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Post by Fawn on Oct 19, 2017 17:41:19 GMT -5
LIONSTAR leader of treeclan Blinded by the light of a new sun It was the first time in a long time that he'd seen a rat. Initially mistaken for a particularly rotund mouse, Lionstar had pounced it without hesitation, but the creature had been strong enough to endure that first (and oftentimes last) move. He'd been surprised, but only for a few heartbeats; the rat sank its sharp yellow teeth into his forepaw just before he killed it, and Lionstar had limped home with the dead rat fixed firmly between his jaws.
He made sure not to limp when he actually reached camp, revealing his injury only to Falconstorm when he appeared before the younger tom's den. "Do you have anything for a rat bite?" Lionstar let himself in, stepping with care around any herb piles or fresh bedding occupying the hollowed out section Falconstorm used as a den. Already the fresh scents of autumn were starting to permeate the camp; there was a dense colony of pale fungi growing on the side of the elders' den, and he could pick up that earthy, wet-soil smell from here.
Add to that all of the herb-scents and a crisp leaf-fall breeze, and Lionstar found it pleasant. Or maybe you're just in a great mood lately, he realized, suppressing a warm purr as he pictured Honeysong waiting for him at the Ancient Stump. Thornpaw's training was coming along well, kits were on the way, and TreeClan had new territory to hunt in.
All in all, life was good. Lionstar could afford to pay closer attention to the cats in his life, and he did so now, greeting Falconstorm with a respectful - though amiable - attitude. "Been keeping busy?" Falconstorm seemed to always be going somewhere these days. Take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem
background image | So Alive | table by phoenix
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Post by Justice on Oct 19, 2017 18:37:46 GMT -5
He'd been thinking about doing another herb run for Kindleflare, just to make sure she had enough for her clan before leafbare set in. Things for colds, things for fever and shakes, things for those common cold related injuries. Things he could spare, because he was always gathering herbs so he could use it as an excuse to see Herondive. He didn't expect to see Lionstar of all cats come into his den. The blue eyed tom tipped his head then regarded the other curiously before noting the limp despite what had to be a valiant effort to hide it. "Yes I do. Please sit down and elevate the paw. I'll need to see how swollen it is from you walking on it, then if the rat broke off teeth in there." He doubted it, but routine was routine. He came back chewing up a burdock root, scooting along a leaf to place it on once he felt it was suficiently chewed. He examined the injured paw quietly, putting the chewed burdock root on the leaf and scooting it to the side he got a quick drink to clear the taste then checked for signs that the rat had left a chip of tooth imbedded into it. "Does it burn at all? Or is it just a dull pain?" The burning could indicate there was a chip of rat tooth in the wound, which meant he was digging it out with his claws. Otherwise it would be treated and Lionstar put on light duty for a few days so that the swelling could go down. He put the leaf on the paw and pressed it down gently with a paw. "Leave that while we're talking." It would prevent any infection setting in and was the best he had for the bite. He sat down next to his leader and sighed, wrapping his tail around his paws. "How is Honeysong feeling? She hasn't come in here fretting in nearly a week, its a record." He smiled as he said it, not nearly as annoyed as he might seem to be. Fawn
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Post by Fawn on Oct 23, 2017 18:43:24 GMT -5
LIONSTAR leader of treeclan Blinded by the light of a new sun "A dull ache," replied Lionstar. That he had made worse by walking on it briefly to test the severity of the wound. Falconstorm was nothing if not efficient, both in words and in actions, and it wasn't long before TreeClan's leader was relaxing with a wad of herbs pressed against the injured paw. "The fire has stirred up all the prey, though it's been a while." The smell of ash was finally starting to leave the valley. A generous rainstorm had taken care of most of it, soaking the soot and ash back into the earth where it would feed newleaf's new growth in the coming seasons.
His mate was a welcome subject between them, and Lionstar settled in more comfortably - an indication he was likely to talk at length - purring through his words. "You can't tell? This is the happiest I've ever seen her. She's looking forward to those kits so badly." It warmed his heart to see Honeysong so excited. Yet he was also cautious, a worry existing in the back of his thoughts that her age would make the kitting an unpleasant or perhaps fatal experience.
"The kitting. Should I be preparing myself for something to happen?" Lionstar's golden face was set in sudden graveness. He wanted Falconstorm's honesty. Now was not a time for empty reassurances or promises that could not be kept. "Honeysong and the kits should be fine?" Was there anything he could do to ensure that was the case? Whatever Falconstorm asked of him, he would do it.
Anything for her. Anything for them. Take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem
background image | So Alive | table by phoenix
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Post by Justice on Oct 23, 2017 19:23:49 GMT -5
Falconstorm Medicine Cat 40 Moons TreeClan "Honestly I barely note the prey anymore." He did go hunting still, but hadn't since the fire. He'd been too busy gathering herbs and making sure the fire line got cleared so that the new growth would take root well. It was why his mostly white fur was ash grey most of the time. It would go clean, but he'd need to take a short swim to completely get it out. And he hated water, but he had to be clean. Oh, his paws and face were kept clean to make sure he didn't get anything in wounds or contaminate his herbs, but he did look ash grey right at the moment. "I'll be happy to see newleaf and the sign that our forest and the greater valley is finally healing."
He settled and absently smoothed out his fur, listening to Lionstar describe the pain. "Good, then I don't have to dig out the teeth." He was nothing if not blunt about things. But the subject had been shifted for a reason, and he offered the slightest smile as they spoke of the impending birth of Honeysong's litter.
And here was the fussing he'd been expecting. He chuckled. "Of course I can tell. I know there's nothing physically wrong with her or the kits, I meant more her emotional state." He flicked his tail and settled. "She's glowing. And I can't tell you how happy I was to see her smiling again." She'd raised him, he'd been worried when all she wanted to do was look terrified and lie still in her shared den. He'd worried she'd do something unfortunate if she lost those kits. Honeysong was a strong she-cat, but he'd heard stories of how depressed she was when she'd lost her first litter, before he and his siblings essentially saved her by being there for her to nurture.
Her happiness made him wonder if his beloved Herondive would glow like that if they were to have kits together. Not that it would ever happen, but there was no harm in dreaming. He shook his head, a smile on his features again. And then it fell off when asked about more serious matters.
"Her pregnancy has been typical, exceptional even given her age. She hasn't had any unusual pains and the kits are right where they need to be for growth. They move when prodded, and she tells me they are very active. Everything seems to be going well." He took a breath. "However, pregnancy and kitting takes a hard tole on a cat's body. A queen in her prime can take some time to recover, and the older we get the longer the healing time is. Once the kits are born she will be confined to her nest for at least a week, maybe more. It depends on several things. I don't expect anything to go wrong with the kitting, and everyone should be fine."
You felt the gravity of tempered grace falling into empty space No one there to catch you in their arms ## Fawn Notes
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Post by Fawn on Oct 24, 2017 12:14:06 GMT -5
LIONSTAR leader of treeclan Blinded by the light of a new sun Slowly, as the rational response from Falconstorm began to fully sink in, the uneasy knot in Lionstar's stomach loosened. The golden tom relaxed, visibly so by the laying down of his fur and the light exhale of the breath he'd been holding. "Good. I'll be sending a prayer to StarClan every day until they're here, safe and sound." And Honeysong was safe and happy. Being confined to her nest for a week or two would be only a little unpleasant - he didn't imagine his mate would want to get far from her kits either way.
She will be fine. She's stronger than you know. Honeysong had already proved it. The ability to endure and keep smiling was a trait of Honeysong's that never failed to impress him.
"I'm glad we have a full medicine cat to help with the kitting," mewed Lionstar, recalling much earlier moons. "There were times when this den was occupied by a medicine cat apprentice, with no mentor. I don't miss those days." With a soft twitch of the ears, Lionstar regarded the younger tom before him as though having just now realized something. "It was roughly this time last year that you became Bluejay's apprentice, isn't that right? Any thoughts to taking on your own apprentice?"
StarClan forbid anything happen to Falconstorm so soon after Bluejay's loss, but TreeClan had been stuck up a tree before. He was far from eager to repeat the experience. Spottedfeather... Elderpaw... And then, that tense stretch of days after Elderpaw's unexpected death where TreeClan had no medicine cat. Their ancestors had stepped up and given him a sign of what to look for; Littletimber had taken on that new role despite no experience with healing prior.
Then Honeypaw, who had not taken so well to an apprenticeship with Littletimber. Bluejay, however, found her proper path in life, and in turn helped Falconstorm find his. In Lionstar's leadership of over 45 moons, he had seen five medicine cats and their apprentices come and go like the seasons. That experience had taught him caution. Caution and the grim expectation that any cat who held this position for long may die sooner rather than later. Take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem
background image | So Alive | table by phoenix
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Post by Justice on Oct 25, 2017 15:04:55 GMT -5
Falconstorm Medicine Cat 40 Moons TreeClan "She's been doing everything exactly as I told her, so everything will be fine." He said it with confidence. And at least this wasn't his first kitting. It made him glad Bluejay had brought him along to Meadowleaf's kitting, even though it wasn't a standard thing for medicine cat training. He thought it needed to be, because an apprentice that came into themselves without that knowledge could have the potential to panic when the time came. It made him wonder how Littletimber managed when he'd stepped up to become the medicine cat without any formal training. An enigma, was Littletimber.
He sighed and checked Lionstar's paw again, pulling the leaf from it and nodding. "It looks good. The swelling is already going down. I'll send you back to your nest with the poultice on it and another for tomorrow. No hunting at least today, and put the one for tomorrow under moss to keep it moist. It'll need to sit on your paw in the morning for at least a time before you can go back to your routine. I would prefer you not to go on a long patrol or hunt for three days, but we'll see how fast the swelling goes down."
And that was done. He shuddered when Lionstar mentioned the days where they'd had a half-trained medicine cat with no mentor. "Thank StarClan Bluejay had enough time before they wanted her back to finish training me." He was on his paws again, tidying up the area and noting he'd need to grab a few apprentices to change out the moss beds for patients before leafbare set in. The worst thing was being stuck in the medicine den with stinky nests.
He nodded absently to the question, wondering where Lionstar was going with his train of thought. "It was." And then the next question bristled his fur and tightened the muscles in his body. "I have not." His tone chilled significantly, hoping his leader wasn't about to start urging him to take an apprentice. He also hoped his tone was one that suggested this was not a welcome topic.
An apprentice meant someone constantly dogging his steps, constantly asking questions, constantly questioning where he was going and why he wanted to go alone. An apprentice meant never seeing Herondive until that apprentice was trained. The thought constricted his chest and made breathing difficult. He actually paced aimlessly in his den for a few minutes before being able to reign himself back in. "I'll consider one after Kindleflare has taken one of her own."
You felt the gravity of tempered grace falling into empty space No one there to catch you in their arms ## Fawn Notes
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Post by Fawn on Oct 25, 2017 15:58:13 GMT -5
LIONSTAR leader of treeclan Blinded by the light of a new sun The suddenly cold demeanor from Falconstorm brought Lionstar's attention to a critical point. Why the hesitance? And the reason (or lack thereof) that was provided had Lionstar's expression turning reproachful. "Kindleflare isn't a medicine cat of TreeClan. What she does or does not do has nothing to do with us." Why would the actions of LightningClan's medicine cat have any sort of impact on Falconstorm?
It could have something to do with the Medicine Cat Code, but Lionstar found himself doubting that.
"You might have your paws full in leafbare, if greencough strikes again." Lionstar countered, "Why take that chance?"
Falconstorm, now that he thought back over the past half moon or so, seemed busy. He was in camp treating any cats who needed it, so Lionstar would never accuse him of neglecting his duties, yet the medicine cat was oddly scarce the rest of the day. Lionstar didn't provide him any excuses or the benefit of the doubt — he was too experienced to blithely turn a blind eye on strange behavior.
He'd keep an eye on Falconstorm in the future. Perhaps assign a guard? Demon was bound to be more active with leafbare approaching. Lionstar remembered with painful, bloody clarity the panic he had come home to when Littletimber had been savaged by Demon. All that had been left of the peculiar little healer had been his tail. Take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem
228 words | Justice | notes: SUSPICIOUS~ background image | So Alive | table by phoenix
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Post by Justice on Oct 25, 2017 16:29:21 GMT -5
Falconstorm Medicine Cat 40 Moons TreeClan "Kindleflare became a medicine cat shortly before I did. I've been judging my timing on her progress." His tone was biting, and his tail lashing violently behind him gave away just how angry he was starting to get. The mention of greencough, which had killed so many and driven he and Bluejay into the ground, had in part killed the sweet tempered medicine cat, finally set him off. Falconstorm, after all, had started out as a warrior.
His body vibrated, fur starting to stand up on end as a growl rumbled through his body. "How dare you. Do you doubt my abilities so much that you'd push me to take an apprentice before I felt ready to take one?" He paced the room again, this time allowing all that rage to show in how he carried himself. "You bring up greencough after everything it put me and Bluejay through? Do you want StarClan to test us even more? After the fire, after taking Bluejay away too soon, after breaking my heart watching her die!" Bluejay had been his friend, it had hurt everyone when she died.
"You don't understand how this works, do you? I spend all the time I have looking for herbs. TreeClan is my primary concern, but not my only one. Kindleflare is a medicine cat, and her clan will suffer if they run out of herbs, and they would have. So what the others medicine cats do has everything to do with me. I've been helping Kindleflare gather enough herbs to see them through until newleaf when the fresh growth comes back. I will not let them suffer when I can do something to help. A medicine cat is neutral. You may not like it, Lionstar, but I will help whomever I please." He hadn't been asked where he was, but he felt like the question was coming.
"I will not be taking an apprentice this season, or next. I won't even entertain the idea until greenleaf. And you, Lionstar, have no right to tell me when I should pick. I'll pick when StarClan shows me someone that belongs to my path. Not before, not because you told me to."
You felt the gravity of tempered grace falling into empty space No one there to catch you in their arms ## Fawn Notes
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Post by Fawn on Oct 25, 2017 17:04:39 GMT -5
LIONSTAR leader of treeclan Blinded by the light of a new sun The furious retort from Falconstorm pinned Lionstar's ears back, and soon enough he was standing too, confronting the younger tom with his own raised fur. "Yes I dare, because I worry for this Clan! I worry with every season, and I worry every single time TreeClan gets a new medicine cat or deputy, how long they're going to last. The future promises nothing to us. We don't know what StarClan will test us with next, I want to be prepared."
He had offended him. Stepped on the other tom's toes. Lionstar regretted bringing up the subject at all, but despite how tense things had suddenly grown between them, it was an important discussion to have. More quietly, and more to himself, the golden tom's age showed in the long exhale. "And don't speak as if you were the only one who cared for Bluejay. She was like a daughter to me. I miss her just as deeply as you do. She touched many lives in the short time we had with her."
For the sake of fostering good relationships between them for the Clan, Lionstar tried a different approach. He loosened his pride, and made a curt dip of his head to Falconstorm. "I'm sorry for upsetting you. What you are doing for Kindleflare and LightningClan is a noble endeavor."
As for having no right to tell Falconstorm when to pick an apprentice... Lionstar held his tongue. The Clan leader's word was law, it was in the Code regardless of how strongly Falconstorm believed medicine cats stood apart from the Code. He's so stubborn sometimes, he grumbled, keeping his tail still to hold back some of his irritation. And so am I.
Lionstar sighed again. "I have no choice but to respect your decision." And I hope it doesn't bite TreeClan on the tail some day.
Lionstar, careful not to let his injured paw touch the ground, slowly began to make his leave. "I've taken up enough of your time, Falconstorm." It was best for them both that they gave one another a wide berth for a little while. Contrary to whatever the medicine cat thought, it wasn't his intention to overstep his boundaries. Perhaps he had grown too set in his ways? He had first made the suggestion to Littletimber to take on Bluejay. He should have known that Littletimber was an unusual case; it had been precisely that reason that he'd made the suggestion in the first place - Littletimber had been withdrawn, and his connection with StarClan seemed present, but the tom had behaved as if... short of a lightning strike, he would have gone on each day exactly the same. Only broaching the subject of an apprentice when asked.
There was a brief moment where Lionstar glanced back towards Falconstorm's den, a second apology hovering on his tongue - but he let it go. The best apology he could give Falconstorm was his support and his respect. Lionstar intended to do so, but as he limped towards the ancient stump, he could not help the worry building up in the back of his mind like a stormcloud.
What if we lose Falconstorm too? The effects of that would be devastating - on hearts and on the Clan as a whole. Take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem
background image | So Alive | table by phoenix
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Post by Justice on Oct 25, 2017 17:33:16 GMT -5
Falconstorm Medicine Cat 40 Moons TreeClan His body shook, and his next words his voice broke. "And I failed to protect her!" He shook, head dropping as his ears laid back. "I tried everything to keep her from overworking, but she got sick anyway. And then we manage to get over it and just...I couldn't protect her, and I swore I would. Bluejay didn't have to hurt anyone, it wasn't in her. But I started as one meant to protect. Being a medicine cat didn't change that about me. I was sent to her by StarClan to protect her and keep her company. So she didn't have to be alone. And I failed. I failed, and I don't need to be reminded of that." His head dropped, his body posture changing abruptly. Like he'd been when overwrought and overwhelmed during and after greencough, like he'd been after Bluejay was brought home after she'd died. "I can't explain to someone's mother why I failed to protect them too." Meaning an apprentice.
He was done listening. His heart was pulling him away. To StarClan's Claws. To the nest he'd made with Herondive. To her scent and her warmth and her eyes. To feel whole again, despite having to pretend. To be happy.
"Please just go."
And once Lionstar was gone Falconstorm took off too, at a full run out of camp despite those that called his name. He needed to get away from there for a little while, before he stewed in it long enough to start a fight. He did not want to get banished for attempting to shred Lionstar.
You felt the gravity of tempered grace falling into empty space No one there to catch you in their arms ## Fawn END
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