Preventing Disaster // Open!!

[✗ Featherpaw ✗]

The young apprentice probably shouldn't have been out of the camp by herself, let alone the territory. But, she didn't know where her mentor was and they were very low on cat mint. It was the only known complete cure for the killer white, green, and fatal black cough. With the cold growing and the prey dying it was a big surprise that they had yet to get a single case of the dangerous disease in the camp. She had been wanting to go out for a while now, to stock up because they were almost out and so far they were in the clear. But, all the clans knew that once you get one case, it spreads like wild fire. It had been known to take out large numbers of a Clan at a time - just like it had WindClan not too many moons ago. She felt bad for the moorland clan. Not only because they were suffering worse than anyone else, but their leader, Rabbitstar, had become leader under a green cough epidemic and  being the kind cat she was, Featherpaw pitied how hard it must be to be so close to the disaster again.

Now, her paws moved quick across the dark forest, it was probably not too long after moon-high. She would have gone at day break, but Frozenstar would have bit her ears off, so she was going now, by herself. The only known patch of cat mint was just off the Thunderclan border, in the Twoleg place. She wasn't scared of kittypets and loners, her only nervous thought was if the dogs were going to be loose. But, she would be careful, and she was a good tree climber if she needed a quick escape. The wind blew against the trees, sending snowflakes flying and making the apprentice feel like she was in some kind of winter wonderland. Though, it was a very cold one. The whole Clan was starving, and besides her fluffy winter coat, she was nothing but skin and bone. Her ribs were poking out from under her fur and like most o the Clan, her hunger was never quite satisfied. But, they were all starving, all four clans, what had they done to deserve this?

Her ears flicked and she was on the outskirts of the woods, staring into a large line of houses, fences, and roads. It was a terrifying place in general. She was exposed to not only dogs, but two-legs as well. She stood in that spot for a while, her silver coat glistening in the moonlight as she stared. Finally, she gathered up her courage - she needed to do this to protect her clan. The apprentice sighed, her tail giving a few lashes before she pushed her body into a quick moving jog, she knew what to look for. A dark brown, wooden fence. Right over it the two-leg family had a garden that grew cat mint. It wasn't long before it came into sight, but Featherpaw was clever and she knew they had a dog that guarded their front yard. She had made this trip a couple times a few moons ago with her mentor. The dog was almost always tied up. 

Right now, she saw nothing of him. Keeping to the shadows, she swerved around the house, only pausing to jump up on the fence. Her claws scraped the wood noisily and she froze, green eyes wide with panic as she looked around. Still no dog. Her tail tip flicked nervously before she landed in the garden, her paws tredding lightly against the snowy ground. Just as she was approaching, giant snowflakes began to fall. A storm was coming in, again. Featherpaw felt her fur tremble against the bitter cold. The lack of food in her diet made her fur thin and shaggy, the cold slipping in like nasty fangs wanting to shred her. She shook out her fur, ignoring the nipping wind and jumped into the small box that held the plants. The winter had taken a tole on them already, most of the plants themselves were black and dead, but as she dug in the dirt, she was able to find two or three mouthfuls of fresh plant. Though, she had to be careful not to dig too deep and prevent the plant from growing back next year. 

The apprentice jumped onto one of the outdoor window sills, ripping a giant leaf from one of the two-legs other dying plants. She perched herself back on the wooden box and placed the cat mint she had dug up onto it. It was easier this way so that she didn't have to make two more trips, she could bring it back all at once. However, by the time she had jumped back over the wooden fence, it was snowing heavily. The wind made it look like a white screen everywhere and she couldn't even see the surroundings to remember which way was home. She was terrified in the least. She was going to have to sit the storm out and she knew Frozenstar was going to be raging when she finally returned to camp. She would not be allowed to leave the camp! The apprentice shivered. This time, not from the bitter cold but from the fear of returning to a panicked camp that thought they lost their medicine cat. 

Still, she couldn't stand out here forever. The snow flew in her eyes, blinding her. Her steps were slow and heavy, but eventually, she found a few rocks that piled together and it was enough for her to crawl about 7 tail lengths inside to escape the snow and the wind. Shivering, the small, gray apprentice curled into a tight ball, her tail wrapped over muzzle to keep it warm. Her body was still wracked with shivers as her thin fur tried to keep her warm. She already knew it was going to be a long, long night.

[BRACKENPAW]

If Brackenpaw wasn't used to the scent of herbs already, he might have been annoyed - a waft of sweet herb scents seemed to surround and follow him, even as he traveled farther out of the territory and towards the Twolegplace. It was no mystery why - he had been sifting through the stores very meticulously just a while earlier, looking over every herb in their stores and even going back over them twice. This was the reason he had come this far in the first place - they were running low on a few things, catmint in particular, and he was confident that he had already scoured most of WindClan's territory without finding a single thing. The frost had killed most of their herbs, which had little shelter on the moorland - but in the Twolegplace, things grew better, especially in the Twoleg gardens. 

He didn't know exactly where he was going - his mentor had only taken him here once, and they hadn't come much farther than the first few nests, as it was only a trip to show him where the place was and not how to find any herbs in particular - but he didn't have much time to worry about it after he had been walking in the Twolegplace for a short while; not too far ahead of him, the cream-and-white apprentice spotted a small feline figure, perched upon a fence. At first he felt confused - he thought that the cat must be a kittypet, but the familiar gait and gray-and-white pelt soon clued him in. It was Featherpaw, a fellow medicine cat apprentice and a ShadowClanner. Brackenpaw tilted his head just slightly as he moved to follow her, curiosity getting the better of him. Just what kind of coincidence was it that the both of them would have the idea to come search for catmint tonight? At least, that's what he assumed she was doing. I'm in luck, then, he thought. She looks like she knows where she's going.

Mind made up, Brackenpaw watched as the other apprentice leapt down into the garden on the other side of the fence. It took him a while to reach the fence himself, as he had been somewhat far; by the time he had reached it, heavy snow had begun to fall, and he was starting to have trouble seeing. He paused for a while at the bottom of the fence, wondering if he should turn back - then he heard pawsteps on the other side, and darted on instinct to a nearby patch of ferns, flattening himself to the ground. As the tabby-and-white tom peered out through the ferns and snow, he saw that it was only Featherpaw, returning from the garden with what looked like a fair amount of catmint - maybe all that there was to take in the garden. Even as he considered whether he should go ask her for a sprig or two, the storm was growing stronger and stronger - he was squinting to even make her out now, standing near the edge of the fedge and looking somewhat frightened. Even Brackenpaw was beginning to feel unnerved - part of him wondered if he would even be able to make it back to camp in this, especially if it were to get worse.

Featherpaw was moving now, and Brackenpaw realized with a jolt that she was not going home, but instead trying to find shelter. He realized, then, that he had no chance of making it home, not now. He could hardly see Featherpaw, not even very far away from him - he could hardly even see where he was putting his paws! Brackenpaw followed her hurriedly as she seemed to find somewhere, a small shelter of rocks that she slid inside; he paused for a brief moment, wishing that the snowfall hadn't made him so hidden, so that his appearance wouldn't come as such a shock to the other medicine cat. He wouldn't be surprised if she clawed his ears off as soon as he took a step inside - she was a ShadowClan cat, after all. Still, the cold was too much for Brackenpaw, and he could not bear to wait around outside any longer. "Featherpaw! It's me, Brackenpaw!" he called out as he hurried to squeeze in after her, having to near-yell just to make himself heard over the loud winds of the storm. As the tabby tom began to crawl inside, unsure how he would be received, he thought one thing -

I really hope she doesn't actually claw my ears off.

TAGS: ✗ Featherpaw ✗ 

OOC: (( sorry if i made any mistakes in this, its almost midnight and im super tired x_x but i dont know if even rereading it for errors will help at this point... i'm practically dead right now, haha. so i'm going to go to bed and hope that there's no glaring errors in this! im really sorry!!! ))

[✗ Featherpaw ✗]

The only thought that was coursing through the medicine apprentices mind was how cold she was. How loud the wind was. How much trouble she was going to be in when she got back to camp. Oh, she had really done it this time. Her body gave another violent shiver and she stuffed her head underneath her paws, trying the best she could to block out the freezing weather. Why, out of all nights, had she chosen to sneak out now? Why did she need to be so eager to please Frozenstar and her mentor? Oh, that name seemed so coincidental right now, it made the apprentice shiver harder. A voice seemed to hush against the wind, but she couldn't make out the words or catch the smell. The cold around her made her feel weak. Even without the wind and snow getting in, it was still freezing, and her winter coat was still thin and no good for the situation she was in. She needed to be smarter, this was just a horribly naive mood and she would be lucky if she made it through the night.

Suddenly, the voice turned into a shape as it broke through the storm and into her little makeshift den. However, the moonlight was blocked out and it was pretty much all darkness in the den. Still, she could smell the other cat much better now - it was Brackenpaw. One of her favorite cats as well as the medicine cat apprentice for Windclan. Featherpaw's ears perked and she forced herself to her paws, legs trembling as they tried to hold her weight. She approached Brackenpaw with a smile that was almost forced, but she meant it. She had no idea of what he had said to her, but boy was she happy to see him. A hoarse purr rumbled in her throat and she butted her head against his shoulder before giving it a lick and backing away. "I am so glad to see you." She purred, her voice scratchy, but still sweet and young over the hoarseness. The fluffy gray apprentice made her way back to her herbs and allowed her body to flop back to the ground, her tail wrapping around her paws once more, but her head remained up.

Once she was comfortable again, she gave a soft mew to Brackenpaw. It was an offering to come and law with her, to let them both warm up a little bit before it was safe to travel. Unlike other apprentices and warriors, Featherpaw had no issue sharing her space with another clan cat, such as Brackenpaw. First, she had grown up with him and had a stronger bond with him than most of her clan mates. And two, she was a medicine cat anyway, as long as she didn't take on a mate, she wasn't breaking her code. Her code was to heal the wounded and defend the sick - well, they were both pretty close to sick right now. No harm done. If he came to lay beside her, she nuzzled her head into his chest fur, trying to block out the wind. She felt comfortable around him, and she could only hope that he felt comfortable around her, too. Her fur was fluffy and still held it's baby softness, though it wasn't much use for her, compared with the tom's it made a bit of a blanket. In no time, she was beginning to warm up and allowed her small body to wrack in thick purrs. Her head rested on her paws, eyes closed as she enjoyed the moment.

Maybe this wasn't such a disaster after all. 

Tags: BRACKENPAW

[BRACKENPAW]

The cream-colored tabby stared as Featherpaw moved to greet him; he was relieved that she hadn't been startled or hostile at his sudden appearance. Then again, she did look pretty miserable - so he guessed that was good, considering it meant that she seemed happy to see him instead of hostile at the shock (though he also supposed she had recognized him.) Er... not good. It wasn't good that she was miserable at all. In fact, Brackenpaw was starting to feel pretty miserable himself, standing there in the entrance to the little makeshift den as he mulled over his thoughts in his head. Snow pelted him from behind; had Featherpaw said something? 

It took Brackenpaw a moment, sifting back through his short term memory to remember the words he simply hadn't processed, before he realized what he had missed - "I am so glad to see you." By this time, Featherpaw had lay down a little farther into the shelter, and as he blinked at her in mild puzzlement she gave a mrrow that he only assumed meant she wanted him to come and lay beside her. That was logical; it was freezing, and Brackenpaw was pretty sure he had lost all feeling by now in the half of him that still resides outside the shelter. Without hesitating another moment, the slender apprentice followed in Featherpaw's pawsteps to promptly plop himself down beside her, his striped fur brushing against her pelt, still kitten-soft. As the other apprentice snuggled in closer to him, pressing her head into his chest fur, he pressed closer as well, grateful for the warmth she provided and the closeness he felt in her presence. It was nice to be able to share a moment like this with a frien, despite the circumstances - Brackenpaw didn't have many friends, after all. (In fact, his list of friends consisted of only two other cats - Featherpaw and his brother. He wasn't very social.)

"Cold?" Brackenpaw ventured, purring softly, a late response to Featherpaw's greeting. He paused briefly, shaking his fur a little to dislodge some of the scraps of snow, before adding in a somewhat amused voice, "Me too." Though he was already beginning to warm up - within a short while, he would probably be feeling a lot less frozen. The medicine cat apprentice rested his chin on the top of Featherpaw's head, where it was nuzzled against his chest, and puffed out a breath of warm, foggy air into the den as he shook out the last of his shivers. As he drew a breath back in, this time with his jaws parted, he caught the smell of the catmint Featherpaw had brought in somewhere close to them, though he didn't really feel like looking around to see exactly where. Though it did make him remember - he had something to ask her, though he hoped it wouldn't 'ruin the moment' per se. He supposed if her answer was no, he could still remain polite with her, though he would definitely be upset at the prospect of having to go home empty pawed - right. The question. "Did you come out here looking for catmint too?" he asked softly, voice slightly raspy from the cold. It was obviously a silly query- he could smell the catmint she'd set in the den, even if he hadn't just seen her gather it - but he went on; "Could I maybe take a sprig or two home for my Clan? I was worried... what with what happened before. So I came out here to find some." He was referring to greencough epidemic that Rabbitstar had become leader under; even as he awaited Featherpaw's answer, he cracked one dark blue eye open, though he couldn't really see much but wall ahead of him anyway.

[✗ Featherpaw ✗]

Cold? Brackenpaw's kind voice filled her ears and she gave a small nod of her muzzle. "Sadly." She murmured, her voice soft and tired. He responded with an amused ' me too ' and the shadowclan cat felt a small smile curve onto her face. Her purr was thick and low, vibrating off her throat and against the toms fur. It felt good to be able to lay next to another cat without having to worry about the other cats screaming and look at her weird just because she was a medicine cat. She was still young, still needed that love and affection - just like any cat! She might not be able to have a mate and kits, but a chance to just curl up beside another cat and feel loved, needed? Was that so wrong to ask for? Her emotions seemed to run ragged with her, but when the tom beside her rested his head on hers, she felt her body relax and give into his warm fur and soft breathing. How could this be so wrong by Starclan? Her heart ached for a moment, knowing her path would never allow her to have something like this, a love longlasting. And it hurt more than the scratches she would obtain at the dark forest. Her green eyes gazed out into the storm, watching as the snow raged on like it had no worries in the world. She loved her duties, but she would also love to be that..that free.

The gray and white cat dug her face deeper into the toms chest, as though to run away and hide from all the emotions clinging to her mind and making her feel sick to her stomach, only when she fell into a light sleep in Brackenpaw's warmth did she manage it. She awoke to his soft breath on her head as he spoke to her, but for the moment she was too groggy to understand. A soft "hmmm," left her throat as though she was acknowledging in her head, but in the reality, she was trying to recite the words he had said to her. Something about the catmint. "I got a lot." she murmured sleepily, snuggling her head back into his fur. Her sleepiness was making her feel as though he were the only warmth in the entire world. "Left the roots so it'll grow back next season." Another soft murmur as she cuddled up to him. Right now, the only thing she could think about was the warmth of his fur and his scent filling her nose. This was  a one time thing, it would never happen again, and she wanted to soak herself in it before the dawn came and they would have to separate over borders. She didn't know what she was feeling, it was confusing, but she was too tangled with many emotions to really think too much about it. However, when he spoke of taking some of her catmint, she was a bit more awake and receiving of the words.

He was explaining to her that he had came looking for it too, so apparently she had beat him to it. He also explained how he didn't want another winter like the one when Rabbitstar had taken reign of Windclan. She understood and lucky for Brackenpaw, Featherpaw was one of those cats that was more than welcome to help. She gave a small mew and nod of her head, pulling herself to her paws and reluctantly untangling herself from the orange tom. The gray apprentice moved further to the back of the den where she had placed the herbs to let them dry out. Now, she lowered her haunches, using her small and strategic paws to sort the catmint into two even piles. She gently lifted up one half and brought it back to where Brackenpaw lay, putting it neatly down by his paws as she licked her tongue around to get rid of the taste. "That's half of what I got. Use it as scarcely and wisely as you can, that's all we will have from the brown box until next green-leaf." Her voice was still soft with sleep, but her tone was kind and smooth, showing that she had wanted to help and it was nothing out of her self pity. The she cat lowered herself back into a laying position, allowing her fur to brush the toms, but her head rested on her own paws now, giving him his space. Still, a smile was on her muzzle and her green eyes focused on the snow that reflected the sparkle in her eyes.

Tags: BRACKENPAW
Notes: sooo cuteeee ;**

[BRACKENPAW]

The cream-colored apprentice watched as Featherpaw disentangled herself from him and moved to where he could now see the herbs laying; as he looked on, the other medicine cat sorted the herbs into two nearly identical piles, before bringing one bundle over to drop at his paws. "That's half of what I got. Use it as scarcely and wisely as you can, that's all we will have from the brown box until next green-leaf." When she spoke, Brackenpaw could still hear the sleepiness muddling her voice - but her tone was warm and kind, and the cream-and-white tom blinked gratefully at her. "Thanks, Featherpaw," he mewed as she lay back down next to him, though notably much less entangled with him this time around. Her soft gray fur still brushed his, but she had her head upon her own paws; for a moment the tabby tom felt a pang of disappointment, though he didn't know quite why. If Brackenpaw had been a more self-aware individual, he might have realized that he was simply feeling the loss of a moment that in all probability was something he, as a medicine cat, would never experience again - and perhaps also at the loss of such a feeling of closeness with Featherpaw herself. But as in tune as he could be to the emotions of others, he was never quite so in step with his own, so he instead surmised that he must have been worried about becoming cold yet again without her cuddled up so close to him. Maybe if it gets colder, we'll lay closer again, he thought mildly.

For a long moment, the medicine cat apprentice allowed himself to fall silent, the only sound emitting from him the soft breathing that came along with the steady rise and fall of his chest. At his least his breaths were without shivers and chattering teeth now. Brackenpaw enjoyed silence; so much of his time was spent off in his own world, daydreaming or simply lost in thoughts, and it was not odd at all for him to go nearly a whole day without speaking to much of anyone. However, something told him - that small voice that sometimes tried to 'warn' him of social cues that, in reality, even that part of him was not fully aware of - that maybe he was expected to speak, say something. He frowned for a moment, considering - "Really, thank you," he settled on saying, keeping his tone friendly, but also attempting to convey his level of gratitude. "It means a lot to me." In truth, it probably wasn't only the herbs he was talking about, but also the friendliness they were and had been sharing. It was certainly nice, even if the storm outside wasn't.


TAGS: ✗ The Timid Fawn ✗ ✗ Featherpaw ✗

[✗ Featherpaw ✗]

The silence was peaceful, not awkward like most would whine about. With her fur against the tom beside her and the storm raging outside, it was almost like a dream. Without thinking, a deep purr rumbled in the medicine apprentices throat and she turned to Brackenpaw, rubbing her cheek against his, her eyes shut lightly as she enjoyed the moment. However, when she caught herself, she quickly pulled back without a word, silencing her purr and resting her head back on her paws. She couldn't do something like that, she was a medicine cat! Showing that kind of affection was against her code. She silently scolded herself, but deep down she was already yearning to press her skin to his once more. Her mind felt strangled and for a moment, she felt as though she were going to explode. 

For the first time in her life, her heart was torn. 

Her green eyes stared out into the storm once more, her body feeling weak and exhausted with her mental fighting, though it showed nothing on the outside. She knew it was impossible for the orange tom to feel the same for her, he was a good cat. Most likely loyal to his code, Featherpaw was already failing it. Thank you, Featherpaw. She heard Brackenpaw murmur and she turned her head to catch his grateful gaze and she forced a smile. "Always here to help." She whispered, her voice a quiet purr, but her eyes showed everything she was feeling. No one could hide those emotions, not even if they were a stone-cold elder. She allowed them to follow into another quiet silence, but this time, the gray apprentice wasn't comfortable. Her thoughts were running like crazy, her mind just wouldn't shut up. She sheathed and unsheathed her claws, allowing them to scratch against the stoney ground and she couldn't find herself able to relax.

Really thank you, it means a lot to me. He murmured and her heart felt like it was going to explode. Instead of speaking with words, she allowed her heart to take over. She scooted herself gently across the ground, allowing her body to press against the golden apprentice once more. Her head curled back over his shoulders and gently, her tongue ran over his fur in long strokes, pulling out the knots and her warm tongue to get rid of the cold spots. Right now, she didn't care about the code.

All she knew was that she wanted to be close to Brackenpaw, and by the stars, she was going to be.

Tags: BRACKENPAW

[BRACKENPAW]

The tenseness that he had sensed surrounding Featherpaw for a while now suddenly seemed to dissipate; before Brackenpaw could ponder as to what had been troubling her, the other apprentice had moved closer to him and began gently lapping at his wind-swept and snow-covered pelt. The cream-and-white tom felt a rush of some emotion he didn't understand - perhaps if he had been another cat, this gesture might have reminded him of the nursery, a mother washing his fur with gentle strokes. But Lakeheart hadn't ever spent much of her time on grooming her kits, not more so than was needed to keep any grime off. Brackenpaw kept himself well-groomed since his apprenticeship, especially as he didn't have any real friends with which to share tongues - and he doubted he could ever get his brother to sit still long enough to do so. Still, unfamiliar as the feeling was, it still felt nice - safe - and a soft, rumbling purr began to build in his chest, his eyes falling shut.

As Featherpaw cleaned scraps of still-melting ice and snow from his pelt, Brackenpaw felt warmth spread through him - but not just in the spots she was lapping at. He felt warm all over, and he smiled slightly in spite of himself. He wasn't sure what exactly he was feeling, but he wasn't one to complain about it - in fact, he wanted more than anything to return the favor, show his gratitude to Featherpaw. He twisted his head around to where she was licking his shoulders, but when he tried to rasp his tongue over her own fur, he found the only place he had reached was her cheek. Pausing, he shifted his weight some, then changed his position a bit; now it was easier for him to reach the other medicine cat's fur, and he was fairly certain she could reach his still as well. Without another thought, Brackenpaw began to gently lap his tongue over Featherpaw's soft, downy fur in long strokes, purring still as he did so.

Never once did the code cross his mind; Brackenpaw was a loyal cat, of course, but mainly to his duties and his position as medicine cat apprentice. The code, as far as he was concerned, was less important than his responsibilities themselves. As it were, he did not really fully understand the gestures they were sharing, or know that there was anything beyond friendliness being expressed - though Brackenpaw was good with the feelings of others, it seemed that in matters of any bonds besides those of friends or kin, he was as unaware as one could be - but even if he had understood, it was likely that he would not have cared. Either way, he was happy - he'd never shared tongues with another cat before, and as antisocial as he could sometimes seem, it certainly did not mean he didn't want interaction. In fact, he often felt starved of it, so often absorbed in his duties or his daydreams.

[✗ Featherpaw ✗]

Featherpaw felt a small shudder as her frozen fur was suddenly warm with the orange tom's tongue. Though, it was just a shudder of surprise, not one of discomfort. In fact, it was the complete opposite. Not often did the apprentice get to share tongues with anybody. Of course, she was allowed, but if she did it in the public of the clan she always got very strange looks. Like she was doing something wrong. But, right here, with Brackenpaw, everything felt right. She allowed him to lick her fur and she returned the favor until she was warm enough, then pulled her head back and rested it on the toms fore-paws, pressing her head into his chest fur. At least, for this moment in time, she could feel like someone admired her, looked up to her, and was willing to be different with her. 

However, once she opened her bright green eyes, she caught that the storm outside was fading and it was well after dawn. She could already see all of the cats searching for her, yelling her name, waiting to give her a huge punishment when she got back. She could already see the disappointment on Frozenstar's face. Still, for some reason, she didn't feel guilty, almost proud. For a few moments, she pushed her face harder into the orange apprentice's fur, closing her eyes as if it would make the world outside her dark once more. Finally her purring seized and she forced herself to leave her embrace with Brackenpaw. "We should probably get back to our homes. It's almost sun-high, we have probably already been missed." She murmured softly, but her voice was sulky and reluctant. She obviously didn't want to go back.

Featherpaw waited for the tom to get to his paws and then she bumped her head hard against shoulder. She hated goodbyes. She knew she was going to see him on medicine cat moons and gatherings, but it would be nothing than the night they had just shared together. The gray apprentice kept her head against his soft fur, giving his fur a few more, regretful licks. "I'll miss you." She meowed quietly, her green eyes clouded with her own emotion, that even she didn't understand. Finally, she pulled her gaze away from Brackenpaw, picking up her stack of catmint and heading to the mouth of the make-shift den. "Until next time." She meowed, a deep breath before she shook her head and bounded off back to shadowclan territory, not even bothering to wash the toms scent from her fur.

The other cats could say whatever they wanted. But, she was in love with the tom, and she was regretting nothing.

Tag: BRACKENPAW
Notes: I thought this would be a good place to end it. But, I'm down to re-plot them any time ;D As soon as possible ahah!