[KARAZHAL]

It'd all happened so suddenly. One moment he was training with Passionpaw, working on footwork in the snowstorm. The next, he was slipping sideways like a fawn, and his leg gave out. His front right paw slid uncontrollably. His eyes widened at the red streak beneath him. His paw was caked with ice and bloodied snow.

"Whoa!" he blurted out, more astonished than in pain. In fact, Birdtalon hadn't even felt his injury or known that he'd been bleeding. The gray tom glanced around and saw tiny red pawprints all around his side. He wasn't going into shock, thankfully; the weather had done a perfect job of numbing him up, but undoubtedly their medicine cats would chew his ear off for being so neglectful. "Alright, Passionpaw, we're cutting it short here. Good work," he told the older apprentice. "Don't worry about me. Go ahead and meet up with your sister." The snow didn't show signs of letting up anytime soon so this was a good place to break off anyway.

Birdtalon hurried to camp and approached the medicine cat den. He was grateful for a reprieve against the winter chill, but now that he was inside, shielded from the wind, he was starting to feel the prickle of pain that came with regaining feeling in his limbs. "Sandblaze!" he called out to the medicine cat, but the tiny tom had his back to Birdtalon and didn't turn around. Maybe he was lost in his thoughts. Birdtalon's eyes fell on Ebonyheart instead, the longhaired beauty of the medicine cat den. "Sorry to disturb you, miss." He put on a tough face and trotted over to her, giving her a respectful dip of the head. "I seem to have cut a paw open." Birdtalon chuckled softly. Blood smeared wherever the matte-gray tom stepped.

tags Ghost the Undead Goddess
notes let's meet that high rank deadline

( this table coding is copyright of my friend hata )

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Ebonyheart,

Livin' in ruins of a palace within my dreams

Unreadable pale pools watched the older tom as he shuffled about herbs with his paws, back towards the entrance and without so much of an ear flicker when a voice called for him. Liquid mint hues narrowed slightly, though she didn't seem to surprised. 

Lately it seemed like Sandblaze was having problems with his ears but was denying them. It happened around the time he fell into the river when it was swollen after those torrential rains flooded Rainclan's territory. The red tom had been lucky to avoid getting seriously sick but he had water in his ears for a few days. 

Sandblaze had the new habit of saying he was just focusing on whatever task he had been doing when it seemed like he missed the noises and sounds around him. Ebonyheart had yet to prod the subject, especially when he got so defensive so quickly. 

Still...

Pulling herself to her wide, flat paws the black she-cat made her way forwards as Birdtalon made his way further into the den. She'd take care of her mentor once she checked on the status of one of her warriors. There was a biting retort on her sharp tongue, something about careless toms not watching where they stepped. 

However, she found it ease at the mannerisms of Birdtalon as he dipped his head respectfully Even Rabbitfur would have been pleased with the gray tom's disposition. As she had been raised, the fluffy feline returned the bow as it was given before she turned her pale green pools towards his raised paw. 

"It certainly seems that way." Her tone was sharp and proper, as always. Her tail nub wriggled slightly behind her as she used one of her wide paws to lift it close to her face. A hum rose from her throat for a moment before she pulled away, "Clean it real good while I get some things."

Ebonyheart couldn't tell how deep the actual wound for the time being, as it was coated in blood, dirt and snow, but she wasn't worried about infection for the time being. Nosing a few supplies, pleased that their storage was still fairly full.

She grabbed a dock leaf and goldenrod flower, one to sooth pain and the other to aid in healing the cut on his paw as well as some cobweb to wrap it all up.

Setting her supplies down near Birdtalon, Ebonypaw lowered her haunches to sit as she lifted one of her paws to check his. "What did you cut it on?" She asked, though her sharp tone was practically demanding. She honestly wasn't as rude as she sounded, she just had that natural likability of a cactus. 

18 Moons StoneClan Medicine Cat Apprentice

KARAZHAL || Made by Fawn || 467 Words

[KARAZHAL]

How long had it been since he'd last seen the insides of Sandblaze's cave? Several summers at least, and not much had changed. Birdtalon gave a brief glance around the den before approaching Ebonyheart. Although she was half his age, he gave her the respect that was owed a medicine cat; having earned her full name, she had the right to it. Her tone reminded him briefly of his own mentor, and Birdtalon hid his soft laughter at the memory of ears pinning back and tail puffing out at Cobrashadow's harsh words. He was no longer a boy though and did not take her tone personally. It was a medicine cat's duty to be no nonsense in a world spiraling with inter-clan drama and politics.

As Ebonyheart held it close for inspection, the melting snow dribbled and collected with the blood streaming slowly from his paw. The pawpad was sliced open, splitting the flat-gray skin cleanly. At her command, Birdtalon pulled it back toward himself to begin licking the cold crystals away. The more feeling he regained, the more the wound stung with each rough tongue lick, and he grimaced with each rub.

He was glad for her return and proffered his paw once more. "Your sharp tongue, I think," Birdtalon joked and quickly ducked his head so Ebonyheart didn't decide to shove those cobwebs into his mouth instead of his paw. "I jest, I jest. It was ice... or maybe a stone?" he added quickly. "I was training my apprentice to be prepared for leafbare. Next thing I knew, I'm sliding sideways and my paw didn't want to cooperate. It was so cold I couldn't feel it when it happened." He chuckled sardonically and shook his head, tsking at his foot as if it had a mind of its own and needed to be scolded.

tags Ghost the Undead Goddess
notes ebonyheart, just throw him out lol

( this table coding is copyright of my friend hata )

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Ebonyheart,

Livin' in ruins of a palace within my dreams

The young she-cat's gaze was focused on the wound slicing across the gray paw pad of the older tomcat. She was pleased with how cleaned he got it, obviously paying attention to what she said. His paw itself was still slightly cold, but she was sure the numbness was soon to wear off. 

She'd probably grab Birdtalon some pain relievers before he left the den she shared with Sandblaze. 

Then again...

Pale, minty pools slowly moved from the wounded paw to hold the green gaze of the gray tom near her. Liquid green was unreadable as she picked apart his little, humorous joke with her mind. Her fluffy nub of a tail wriggled beneath her slightly, jaws parting as her sharp tone rumbled within her throat again. 

"If that were the case then you'd be missing your entire paw." For a faint moment there was a glimmer of amusement within the normally unreadable gaze of the younger Medicine Cat. Though, just as quickly has it had floated by, it had vanished within the next couple of seconds. 

"Perhaps you should be prepared for leafbare if you plan on teaching that to Passionpaw." She continued in that stinging, near reprimanding tone though it was all from the goodness of her heart. There was a reason the large black she-cat had the name that was given to her by her red coated mentor. 

"You should heal fine, chew up the Goldenrod and the Dock leaves together for me while I get you some something for the pain. I'm sure you'll start feeling it once the numbness from walking in the snow is gone." Birdtalon could use his jaws in a useful manner, mashing his own poultice together rather than jacking them with jesting comments.

Honestly, though, his respectful humor didn't bother her one bit. It was actually kind of appreciated on the part of the fluffy feline, it wasn't often that cats kept their manners. 

It didn't take Ebonyheart very long to slip into the crack of the den that housed the store of herbs, berries and other bundles of needed supplies to dig out a couple, dull colored dandelion leaves. Her patient could chew these to ease any pain he might have while the paste she applied would both ease any stinging pain as well as soothe the paw pad in general. 

"Finish chewing that up?" She padded near silently back towards Birdtalon, those unreadable minty pools watching him while also studying him to make sure nothing else was worrisome on his slender, gray form. "You can have these leaves once I finish wrapping it on your paw. They'll help."

18 Moons StoneClan Medicine Cat Apprentice

KARAZHAL || Made by Fawn || 461 Words

[KARAZHAL]

"Oof, spare the paw, miss," Birdtalon meowed. His injured paw drooped comically as he waved it side to side, dripping blood off his claws. "I didn't mean any offense." The big patchy she-cat looked ready to amputate. He quickly pulled his paw close again to lick the beading blood away. "Sorry for the mess." Birdtalon managed to glance down and back the way he'd come. A dark pawprint was painted on the dusty floor every few steps until it met up with his shadow and the droplets between him and Ebonyheart. The medicine cat's words stilled his jokes. He knew she was right, but he felt in his heart that he hadn't imparted poor teaching to Passionpaw. After all, it wasn't as if he'd continued to play-fight and pounce once he noticed his injury. Sometimes a warrior had to tough it out, not run to the medicine cat at the first hint of a scrape. StoneClan warriors wouldn't be tough as rocks if they cloistered in Sandblaze's den needlessly.

"I'm already feeling it," he remarked as he bent down to the collection of goldenrod and dock leaves. He took a mouthful and chewed, slowly at first and scrunching his face up at the awful bitterness, but he kept his head turned down and made no complaints. Birdtalon settled into a loaf position with his forelegs tucked up in front of his chest. As Ebonyheart reappeared before him with her herbs, prompting him so suddenly he nearly swallowed the concoction, Birdtalon spat out the cud into his two front paws.

"Do I have to swallow any of this?" he asked reluctantly. He tilted his head away from the chewed up poultice.

tags Ghost the Undead Goddess
notes just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down

( this table coding is copyright of my friend hata )

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Ebonyheart,

Livin' in ruins of a palace within my dreams

"Just the dandilion petals." The fluffy black feline retorted in that sharp tone of hers as she used a wide paw to pushed the pale yellow flowers off to the side for when she was finished with everything.

Her haunches lowered once more to settle herself into a sitting position in front of the gray tomcat. The mixed salve on his paws looked to be the correct consistency as she pulled over a large leaf that held the sticky, white cobwebs neatly wadded up in it's center. 

She didn't have the luxury of having a tail like other medicine cats, so she had to improvise when it came to certain things. Large oak leaves, though scarce on Stoneclan's barren land, were usually very helpful in situations like these. 

"As for this, i'm going to wrap your paw with some of it caked into the wound. It will help heal everything and soothe your pad itself." There was more than enough of the cud, it would be plenty for her to reapply more later today and then again in the morning. 

Without hesitation, those pale minty pools focused on the task at hand as Ebonyheart quickly packed in the mixture of dock leaves and goldenrod flowers to the wounded and now pinkining area of Birdtalon's sliced pad. Once she was satisfied the healer lightly wrapped the sticky cobwebs multiple times around the limb to keep it all in place. 

"No more training today. Light activity until tomorrow morning because it will be tender to walk on." She chirped in her proper tone, pleased with her assessment and bandaging. Her fluffy nub twitched behind her as she stood up, lifting those unreadable green pools to capture his gaze. 

"Anything else I can help you with?" She had to make sure he was completely checked over before she sent him on his way. 

18 Moons StoneClan Medicine Cat Apprentice

KARAZHAL || Made by Fawn || 331 Words

[KARAZHAL]

Birdtalon's tongue ran repeatedly across the roof of his mouth in order to get out the aftertaste of dock. Here's hoping this can wash it down, he thought. His bright blue-green eyes took in the dry yellow petals; the flowers reflected a outline in the tom's rounded lenses. He blinked and dove, downing the dandelion quickly to just get it over with.

All while he was distracted over the taste of medicine, Ebonyheart had patched up his paw and wouldn't you know it, he didn't feel a thing. Birdtalon made an appreciative purr at the skillful she-cat. "I feel good as new already." The idea of light activity during the leafbare season was a welcome reprieve. He would have to think of tasks for Passionpaw to do to keep her busy.

The gray tom rose from his crouch using his left leg. He lifted the other one experimentally and tested how it held up by slowly flexing his toes. His nose pinched as he felt his skin tighten and the dock stung him like a curse. "I'll stay off it for today," he promised. He made to leave but his eyes caught on Sandblaze feeding pieces of fresh-kill to an ill clanmate. Birdtalon paused on him with clear concern and said, "The snow flurries from this morning haven't stopped at all. Are you sure Sandblaze will be okay going to your medicine cat gathering?"

tags Ghost the Undead Goddess
notes <3

( this table coding is copyright of my friend hata )

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Ebonyheart,

Livin' in ruins of a palace within my dreams

Pale minty pools watched with an unreadable expression as the slender gray tom flexed and curled his toes ones she was done patching up his paw. She wasn't surprised to see his face react to the mild tenderness from such actions, if he was expecting any differently then he was certainly a fool wrapped in a gentle-tom's coat. 

Her attention shifted as he directed his own gaze and statement towards the red coated tabby farther off in the den dealing with a cat who had gotten sick at the turn of the season. 

Though it was not the warrior's concern what either of the Medicine Cats did when it came to their personal meeting with Starclan and the other healers of the valley, Ebonyheart was rather pleased with his concern for their well-being considering the consistency of the weather today. 

Luckily, Ebonyheart had already brought that up with her mentor, Sandblaze and he seemed to have agreed with her assessment and decision about the night. "Starclan will have to wait, we wont be going tonight." Her sharp tone was proper as always, her fluffy tail nub flickering behind her. 

"Besides, we have cats here that need our attention." The fluffy feline motioned towards the couple of occupied nests from sick cats. Both healers were just hoping that Greencough stayed clear of the camp as they kept those with fevers and chills isolated. 

Returning her gaze to the handsome tom next to her, the younger feline gave a single twitch of an ear before parting her jaw to speak again. "I want you to come back later so I can apply another round of salve before you sleep."

18 Moons StoneClan Medicine Cat Apprentice

KARAZHAL || Made by Fawn || 297 Words

[KARAZHAL]

Birdtalon breathed a heavy purr of relief and offered a quick prayer to StarClan, hoping the ancestors wouldn't perceive a slight if the medicine cats delayed their gathering. It was somewhat amusing that Ebonyheart even took her no-nonsense approach with StarClan. He shared the medicine cat's passion for the clan's wellbeing. Leafbare was a harsh season; he did not know of one in his lifetime where StoneClan hadn't lost anycat, whether to exposure or sickness. He gave her a nod of respect. He deeply appreciated all that Sandblaze and Ebonyheart sacrificed so that StoneClan could lead their healthiest lives.

"Yes'm, I'll come back," he meowed obediently. "I'll go get you more fresh-kill from the pile first though, so that everyone can eat," he said. That wouldn't be such a strain on himself to limp from one area of camp to another. Birdtalon limped out of the medicine cat's den. He waited in line behind one of his other clanmates and picked up a young hare by an ear. Slowly, he limped back, and it was hard to maneuver the hare without jostling his paw. It took a few minutes before he returned to the heart of the medicine den.

"Where shall I leave this?" he asked. He didn't want to venture close to the cats bedridden with the cough.

tags Ghost the Undead Goddess
notes you can end it with your post if you like! we did it!!

( this table coding is copyright of my friend hata )

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Ebonyheart,

Livin' in ruins of a palace within my dreams

There was a single flicker of a black ear that showed the younger healer heard and acknowledged Birdtalon when he stood to gingerly pad out of the the rich, herb scented den. Her attention was returning to focus on those who were shivering within their make-shift nests. 

"Sandblaze," Her jaws parted as that sharp tone of hers came out in a soft mew so as not to wake their sleeping patients. Her nose twitched slightly with the lack of response so she raised her voice a bit louder, "Sandblaze!"

His ear twitched and he turned his head to look at her, there was a faint look of annoyance plastered within his gaze. "You don't have to be so loud." Ebonyheart was annoyed that he wouldn't talk to her about the potiental loss of one of his senses but she ignored that for the time being. 

"Go get some rest, I'll take over for a while." She said with a no-nonsense tone that said she wouldn't accept his refusal. He'd been at it for a long time with little sleep, he always did that. His dedication was admirable, but it wouldn't help if he were to fall ill from lack of self care either. 

"Fine, but remember-"

"Sandblaze, trust in what you taught me." Her tone softened ever so slightly as she nudged him off in the direction of his welcoming nest. While she was not nearly as experienced or seasoned as the red tabby tom was, Ebonyheart had enough confidence in her abilities as a fully named healer to care for the sick of their clan. 

It wasn't the first time she had experienced a Leafbare as Sandblaze's apprentice. The first of her sixth moon had her delving deep into the snow to travel to her first Medicine Cat Meeting as well as hurriedly learning to cure to Greencough.

It's been twelve whole moons since I started training...

Her attention was pulled away from her drifting thoughts as Birdtalon's voice echoed within her ears. Pale minty pools turned to see the slender gray tom standing there with a hare hanging from his jaws. 

"Oh, that's perfect. I'm sure they will appreciate that once they wake up-" She paused suddenly when the smallest of rumbles came from her stomach, reminding her that she had yet to eat since yesterday. Her tail nub twitched with mild irritation. 

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt if I had some too." She couldn't be getting onto Sandblaze for not sleeping if she was going to forget to eat when aiding her clan. Her ear twitched slightly, "Just leave it there for now and i'll take care of it once I give them some medicine."

"And, thank you, Birdtalon." Ebonyheart dipped her head in both respect and dismissal before turning to sort out different mixtures of herbs and berries that were needed for the sick in isolation. 

18 Moons StoneClan Medicine Cat Apprentice

KARAZHAL || Made by Fawn || 500 Words