The Rise of a Tyrant

Chapter 5 // Pooldune

Pooldune huffed as he felt Raventalon's tail brush against his flank accidentally for the tenth time.

"Is there something you need to do?" Pooldune asked the pacing she-cat. Raventalon turned to look Pooldune in the eyes. 

It had been a while since Beachpaw arrived, now late sunhigh, and the apprentice was currently making up for his lost sleep. Raventalon had  kindly given Beachpaw the muscle she recieved from Graybeach, lightening the tom's mood. However, the black she-cat's amber eyes now looked clouded and worried, and Pooldune loosened, frustration turning to concern. 

"What is it?" Pooldune whispered. Raventalon flinched and looked at her paws guiltily. 

Raventalon began to reply quietly. "Pooldune, I think I'm..." 

"Help!" There was a frantic voice at the entrance to the medicine den. It was Silvertuft - the she-cat who had brought in Stormpaw. Catching her breath, she looked up at the medicine cats with wide, dark eyes. "It's Fishtongue. He's sick!"

Raventalon gasped, and immediately raced outside. Silvertuft turned to follow her, but Pooldune called for her to halt.

"Tell me what his symptoms are." He ordered.

"He's struggling to move, and he's.. drooling? I don't know! Please help him!" Silvertuft gasped in pleading sobs. 

Pooldune froze, he didn't know what he was dealing with here, but he was willing to do what it took. 

"Go be with him." He mewed, and Silvertuft immediately whipped around to return to her blind, elderly father. Pooldune frantically scanned over the herb piles he'd sorted that morning, thinking as fast as he could about what this could possibly be caused by. 

What in Cloudclan stops cats from moving? And makes them drool? 

Raventalon could be heard yelling for assistance from warriors across the camp. She was performing chest compressions, from what it sounded like. 

Oh Cloudclan, that means he isn't breathing!

Pooldune immediately felt the stress overwhelm him. He bent over, breathing heavily with his eyes closed. He's not going to survive.

Fishtongue was extremely old and frail, even older than Crashcloud, so much so that his eyesight had faded, and Silvertuft - his daughter - had to guide him around camp and care for him almost every second of the day. 

Maybe it was better if he was put out of his misery, and reunited with his mate and friends in Cloudclan.

Pooldune immediately felt the grief rise in his throat, despite not knowing the old tom very well. But part of being a medicine cat was helping your clan and saving lives - if Pooldune didn't try to do anything, his clanmates would hate him for it, and he would too.  Pooldune opened his eyes, knowing what to collect, but suddenly he realised he wasnt looking at the herb pile anymore. 

Shock rippled at his fur as he realised the den was flooded with bright red water - the same water that he'd seen in his vision! 

The voice then returned, announcing a prophecy.

"Stay away from the bloomed water, beware before the crimson moon."

What?

"Pooldune?" Beachpaw's voice brought Pooldune back to his senses. The medicine cat whipped around, seeing now that the den had returned to normal. "What's happening?" The cream apprentice spluttered, now awake.

Suddenly, to Pooldune's horror, Beachpaw began coughing and trembling. 

"I... don't feel so good..." Beachpaw mewed hoarsely.

***

"Thyme, give them this thyme." Raventalon nodded at Pooldune's hasty demands, and took the leaves out of the den. 

Fishtongue didn't make it, and it devastated Silvertuft, Crashcloud and Foamwave - the three cats who knew him best. Pooldune knew they needed thyme for the shock.  

But he had a bigger problem... Beachpaw was now trembling and not responding. Pooldune bristled and immediately turned the apprentice onto his side, checking his airways frantically. Raventalon returned immediately behind him.

Pooldune soon realised the only possible explanation for this strange occurance. 

"He's poisoned, we need yarrow. Now!" He called to Raventalon. She obeyed immediately, running across the den to the herb pile and picking up the spiky, foul-tasting leaves. 

Pooldune then bristled as he realised the apprentice was seizing. "And chamomile, or l-lavender. Quick!"

Raventalon murmured with stress as she scanned the herbs, then she picked up both and returned to Pooldune's side. 

"We can't feed him the yarrow yet, not until he stops seizing, or else it could be fatal." Pooldune explained as he began to shift Beachpaw into a comfortable position, and started gently massaging his shoulders.  Beachpaw slowly began to stop convulsing, to Pooldune's complete and utter relief. The young tom's blue eyes stopped rolling back, and he blinked at Pooldune in horror and confusion.

"Shh... you'll be okay." Raventalon soothed. Pooldune played along, although he knew something really bad was about to happen if he didn't take immediate action.

"Eat these." Pooldune nudged the dried-up chamomile flowers in Beachpaw's direction. The apprentice didn't hesitate to obey, and turned to eat up the flowers. 

"And keep sniffing this." Raventalon added, placing the lavender flower in Beachpaw's nest.

"I feel... weird..." Beachpaw mewed, then coughed again, beginning to drool. 

Oh no. He's got the same thing as Fishtongue. Pooldune backed up, and Raventalon did too, seeming to understand at the same time. Raventalon's eyes were filled with horror. 

"We need to give him the yarrow, and warn the clan, now!" Pooldune hissed in Raventalon's ear. The she-cat stared blankly at Beachpaw, many emotions rushing through her expression. Pooldune wanted to know what was troubling her, but he didn't have time. 

"Pooldune, Raventalon..." Foamwave appeared at the entrance, fear and grief in her green eyes. "Stonesong and Flamingopelt... they're sick too!"