblossom was sick. Silverhawk hadn't been able to shake the desire to strip his entire pelt off in a fit of nerves. Scratching and gnawing at the thinning fur around his shoulders wasn't enough to put him at ease anymore--nor was it an easily accessible outlet. Here, now, drinking in the crisp air of fresh land while his mother fought to catch a spare breath beside him, with scared kits stumbling ahead of his paws, Silverhawk couldn't afford the spare time to pull himself apart.

"No wandering off, Hedge." Silverhawk said in as gentle a voice as he could manage. When he looked around in search of the medicine cats his sister was determined to find, he saw Heatherberry sprawled across the ground. His ears flattened and he turned quickly back to the kits. Watching Hedge try to will better health into Pineblossom by digging into her fur made him feel a step outside his paws. It was like watching himself paw desperately at a long-still body. Swallowing a breath, he went on, "You aren't old enough to wander off yet. Neither of you are. You all need to stay here, so Pineblossom has someone to look after her." But she did need help. Silverhawk hadn't seen her among the crowd, but he figured Burdockroot was already occupied with something else, too. Looking a little ways away toward Hawkpaw, he bluntly instructed, "Keep an eye on them. I'm going to get moss and water." Without waiting, he turned and slipped away from the crowd to do just that. As genuine as the effort to help was, it was an equally good excuse to walk away from staring at Pineblossom curled shakily on the ground and try to calm his hitching breath.

Silverhawk is fetching water for Pineblossom. [Healthy]

Lightningbreeze was, in general, an easygoing cat with a breezy attitude; but one thing she didn't tend to do was take it slow. Her paws moving slower than her mind was starting to drive her crazy, the world spinning slowly with every step forward she tried to take. A blur that revealed itself by voice to be Sorrelpaw, her apprentice, was at her side before long and offering help.

In this state she wasn't going to be much of a mentor, at least for the moment. She was proud, but not proud enough to turn down the help when she needed it. "I can't run," she muttered, leaning on Sorrelpaw and feeling grateful that she herself was quite light. "Somethin' about that just feels wrong. Well, everything about that feels wrong, but... I can't even get my thoughts in order, Sorrelpaw. Is the world not spinnin' for you?"

Poppyshine

Duckpaw’s terrified whimpering broke Poppyshine’s heart. She knelt down beside them and licked reassuringly at their fur where it was mussed up from sickness and travel. “It’s alright, Duckpaw. You are probably just tired from so much walking. I’ll carry you over to the other clanmates and Sandyshell will check you over, okay? You don’t have to be afraid.”

She shifted her nose under Duckpaw’s belly and carefully wriggled to get them up onto her back. Poppyshine carefully lifted them up and made sure they were secure before he headed over to where she saw sick cats gathering. She gave grateful purrs to the healthy cats who were guiding the sick ones to one spot. She laid Duckpaw down at Murkyriver’s side and pushed them together so they could keep one another warm. To Murkyriver she murmured, “Rest,” and then moved on to check on the other cats.

Poppyshine brought Duckpaw to Murkyriver and the other sick cats. She’s doing rounds to check on other cats and is open if she is needed for anything. [Not sick.]

RiverClan • Tier 5 • Deputy • She/Her • 70 | 160 • #669966

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 | image 1 | image 2 | image 3

Pineblossom

Pineblossom shook her head tiredly and moved a paw to push her kits close to her again. “No, no, dears…I’ll be alright. I’m just tired. Listen to Silverhawk." She closed her eyes to rest them. “You all must be tired after that travel too…Let’s all rest together. I’ll be okay.” Her eyes opened again, gold just barely visible, and she smiled. “Those stories sound nice, darlings. You can tell me a story if you want to. I’m sure that’ll help me feel better.” That and a nice long nap. She didn’t want to take herbs from the cats who were sicker than her, so she would bother Heatherberry or Burdockroot another time. Right now…she just needed to nap.

Pineblossom is about to take a nap. [Moderately sick.]

ShadowClan • Tier 5 • She/Her • 70 | 160 • #6699ff

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 | image 1 | image 2 | image 3

Larkspring

It didn’t take too long to find some moss growing on an undisturbed rock not too far from the lake. He tore it off rapidly and then plunged it into the lake. He let it soak for a moment and his eyes scanned back to make sure Cindersky and Rookflight looked alright. He looked back to the moss and picked it back up. Freezing water trickled down from the moss and onto his chest, which made him shiver, but he hurriedly started walking back to his friends. When he arrived, he set the moss down in front of Rookflight and encouraged some of it into his mouth so he could drink. “Take the moisture, Rook,” Larkspring murmured.

He looked to Cindersky and gestured towards it. “You as well…Thank you for cleaning them. I can tidy your fur too, if you want.”

Larkspring is back with Cindersky and Rookflight with some damp moss for them to get drink from. [Not sick.]

RiverClan • T1 Warrior • He/Him • 30 | 80 • #787878

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 | image 1 | image 2 | image 3