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

◆

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

 

[FITZGERALD]

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.


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