Warriors

A Crush? (Part 2)

DustFeather woke up the next day, sunlight filling the once dark medicine den. She felt terrible, her paws ached, and she felt unsteady. CinderPelt was already up, grooming herself. DustFeather let out a groan in pain when she tried to sit up, catching the attention of CinderPelt. "Woah woah woah! Where do you think you're going Missy?" She meowed, in that motherly tone. "I'm going to-" She then realized that she can't tell CinderPelt, she would laugh at her for being worried about MudClaw. "I just want to hunt," DustFeather replied blankly. "You're trying to make me stay, aren't you?" CinderPelt glared at her with a look that says, 'you do what I say or so help me'.

"You're sick. You have a fever." She retorted, turning to face the smooth walls of the den. When DustFeather didn't reply, CinderPelt decided to ask some questions. "Did you go anywhere that might have made you sick?" DustFeather glanced back up at the gray medicine cat, trying to think back to yesterday. "Well, I went to a nearby creek. It was pretty cold now that I'm realizing it.." CinderPelt sighed, going over to get poppy seeds. She asked DustFeather if she needed some first, though. DustFeather nodded, keeping herself still, she was aching everywhere at the moment. CinderPelt dropped the seeds next to DustFeather's still body. She reluctantly ate them up, slightly wincing because she'd have to move her jaw. "Are you going to be okay, Hun?"

She asked DustFeather, perching herself next to the she-cat. CinderPelt tilted her head in concern after DustFeather's tail tip twitched. "This- This is making me physically sick, CinderPelt..H-how?" DustFeather stammered as she murmured. "Well, when you're under a lot of stress, you can get sick. Like you said." CinderPelt smiled weakly. She really did worry about DustFeather sometimes, since she never talked to anybody. That could also mean when she's sick or tired... She wouldn't tell anybody. CinderPelt didn't want DustFeather to get hurt, truly.

"A-ah, makes sense." DustFeather meowed back, shutting her eye in pain. CinderPelt started to panic, all this just because of stress? No, this can't be right! "I'm sorry. But I don't think this is from stress, DustFeather." She admitted. DustFeather's eyes shot open, looking at CinderPelt's worried, ocean blue eyes. "What!? What could it be fr-" DustFeather's confrontation was interrupted by a jolt of pain in her head. She exclaimed in agony, shaking her head, but it only made it worse.

"DustFeather!" CinderPelt called out to her multiple times trying to prevent her from moving. CloudTail was walking by, and heard the commotion. "Hey! What's going on in here?" CinderPelt was busy helping DustFeather stay still and calm down, and didn't hear him. He glanced back and forth from CinderPelt and DustFeather with worried eyes. "Is she okay?" He asked, edging a bit closer to examine the situation. "I-i-i don't know what's wrong with her! She came in yesterday because she was feeling off and- and she woke up like this!"

Her ears lowered as she spoke, her fur bristled. "Oh, that's not good. Wait, what's her name again?" CinderPelt blinked at CloudTail confusedly, he should have known her name? "It's... DustFeather. But never mind that! She could be dying for all we know!" She ran over to the medicine shelf, with urge and caution in every step she took. CinderPelt ended up grabbing a mouthful of feverfew. "Here! Take it. Please." She had visible anxiousness in her tone of voice, urging DustFeather to take it.

She quickly ate it, not wanting to die. DustFeather coughed a bit after taking it, and her eyes teared up. CinderPelt's ears lowered, her eyes going wide as her mind went crazy. CloudTail spoke up, "It might just be an allergic reaction to the herb! Calm down CinderPelt!" DustFeather blinked rapidly, trying to lose the stinging feeling. CinderPelt realized that, indeed, CloudTail was right! "Oh. Right. DustFeather you'll be okay. It's just an allergy. I won't give you that again, okay?" She sounded neutral, with a hint of sorrow in the smokey gray cat's words.

CloudTail sighed, CinderPelt overreacted sometimes. It was really annoying for him to deal with. "Alright I'm gone." He mewed, before padding off to join his mate. DustFeather blinked in acceptance, unable to do much more. The light brown she-cat's eyes closed in exhaustion, unable to stay awake any longer. CinderPelt's heart dropped for a moment, before realizing that she was probably very tired and went to bed. She relaxed for a moment as she saw DustFeather's stomach rise and fall peacefully.

MudClaw then walked in, expecting to see CinderPelt alone. "CinderPe- Oh! Are you busy today?" He said, as he stared at DustFeather's sleeping form. "Oh no," CinderPelt paused to check on her temperature, before returning to MudClaw. "I'm just looking after her, she's allergic to the herb I gave her." His expression softened, turning his attention back to CinderPelt. "Okay. Can I talk to you for a moment? If it's alright with you of course." CinderPelt nodded, not moving from her place.

"I'm ready to tell you who my crush is, don't make fun of me, now!" MudClaw sat a fox's length away from her, maintaining eye contact with the floor. She rolled her eyes playfully as the unsettled warrior spoke. "Why would I do that? Spill!" CinderPelt's eyes met with his, the atmosphere full of tension. "Well... Its-" MudClaw hesitated a moment, tensing his paws. "DustFeather." He finally announced, with the most sheepish look on his face any cat will see.

CinderPelt almost jumped out of her fur. "WHAT?" She started asking questions, like a mother would. He facepalmed, facing away from her. "Those questions are something mousebrained fools would say." he murmured to himself, snickering afterwards. Once CinderPelt had shut up, he started to state the obvious. (Which CinderPelt didn't get.) "Why do you think I was hiding in here all the time?" CinderPelt slowly blinked, analyzing what he had just said to her.

"And why I was so shy around her?" MudClaw added. "Dear StarClan!" CinderPelt mentally sighed. "Why didn't I realize this before!? You are always talking about her-" She kept on, until she was interrupted by DustFeather stirring in her sleep. "We better be a bit quieter." MudClaw said in a hushed whisper, keeping a close eye on her. "What if she heard~?" She teased him, smirking. "nO-" His voice cracked and he started to stammer out an insult. "I'm just joking. She'll be asleep for awhile. No way she heard." CinderPelt's smirk turned into a genuine smile. She glanced back at DustFeather, and she was still breathing. Good.

MudClaw exhaled, contemplating if he should go or not. "CinderPelt, I think I'm gonna go now." CinderPelt turned back to him and turned her tail to the exit. "Go on then, the exits right there. Mousebrain." She watched as he padded off, winking at her as he left. She giggled, she loves having company every once and awhile. There's too many injuries these days. Then, DustFeather awoke with wide eyes.
CinderPelt noticed this and scooted closer to her.

"You feeling any better, Dusty?" She asked her. DustFeather could only smile. "Oh StarClan. Don't tell me-" She tried to say something, but DustFeather cut her off. "Yes. I heard everything." Her long, striped tail was swishing back and forth happily. "I thought you were injured, why are you so energetic now?" CinderPelt asked, raising a brow at the occurrence. "Oh no, I'm still in alot of pain," She retorted, still keeping a smile on her face. "But I feel better mentally!" CinderPelt looked at her like she had killed her own kit and ate it's corpse. "Alrrright.." DustFeather giggled menacingly, MudClaw thought the same!

"Oh CinderPelt! This is great news!" She glanced around the room nervously, wondering if anyone heard. "Keep quiet, you sound like a squeaking kit!" CinderPelt scolded, glaring at her wide eyes. "Right. Sorry. But I'm just so happy!!" DustFeather's smile grew even wider, if possible. "Alright! Alright! Calm down! You're gonna break a bone if you smile any more." CinderPelt patted her head, in an attempt to calm her down. "You need more sleep anyways, you said you were still in pain." She added on. "Ah yea." DustFeather said to herself. "Take some more poppy seeds, they'll hope you with the pain." CinderPelt went over to the shelf and took out the beige colored seeds. DustFeather hurriedly chewed on them, still grinning widely.