As We All Fall From Grace

[{Lunarstar}]

Ash approached Persephone, eyes blazing with the lust of the kill. She stopped a few paw steps from the Bengal, then jumped. Her claws ripped through the flesh, tufts of brown and black fur catching in the bloodied daggers. Her fangs met the soft flesh beneath the fur on her throat, latching on. She was going for a death kill, but stopped abruptly. Persephone wasn't fighting. Wasn't defending. Ash was pissed.

"Why aren't you fighting, you worthless skank!" Ash shrieked, releasing her teeth and claws. She smacked Persephone on the head, claws unsheathed. When the other cat didn't respond, she smacked her again.

"You bitch!" she cried, eyes blazing with a look that was almost manic. "Fight me!"

[*Beechstar*]

Scratch was relieved as Bleak scratched his father, and he let go. When Kahl rolled over, he saw his blood and freaked. He ran away from the cave and Bleak shouted after him.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'll come with you." He followed Bleak out of the cave, jogging next to him.

The Bengal she-cat simply sat there as Ash jumped on her back, tore fur off, and bit her throat. Then her back and throat were let go of. Ash asked her why she wasn't fighting back, but Persephone didn't answer and was smacked on her head, with claws. She was hit again, for still not answering.

When Ash called her a bitch and told her to fight, she turned and looked her in the eyes. Ash had a maniac look in her eyes so she simply answer, "No. I can't." Then she thought about it. "Well I can, but I won't. Not anymore."

[{Lunarstar}]

"What do you mean?" Ash hissed, wild eyes replaced by irritated ones. She couldn't believe it. She wanted to kill the cat, but wouldn't if she wasn't going to fight back. "Oh! I get it! You're too weak!" she meowed triumphantly, sneering down at the pathetic excuse for a cat. "Don't worry. I'll let you run off to Kahl now." Ash hissed, rolling her eyes at the Bengal.

Ooc: sorry it's short. Not much to post.

[*Beechstar*]

I guess it wasn't really right, I guess it wasn't meant to be
It didn't matter what they said 'cause we were good in bed
I guess I stuck around so I could watch us
Fight for all the wrong reason
Fight For All The Wrong Reasons~ Nickelback

Persephone heard Kahl call her name, but ignored it. He might be cute, but she had no reason to be with him. She turned to face Ash and almost glared at her, but she realized that would be something she would do if they were fighting, which she refused to do now.

"No. That's not it." She somehow managed to keep her voice under control. "I just realized that I'm fighting for the wrong reasons. I barely know Kahl, but I was willing to die for him because I liked him. And that's not a good enough reason for me. I'm sorry. But you can still kill me. I have nothing to live for." She sighed and added, "I won't fight back or resist."

[{Lunarstar}]

Ash stared at the Bengal for a few heartbeats, not sure what to do. Then she narrowed her eyes. Every word the she-cat said rang false in her ears. "After helping Kahl injure-- maybe even kill--the ghosts, you expect me to fall to my knees in sympathy, maybe embrace you, let you know how deeply your sob story touched me? Even like you? Well forget it you dirty whore, I will never feel sympathy for you. You acted like a slut and paid for it. Get off the throne you think you're on and learn something we mortals call life." Ash hissed, each word getting louder until she screamed 'life'. She would never believe that skank.

[*Beechstar*]

The Bengal cat shook her head. She had screwed up big time and there was nothing she could do about it.

"No, I don't expect you to forgive me. I don't expect any of you to forgive me. You can kill me. I already said that. And I'm not saying I'm 'all that.' I know about life. I had a bad life to start out with and it really affected me. That's why I made such bad mistakes." Then she thought about what she had said. Really thought about it.

"Ignore that last part of what I said. I can't blame my childhood and how my parents raised me; it's my fault." She sighed. "Just kill me." She looked at Ash with with pleading eyes. "Please."

OOC: I think Bleak and Scratch should show up now so Ash doesn't kill her Sorry Luny

[.:*Hawkstar*:.]

"Ladies, that's quite enough." Bleak's soft call echoed clearly around the still clearing, his small frame approaching the two she-cats. He limped. His eyes only remained half-mast. His battle with his father had worn him and battered him to limits he had never felt.

"Calm down, Ash. Persephone is not on Kahl's side anymore." The golden tabby had overheard the conversation going on. He had taken the Bengal's words into mind -something Ash couldn't do at the moment- and come down to realize that she had seen the wrong in her doing.

Turning his unsettling yellow gaze to the brown she-cat, he added in a stern voice, "Right?"

Without waiting for an answer, the tomcat turned away, pushing his claws into the soft soil of the shore and taking off, towards where the three ghosts lay strewn out in the grass. He headed for Owl's body first, sniffing at him. His chest was still moving. He was alive. With a sigh of relief, Bleak turned to find his other siblings.

Twig was closest.

Loping up to the fallen ghost, Bleak sniffed him gently. He was breathing. His chest rose and fell in the slow pattern of unconsciousness. He was fine.

Finally finding Shrill's body, Bleak began to sniff at her. She was the least damaged, having had Persephone be her attacker and not Kahl. Glancing up and back at the cats along the shore, the golden tabby called out, "Everyone's okay! I think Owl is hurt really bad, though. His breathing is unsteady. Twig and Shrill are better than him, just knocked out. We should get them back to the cave and help fix them up." His harsh yellow eyes found the Bengal she-cat once more, the message in their depths telling her that this was her chance to prove her regret, to assist and show that Ash didn;t need to attack her any longer.

OOC:: You guys better not have short post after this...

[*Beechstar*]

The Bengal jumped as she heard a voice suddenly speak from behind her and Ash. The words had been directed to her and the she-cat sitting next to her. Turning to see who it was, she saw Bleak and Scratch, but Bleak had been the one who had spoken.

The she-cat nodded as Bleak said she wasn't on Kahl's side anymore. I've learned my lesson, she thought to herself. When he asked her if he was right she nodded again and said, "Yes. You are right."

She glanced away when Bleak started to examine the ghosts bodies, still feeling bad about what she had done to Shrill without a real reason.

She let out the breath she had been holding when Bleak said that the ghosts were alright.

She glanced up to see Bleak's eyes boring into hers and she could see that he was trying to tell her something. She figured it out as she listened to the rest of his words.

Nodding, she ran up to Shrill's body, and whispered, "I'm sorry; so sorry," into the she-cat ghosts ear. Then she lifted the unconscious cat onto her back, starting towards Bleak and Scratch's cave. She didn't wait for anyone, because she had something else to do before they got to the cave.

When she reached the cave, she set down Shrill on Bleak's piece of moss. Then, she walked over to Scratch's moss and split in half, so there would be a piece for Twig and Owl.

Persephone ran back outside, back towards the river. She passed Bleak, Ash, and Scratch on her way.

She yelled, "I'm going to get some herbs," as she passed them.

The black tom walked down to the river with Bleak. When they reached the two arguing she-cats, Bleak did all of the talking.

Then Bleak went and checked the ghosts. When he reported, he said they were alright, but they should get them back to the cave.

Scratch nodded. He walked over towards Bleak, who was standing by Owl.

When he reached Bleak, he asked him, "Are you alright? You look really worn out and tired."

Without waiting for an answer, he said to Ash, "You take Twig, I'll take Owl." He turned back to Bleak. "You, just walk along. Your too tired to do anything."

He walked over to Owl and picked him up on his back. He started off towards the cave, Bleak at his side.

When they were almost at the cave, Persephone whizzed by them. She said she was going to get some herbs. Scratch nodded but did nothing else.

When they were inside the cave, he saw that Persephone had split his moss in to two pieces and Shrill was laying on Bleak. He layed Owl down on the slightly bigger piece and sat down, waiting for the Bengal to return with the herbs.

The she-cat ran into the wooded area.

Cobwebs for bleeding, poppy seeds for pain. If we need anything else, I'll go get it.

She soon spotted some cobwebs on a tree. She wrapped it around a stick and sat the stick lightly on the ground.

Now for the poppy seeds. She figured the poppy seeds would be harder to find.

But after a few minutes of searching, she found a plant. She picked off one of the stems, which had quite a seeds on it.

She then went back and picked up the stick with the cobwebs on it. She carried them both back to the cave where the others were probably waiting.

Persephone rushed into the cave and sat them down by Scratch. Everyone was already there. She sat down and said to Scratch, "I can help with the herbs if you need."

The tom was relieved when Persephone came back. When she did, she set down a pile of herbs. Poppy seeds and cobwebs, he thought.

Persephone said she could help to him so Scratch said, "Ash, you know what to do. Persephone can help if you need her and you can send her to get herbs if needed."

OOC: Mine's not...

[{Lunarstar}]

OOC: NO FAIR! You both have more than one kitty! It's easier for yous

Ash glared at Bleak but kept her mouth shut, she just wanted to get the ghosts and go home. She listened impatiently until someone finally gave her something to do. She grabbed Twig's oddly solid scruff and gently flipped him on her back, he was heavy, but she could manage to carry him to the cave.

Wait...why are the ghosts solid? Ash thought, not sure if it was simply because they were knocked out or...what? She iniwardly shrugged the thoughts off and followed Scratch and Bleak home.

In the cave she tilted her body to the right and Twig gently fell off. She glared at Persephone and hissed, "Bleak and I have enough medical training for three cats. You can sit quietly and watch." She glanced at the herbs Persephone brought, cobwebs and poppies. Useful. Not.

"We'll need more than that, especially if Owl's as injured as Bleak thinks. So make yourself useful. We'll need marigold and lots of it, goldenrod, and gumweed might be useful, depends on the wounds." Ash said, thinking back to the days Ruby had taught her all of the herbs. She was still fuzzy about what herbs, but she knew what to do with one. "Bleak? Did I miss anything?" she asked, still trying to think. She knew that marigold was the best for wounds, goldenrod helps infections, and gumweed aslo helps infections, but better used for unconcious cats, it hurts to have skin bunched up over the wound and stuck together. Ash knew from experience.

OOC:GAH! Sooo hard to make a long post!

[.:*Hawkstar*:.]

OOC:: You did fine, Luny...

Bleak had slowly hobbled along at Scratch's shoulder, not minding being able to just walk. The burden of carrying would probably have made his legs buckle. The Bengal she-cat was busying herself for now. Good.

Entering the cave, Bleak sat down and silently watched as the three cats were placed onto moss beds, their solid figures sliding smoothly from the backs of his friends. They lay still, only their breathing a sign that they were at the state of half-dead-half-alive.

Bleak was jerked from his thoughts as Ash spoke to him. "Uh, what? Oh, herbs. Uh..." He took in the sight of what was available. "Yeah, marigold, goldenrod, and gumweed would be enough." He wracked his brain for anything else. His harsh eyes took in the sights of his brothers and sister. "And maybe some nettle leaves, just in case swelling starts up. And burdock root for help on the wounds. Just in case if that's easier to find than goldenrod or something..." By the end of the sentence, the golden tom was murmuring distractedly. His eyes were locked onto the floor before him. The tom just didn't seem to be all there.

His father's scream was echoing in his ears, blocking out the other sounds around him. It was his blood. And he could believe it was. The crimson liquid had frightened him.

"Blood! It's my blood!"

His blood...

[*Beechstar*]

The black tom noticed Ash still held hostility for Persephone.

When Bleak was agreeing with Ash for what herbs they would need, and listing a few more, he seemed to get distracted towards the end of his words. Scratch ran his tail down his mates back in a comforting motion.

He then turned to Persephone and said, "Got it?" She nodded and headed out of the cave.

The large tom could feel the air lighten as soon as she was gone and out of sight. Thinking quickly of a way to get out of here so Ash and Bleak could have their space, he thought of an idea.

"I'll go and get some moss soaked in water in case the ghosts wake up so that we aren't rushing when they do. That way we'll be preparded."

He rubbed his muzzle against the side of Bleaks face and said, "I'll be back as soon as I can."

He left the cave, waving his tail towards Ash as a sign of 'bye'.

He went back towards the river, on the same path they had all just taken.

He reached the river in good time. But he didn't go straight to the river; instead, he went to the trees by the river that grew moss on them.

Tearing off three rather large pieces, he grasped them in his mouth and carried them down to the river.

He dipped them in and soaked them with water one by one, then rolled them into a ball so they were easier to carry back.

Scratch then, very carefully, put them into his mouth and carried them slowly back to the cave.

Reaching the cave, he cave in, unrolled the balls of moss, and set them on the ground, and asked, "How are they doing?" He saw that Persephone was already back and had brought the herbs needed.

OOC: Don't ask me how Scratch would have carried 3 moss balls by himself, but he did. Use your imagination.

The she-cat listened in silence as Bleak and Ash both gave her a few herbs to get.

She nodded as Scratch asked her if she got it. She dashed out of the cave and headed back towards the wooded part of the loners territory.



It took her a little bit to find all of the herbs, but she found them all.

She gabbed as many as she could in one mouthful and ran it to the cave.

She had to came back two more times to get the rest, but she got them all to the cave.

When Bleak and Ash had all of them, she sat in the corner and watched, staying out of their way unless being asked to do something. She noticed Scratch wasn't there, but didn't ask where he was; it wasn't her business.

After a while, Bleak and Ash were almost finished healing the ghosts, and Scratch returned. He asked how were they doing, and Persephone waited for an answer from Ash or Bleak.

OOC: Sorry that I didn't explain her finding all of the herbs, but that would take forever and I didn't want to. That's why there are 4 'enter spaces' instead of 2.

[.:*Hawkstar*:.]

Bleak blinked rapidly as Scratch brushed his nose against the side of his face. "Hm? Oh, 'kay," he meowed. His eyes watched the black figure exit the cave, but soon turned his gaze to the ghost bodies that lay solid on the nests.

The Bengal returned before Scratch. That was quick...

Padding over to the pile of herbs, Bleak gave his adoptive mother some room to come beside him. He pawed through the leaves and stems, sorting them out into separate piles of doses. "Uh, Ash," he murmured, "are these right?" He didn't want to take chances. He was completely out of it. He might mess up the doses and that would just make things worse. "I think that I put too much gumweed here and not enough..." His voice trailed again. He gestured with his paws to one pie, then the next.

The golden tabby froze for a few heartbeats, looking as if he had been turned to stone. He then blinked, lifted his head a little, and continued as if he had never paused. "And not enough in this one." He made a questioning hum, turning his gave over to the tortoiseshell.

Then Scratch walked in. Bleak mind shifted. He stood up, walked over, and took one of the balls of moss. He then padded over to Owl's body, plopped the moss down, and went back to Scratch, repeating the process with the other ghosts. But the question that Scratch asked remained unanswered by the little runt tom.

Actually, Bleak hadn't even heard the question. What he had heard was a grunt, not words. It was just a grunt of acknowledgment, nothing more.

"Ash!" Bleak suddenly piped up. He was carefully positioning the moss balls as if he had an obsession with them. "What about those herbs? They need to be eaten or applied or whatever by someone, don't they?"

[{Lunarstar}]

OOC: Sorry, sorta made up his wounds and how to use some of the herbs.

"Bleak!" Ash hissed, nudging him away from the ghosts and moss balls. "Calm down. I'll take care of the ghosts, you go take a nap, okay? I'll wake you if the ghosts wake up." Ash murmured in his ear, nudging him to the wall farthest from the ghosts. She then padded over to Scratch and whispered, "Scratch, please make him sleep. The poor cat's delusional."

"Persephone, I'm going to need your help." Ash muttered, sitting back down in front of Owl. His only wound, not counting a few scrapes on his back and sides, was a deep rip in his throat. Each ghost had a similar wound. "Persephone, use the cobwebs on Twig and Shrill's worst cuts, then chew the goldenrod and drip the juice into the wounds, then use the marigold on their wounds. If they wake up give them some poppy seeds." Ash told the other she-cat, bending over Owl's body. She wasn't too worried about him, she was almost positive that he would live. So with a rising hope, she began to chew the marigold into poultice. While doing that, she pressed some cobwebs to his throat, stopping most of the bleeding. She chewed some more marigold and let the juice fall into the wound before applying the poultice. She then realized the skin around the gash was pink and puffy, and the wound began to leak weird substances. It was infected. She took the gum-weed and chewed it, then, thankful he was unconscious, used her paws to pull the skin around the wound over the open flesh, using the gum-weed to hold it together. She cocked her head at the wound. It looked okay, Ash decided, wishing Bleak was sane, another opinion wouldn't hurt.

[*Beechstar*]

The black tom listened to Ash and nodded. He slightly pushed on Bleak with his tail, moving him towards the unused moss that they had towards the back of the cave.

He grabbed one and set it in front of Bleak. Nudging his mate towards the moss, he whispered into Bleaks ear, "Don't worry. If the ghosts wake up, Ash or I will wake you up. I'm going to sit next to you too."

When Bleak finally layed down on the moss, Scratch sat down next to him. He stroked Bleaks back, trying to calm him.

The Bengal jumped up when Ash said she needed her help. The she-cat smiled.

She listened to Ash's directions, and nodded.

Going to work on Twig first, since Kahl had attacked him and probably done more damage than she had on Shrill. Examining him, she saw he had a few minor scratches, but the worst wound was the bite on his neck.

Grabbing some cobwebs off of the stick she had brought, she carefully applied it to the neck wound. Then she grabbed a little bit of the goldenrod and the marigold. She chewed them both up, one at a time, and dripped them into the wound, making sure that they soaked in.

Moving onto Shrill, she grabbed more of the same herbs. The she-ghost only had a deep-ish scratch and a neck wound, much like Twigs, but it was smaller. She repeated what she had done with Twig on the neck wound, and used it on the deep cut.

When she finished, Persephone asked Ash, "Anything else?"

OOC: Sorry its short

[{Lunarstar}]

Ash looked at the other two ghosts. Their breathing was pretty normal. "Just try to get some water down their throats, I don't want them dehydrated. Keep watching their breathing and wounds, in case they get infected." Ash answered, picking up a ball of moss and squeezing some juice into Owl's mouth. She stared at the other two a few moments, then back at Owl. She did that. She couldn't believe it. She didn't insist on helping the ghosts fight, she didn't try to keep them from going. And now they might even die, actually die.

"Persephone, keep watching the ghosts, I'll be back later." Ash murmured, walking out of the cave and sitting outside. She glanced up at the stars.

"StarClan, let Bleak's siblings get better..." she whispered.

OOC: GAH! Short. Nothing to post. And now Hawky needs to post.