Infection.
Prologue
(T/W: This fanfiction will deal with more mature topics such as death and mental issues. Violence and gore is a strong theme in this story. Reader digression is advised.)
Jayfeather swiped his paw lazily through a stack of leaves, the sun beat down on the forest. His throat felt dry and scratchy. He was meant to be collecting herbs but he could hardly move, he would rather be lying down in the shade, but stocks where running low. Leafpool was treating Greystripe, and he didn't have an apprentice, he was alone.
With a low growl he lifted himself to his paws, slowly walking through the forest, as he kept his senses wide for the scent of herbs.
"Jayfeather!" Someone called out to him. He turned around, even though he couldn't see them, he recognised the scent of Brightheart and her daughter, Whitewing. The grey tom grumbled for a moment before speaking up. "What is it?"
Brightheart took a second to compose herself. "We need you back at camp" The she cat let out a shaky breath. "It's Cherryfall, something's wrong." Jayfeather rolled his eyes. "And why didn't you get Leafpool to help?" He mewed, questioningly. "Cherryfall attacked her! She bleeding heavily"
Jayfeather drew in a sharp breath, shaking slightly. Cherryfall attacked Leafpool? He shook his head. "Fine. Lets go" He said, uncertain. Brightheart broke into a run, closely followed by Whitewing. The medicine cat tried his best to follow, but with no way to see where he was going, there was no way not to stumble every now and then.
The journey to the camp only took a short time, but to Jayfeather it felt like a lifetime with every step. The blood roared in his ears. "We're here" Whitewing called behind her shoulder. 'I know that, I can smell it.' Jayfeather bit his tongue, refraining from insulting the snow-white she cat. He hurried to the centre of camp, the reek of infection and death hit his nose. Flinching from the putrid.
"Jayfeather, your here!" Squirrelfight mewed in relief, Bramblestar stood next to her, looking worriedly at Leafpool. Thornclaw was pinning down Cherryfall with the help of Bumblestripe, the ginger she cat was biting and growling, her paws flailing widely and her eyes where slitted.
Jayfeather made his way to Leafpool, roughly showing Dovewing. He could hear her pained moans. "What happened?" He asked to his brother, Lionblaze. The latter responded with "Cherryfall wasn't feeling well, She figured that she must of ate some bad prey, that's what Briarlight told me. Leafpool came to see her when Cherryfall attacked her. Thornclaw and Bumblestripe restrained her after she went after Ivypool." Jayfeather nodded, sniffing at his mother.
"Brackenfur, go to my den and get me some goldenrod and Horsetail. Get Briarlight to show you what they are. Berrynose, go with Brackenfur and get a poppyseed or two, try and get Cherryfall to eat it. Whitewing and Cloudtail, can you try to find me some cobwebs." Jayfeather shouted to the cats around him. Regardless of the fact that Bramblestar was to his left.
Jayfeather sniffed again at his fellow medicine cat, her fur smelt like a ShadowClan cat. Digusting and not pleasant in the slightest. He could hear cats murmuring and whispering around him, while some went to go to as he instructed. "Everycat!" Bramblestar's voice rang out. "Back to your duties, Jayfeather can deal with this. Thornclaw, Bumblestripe – stay with Cherryfall. And Ivypool, stay with Jayfeather in case he needs anything."
"Right" Ivypool mewed, and padded next to the Medicine cat. Brackenfur returned nt too long after, with herbs in his jaws, his nose scrunched up due to the smell. Placing the herbs beside Jayfeather, he walked towards the camp entrance.
Chewing the goldenrod into a pulp, Jayfeather applied it to a large scratch on Leafpool's shoulder, and then repeated the process with the Horsetail. He could feel leafpool reel at the herbs, stinging the wound. The tom shouted impatiently. "Whitewing, Cloudtail! Have you found any cobwebs yet?" A paw prodded his shoulder. "We're right here" Said Cloudtail, slightly annoyed.
Whipping around, Jayfeather smelt them. Why hadn't he been able to smell them before? Shaking his head, he grumbled a curse under his breath before swiping the cobwebs that where on Cloudtail's paw. He stuck them onto leafpool's wound. Sighing.
"Ivypool, help me move Leafpool to her nest, she's be able to rest easier than on th-" He was cut of by a loud screech. He looked around wildly, it came from a she cat – that's all he could tell. Squirrelflight's shrill and panicked voice was directed to him.
A sharp pain.
The smell of death.
And Then…
"Jayfeather!"
_
Warrior cats© Erin Hunter
Story and plot line© Kazzberries