[Taxx]

CROWPAW

The moon was just setting, the night giving way to early morning, as Crowpaw limped her way through the entrance tunnel, pausing just inside the camp and glancing over to the medicine cats' den for a moment before continuing on toward it.

"Stupid squirrel," the young she-cat muttered as she went. She'd almost had it- a heartbeat more and her claws would have sunk into the prey's body. Instead, she'd had to go and trip over a tree root and injure herself. And the squirrel had gotten away, high-pitched alarm calls giving notice to any other creatures within earshot.

And that had been that; Crowpaw's attempts at hunting were over for the night. Thornscar had taken her back to the camp, making sure she was safely within the tunnel before leaving her to go the rest of the way on her own.

As she entered the medicine cats' den, Crowpaw glanced around for either medicine cat, eyes settling on Smokefur as she sat down, holding her injured leg aloft as she called to him. "Hello? I think I might need someone to look at my leg. I can't walk on it." Anything else- like how she'd managed to hurt herself- she held back, waiting until either medicine cat asked to give up that information.

watch me, i'll make a name for myself

Fawn @poptart

[Fawn]

curiosity is not a sin...

...but we should exercise caution with our curiosity

Shadowchaser

The younger of the two healers was at Crowpaw's side in two shakes of a holly sprig. Wearing a professional, calm smile to go with his studious but welcoming demeanor, Shadowchaser asked a small series of questions while he examined the apprentice's leg. "When you put your weight on that leg, does it buckle, or is it a matter of being too painful to stand on?" He could scent fresh earth and that chilly snow-scent of mountain snow. And, as always, pine needles. She must have returned from hunting. "A pouncing injury?"

The inquisitive tom desired to know if it was a muscle strain, a joint dislocation, or something he had yet to encounter. A white shape moved just beyond Shadowchaser's peripheral vision, and he was soon greeted by two mismatched eyes gazing into the medicine cats' den. Bonetail.

"Everything alright?" Intoned the white warrior, whose focus was obviously on Crowpaw. Shadowchaser did not stop his caretaking, but provided an answer if only to get Bonetail to stand somewhere else and not block all of his light "Getting there. You may see her when we're finished here."

Bonetail looked ready to argue that he should be present for one of his own kits' treatments, but the tom thought better of it (or decided that the easiest route was just keeping his mouth shut; Bonetail was never one to expend any unnecessary energy). With a flicking tail, he disappeared from the entrance, and light was returned to Shadowchaser's den.

medicine cat of nightclan

Taxx | jk rowling | background image | table by phoenix

[Taxx]

CROWPAW

Shadowchaser was quick to respond to her call; Crowpaw blinked at the dark brown tom as he paused at her side. She considered the question, not entirely sure why it mattered- wasn't it enough that it hurt?

Before she could reply, the light from the entrance faded and the young apprentice glanced back over her shoulder at her father. The ginger tip of her tail flicked as the medicine cat replied, a wordless agreement to the words. She was fine, it was just a little pain.

"I can put weight on it, but not much," she answered the question once Bonetail had gone, gingerly resting her paw on the ground, leaning just slightly on the leg to demonstrate, sucking in a breath at the flash of discomfort that panged at her shoulder.

An embarrassed shuffle, another glance to make sure that nobody else was within earshot before nodding. "I was after a squirrel. I tripped and landed wrong. It got away." Her tail lashed at the admission of her failure, a hot look at the tom daring him to make any mention on it. She'd make up for this as soon as her leg was better.

watch me, i'll make a name for myself

Fawn @poptart

[Fawn]

curiosity is not a sin...

...but we should exercise caution with our curiosity

Shadowchaser

Squirrels can be tricky to catch. Especially for an apprentice, who had not yet built up the speed and endurance necessary to chase one down. Shadowchaser wisely held his tongue, not wanting to embarrass her (or embarrass himself) by trying to offer hunting wisdom as if he were so terribly older than she. Truth be told, his apprenticeship to Smokefur hadn’t been that long ago at all.

”You’ll get the next one,” he encouraged with a smile. ”Provided you rest your leg for a day or two. Unfortunately it isn’t something I can give you herbs for, but if it’s bothering you tonight or in the morning, come see me again. I should have a pawful of poppy seeds for any aches or pains.”

Shadowchaser touched her shoulder with the end of his tail, a nonverbal cue that she no longer had to put weight on that leg. He had seen all he needed to. ”Be careful when you stretch, until the muscles have healed.” The young healer’s luminous gaze turned softer with humor. ”Feel free to take after Bonetail, and find a warm place in the sun to rest. If your mentor or anyone else has something to say about it, please send them to my den.”

You can’t rush healing. Something he knew all too well, from treating Pinewhisker.

medicine cat of nightclan

Taxx | jk rowling | background image | table by phoenix

[Taxx]

CROWPAW

“Of course I will!” Crowpaw replied, adding another lash of her tail to the conviction in her tone. As sure as the moon rose each night, she’d manage to catch a squirrel. Not today, but soon. Picking her leg up again, the tip just brushing the ground, she listened to Shadowchaser and nodded acknowledgement to his advice. The pain wasn’t too bad- more of a dull, constant throb that intensified if she tried to use it, but even she could understand that trying to pretend that it was perfectly fine would only go badly.

“Okay, Shadowchaser.” Rising back to her paws, the young apprentice turned to exit the den, pausing just at the entrance and glancing back as she added, “Thanks!” Slipping out into the clearing, Crowpaw’s eyes narrowed at the sight of her father lying not too far away; after a brief moment of consideration, she headed toward him, head and tail lifted even as she limped, refusing to play it up and whine like a kit. Injuries happened, and this one would be healed soon enough, hopefully. Until then, well, nothing wrong with spending a little time with her father, was there?

watch me, i'll make a name for myself

Fawn @poptart