by Koráki » Wed Jul 19, 2023 10:05 am
Night turned to dawn, and dawn turned into day. Sunlight filtered into the sheltered hollow Rainshadow was curled up in, falling across her face. She let out a mrrow of displeasure at the brightness of it, stirring from her slumber. Her joints were slightly stiff from how she had been folded up into a little ball to conserve body heat. She stood from her bed and stretched, shaking out her thick fur so that it would fluff out to keep away the chill.
Her mind was...not troubled, exactly. It was more like she was confused, or puzzled. She had dreamed vividly during the night, far more so than she had in moons. She'd dreamed of running alongside a cat with a fluffy, light colored coat. They'd been separated, she recalled - she could only see them through the trees - but then they'd converged on a path together. For reasons she couldn't explain, the dream felt...significant.
The morning was chilly, but despite this, Rainshadow felt warmer, deep inside. Perhaps she had been rejuvenated from that meal. She wondered if Gentleheart had found a place to rest. Then she wondered why she cared so much - it wasn't like she was responsible for his wellbeing, after all.
Rainshadow's thoughts kept returning to the tom, even as she caught a rabbit-scent (rare for this season) and started to track it. Maybe it was because she hadn't had contact with anything to do with the clans in so long. Did she really miss her old life that much? It could be simpler, she thought as she tip-toed along the rabbit's trail, It's been a while since I've had company that wasn't trying to kill or steal from me.
She was distracted, so much so that she didn't notice the wind change, wafting away most of the rabbit scent, which had started to mingle with the scent of blood. Rainshadow simply kept on the trail as best she could. She came around the bend, stepped over a fallen log - and nearly retched as the stench of fox rolled over her.
She didn't have time to react, because a heartbeat later there was a snarl, and a flash of russet fur flew out from beneath a bush. She yowled in alarm as the fox bowled her over, yapping and snarling. Rabbit blood coated its muzzle, which snapped close just as she reared back. Rainshadow turned to run, knowing she couldn't take on a full grown fox like this. But she was just a hair too slow in her turn, and the fox's teeth closed around her back leg. She hissed and let out a cry of pain. Acting on pure instinct, Rainshadow whipped around and lashed out blindly with her claws. There was a yelp, and she felt fur and skin tear. The fox wrenched itself away and took off, howling as it went.
Shaking, Rainshadow hobbled over to a bush, where she crouched, breaths coming in gasps. Her leg burned, and when she turned to look at it, she cursed at the ragged gash that had torn through fur and skin. Just what I needed! She thought crossly, ears flat against her head. An injury - especially one that was bleeding like this - could prove to be an issue. Her mind, sluggish from pain, reeled as she tried to figure out what to do. What did Hawkwing do for bleeding? She tried to remember what the old medicine cat would do. Was it moss? Cobwebs? She didn't know if she could find anything like that in the middle of leaf-bare...
Rainshadow closed her eyes, wracking her brain for something. She wondered if she could use some leaves to at least slow the bleeding. Heaving herself up, trying to ignore the pain, Rainshadow limped into the undergrowth to try and find some.