Sun Mote Copse But when your load gets heavy, maybe call it a night

It was a pleasant day, with cloudless skies and warming temperatures. The copse was in full spring bloom, the air dancing with motes ("motes" sounded better than "pollen"). Wildfire wished she could appreciate it more fully, yet she was confined to the area near the den. She felt absolutely wretched today. Her lymph nodes were swollen more than ever and, though not painful, they were quite uncomfortable at this point. She was exhausted, despite sleeping the whole night through, and she couldn't find her appetite anywhere.

She watched @Eljay play with @Weejay and @Elfie and felt her heart clench in her chest. What if it wasn't some passing infection? What if it was something much more serious? Raven hadn't seemed ready to give her a firm prognosis when she'd seen her. But then, Wildfire's condition had worsened significantly since then. She ought to see her sister again, yet the thought of making a trip to the plateau made her feel wearier than ever.

Not wishing to disturb her mate and children (or worry them), Wildfire plucked up the energy to walk away from the den site. She then sent up a casual howl for @Kiwi, unaware that her daughter was well out of earshot.