RuSilverDragon04/13/2020
Shadowstar Not one fight in her whole life left her like this. Everything hurt and, for all her strength, she felt drained. Even the effort to sit up felt like too much at times. Another time, her only decision would be to place the clan in Wildflower's capable paws.

That didn't work as well when her Deputy was in as bad a shape as she was.

Lack of faith in herself, she asked for Russetstorm and Wildstripe to join them in an emergency meeting. Good and bad ideas got really fuzzy the warmer she felt.

"The medcats had their meeting with the very helpful Forestclan. The decision was to have all the ill cats go to the Meeting Tree while the medcats work on figuring out how to treat this." With her ears flat, she let out a complaint, "They know about our...situation." Had she the strength, Stonebelly would not have left her as well as he had when he gave the report.

"We need to decide if Riverclan will follow and who will Lead the clan in our place." Best cat for the job or not, Shadowstar looked to Russetstorm. She trusted him and his advice.

Slowly, she shifted her gaze to Wildflower waiting for her point of view as well. They had to make the call, while they still could. @Luna @Teigra (Shadowstar calls a meeting with Wildflower, Russetstorm, and Wildstripe. This is following Stonebelly's report from.the medcat meta)
Luna04/13/2020
Wildflower growled. Every time she moved it hurt and every time she breathed it hurt. Even just trying to think hurt and when anyone talked....yup, it hurt. Sighing, she opened one eye, tail tip just barley flicking, the only sign she could show that she was angry. Just her luck both she and Shadowstar ended up like this again. At least last time, it was just kits. It was easier to take turns leaving the kits in each others paws to tend to duties than this was. She was stuck here with everyone else that was sick as well as the med cats.

"We've sure pissed off Forestclan somehow." she grunted, doing her best to sit herself up which only seemed to work until she got herself into a tired shaky loaf pose and then she about face planted into the ground. Breathing labored. "Because we can just up and move right now....sure." she hissed again at the decision it made. "I can hardly think let alone move my paws but they want to move us...." she growled again. "I think its stupid." she said bluntly, letting her head finally fall to the cold stone of the medcat den. "But....what good are we doing our clanmates right now anyways....." she said softly, weakly, a tone exceptionally rare from the feisty she cat. "I hate this.... I hate this with all the might I have left...."


Russeststorm hurt as well, but for different reasons. He wanted nothing more than to be at Shadowstar's side, curled around her and gently grooming her until she could find rest. But he couldn't. Even now he had to stay a certain distance away and couldn't touch her. Every time he tried to take a step forward, one of the medicine cat apprentices would glare at him or he'd get a barrage of red furious paws in his general direction. "Wildflower is right...in more than one way, my love." he said gently, his tail curled around his own paws. "I beg Forestclan every night to free you from this trap and return you to my side, and yet it hasn't happened." he said mournfully.

Luna04/13/2020
"What ever we've done, Forestclan seems fit to punish us. And by the sound of things, every other clan as well. Which means Starclan has condemned their cats too." he said casting a glance out of the den and into the sky.

Whatever had they all done to deserve this? Were some of these sick cats meant to die? Was there really no hope in saving them? And what did that mean for Riverclan? "I don't wish to send you out there, in the paws of just our med cat and a few distanced warriors. I would prefer you here, with me, where we belong. But if this illness isn't stopped...and it is spread by simple touch, I fear the entirety of Riverclan becoming infected.....and what then of our home? Our families?" he growled again, a rare moment of losing his cool as he stomped a paw, claws sliding out and gripping into whatever he could dig them into.

He took a few deep breaths before turning to Wildstripe. "Forgive me.... I hope you understand my frustration. OUR frustration" he added again as he glanced at the two sick cats and the others behind them. Bearjaw and his sister Rabbitleap All three of Lostpaths now grown kits: Bravestep, Proudheart and Honestgaze. His precious daughter Swampbubble and even the troublesome Barkfang. While some cats wished many things on her for her temper, she hadn't actually done anything to endanger Riverclan and yet she too lay sick.

"Its not unheard of in clan life if both Leader and Deputy are sick for a warrior to temporarily take their place. Or for senior warriors to divide the tasks among themselves." he said again, glancing at Wildstripe. "If its absolutely necessary, I would be honored to ensure Riverclan stays functioning if Wildstripe's paws are at my side." he said softly, giving the other tom a nod of respect before turning back towards his mate and her deputy. "However, I'd prefer for you to come back to my side much more than this, my Song." his tone broke ever so slightly at the last word but his eyes remained strong.
@RuSilverDragon @Teigra

Teigra04/13/2020
Wildstripe held his silence, listening to all parties before speaking up in regards to Russetstorm's outburst. "There is nothing to forgive, friend. We are all frustrated and tensions running high. This is no simple invader that we can drive away with enough claws and fury." He sighed, ears lying low against his skull. "As much as we dislike the option, I do see the merit in it. Separating the sick would at least slow the spread of the illness until the medicine cats can come up with something." As if the greencough hadn't been bad enough...at least they had known what their enemy was back then and what needed done to stop it. This...? This was still unknown and if all medicine cats had met with both Star and Forestclans and still had no answer for what it was...?

Pushing past those thoughts, his gaze had tracked downward and lingered for a moment on the new designs that decorated his and Shadowstar's pelts. 'Forestclan is sending some mighty mixed messages lately,' he thought to himself in silence.

"Initially, I am torn, as I would normally have been the first to volunteer to escort the sick cats to the Meeting Tree. However, I am honored to have your trust in this matter. And, if I can help in this way instead to ease your minds about the state of Riverclan in your absence, then I would accept and happily aid Russetstorm in keeping order here at home. You two," he paused, glancing beyond at the other infirm cats, "and the rest just focus on getting better."
@RuSilverDragon @Luna

RuSilverDragon04/13/2020
What had they done? Shadowstar's thoughts drifted off to the fighting that occurred. And that dying fox of a she-cat. With how she felt at the moment, a plague didn't feel that unjustified.

Sighing hard, she lacked the energy to shake the thought out of her head.

"Whatever we did, Forestclan better hope all of Riverclan survives. Otherwise I will hunt them down.." her words started strong before fading off painfully. For all her earned power and Forestclan blessing, an illness knocked her fire down to smoulders.

She empathized with Wildflower. Oh she hated this.

Swallowing painfully, the laid low Learder had no words for her mate. He saw the same thing she did, the answers just as painful. If it came down to her or her clan, the answer was always. Riverclan will survive, it must.

His fire helped to stoke her own. She didn't have it in her to purr, all she could give Russetstorm was a weak smile.

Taking a deep breath, Shadowstar forces herself to her paws. Even standing still her body swayed. Showing this level of weakness hurt physically and spiritually. "Thank you Russetstorm and Wildstripe, I'll say my good byes and leave Riverclan in your..cap..capable paws.." Shorter of breath then she's been in a long time, she was near ready to cry like a kitten.

"The heath..y warriors should find things to rest sick...rest and pull those that..can't" saving what strength she could. The Leader prayed she had one of her 9 lives with life left in it.

There was work to be done before she could rest.