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Post by Fate Admin on Jul 12, 2014 15:41:42 GMT -5
Leaf-bare had been brutal. The weather itself had been normal, so far as any cat said, unlike the previous leaf-bare. However, that leaf-bare was also to blame for a distinct lack of herbs this leaf-bare; it had stunted and shortened the growth of so many herbs. And then greencough had struck the horribly underprepared Clans and every medicine cat had had their paws full caring for case after case of ailing Clanmate… and so many never pulled through, his mother, his young sister, his mother’s new mate….
Leaf-bare had changed Snowheart from a once enthusiastic and full of energy apprentice to a somber medicine cat that seemed many moons older than he actually was. True, he had received his full name before the epidemic struck, but after this past leaf-bare he knew he had a lot more to learn. He carried a heavy heart with him everywhere these days. He hadn’t been able to save Frostfire’s eye. He hadn’t been able to save Dovesong or Galekit or Windstrike or so many of the other cats that had been taken from them this leaf-bare. He doubted very seriously his own abilities as a medicine cat.
He had been dying to visit the Moon Tree, to speak with StarClan and to find out why this was happening and what he could do to save so many sick cats, to ask… if he really should be a medicine cat at all. At first, before he learned that the other Clans were suffering the same fate, he had thought it was StarClan’s punishment to LightningClan, and possibly RainClan, for chasing StoneClan out. But even StoneClan suffered at the claws of this terrible greencough. Even TreeClan who had helped bring them back home.
He hadn’t been able to visit the Moon Tree. To leave his patients for such an amount of time as traveling to the Moon Tree and back required would be unforgivable. Not to mention he was not about to leave the care of his kin to Rookfrost. He could not trust his mentor, not since he had participated in the battle to chase out StoneClan. He was hardly a medicine cat at all. Snowheart now knew he had little to no connection with StarClan, though he kept it to himself. He did not know why Rookfrost’s faith in StarClan was so… dismal, so incredibly nonexistent. His mentor knew StarClan existed, of that he was sure, but for some reason he had turned his back on them at some point. So he knew how to heal, knew which herbs to use for what ailment… but there was so much more to being a medicine cat than that.
So now, now that the greencough outbreak was under control and none of his Clanmates were at risk of dying, Snowheart decided to make his journey to the Moon Tree. He felt something tugging his paws there this very day and he was unable to deny the need to go. He had spoken to Redstar of it, he would require an escort. He had told her Rookfrost would be staying behind in case any of the still recovering cats suddenly got worse and she didn’t question that logic. His brother and littermate Icewhisker and his mother’s brother and littermate Sunblaze accompanied him on his journey. He had insisted that two warriors would be enough, not wanting to take too many of the healthy warriors away from the Clan. As they neared the entrance to the cavern that held the sacred tree, Sunblaze’s fur raised and he called out a challenge to the cat that was already there. NightClan scent swept across the stones toward them.
Snowheart brushed past his brash uncle, brushing his fluffy white tail along the other tom’s flank for peace. “We won’t be harmed here,” he assured the older tom and padded forward, dipping his head briefly to the young she-cat. She was a new face, a cat he’d never met before, and smelled strongly of herbs. The faint scent of Smokefur clung to her pelt as well and Snowheart tilted his head slightly, open curiosity in his pale green gaze, “Hello. I’m Snowheart, a medicine cat from LightningClan. Are you Smokefur’s apprentice?” |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2014 22:57:47 GMT -5
Featherpaw lay beneath the low branches of a gnarled oak, her silver pelt dappled by pale moonlight. She was staring at a small pile of herbs that lay between her forepaws, moving them about gently, making quiet, murmuring noises. A scrawny black tom appeared to her left, and she looked up at him, a little startled. "Molepelt?" she mewed, getting to her paws.
"Fiddling with herbs even in your dreams, I see," he noted, a bit of humor lacing his otherwise sympathetic tone. Featherpaw's belly twisted in to a knot as she remembered what she'd gained reprieve from only in her dreams. Smokefur was gone. Gulping, her expression morphing from content to dread, she asked, "What are you doing here?"
"A visit to the Moon Tree is long overdue," Molepelt stated simply. She looked confused.
"Can't we just talk here?" she asked. The ancient medicine cat chuckled.
"Go, Featherpaw."
She awoke abruptly, scrambling to her paws. The Moon Tree. She pressed her teeth together, an awful feeling washing over her. Smokefur should have been the one to bring her to the sacred place for the first time. Inhaling sharply, she shoved the emotion down, walking briskly to the entrance of the den. She paused, looking frantically around the camp. A lanky tortoiseshell was padding towards the warrior's den. "Nettlefur!" she called, bounding towards him. He stopped, turning to her, an inquisitive expression passing across his face.
"I need an escort to the Moon Tree," she told him, her voice tense. The tom nodded, diverting his path to the forest. She followed him. As they entered the forest, she nervously declared, "I don't know where it is." The young cat was practically shaking.
"It's alright; I do." The warrior laid his tail across her shoulders, not slowing. It was clear that this was some kind of urgent. They made their way through the forest in silence. As they approached StarClan's claws, the older cat explained that they'd have to travel through StoneClan territory. "We'll likely need to find a patrol to escort us through, if there's time," he looked to Featherpaw, who nodded hesitantly. She realized now that it might have been wise to use traveling herbs. Too late now.
When they reached the StoneClan border, Nettlefur touched his tail to her flank to stop her. It didn't take more than a few heartbeats for a patrol to arrive. Acting as diplomat, her escort explained that they were travelling to the Moon Tree. A lithe gray she-cat and a tom led them across StoneClan's territory. As they walked, she began to relax. Even in unfamiliar territory, her paws went where the stars guided them.
Reaching StoneClan's border, Nettlefur thanked the cats, calling them by name. Riversong and Graniteclaw. It wasn't like Featherpaw to be so unsure of herself, but her mentor's departure had shaken her. She didn't have enough training. How was she to care for NightClan? Still, she willed her heartbeat to calm, and nodded to the StoneClan warriors as they continued.
Featherpaw's fur prickled as they approached what appeared to be an entrance to the cavern. "This is it," the tom said gently. She nodded, not sure what she should do. It seemed wrong to enter. Nettlefur retreated, sitting with his tail wrapped around his paws. The silver tabby stood frozen in place.
Nettlefur noticed the approaching cats before she did. He looked calmly on as Featherpaw turned to meet the LightningClanners. She gulped, wishing Smokefur was here with her. But she didn't get that kind of help anymore. She was on her own.
"I'm Featherpaw," she introduced herself, voice steady. "medicine cat a--" She broke off, before correcting herself. "NightClan's medicine cat." She paused, looking from Nettlefur to Snowheart's escort. I shouldn't talk about medicine cat business in front of them. "I..."
She looked back at Snowheart. "Can we..." She trailed off, still nervous to enter the cave. "Did Molepelt tell you to come, too?"
Character; Featherpaw
Word count; 657
Notes; WOW HERE HAVE A REALLY PISS POOR FEATHERPAW POST <3 |
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Post by Fate Admin on Jul 13, 2014 11:20:56 GMT -5
The young she-cat introduced herself as Featherpaw… NightClan’s medicine cat. Snowheart’s hears flicked backward in concern. If she was introducing herself as NightClan’s medicine cat yet she still had an apprentice name, then something must have happened to Smokefur. His pale green gaze narrowed slightly in thought, and he didn’t miss her looking between the warriors around them. She was clearly unsure and uncomfortable. Snowheart was reminded of Ivypaw. She had lost her mentor too and had been so relieved to share her doubts and her worries with someone, with him. He had helped her, taught her has Rookfrost taught him, and the two of them had learned together in their dreams. He had felt right then, like he was where he was supposed to be, doing what he was supposed to do.
His gaze softened as he looked at the younger she-cat and he padded forward, touching his tail tip gently to her flank, “Come… we’ll speak inside.” He padded past her slowly and disappeared into the cavern, waiting for her to follow, “I don’t want to force you to reveal anything about your Clan in front of LightningClan warriors. Icewhisker probably wouldn’t be listening anyway, but Sunblaze is….” He trailed off, it was rather irrelevant. “I… do not know who Molepelt is. But I did feel something pulling me here tonight, something that wouldn’t be denied.” He walked on, down and down into darkness until the cavern opened up and the brilliant Moon Tree stretched up before them, glittering like starshine, and faint whispers just on the edge of hearing murmured about the cavern like wind.
He stood bathed in its light, his already immaculate white fur seeming to glow and turned to look at the younger cat, concern reflected in his gaze, “Something has happened to Smokefur. Did… did she fall to greencough?” It wouldn’t really be surprising, for any of their ranks to have fallen ill while treating their Clanmates. As far as Snowheart knew, no medicine cat left their Clan during leaf-bare, with so many sick cats to look after. “Did she never bring you here before?” Featherpaw should have been brought to her first medicine cat meeting, to be accepted among their ranks and to take her medicine cat apprentice vows before them all, to be accepted by StarClan. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2014 20:42:40 GMT -5
"Come, we'll speak inside." Featherpaw was grateful for the invitation to step inside. She nodded to Nettlefur, trusting that he wouldn't cause problems with Icewhisker or Sunblaze. He was the right kind of cat for diplomacy; she was glad to have brought him along. Take a deep breath, she followed Snowheart inside. The cavern was dim, but she felt right at home; she was, after all, NightClan. Her pale green eyes searching through the gloom, her breath caught as she lay eyes upon the Moon Tree for the first time. No wonder it's named after the moon, she mused, before halting before the LightningClan medicine cat. Nodding in agreement as he spoke, she felt the kittish anxiety falling away. It was time for her to step up.
"Molepelt was a NightClan medicine cat a really long time ago, when it was called ShadowClan," she murmured. "He and Redscar and Littlecloud told me I was destined to become a medicine cat." She glanced at the Moon Tree again, sighing, "They usually come to me in dreams, but..." She trailed off, before returning her gaze to Snowheart's. "Littlecloud appeared to me yesterday while I was training with Ravenstar to tell me that Smokefur had left."
Saying it aloud made it real, and her expression grew grim. "She didn't die, but she's gone. Littlecloud said that the stars were guiding her paws. But... she's not coming back."
"I became her apprentice not long before leafbare, and once the greencough struck NightClan, we couldn't afford to leave the ill to come here." She indicated her surroundings with her tail. "Molepelt told me I needed to travel to the Moon Tree. I think he wanted me to meet you."
Character; Featherpaw
Word count; 284
Notes; ~ |
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