Burning Words & Sick Lungs [Lunar]

[Avery]

Tags: ℓυиαя
Music: None
Words:525
Muse: Surprisingly high.
ooc:
--

Her lungs were burning.

 They simply felt like they were on fire, and every paw step a small cough would shake her tiny frame. Lifting her snow white muffed paws the Talonclan she-cat desperately tried to maneuver the thick blanket of white crystalline death that clung to the earth. Stars twinkled between the puffy clouds overhead that signaled that more snow was on it's way, and would probably soon began to fall within the next few heartbeats. A pink black rimmed nose twitched in annoyance, knowing that she would probably have to hole up again in the abandoned badger-set that was located on her way back home to Talonclan, and she desperately hoped she wouldn't have to. The place stunk of multiple animals that called it their temporary home, and the last time she had to fight a particularly aggressive raccoon from that place. 

Why would she be needing to stay in an abandoned badger set you might ask?

 Well that was because she was currently traipsing her way through the slopes of Whisperclan in the dead of Leaf-bare. The time that was the most dangerous for the Clans. Prey was scare, and tempers were constantly flaring at the thought of competition for food. Scavengers like foxes were prowling through the borders in hopes for finding an easy morsel, and were growing bolder with each passing day. Talonclan was lucky as far as they went, but on her way down she had hidden from a mountain cat that was scenting the air. She knew she would have to tell her leader the moment she was within the camp walls. A cougar was particularly dangerous for the warriors, as they didn't hesitate to enter the camp and steal kits from the nursery. Pausing she scented the air, and was relieved to find it empty of any Whisperclan warriors. She would simply hate to end her journey early. Many would call her mousebrained for even attempting the perilous journey after a large snowstorm, but although the she-cat was foolish, she was also bored and incredibly stubborn. She was growing restless in the camp, and had made the journey to the other Clan's countless of times already during Leaf-bare; why would should this one be any different?

Perhaps because she was sick.

 Except the marbled refused to believe that. She knew that each cough that escaped her lips, and the burning sensation it left in her lungs only confirmed that she was incredibly sick, but Raindapple needed to leave camp. She needed to get away from the cats she was supposed to call her Clanmates, with their judgmental sneers and quick whispers. Plus, she had had several rows with Mudpaw as of late, and he was driving her crazy. Lurking like a concerned shadow that she could go ask the leader what to do. Not like they could do anything, they didn't even HAVE a medicine cat right now. So Raindapple shouldered her sickness and stubbornly continued to do what her heart wanted her to do. And right now, she was set on seeing a particular red marbled warrior. 

[ℓυиαя]

Large paws left heavy imprints in the fresh snow as the powerful Whisperclan warrior stormed his way through his territory - territory plagued by that traitor he had once called a brother. It had only been recently that he had heard the news but with the latest fall of snow, it made tracking somewhat difficult. The moment he got a lead of the piece of foxdung, he wouldn't live to see another day.

That lone ear flicked as if in empathy.

Red-dusk was too angry to feel the cold even with his medium pelt and as he stalked through the deep snow, those usually warm green eyes enough to make others wonder if he wasn't the cause of the snow. It was highly probable. A snarl ripped through him and caused his lips to peel up off sharp fangs. Did Masquerade even know he was still alive, and if he did, did he care? No of course he didn't. He was the reason for Red-dusks near death experience in the first place. All because Red-dusk had had a conscience. 

What frustrated him the most was that he couldn't even go after him, sort this out alone, rip into him alone, and away from the members in his clan. They didn't deserve that.

Another snarl but this time it was drowned out by a chest racking cough. This time the sound didn't come from him. Green eyes narrowed in his anger and he lifted his muzzle to the cold air to scent those around him, half hoping it was the cat he wanted see, half hoping it wasn't. The last time the two had seen each other, Red-dusk had been lucky to walk away with his life.

but, the scent was of someone else, a she-cat that he had had a few runs in himself with over the last few seasons. His first reaction was anger. He had told her to stop tresspassing on other clans land, hell he had walked her all the way back to the border. Couldn't she get it into her.. Her scent was familiar but tinged with a... tinged with whitecough. Cursing the large tom spurred his legs into a run as he moved towards her scent. He almost ran into her, his eyes still angry but tinged with concern as well. "What the hell are you doing out here?!"

[Avery]

Tags: ℓυиαя
Words: 315
Music: None
Muse: High
ooc: SO adorbs.

--

"What the hell are you doing out here?!"

How rude.

Raindapple's ears flickered back towards her skull at the sound of a voice behind her. Spinning around green-blue eyes locked onto the tall, muscular frame of Reddusk, the warrior she had seen a couple of journey's ago. Unbeknownest to him she had visited Whisperclan only a pawful.. more like a dozen times since. She had been incredibly stealthy and had hidden in the thickest portion of the territory, but today, for some reason she had chosen this portion of territory. Short fur fluffed out the to the fullest it could go, before she cracked her very alluring and easy going smile. "Oh.. Reddusk!" She meowed, making it sound like she had greeted an old friend on a casual walk. "Pleasure to see you again, it's been awhile." A cough rattled in her lungs, and felt like fire as it moved up towards her throat but she stubbornly shoved it down. There was no way she was going to let him see that she was sick. How bad would that look if she waltzed into Whisperclan territory for the thousandth time only to bring Whitecough with her?

Incredibly bad.

"So how've you... been? Keeping busy? Being a ... warrior and such?" The conversation was awkward, her voice strained from suppressing the cough that was clawing it's way to the surface. Clearing her throat as daintly as she could she continued, "Got an apprentice yet?" The urge to cough subside for a few heartbeats and she breathed a sigh of relief. She certainly didn't want to get into an argument about sick. THAT would be incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. "How's... Leafbare?" Of course, if the tom was quick (which he was) he'd pick up on the fact that the feline was rambling again. A sure sign of showing nervousness, and that she was hiding something.

[ℓυиαя]

The anger still flickered in his gaze but an eyebrow raised and watched her as she struggled to suppress those retched coughs. That and the rambling that flooded to his ears, told him she was hiding something, or at least attempting to. Not that she was doing a very good job. He eyed her sternly, ignoring her attempt at conversation. The marbled tom was not in the mood, not to mention he wasn't it the best environment. Whitecough was serious, highly contagious and Red-dusk had seen numerous cats die from the dreadful sickness.

He could wake up to the next sunrise coughing his lungs up and spending many sunrises in the medicine cats den.

Red-dusk took a small step back, his large paw sinking through the snow. "You're sick." For the first time, the tom didn't know what to do. He was well aware of the fact that Talonclan was without a medicine cat but to take her in to Whisperclan would be to risk putting his clan in danger. Eyes never left her as his tail swished back and forth in thought. He knew cats that wouldn't hesitate to send her on her way. He knew others that would hold her above their clan.

Yet what would he do? "How long have you been like this? You need to see a medicine cat Raindapple, and you know it." Was she here because she was sick or because she was in denial? She certainly seemed it to him. Voice stern, eyes unmoving, Red-dusk watched her with an intensity that seemed to pin her in place.

[Avery]

"You're sick."

Tags: ℓυиαя
Words: 333
Muse: High
Music: Cranberries- Zombies
---

Green-blue eyes hardened at his blunt words, but her whiskers twitched and the smile remained on her face. "Pshhh," She meowed after a few moments of silence. "Not sure what you're talking about Reddusk, perhaps you need to get your own nose checked. I ain't sick, it's just my... Talonclan scent. I know we smell weird to you land lovers. It's that fresh mountain air." Her eyebrows wiggled in silliness to mask her frame shaking from the suppressed cough that growled in the depths of her lungs. She couldn't possible admit that she was sick to an enemy cat.

"How long have you been like this? You need to see a medicine cat Raindapple, and you know it"

Tail flicking in irritation now she shook her head, and cleared her throat. "No, I am not. I appreciate your concern Reddusk, but I am not sick. If I was, do you really think I would be travelling?" Her eyes were harder then before, but her voice was still light with a hint of a serious touch to it. She never got angry, and would always twist things into a joyful, joking way, no matter the situation. "Look, I'm fine, see no cough?" She meowed quickly, wiggling her toes as the pressure built inside her chest, pressing uncomfortably. "Anyways, I'll just be on my way ok? I know the drill, get back to the border. So why don't I save both of us a little bit of trouble and just walk myself back." The calculation had been quick when she realized that there was a very high possibility that he would drag her back with him to be looked at by their medicine cat.. considering Talonclan had none. That would definitely cause tension between the Clans and she was undoubtedly be kicked out of Talonclan. "I'll just go home and because you're so worried, I'll get checked out by our medicine cat, ok Mr. Worrypants?"

[ℓυиαя]

"No, I am not. I appreciate your concern Reddusk, but I am not sick. If I was, do you really think I would be travelling?"

Oh was that so?

From his meeting with her last he knew of her stubborn streak however denying this was just stupidity. "Don't be stupid, it'll kill you. You won't even make it home." Green gaze remained narrowed on her. "And now that you have blessed me with it," a grit of that solid jaw, "then you need to come back with me and get help." A moment had been all it took for him to make up his mind. Yes, his clan would be in danger but some cats already had it anyway and he would probably wind up with it too. Plus.. not only was Red-dusk loyal to his clan but he respected those that hadn't wronged him. Raindapple fit the bill. What if it had been her clan that had found him?

"You're coming with me, Raindapple. End of. I'm not having you wander around here sick knowing it all could have been avoided." The question of why she was here in the first pace still clung to the edges of his mind but there would be time for that later. His voice was cold to match the snow around them. This was the last thing the angry tom had been wanting to deal with now, at all times. "Now."

[Avery]

Tags: ℓυиαя
Words:338
Muse: Very high
Music: None
Ooc:
--

"Don't be stupid, it'll kill you. You won't even make it home. And now that you have blessed me with it, then you need to come back with me and get help."

Excuse me?
Since when do you get to order me about like some wayward kit?

Raindapple paused in her stride and turned around to face him, her tail lashing behind her. Eyes icy now she regarded the tom with a hardened expression, and her jaw was set int a rigid display of stubbornness. Did this tom really believe that he could order her around like some helpless kit who had merely strayed past their border's in a search for play time? Did he really feel like he could bring her back to his camp and show her to the medicine cat? Oh hello everyone, my name is Raindapple and I am from Talonclan. I just want to be friends with you, but I just contaminated you all with Whitecough! Surprise!

Somehow she didn't think that would go very well.

You're coming with me, Raindapple. End of. I'm not having you wander around here sick knowing it all could have been avoided. Now."

"Well, since you are asking me so nicely, I feel like I'll just follow you then!" She growled, her voice harsh. "Sorry Reddusk, but I'm not going with you. I have no desire to show my presence to anyone in your Clan. How would that look? What's up Fangstar, I'm Raindapple, pleasure to meet you! I've just been wandering your territory on my own and now your warrior is dragging me back to contaminate you all with possible Whitecough?! Do you really think your leader will stand for that? How mousebrain can you be?" She took a breath before continuing, "I am not your apprentice that you can just boss about Reddusk, so no, I'm not going with you. I'm heading home, good day." With that she twirled around on her toes and bounded off.

[ℓυиαя]

A blink. Two.

What had just happened?

As she turned around and bounded off the marbled warrior growled deep in his throat. Fine. If she wanted to go out there further and freeze then good luck to her but he was not going to sit around and beg for her to help herself. He had his own problems to worry about and she was only making it worse. With a snarl, Red-dusk turned his strong body around and went to head off back the way he came, now most likely with the additional gift he had had coughed all over him. The snow was cold beneath his feet and his large paws sunk into the freezing mush as he stalked along, mood now changed yet again.

Gone was the pure anger. Now he was pissed and frustrated at two cats in his life. What he felt like doing to them was not much different either. A strong sigh of air formed a white cloud around his face as he put more and more distance between them. but what if she died.. There it was again, that little voice that liked to point out all his past mistakes and weaknesses. "Shut up," he muttered to himself however it was enough to cause his paws to slow. As annoying as the voice was, he knew he was right. The tom already regretted so many things in his life, why add to the list?

Growling, Red-dusk turned his body around and headed back in the direction of the sassy female, muttering something about irritating Talonclanners, his legs devouring the distance as he carved through the snow. When she was right in his line of sight, Red-dusk called out ahead. "Raindapple, stop." A gritting of his teeth. "Please." He was not one for manners when in a bad mood. For this to work, they both needed to stop being so stubborn, she needed to play her part too.

[Avery]

"Raindapple, stop. Please."

A white tuffed ear flickered backwards at the sound of his voice calling across the soft slopes of his Clans territory. An incredibly loud, stubborn voice told her to continue on, but a small voice was teller her to stop and listen to him. Raindapple sighed looking down at her paws before turning around slowly to rest narrowed orbs on his red marbled form. "Yes, Reddusk?" She asked bluntly, knowing he was going to try to persuade her to come back to camp with him. A cough errupted from her lips and for several minutes she was at it's mercy. Her small frame visibly shaking from the force, and once it had passed she wheezed, fighting for her breath. "Ok, maybe I am sick, but Reddusk I can't go back with you! You're leader will probably throw you out, and march me right back to Talonclan where I will be kicked out to because we don't.. really.. have a way of treating this."

[ℓυиαя]

The cough spoke for itself. The small marbled Talonclanner was seriously sick and it would only be a matter of time.

Red-dusk stayed where he was a few tail lengths from her, those green eyes watchful of her every movement. Her small frame seemed to be racked by those coughs and it was only going to get worse. As contagious as it was, he could be ok. He was a young, strong warrior with good health. It was the kits and elders who would have trouble. What would bringing her in do? 

"Ok, maybe I am sick, but Reddusk I can't go back with you! You're leader will probably throw you out, and march me right back to Talonclan where I will be kicked out to because we don't.. really.. have a way of treating this."

He understood where she was coming from but it would all be OK. Maybe he could find somewhere for her around the camp where she could be isolated but still aided medically. She had afterall just confirmed that there was no one to help her in Talonclan. He could only imagine what their Leafbare would be like. Wait, scratch that. He knew, he'd been there. "No. I'm sure Fangstar will understand. We will keep you away from the others if need be." He wasn't going to not try, he was starting to take a liking to the pretty she cat and the one thing Red-dusk prided himself on more than his loyalty were his regrets. He didn't need more of those. Plus as usual, the marbled warrior would make a way for everyone he needed to be happy to be just that. "So are you coming?"

[Avery]

"No. I'm sure Fangstar will understand. We will keep you away from the others if need be.

And I'm a fluffy rabbit.

Raindapple looked at him with a less then convinced look. Her eyes held doubt and she shook her head. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she couldn't believe that she was stuck in this predicament. She doubted that Reddusk would let her wander off scott-free like last time, and would probably tell his leader straight away. On the other paw, the other option didn't look to bright either. She highly doubted that Fangstar would be completely okay with her meandering on in with Whitecough, and not hold her there until the next Gathering, only to tell Pebblestar what had occurred. What was the she-cat to do?

"So are you coming?"

Snapped from her thoughts Raindapple grimaced at his question, still unsure of what the right choice would be. She was mentally kicking herself for not staying in the camp today, and berated herself for being so wreckless. If she had decided to go hunting instead this predicament could've all been avoided. A cough escaped her lips again, and she glanced behind her for a heartbeat. She couldn't go home. She knew that if she did she would most likely develop Greencough, and she didn't want to spread that to her Clan. If she got it treated now she'd nip the disease in the butt. Sighing, she refocused on Reddusk. "Yes, I'll come. Lead the way."

[ℓυиαя]

"Yes, I'll come. Lead the way." 

About time. The moment the words spilled off her tongue, Reddusk nodded briefly. "Wonderful." The words meaning and the tone in which he said it were at complete odds with each other. Turning his large body around the tom pushed from his head what would happen to him when Fangstar was informed. Probably a punishment of some sort which he would take with grace. After all, he knew the rules and he would rather take the consequences than regret leaving her out here to die. The movement of his paws caused more prints to be left in the snow which no doubt would be covered as more fell in the next few sunrises. Turning his head over his shoulder, green eyes hard, Reddusk sought out the she cat before continuing along in the snow, leaving a trail.

No matter the company, he always had to face his demons alone. The one person that could understand.. well.. he wasn't held very highly in Reddusks esteem at the moment and would never be again.

[Avery]

Tags: ℓυиαя
Muse: Good
Music: None
Words: 301
Ooc: Red + Rain <3 So adorable.

"Wonderful."

Was it really wonderful? The she-cat wondered to herself as she fell into step behind the massive marbled tom. Her paws slipped easily into his larger one's, a trick the cat's in the mountains used to get through the thick snow, and the two left a singular trail. Large flakes drifted lazily from the sky, and landed in her fur, dappling her unique coat. She shivered slightly, disliking having such short fur and looked longingly at his long, thick fur. He wouldn't feel he cold. Her eyes roamed across his muscular frame and she pondered the cat in front of her. The Whisperclan tom was certainly a mystery to her. It was strong, shadowed, and obviously had a past, but was incredibly loyal to his Clan. So why was he helping her? Why was the possible new comer in his Clan going out of his way to help her? A measly, naive, and young warrior? He was certainly going to get punished for bringing her back unscathed.

"Why are you helping me?"

It was certainly the question of the hour, and Raindapple wanted to know. What did he get for doing this? Some sort of redemption? A "feel-good-feeling" perhaps? Whatever the reason was, she was certainly curious to know. An owl hooted nearby and she realized slightly startled that it was starting to grow dark. The grey haze was starting to die, turning into one of darkness and she shivered again at the dropping temperatures. It was definitely going to snow a lot more then the currently lazy flakes that were swirling around them. Icy clouds bloomed from her lips as she waited for his answer and her plumed tail swayed behind her in a casual rhythm.

[ℓυиαя]

"Why are you helping me?"

There it was, right on cue, the question obviously having eaten away at the she cat behind him until she just had to ask. Which of course, in the way of society, meant that he should answer yes? Easier said than done. It was a question he had already asked himself over and over, why was he helping her? He owed her nothing and he didn't want to ruin a good thing now he had it. Helping her.. well it gave him hope that he was finally stepping in the right direction, it made him feel further away from his past. It made him feel better. Not only that he guessed but - no never mind. In short, the tom didn't really have an answer for her that would satisfy her cravings and so he settled with another plan of action.

"Why were you on Whisperclan territory again?"

At his question, his head turned slightly to look at her sternly, his expression matching his tone. Her question brought up memories that he did not care to remember plus in his current mental state, the normally compliant tom was having none of it. While he looked back he saw her, stepping along in his footsteps, her marbled pelt frosted with softly fallen snow, beau-

Shaking his head, the annoyed tom snarled silently and turned back to look ahead towards camp.

He was going to be in so much trouble, but this was right.

[Avery]

Tags: ℓυиαя
Music:none
Muse: high
Words: 259
---

"Why were you on Whisperclan territory again?"

Cheeky.

Raindapple narrowed her eyes rather playfully at his question, disliking how he had twisted her question in order to answer her's. It was annoying, and if it had been Mudpaw she would've swiped the smug gaze off his face with a sheathed paw. Opening her mouth she was about to respond, only to pause when his face twisted into a silent snarl. She watched while he looked frontwards again, his demeanor shifting into a look of shutting the world out. Tail tip twitching in hesitation, Raindapple tried to figure out how to answer the moody tom. Snow swirled underneath her paws, and a slight icy wind blew against her, reminding the Talonclan warrior about the night they had first met on Whisperclan territory.

She knew that had he been with a Clanmate they might have asked what was wrong, or let him walk in his sulking mood but the marbled feline was having none of it. She didn't really feel like she knew him well enough to ask him was wrong, and she certainly didn't want to walk the rest of the way in silence because that would be a long agonizing journey. Without pause, and with ease, Raindapple flicked a pawful of snow towards him hoping to connect with his hindquarters. She had no idea how he was going to respond, but she hated when cat's shut down in front of her. "I asked you first." She meowed cheekily, her eyes twinkling with mischief.