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    Snakepaw grumbled in her throat as she padded across the Nightclan camp on her way to medicine den. She suppressed her tail from lashing as she did so. Pausing at the entrance her rumbling growl faded into a longing sigh.
    It had been a moon since she was apprenticed. Her health state still under watch after her bought of green cough. Snakepaw had been asked to keep getting checked over by Smokefur until the medicine cat said she was 100% better.
Snakepaw had been born to early, and her mother and sibling had died shortly after leaving her to be raised by the other queens. She was 7 moons old and and still looking skinny.
    She didn't want to visit Smokefur and have the medicine cat look her over. What if she got bad news? What if she had to put her training on hold! This time she let her tail lash once swinging her body as it did so. Her ears were pinned to the back of her head when she ducked into the den.

"Hello"

    She called lowly, half hoping no cat would answer. She kept her maw shut as a small cough puffed out of her throat.

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    Snakepaw wouldn't be lucky enough to wander into an empty medicine cat's den, and not long after her call Smokefur returned one from deeper inside the den. "Come in, I'll be up in a moment!" She called as she quickly sorted the rest of the stale herbs out of her collection to be disposed of. Pushing them to the side to be cleaned out later she restored the rest of her collection to their rightful spots and quickly made her way to the main cavern of the den. "Ah, Snakepaw!" She said beginning to light up, the she-cat was a bit grumpy of course but it was to be expected with one in her position. "You've come in for your check up I see? Come on over we'll make it quick." She said before sitting and patting the ground beside her trying to be warm and inviting towards the scrawny cat. She feared for her safety, and had barred her from warrior duties there was no doubt she was capable of performing them without issue. Smokefur figured Snakepaw blamed her and thought she wanted to keep her here; it was quite the opposite however and Smokefur worked hard trying get her ready to be an apprentice. She wanted the young cat to be happy, and was sure that she was anything but at the moment.

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    Snakepaw's shoulders dropped at Smokefur's quick reply.  There goes her excuse that no cat was in the medicine den.
    She quickly perked up and nodded in reply, then obediently strolled into the den and sat down where the older she cat had instructed.
    She sat up straight and puffed out her chest as if to make herself look bigger and more full. Then realizing how silly that looked gave her chest a few quick licks as if that was her intention all along.
    Snakepaw looked around the den and realized how familiar it was, almost so much as the nursery. She had been an apprentice for a moon and it still felt like she spent most of her time here....that or in the elders den picking out ticks and listening to old cats jabber like jays about nonsense.
    She suppressed another cough, as if she was holding her breath. A small cough here and there was almost normal for her now, but not uncommon after green cough.

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Smokefur was pleased to see Snakepaw wandering over without making a fuss, she knew the young cat well enough to be thankful she hadn't put up a fight. The medicine cat stifled a purr of amusement noting how she puffed out her chest, figuring the apprentice wouldn't be pleased that she found her display amusing. She was glad she had let it go once Snakepaw tried to hide her actions under the guise of grooming. Smokefur began her usual tests poking a prodding the young cat checking to see how her muscle growth was coming, making sure she was finally on the track to gain weight. Her state wasn't optimal but the grey medicine cat was hopeful as she had been noting improvement since their initial visits. The final check pertained to Snakepaw's lungs and would be the true indicator to her ability to begin her real training. Smokefur put her ear to the apprentices side and instructed her to take a deep breath. If she could hear anything she would know the damage was still pretty severe, if she didn't she had to make her best guess on how far along Snakepaw was in her recovery.

@ruby

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    Snakepaw steadied her breathing as if it would make her seem healthier or more well rounded, as Smokefur examined her lungs. She did actually feel fine today, but it wasn't about today, and Snakepaw knew, that Smokefur new that. Snakepaw thought herself strong being the only survivor of her litter, but it wasn't uncommon for a cat to think her lucky at the very lest. It wouldn't even be unexpected at this point.
    Snakepaw had a determined look on her face as if she could will herself out of atrophy. Maybe if she were a Treeclan cat she wouldn't feel as bad about being a step behind. Maybe if she were a Lightingclan cat Snakepaw would take her slow recovery as the path Starclan destined her on. She wasn't a Treeclan cat though and she wasn't a wimpy Lightingclan cat. She was Nightclan and every cat on the mountains new that Nightclan was the strongest, had the highest expectation for its warriors, tolerated no weakness and above all....controlled there own destinies. 'I will be strong' she though to herself.
    She puffed out another small cough just as Smokefur pressed her ear against Snakepaw's chest


((ooc: Maybe Hellion Gracklefur can come check on her apprentice's progress as well and see about a training session))

@poptart