Closed Thread [Closed] Blackout (17FG20) - open

In youth we learn; in age we understand.

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Ashkit startled awake suddenly when his mother moved. He recovered quickly, flashing to his feet to chase his mother out of the nursery so he could see what was causing the commotion outside. In the rush of leaving the nursery and trying to keep up as the adults around him rushed about it was hard to follow what was happening.

“Who’s hurt?” He demanded, listening as Hawkfeather demanded Palestar. Whatever was happening, it was serious enough that Palestar needed to get involved? And where was the Medicine Cat? If someone was hurt they needed them quickly!

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Palestar's face was steeled as she exited her den from the caterwauling. Judging by the cry for help and Hollyclaw's ragged appearance as she tore through camp, it was surely an emergency. Yet even in dire circumstances she understood that a calm mind and controlled emotions were key to deescalating, and as leader of Shadowclan it was her duty to keep everyone from stirring into a panic.

She approached the she-cat mother daughter pair shortly after Hollyclaw explained what had happened. Mismatched eyes were hard with memory of defending her sister from a hawk all those moons ago. If anyone knew how dangerous a hawk could be it was Palestar. "They went out to collect herbs not too long ago." Palestar's mew mentioned, obvious they were all gathered around the medicine cat's den. "I'm no medicine cat, but I distinctively remember what herbs were used to treat Clovershine and I when we were attacked by a hawk as apprentices. Can Hickorystorm get back to camp?"

Either way, the first step would be getting plenty of moss to sop up the blood and assess the damage caused by the hawk's beak and talons. Palestar quickly dipped into the medicine cat's den just for that, and emerged with a generous amount of moss in her maw.

She could hear voices through the fog in her mind. It had taken everything in her power to get back on her paws and shoulder the burden of Hickorystorm's weight as they headed back to camp. In fact, if it wasn't for the urgency of the matter, Clovershine wasn't sure if she'd be moving at all. 

It wasn't due to the fact that she'd been injured physically, aside from her bloody shoulder  the rest of her form was fine, but the shock from another hawk attack wracked her body into almost complete lockdown.

One step at a time...

Clovershine grunted under Hickorystorm's weight as she took another step and she glanced with wide blue eyes to see how her other companion, Dawnflurry was doing. 

Getting closer to camp now, Clovershine was able to hear her sister's voice echoing out from camp. They were almost there!

In youth we learn; in age we understand.

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Ashkit danced from paw to paw, watching the chaos that surrounded him. His eyes grew wide as he smelled the approaching group, the metallic tang of blood growing the air. Hollyclaw's answer didn't settle Ashkit any. Hickystorm was his half-brother! "Will he be okay?" His voice was small he spoke, leaving a good chance that it might be lost in the excitement that surrounded them.

As they finally made it into camp, Clovershine's eyes fell on Ashkit who was standing nearby moving with a nervous energy that instantly snapped her to attention and made her push through the pain a bit harder. The small kit's mouth was moving, but above all the commotion and shock, Clovershine couldn't make out what he was saying. Letting Hickorystorm gently down to the ground, Clovershine noticed that others were rushing to get what the injured cat needed. 

She limped over to Ashkit and gave him a comforting smile, careful to keep her injured side turned away from his vision. "Hey Ashkit, don't worry. Everyone is going to do their best to make sure Hickorystorm recovers. Are  you alright?" As she spoke, the pale she cat's blue eyes lifted in search of her sister.  

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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"It's okay, Hollyclaw. We'll take it from here. At least until our medicine cat returns." Palestar remained a confident scion, like a stone her clan needed in times like these. A shoulder wound was unfortunate and would need tending too as well, but getting Hickorystorm stable would be their first priority.

Then suddenly the trio breached camp, both her deputy and sister half carrying Hickorystorm. While Clovershine did her best to console Ashkit, Palestar came quickly with the moss as she approached the heavily injured warrior. "Hawkfeather, apply the marigold." Her voice was level as she addressed him. "It'll be alright, Hickorystorm. The medicine cat is out collecting herbs right now, but we have everything we need to help you until they get back. You'll survive and you'll be stronger for it." Who knew exactly the extent of his injuries, but the first step would be to clean up the blood that had oozed out. With the moss, she sopped up the blood and motioned back towards Hawkfeather expectantly.

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Palestar, while focused on her task at paw, couldn't help but linger on her own experience with a hawk, the one who had nearly killed her sister, and again, had tried to pluck them into the sky. The hawk lay dead, defeated, but at the cost of Hickorystorm's ability to continue to be a warrior. Her thoughts were dark, mismatched eyes hardening as she flinched out of the way of the tom's traumatic defense mechanism. How dare those creatures hunt them so! It was one thing for a desperate hawk to try and pick off a slender apprentice, but for one to purposefully go after a full grown warrior in such a plentiful time seemed unheard of. It reminded her of the darkness of the Starclan's words that had been delivered to her by the medicine cat about their visit to highstones. She'd have to share a word with them when they returned, but for now, she tried to calm Hickorystorm.

"Calm yourself, Hickorystorm, the hawk is dead and you are with your clan. You've done all you could, and we must get you into the medicine cat's den to await their arrival." While stern, as it may needed to be to rouse the tom to his senses, their was a note of gentleness, of empathy. She understood his pain, and his road to recovery would be a long one if her and her sisters stay in the medicine cat's den was any condolence.