Tsuki ears twitched as she stirred awake. She tilted her head towards the muffled coughing next door. Rousing from her futon she stumbled sleepily towards the room next door. Opening the door she peered inside “Kuro-nee san?” there was a weak answer from the bed. Walking towards the bed she leaned on it. “If Kuro nee-san is not feeling well can we sleep in today?” with an approval she headed down to the shop. The smells of herbs welcomed her as she wrote a small note to the any regulars or new customers, sticking it on the front door she ran upstairs again. Entering Kuro’s room she climbed into her large warm bed, wrapping her small arms around her warm body.

Hours later Tsuki woke up to labored breathing, with her head pressed against Kuro-san she could hear her ribs rattling with each breath. “K-Kuro nee-san?” she sat up observing the usual confident, cunning fox now laid on her side clearly losing weight as her kimono almost looked to small for her, a weak smile brushed her lips. Tsuki was getting nervous now, she had never dealt with the sick before… Kuro had only just started introducing herbs to her. Her ears perked she knew what to do. “Kuro nee-san you’re sick…” she lifted her shaking hand to her forehead feeling her burning skin, she felt for her pulse it was weak. No…no. Tsuki ran into her room fumbling through boxes and boxes of rice paper notes. All detailed with intricate drawings, descriptions; her heart melted all of these where hand drawn/written by kuro herself. She could feel tears stinging, threatening to come out. “No no tears…” she commanded herself. This wasn’t about her this was about kuro, she needed to help her.  She found the small section of notes on fevers, it was the only thing she could help her with.

She skimmed the notes Yarrow: contains diaphoretic properties will help decrease fever…ect. She needed this. She had to find this. Tsuki was getting desperate now she had left kuro alone for quite sometime already. She ran downstairs and into the small green house looking for the small white flower that grew in clusters. She ran through the rows, picking up the faint scent of the budding flower. She found it… Tentatively she pick the cluster carefully so that they will bloom again. Her hands shook as she picked them she remembered the other flowers. Chamomile: increases the immune system. Tsuki found her way looking for some more. Collecting her herbs she cut them up, strained and placed them into tea sachets and wrapped the remains into a warm towel. 

Running back upstairs with her tea and towel she placed them on the floor, getting kuro to sit up. “Kuro nee-san please drink this” she guided the cup up to her lips, but it wasn’t working the warm tea would spill over onto her kimono. Tsuki could feel it already she couldn’t feel the strong life force pushing her though the day. She had assisted kuro to lie down again, she couldn’t do anything else except place the now cool towel of herbs on her forehead. Tsuki’s hands shook even more now she clasps her hands with kuro’s slim fingers. She could feel the older fox grip her hands too… She couldn’t handle it anymore her tears fell freely down her cheeks. She started sobbing she didn’t want to loose anyone else. Where would she go? Kuro was the nearest thing to family, a sister, and a mother.

As time passed she felt kuro’s grip slip away from hers. Tsuki looked up to her, vision blurred. She felt the warm hand pat her head and move down to her cheek. Grabbing onto her hand she nuzzled the warm hand. Closing her eye’s she felt the hand slip away from her grasp, the warmth leaving her side, her support gone as she crumpled into a ball next to her.

((oh god that took so long…I’m sorry if it jumps a bit))