TW: Sensitive Content Open Backwritten Camp 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐌𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 ── .✦ return

[DUSKPOOL]

DUSKPOOL​

Riddled with tension, Duskpool emerged into camp with the blood-tinged Sagesong, head swivelin' in search of Swallowbreeze. "Easy now, kiddo." He murmured to the injured warrior. "Swallowbreeze is gonna patch ya up and yer gonna be good as new, ya hear?" His chest vibrated with the low rumble of his voice.

Beelinin' toward the medicine cat den, Duskpool swiveled his head to count the heads of their patrol before crouchin' down, allowin' those nearby to help slide Sagesong off his back and onto the ground. "Careful, now." He rumbled lowly, mangled ears swivelin' findin' his skin pricklin' with the matted blood paintin' his backside.

His shoulder a forethought compared to the warrior layin' before him. "Dog caught us off guard." He muttered sourly, lips curled into a subtle frown, shame and disgust coilin' tight around his heart, disappointed with himself. If he'd been faster then none of this would've happened, but he can't go changin' the past now, can he? "Teasalfeather did good. They all did." He rumbled lowly, rollin' his shoulder subtly to quell the dull sting from the bite wound, shallow as it was, Duskpool ain't too concerned about it.

we're only haunted by the things we refuse to accept

ooc

information

main ref

• @Sagesong @Teaselfeather @Stonepaw takes place after this thread calling for @SWALLOWBREEZE duskpool does have a shallow bite wound to his shoulder, but he will not say anything!
• 

  DUSKPOOL he/him a storm carved in flesh and smoke, duskpool towers with the bulk of a maine coon and norwegin forest cat. his wooly black pelt bristles with ghost-stripes and scars—old wounds etched like lightning through dusk. one copper eye burns like molten steel and the other a mangled ruin of war. every step is heavy, thunderous—war-born, death-burdened, and unflinchingly alive.
  
  ᯓ★ senior warrior of skyclan (sun guard during coffeestar's reign)
  ᯓ★ brother to outlawbite & thistlestrike, half-brother to flowercloud
  ᯓ★ eighty-three moons; ages on the 1st of every month
  ᯓ★ speech thought action
  ᯓ★ peaceful/healing powerplay permitted
• ​

 

[Sagesong's icon Sagesong Sagesong]

Oh, now I'm here and i'm hoping
for sun in the afternoon

.

The scent of camp reaches Sagesong and a paw twitches faintly, wanting to protest being carried like this for all to see but they find that their body is refusing to listen. Breathing itself is a painful chore, and despite Duskpool's best efforts the occasional faint jostling is enough to force out a whimper through clenched teeth. A vocal reminder to those nearby that they were still amongst the living.

Easy now, kiddo.

She'd laugh at the nickname if it wasn't so painful to do so, instead she turns her head to bury her face into the other's fur as they come into camp proper. Stars, they don't want the clan to see them like this. They don't want Crowpaw to see them like this. They were supposed to train later today... It seemed that would not be happening now.

A hiss of pain is dragged out of her even as those nearby do their best to bring her down gently into a nest. "I dunno..." Everything is painful, their eyes squeeze shut against it. They want to crawl into some crevice and not come out until the pain stops or at the very least least dulls. "D-dunno what happened, it was on the backfoot..."

And then all too quickly it had gone back on the attack. Everything after is a blur. Sagesong vaguely recalls hearing Teaselfeather call for them- were they ok? Was Stonepaw? She already had enough bad luck with dogs, what a disaster this patrol had been...

Eyes finally open, pupils round and blown wide as she struggles to crane her neck to take stock of who was there with a wince. "Are Teaselfeather and Stonepaw ok..? They're not hurt..?"

If either of them had gotten hurt because of their own slowness they would not forgive themself easily.

26 moons

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skyclan warrior

◆

they/she

◆

bio

The Flood, The Feeling Comes Over

SAGESONG

✿—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
✿— Small, Curly-furred, Mottled Black And Brown Cat With Heterochromia.
#356458

 

[TAWNYBEAM]

The iron tang of blood reaches Fitzgerald before he realizes who carries it.

"Miss Swallow, you've got company!"

he calls for the medicine cat as he stops by her den, eager to rush towards the returning cats to inquire about what could have possibly happened now.

SkyClan's camp is a blur as he reaches the patrol. Duskpool offers an explanation, quick and straight to the point, and Fitzgerald is grateful for it. Fighting a dog is no easy task, so Fitzgerald wastes no time in sending a silent thank you up to StarClan—Duskpool is a fierce warrior, someone who can surely move mountains if he really wanted to.

"Teaselfeather?"

Fitzgerald swears his gulp is audible. Of course they did good; I trained them! The comment dries up in his mouth as fear grips him instead of light amusement. It's not like he is a formidable foe in battle—quite average, in fact, so it would be tactless to joke about who passed what to one another right now. He cranes his neck to see whether Teaselfeather and Stonepaw are coming too, but can't find them just yet.

Unwilling to seem like he doesn't care about Duskpool or Sagesong, Fitzgerald momentarily turns back towards them.

"Need any help walking? You can lean on me, if you want."

She looks awful, having been more or less carried by Duskpool and now helped to the ground.

 

[Teaselfeather Teaselfeather]

TEASELFEATHER

Over hill, over dale, through the valley and vale do not weep, do not wail, I am coming home to you

Silently, Teaselfeather followed after Duskpool, paws dragging, breath shallow. Their mismatched hues, wide and shimmering, never left Sagesong's form. It was as if by staring hard enough, they could keep her tethered here. As if their eyes alone could will her spirit to stay, to stop her from rising like silver smoke to the stars. But fear coiled in their belly like ice, whispering ugly doubts. They had fought. They had screamed. They had clawed. But it hadn't been enough. Sagesong was hurt. Too hurt. And they had failed.

Failed her, failed Stonepaw, failed even Duskpool, whose strength had carried the day. They were supposed to keep everyone safe. That's what warriors did. That's what clanmates did. But as the bloodied warrior was gently laid down, where Swallowbreeze would definitely help her, Teaselfeather remained frozen. Staring. Shaking. She would live. Swallowbreeze would fix her. She had to. Their chest hitched with every breath, a misty veil of tears blurring the edges of their sight. A pathetic little 'mrrrp' escaped them, barely a whisper on the wind.

And then her voice. Soft. Strained. Worried. Worried for them. The sound broke them. She was the one torn open by teeth. She was the one who had stood in the jaws of death, and still, she thought only of them. Teaselfeather moved. Quick steps. Shaky paws. They padded into her view, crouching low, trying to hide the raw terror trembling through their limbs. They blinked slowly, desperately trying to shape a smile, but it faltered beneath the weight of everything.

Words that were already rare, always elusive, they refused to come. As if grief itself had stolen their voice. But in their eyes, wide, bright, and brimming, was all they could not say. Don't die. Please, don't die. You saved me. Let me save you too. You matter. You matter so much. They pressed their forehead gently to her shoulder, just for a heartbeat, sharing warmth the way they knew best. Quiet. Wordless. But full of everything.

═════════════⊹⊱ ⟡ ⊰⊹═════════════

 

[Stonepaw]

She padded silently behind the patrol, unblinking—watching, as she always did. For a moment, her thoughts took over. a storm raging just beneath the surface. Just as she had once wondered if her brother haunted her, she now wondered if she cursed every patrol she teetered after. Dogs had become a recurring ill omen, one that seemed to shadow her steps with never-ending tragedy.

What was the point of all her training if she still couldn't protect others from getting hurt? Was her life shaped only for cruelty and failure, or was she missing something—some piece of herself not yet uncovered? How much more would it take to ensure the cats who took her in remained safe?

Now wasn't the time for self-pity or pity of any kind. Her blue eyes remained fixed on the injured warrior ahead, ears tuned to every hiss of pain, every ragged breath, every soft plea.

She asks after them. Sagesong was kind. At times too kind, but she was also SkyClan—and SkyClan takes care of each other. Stonepaw had seen that for herself, time and time again. "We are uninjured." She answers plainly as she falls in behind her predecessor. Teaselfeather is shaken. She can see it, read it in their silence. They share little in common, but weren't they still kin in a way? SkyClan was all she had in the world, and Teaselfeather—like her—had learned beneath Stonecrow.

Stonepaw drifts closer and sits, her flank pressing against Teaselfeather's. When Swallowbreeze begins, she will find some way to be useful and stay out of the way, but until then… this would have to be enough.

____________But in order to get to the heart of things ⛉ Sometimes, you have to cut through____________

• "speech" - thoughts / emphasis
  
•  
• Stonepaw she/her & skyclan
  ☁︎ LH lilac point with a thick mane, blue eyes, and a half-tail.
  ☁︎ A hollow, vacant voice, stripped of emotion.
  ☁︎ Mentored by Stormcrow.
  ☁︎ Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted For other, DM.
  ☁︎ Smells of pine needles and petrichor.
  
  
  penned by Scarlet​

 

[flowercloud]

Retro rose death and gathering//
the golden molly hummed softly, claws tucking in different materials into the walls of the nursery. Whatever could keep anything out except at the entrance, whatever could keep the molly busy and out of her head. Green eyes staying focused and ears tilting forward. Something felt wrong, but- when did it not feel like that?

It wasn't until the scent of blood and raw fear hit her nose did the molly drop everything to push forward, green eyes widening as a soft uncomfortable noise escaped her throat of pain. She heard duskpools words, and her eyes widen in shock. "A dog? Again? Stars-" exasperated, and heart thrumming against her ribs, shed push forward, nosing her child carefully. He was shaken, his voice quiet again- and she carefully pulled her cheek over his shoulder before nuzzling into the side of his head. "I'm glad you guys are okay, Sagesong- take a breath okay? Teaselfeather, dear- help me get her some water for sagesong, and duskpool-" her green gaze narrows slightly, her voice firm. "You better let Swallowbreeze look over you. If you don't let her- I will, and we both know you won't like that."

Widening her eyes, shed press forward to bring her head close to Duskpool, nuzzling into his head, before continuing walking to grab some water. "Fitz- can you help me make sure dusk gets checked over While I get this water?" She asks softly, a low whisper in passing. "Old man is more stubborn than a-" she shook her head, mind falling short on the comparison. "You get it." She hoped.

It wouldn't be the first time nor the last Duskpool ignored his injuries, and stars, if he stopped being so stubborn, maybe he wouldn't have half the problems he had.

Finally- "stonepaw? I'm glad you're okay, take a breath too. Go alert Hawkstar of the dog sighting, and where, will ya?" She asked, gently of the apprentice, her head craning to match green eyes to the blue. Just to keep paws busy, and from overwhelming Swallowbreeze by surrounding Sagesong.


​

 

[TAWNYBEAM]

One by one, the rest of the patrol returns, and Fitzgerald feels the air grow thicker with... what is it, tension? He doesn't quite know what the deal is. Sagesong seems to be in the worst condition out of them all, but she is breathing and talking, so he has no doubts about Swallowbreeze's ability to put her back together. So aside from the obvious shock that comes after getting violently attacked by a mindless beast, why is the mood so somber? Fitzgerald will have to investigate later. Right now, their health is more important than the details.

Stonepaw confirms that they are uninjured, and Fitzgerald feels his body want to sink with relief.

Fitzgerald almost wants to refuse Flowercloud's order—it doesn't exactly qualify as an order, but he cannot help but compare her quick thinking to her days as Hawkstar's deputy—, but he knows she makes sense. He can always talk to Teaselfeather later. Letting the blood dry on Duskpool's fur will only serve as a bigger nuisance later on.

"Stubborn doesn't even begin to cover it."

His voice is lined with amusement, hoping to lighten the mood with a brilliant flash of teeth.

"I've got him; he can't say no to me. Yeah?"

He turns to Duskpool, lingering at his heels like a shepherd dog, ready to bark directions if his "sheep" starts taking a different route.

 

[DUSKPOOL]

DUSKPOOL​

The older warrior made a move to pull away from the group, wooly plumage swishin' the ground, heart heavy despite all accounted for and relatively in one piece. But that ain't the point now, is it? The lot of 'em got hurt on his watch. Damnit. He was the patrol leader and long before that, a sun guard beneath Coffeestar's reign. He should've handled it better, but life ain't somethin' ya predict, now is it? His chest vibrated with a drawn-out rumble, tiredness and shame wrapped into one.

Hearin' his sister's voice, Duskpool felt the tip of his lips quirk in a weary smirk. Sendin' someone to babysit him now? The older warrior huffed, backside pricklin' with Sagesong's blood and the shallow bite mark. "And when have I ever listened?" He remarked dryly. His molten iris driftin' to Fitzgerald in muted amusement, though stained by the guilt's chains wrapped snugly around his heart and lungs.

"I'll see her when she ain't frettin' over Sagesong." His wooly plumage flickered. He wasn't important enough to warrant a look over. "And besides. I ain't real injured." He grunted sourly, tossin' a weary look of amusement in Fitz's direction. With a slow flick of his tail, Duskpool pivoted on massive paws, set on leavin' camp to find a good water source to wash the blood from his wounds and if he was lucky, find cobwebs to slap on the shallow injury, not real willin' to let Swallowbreeze waist what herb stock they've got on somethin' as superficial as the wound he had.

If he was stopped, then well, Duskpool ain't about to stop. Sagesong was in good hands. Teasalfeather and Stonepaw would be alright, maybe not now, but when the time came. He'd just have to make damn sure it won't happen again, and if it did? Then we'll, Duskpool ought to settle the score and if he perished, then that was all there was to it. Dyin' was inevitable, even if the old fool was hesitant, gaze driftin' to the nursery where Cinderkit and Almondkit were. Made the old tom frown, chest heavin' a rumbled sigh before makin' his way to the entrance with a flick of his mangled ear.

we're only haunted by the things we refuse to accept

ooc

information

main ref

• feel free to follow him! if you'd like a priv i am gripping whoever ^^ but otherwise man has left camp and will return to have his injury looked over by swallowbreeze !
• 

  DUSKPOOL he/him a storm carved in flesh and smoke, duskpool towers with the bulk of a maine coon and norwegin forest cat. his wooly black pelt bristles with ghost-stripes and scars—old wounds etched like lightning through dusk. one copper eye burns like molten steel and the other a mangled ruin of war. every step is heavy, thunderous—war-born, death-burdened, and unflinchingly alive.
  
  ᯓ★ senior warrior of skyclan (sun guard during coffeestar's reign)
  ᯓ★ brother to outlawbite & thistlestrike, half-brother to flowercloud
  ᯓ★ eighty-three moons; ages on the 1st of every month
  ᯓ★ speech thought action
  ᯓ★ peaceful/healing powerplay permitted
• ​

 

[Stonepaw]

From what she heard, Flowercloud used to be deputy. She could tell that giving orders seemed to come naturally to her. "Yes." While she was no longer deputy, Stonepaw offered no argument to her superior. Only understanding of duty passed from one SkyClanner to another. She glanced at Sagesong before she pivoted neatly and slipped out of the medicine-den.

Her pace quickened until she reached the tall pine, claws catching in the soft earth as she wove around clanmates. She was not the kind who brought news with dramatics. When she did find Hawkstar, she didn't waste their king's time. "@Hawkstar, we were attacked by dogs on patrol by the unclaimed twoleg border. Sagesong was badly injured and is in the medicine-den now." The apprentice shuffles out of the way in case the leader wants to go there immediately. Otherwise, she waits.

____________But in order to get to the heart of things ⛉ Sometimes, you have to cut through____________

• "speech" - thoughts / emphasis
  
•  
• Stonepaw she/her & skyclan
  ☁︎ LH lilac point with a thick mane, blue eyes, and a half-tail.
  ☁︎ A hollow, vacant voice, stripped of emotion.
  ☁︎ Mentored by Stormcrow.
  ☁︎ Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted For other, DM.
  ☁︎ Smells of pine needles and petrichor.
  
  
  penned by Scarlet​

 

[TAWNYBEAM]

Fitzgerald can't help but laugh at Duskpool's comment despite the grim situation.

"When? Let me count... aaand I'm done."

He wonders what Flowercloud had wanted to compare Duskpool's stubbornness to. It really is something to behold. Fitzgerald is in full confidence mode right up until the senior warrior decides to pursue his own wants, leaving his appointed lead to gape after him.

"Wait, are you really leaving?"

Fitzgerald gasps. The audacity!

Fitzgerald stops in his tracks when Stonepaw speaks up; her voice is not the loudest as she moves away to fetch Hawkstar, but Fitzgerald cranes in hopes of getting more detail. That's all there is to it though, apparently—a stupid dog. He could sometimes get along with them, courtesy of his days as a kittypet and then a daylight warrior. Not all dogs are made equal though, and some of them are simply hell-bent on shredding cats apart from the moment they were born, like some sort of supervillains.

Refusing to waste any more time, Fitzgerald looks at Flowercloud with amusement in his eyes.

"Wish me luck."

With that, he follows after Duskpool.

Out!

 

[SWALLOWBREEZE]

cw;; descriptions of wounds

moving around in the medicine den becomes instinctual whenever the smell of blood draws near. an ear flicks in acknowledgement of fitzgerald's call, but she's already sweeping the necessary herbs towards her body. "i'm coming— great starclan!" a dog attacked them, and only one of them comes back in this state. good, because they can't afford anymore warriors out of commission, and good because swallowbreeze is one healer.

[cw start]sagesong's body is carefully laid out before her. it's a horrific sight, deep puncture wounds hardening at the ends after flowing for stars know how long. her body twisted in a way that makes her appear dead— the rise and fall of her ribcage is shaky, painful.[cw end] there's not much left of the warrior, but the healer notices how vocal she is, taking it as a sign.

she works while duskpool broods outside of her den, with flowercloud and fitzgerald fussing over him. she won't notice her other patient has scurried off until it's too late to really do anything about it, but her paws are busy being stained with sagesong's blood.

"this may sting, sagesong, i'm sorry." swallowbreeze hopes it does, any reaction out of them will be rewarding to see. when she's finally finished, the healer will lean back and admire her handiwork.

 

[Teaselfeather Teaselfeather]

TEASELFEATHER

Over hill, over dale, through the valley and vale do not weep, do not wail, I am coming home to you

Teaselfeather blinked slowly as Stonepaw's flank pressed against theirs, warmth grounding them in the moment. Their mismatched eyes turned toward the younger cat, and a soft smile found its way to their face. A quiet dip of the head came in response. " Thank you... " they murmured, voice barely louder than a breeze. They leaned in just slightly, brushing their cheek against hers in silent gratitude. Sagesong still lived. That thought pulsed through them like a heartbeat. She was hurt... Badly, but alive. And as long as she breathed, they would not falter.

At Flowercloud's firm, familiar voice rattling off instructions, Teaselfeather gave a small nod and rose on unsteady paws. They followed after Stonepaw, breath shallow, every step weighed down by what-ifs. If they had acted faster... If they had been stronger... Would Sagesong be lying there now, broken and still? The image of the dog flashed in their mind, jaws clamped around her, flinging her like prey. A tremble worked its way through them as they dipped moss into the water, watching it darken with saturation. Their reflection stared back faintly from the rippling surface: a warrior now, not a kit. Not an apprentice.

They had a duty. A name. Teaselfeather. And it had to mean something.

With renewed resolve, they padded softly back into the medicine den, just as Swallowbreeze began her work. They paused, as they often did when watching her, eyes wide with reverence at the grace in each movement. Swallowbreeze made healing look like art. Teaselfeather stepped forward and gently set the moss down beside the medicine cat, glancing briefly at Sagesong's still form. " For her… when she needs something to drink... " they whispered, stepping back to give Swallowbreeze space. They curled up nearby, close enough to keep watch, far enough not to disrupt. Quiet. Present. Steady.

═════════════⊹⊱ ⟡ ⊰⊹═════════════

 

[Hawkstar]

LEADER OF SKYCLAN

.

The scent of blood is not welcomed in SkyClan territory, but it is a stench that Hawkstar is all too familiar with. Her paws are moving before she can think to angle them, and she comes down hard on one pad as she moves - forces - her way from branch perch to the growing throng. She can pick out Duskpool's hulking frame from just beyond her warriors, but whoever he had carried in, whoever's blood that stained his coat, she couldn't tell.

Stonepaw intercepts before she can get that final look: Sagesong was badly injured. Hawkstar's electric blue eye narrows, and begins to count in her head. One. Two. Three. Four. One -

Time the steps to the count. One - Sagesong was injured at the Twolegplace border, two - Stonepaw's paws were raw, were they out with her?, three: the march through the throng is imperious, a mother bear crashing her way to her stubborn, reluctantly claimed, unyielding cub.

"Move," Hawkstar hisses to Fitzgerald and shoulders her way to the entrance of Swallowbreeze's den. The stench was awful: coppery, sickly sweet, pooling and gagging out any other sense or senses.

She lowers her voice to her medicine cat, her ears going flat against her skull. "What is the final damage?

pointed torbie

◆

64 moons

◆

she / they

◆

bio

 

[Sagesong's icon Sagesong Sagesong]

Oh, now I'm here and i'm hoping
for sun in the afternoon

.

It's a whirlwind of activity, understandably so, but they wish it wasn't. Sagesong is not particularly used to so much attention on them even if its for a good reason such as keeping her alive. She allows a faint strained purr to leave her when Teaselfeather briefly presses their forehead to her shoulder. They were ok, so was Stonepaw. That was enough. It was enough...

Flowercloud's voice is throwing orders about and she inhales sharply to laugh at the suggestion to simply breathe but instead it comes out as a stuttering pained noise. No deep breaths for the moment, got it.

"It's ok... I know it's bad. Do what you need..." They finally murmur to Swallowbreeze. Every touch makes them tense, forcing themself not to flinch away from the pain of healing. It was a good thing, she told herself, even if it stung. Even if it hurt. It'd be far far worse if treatment was refused. If this had happened when she was still a loner this absolutely would have killed her, she imagined. If not the severity of the wounds themselves then infection in the days after.

A shadow darkens the entrance to Swallowbreeze's domain; Hawkstar unceremoniously makes her way inside and the mottled warrior sighs. Of course their leader would be notified, she expected to be interrogated on how she'd gotten hurt so badly. Frankly she was not in the mood for such a conversation. If she would be allowed to do so she felt like she could sleep for the next moon.

"I'm ok, I'm ok," They rasp to Hawkstar, suddenly exhausted. "Dog threw me like a piece of prey..."

26 moons

◆

skyclan warrior

◆

they/she

◆

bio

The Flood, The Feeling Comes Over

SAGESONG

✿—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
✿— Small, Curly-furred, Mottled Black And Brown Cat With Heterochromia.
#356458

 

[SWALLOWBREEZE]

sagesong's body moves uncomfortably from her herbs. good, the molly thinks sorrowfully, noticing how many of their limbs twitch after she's done wrapping the cobwebs. two bundles of sticky web nestle in the grooves of sagesong's wounds, slowly working their way into healing what's left.

"thank you." she murmurs when teaselfeather carefully inches the moss towards sagesong, a smile gracing her features. swallowbreeze knows this couldn't be easy for the young warrior, predator attacks aren't supposed to be, but to have two loved ones almost slain by the jaws of a mutt... ah, she'll put aside some poppy seeds for the tortie when things have settled in her den.

hawkstar arrives, her fury unnoticeable in their electric blue eye. "a long recovery, but she'll make it." she noses the wet moss towards the mottled warrior, silently urging her to drink to show their leader the strength still persists.