[Abyss]

Rustpaw

Rainclan She-Cat

I'm talking with a big smile

Leaffall 27: As the days get colder, Leafbare begins to make hints at its arrival with a very light snowfall during the morning.

The gentle sounds of reeds brushing together in the breeze swirled through the Rainclan camp. Faint white light glistened off the stream and along the edges of the dens, all filled with sleeping forms. Many of them dreamed, some of them had nightmares, others saw nothing but darkness.

In the midst of the silence, the quiet footsteps of a small silhouette pushed through the reeds along the edge of the stream, giving themselves a light shake once through. Round amber eyes glanced between multiple dens. The Apprentices den, the Medicine Cat den, and the Warriors den. The petite feline stood in place for a moment, lost in consideration, before small paws took them towards the Nursery instead. A red nose outlined in black peered through the dark into the den, immediately spotting a rather desirable sight.

An average-sized, slender and graceful-limbed cat laid curled in one of the nests, long and plumy tail wrapped around themself. Small paws walked forward further to get a closer look at this she-cat, eyes staring longingly at the other. A sandy pelt dusted with medium-toned gray and splotches of white, small and rounded ears, relatively small paws, and a dark red nose. A face so familiar and so lovely, yet seemingly so far away. A small frown pushed at the watching feline’s jaws. Though this sight on it’s own was enough to send an empty feeling through the watcher’s stomach, it was the smaller form that was curled at the older she-cat’s stomach that brought the feeling forth more intensely. A kit, nearly identical to the mother whose stomach she rested against. Dark red ears pinned back and amber eyes narrowed. There was a mixture of emotions that twirled through that gaze. Longing, sadness, guilt, loneliness.

Suddenly, the eyes that resided on the Queen’s face slowly opened, dark amber pools blinking and lifting to peer at the cat who stood over them. It took a moment, but recognition flashed in that dark gaze, a deep smile pulling at her maw.

“What is it, darling?”

That voice….it was enough to make the lighter amber eyes of the walking she-cat tear up. Without warning, the rusty red she-cat pushed forward, placing her head into the crook of the she-cat’s neck.

“Mother...”

She felt one of Mistswirl’s paws lift and be placed upon her shoulder.

“It is time to wake up, darling. She is waiting for you.”

What?

The last thing she saw before everything faded to black was those dark amber eyes, looking to her with a loving gaze.



Amber eyes slowly began to blink open, vision blurred. The sound of occasional footsteps caused her darker ears to flick. When her gaze finally cleared and her eyes opened more, she could see the faint outline of Dewfrost moving about in front of her.

Rustpaw’s white chin lifted from the edge of her small nest, blinking a few times at the realization that the den was still dark. No light filtered through the entrance or the roof as it usually would, and there was no sign of life outside of the den.

“Dewfrost? Her voice was hazy and still tired, but the fact that she had managed to speak at all was enough.

“Wake up. We agreed to meet Shadowchaser this morning before dawn.” Her mentor’s straight-forward and calm voice filled her ears, sending remembrance through her mind. That was right. They had talked about meeting at the border while at the Gathering.

With a yawn, the ruddy she-cat stood and stretched from the nest, pulling herself up and out slowly. Before she could move far, a leaf bundle was placed at her paws, sprigs of herbs sticking out of the ends but still contained within the bundle. Understanding the meaning, she reached down and gently grabbed the bundle in her jaws. Just then, Dewfrost turned and began to exit the den, Rustpaw following behind. The both of them turned and headed toward the entrance of camp where two silhouettes were waiting.

But, the small she-cat stopped for a moment, amber eyes turning to look at the Nursery. She did not speak, did not move. She just stared, a longingness in her usually cheerful eyes. Tail twitching, her gaze shifting back ahead to Dewfrost’s fluffy tail, she lightly trotted forward to catch up. After meeting with two Warriors who had volunteered to join for safety purposes, the small party set forth through the stream and towards the Nightclan border.


As they reached the darker portion of the territory where Nightclan met Rainclan, the party slowed, the two Warriors disappearing into the darkness on either side. More than likely, Dewfrost had instructed them to do some early-morning hunting rather than act as protective guards. Her mentor took a seat where she stood, neutral blue gaze watching over the edge of the border.

With a small wave of tiredness still clinging to her, Rustpaw took a slow seat next to her, glancing up at the sky that was still dark blue in color, with small bright dots shining all over. Her mind began to wander away from herself and from Dewfrost, but was brought back to attention by the sound of approaching footsteps. Amber pools lowered back to eye-level, looking ahead to wear a dark figure walked towards them.

but they haven't got a clue.

881 | Fawn | Sad bab is sad T.T

[Fawn]

curiosity is not a sin...

...but we should exercise caution with our curiosity

Shadowchaser

The air was cool through his fur. Cold eartips and paw pads that were slow to adjust to the harder, chilled terrain made him wince. But Shadowchaser was warmed by the thought of meeting young Rustpaw and Dewfrost at the border. With the peeking light of dawn splashing everything in grays and pastels, the world felt eerily quiet. Delicate.

Shadowchaser stepped as lightly and quickly as he could, trying hard not to think of warm, soft ginger fur waiting for him in a warm, soft nest. With Smokefur in the elder's den, Shadowchaser had the cave all to himself. It... it suddenly felt so much larger, and Newtstripe's presence helped bring the enormity of his position as sole medicine cat back down to something manageable.

Newtstripe kept him grounded, you could say. As this thought crossed his mind, once again Shadowchaser got that strange flutter - that delighted, panicked sensation he couldn't properly name. That he was afraid to name... No, no you are meeting Rustpaw and Dewfrost. Don't dwell on Newtstripe and your feelings right now. Shadowchaser had a feeling, as he saw the familiar outlines of the two RainClan cats approaching, that he couldn't run away from those thoughts forever.

"Good morning," said Shadowchaser, faintly amused by the reality that it was his bedtime and the end of theirs. "It's late for me, but I thought collecting herbs during the daylight would be easier." Easier for them, at least. Shadowchaser could identify herbs by sight, as most healers could, but with the silvery light of the moon tending to bathe everything in a certain color, he had learned long ago to rely on memorization, scent and even a little nibble of a certain leaf or flower to help identify a healing herb from an ordinary plant.

It didn't escape Shadowchaser's notice, then, that Rustpaw did not greet her with the warmth he'd come to expect from her. Shadowchaser offered a soft smile, waving his tail gently. "How are you, Rustpaw?"

medicine cat of nightclan

Abyss | jk rowling | background image | table by phoenix

[Abyss]

Rustpaw

Rainclan She-Cat

I'm talking with a big smile

The ability to see, but not see at the same time, was something that she was unsure if anyone else had. Maybe ability was the wrong word, but she had never heard this phenomenon talked about before. When you had perfectly fine eyes, and they were open, yet what you saw in front of you didn’t register in your mind. Even though you were looking forward, potentially at something or someone, to you it seemed as though you were staring at empty space, or darkness.

This was what the young she-cat found herself doing in that moment. She saw a figure approach from ahead, she knew that it was Shadowchaser, yet it felt as though she weren’t looking at him. Rather than seeing Shadowchaser as a whole, she only saw the darkness of his coat. Just like with her sight, when the tom began to speak, she heard him, but also...didn’t. She heard his voice, but not what he said. She saw his mouth moving, yet couldn’t understand what he was saying.

For a small period of time, usually wide and bright eyes somewhat narrowed and dull stared ahead, lost in the thoughts she found herself being unable to push aside. It wasn’t until she felt a nudge against her shoulder that amber pools blinked a few times, coming back into reality. The small feline looked to Dewfrost at her side, watching as the older Medicine Cat motioned with her head in Shadowchaser’s direction. Rustpaw turned to face him again, actually seeing him this time. Though, she wasn’t entirely sure what he had said or asked. She just had to make a guess.

A small smile formed on her face, though she couldn’t help but wonder if it looked as fake as it felt. She hated that this was a question she asked herself. “Oh, sorry. I’m just...a bit tired. Rough sleep.”

Her voice was in fact drowsy like she said, but even she herself couldn’t stop a fleck of her inner turmoil from slipping through. She had to get away from this. She had to forget about what she was feeling, or else she would get questioned. Whether or not it would be Dewfrost who questioned her was unknown, but Shadowchaser…she wasn’t sure about that one.

Ask a question. Say something. Do something to make yourself seem ok.

“Do all Nightclan cats sleep during the day, or do some of you stay up?” Not really a medicine-related question like she felt it should have been, but it was something.

but they haven't got a clue.

422 | Fawn

[Fawn]

curiosity is not a sin...

...but we should exercise caution with our curiosity

Shadowchaser

It's not my place to pry into her business, Shadowchaser reminded himself sadly, withholding the impulse to react to the underpinnings of... turmoil he detected in Rustpaw. The question made his smile strengthen though, even if he didn't entirely believe the one she gave just a few heartbeats before. "Believe it or not, most NightClan cats do sleep during the day. But we have different patrols and cats that keep watch. We prefer the nighttime, but we don't let our guard down in the daytime, either."

On another NightClan cat, such a statement would have been delivered - and received - as a warning. But Shadowchaser spoke warmly when he said it, the pride for his sisters and his Clan coming through. There were problematic behaviors in NightClan (and every Clan, he suspected), but Shadowchaser believed wholeheartedly that their positive attributes deserved to be praised also. Adaptability was one such thing.

This is a good learning opportunity, realized the dark furred tom. He suppressed a sly sort of smile and turned the question back around. "What would you prescribe for a Clanmate having a rough night's sleep, Rustpaw?" A glance was stolen to Dewfrost, to make sure he hadn't overstepped by quizzing the younger she-cat without her mentor's permission. But Dewfrost did not bat an eye, one ear pivoting as though to catch Rustpaw's answer.

medicine cat of nightclan

Abyss | jk rowling | background image | table by phoenix

[Abyss]

Rustpaw

Rainclan She-Cat

I'm talking with a big smile

She tried to listen intently. She tried to focus on the tom's words. She clung to each one. Every syllable, every sound, every mouth movement. Anything she could. Any way to distract herself and keep those dark, intrusive thoughts from seeping through. At first it didn't work, since she was thinking about the fact that it was a distraction. But hearing his answer, she found herself actually listening because she found it curious. She couldn't personally see herself sleeping during the day and being awake all night, but that sort of lifestyle was rather interesting to her. She did wonder what it would be like, but she highly doubted that it would be acceptable to have a cross-clan sleepover. Though...they were Medicine Cats...and Medicine Cats sometimes had exceptions to the rules…

His voice cut through her thoughts, and her gaze, which she hadn't realized had slowly lowered, raised to meet his again. She blinked a few times, taking in his question and considering. She was still relatively new to all of these medicines she had been learning about. But although it took a minute, she believed she had a hopefully correct answer.

"That's...it would be...poppy seeds, right?" Her answer started somewhat more confident, though it wavered a tad as it went on, looking and waiting for any expressions or signs to signal whether she was correct or not. "I've been told they are a go-to remedy for...most…"

Once more her voice wavered, though this time it was not due to a question, or her answer, or her confidence in what she said. As she spoke, a small white speck slowly fell in front of her. It started as just one, but then there were two, then three, then there were too many to count at once. Small white dots falling from the sky, touching the ground and disappearing. One of the specks landed on her nose, a little swirl of cold spreading across her nose. At first she seemed confused, but that confusion slowly and visually grew to excitement.

"This is...is this…..this is snow!" She looked to the sky, eyes wide and bright. A very distinct contrast from when they had first arrived. She took a few steps in different directions, watching with a slightly agape mouth as the snow fell. At one point she stopped, a puzzling expression forming on her face. But in the next moment, she opened her mouth wider, sticking out her little tongue. When a flake of snow touched it, she let out an excited giggle.

She suddenly came to a realization, looking back at Shadowchaser, a look of embarrassment crossing her features. "This is my first time seeing snow! I mean...I might have seen it when I was just a baby, but I wouldn't remember back that far."

but they haven't got a clue.

472 | Fawn

[Fawn]

curiosity is not a sin...

...but we should exercise caution with our curiosity

Shadowchaser

Rustpaw gave the expected answer, and Shadowchaser bobbed his head approvingly. "Yes, though I like to use chamomile too, to help soothe frazzled nerves. Goatweed - a herb discovered by my mentor and one of her previous apprentices - actually improves sleep quality as well. We had a cat for a while who--"

Shadowchaser stopped, interrupted by the look of wonder in the young she-cat's eyes as a flake of snow swirled down right onto the tip of her nose. It was beautiful, that discovery, that realization of something new and exciting. It made him wistful for his youngest apprenticeship days, when the world seemed large and so full of things he didn't understand. Shadowchaser smiled without meaning to, his tail softly curling at the tip as he let Rustpaw have her moment unbroken.

Embarrassment found the she-cat faster than the next flake could. She explained herself - but Shadowchaser only purred. "Enjoy it. It's pretty, isn't it? When it's falling softly like this."

"It also means we need to hurry. The temperature dropping too low will kill the roots." Dewfrost had little patience for Rustpaw's wonderment, it seemed, and Shadowchaser gave the apprentice an apologetic smile. "Just wait until you wake up and the ground is all covered in powdered crystal," he whispered when he thought the RainClan medicine cat had moved just out of earshot. "It's a sight to behold."

Alas, they had a great deal of herb gathering to do. First they would cross into NightClan's territory, closer to the mountains, to collect what water-based plants they could before things began to freeze. It was a little tedious, and there was a sense of urgency, but Shadowchaser relished the company. Smokefur's age at last had caught up with her, and no matter how willing her spirit, these longer trips were too much for the elder.

medicine cat of nightclan

Abyss | jk rowling | background image | table by phoenix

[Abyss]

Rustpaw

Rainclan She-Cat

I'm talking with a big smile

There was a feeling of satisfaction that spread through the young she-cat's chest at the older tom's recommendation, or maybe it was an order, to enjoy the falling flecks of white. She found she didn't often get to feel this way, and when she did, it was very brief and done so quietly. Rustpaw did admire Dewfrost and looked up to her in many aspects, but the brown and white Medicine Cat wasn't exactly known for her fondness of the mundane, even if they weren't as mundane to anyone else. The healer was strictly business, which she could respect. It was just a little bit saddening at times.

And right on cue, as though her mentor had read her mind, the healer's voice sounded in the Apprentice's ears, stating they needed to hurry. Rustpaw couldn't hide the slight shift from excitement to disappointment that flickered in her amber eyes as her mentor began to pad away from them. Sometimes she wondered if Dewfrost had always been so...uptight.

Round eyes full of longing directed to the sky, watching for a moment as the snow fell around her. Did things like weather not faze her mentor at all? Had she not herself been excited the first time she saw snow? Did she even realize that something like this could be exciting or encouraging for her Apprentice? No, it seemed her mind only cared for her duties. Play the role as a Medicine Cat, or do nothing.

Just as she began to take a step, Shadowchaser's voice quietly filled one ear, catching her off-guard. She slightly jumped, but his words caused her heart to pick up the pace. Powdered crystal?! Was that what snow turned in to or looked like when it was on the ground? The bright smile returned to her face for a moment. Her eyes did shift, glancing to her mentor who was still continuing her trek away from them. Her smile faded to seem more neutral, but that excited glint remained in her orbs when she looked back to the Nightclan healer. Had to act unbothered when around Dewfrost.

"That sounds amazing!" It was said with wonder and anticipation, though it stayed a whisper. It couldn't be denied that the rusty red molly was still feeling the effects of her dream from the morning. There was still that undertone of longing and heartache, but at least now, with Shadowchaser's help, she had regained a little bit of her usual spunk.

As they walked forward, she glanced between Dewfrost and Shadowchaser, momentarily wondering how things would have been if she and Dewfrost were a part of Nightclan and he belonged to Rainclan. It was an interesting thought, but she honestly couldn't picture it. Rustpaw, Medicine Cat Apprentice of Nightclan. Apprentice to…..hm….no no no, it was time to focus. Gathering herbs. Put on a straight face. Do as you are told. That was her life.

but they haven't got a clue.

487 | Fawn