SkyClan Medicine Cat's Den

[Mango]

Originally Posted by NightWarrior4Life

GorsePaw noticed how slightly uncomfortable CranberryPaw looked.
The tabby nodded at ShineFang's offer. "Come on CranberryPaw, let's get back to work. We're about a quarter of the way there so we need to speed up a bit."
The brown she-cat grabbed some rocks, all shapes and sizes, and placed them in all the gaps. Some gaps were just too small for any rocks so she simply shoved moss inside.

Cranberrypaw nodded slightly and returned to work jamming rocks in the gaps.

[pomegranate]

Ringpaw sat her haunches down with a puff of dirt as the light dust scuffed up beneath her paws.
Today was a slow day. It hadn’t been exactly very lively anymore in the medicine den, what with the slow amount of injuries and the tension in camp.
You know, you shouldn’t wish for injuries. Enough will come. She reprimanded herself. What she really wanted to do was pull a thorn out of someone’s paw.
She didn’t exactly like it, but for some reason she just wanted to. It was a strange and unnatural feeling for her, to be so bored that she wanted to do even the strangest thing that popped into her head.
Laying her chin on her paws, she reached out a plump black paw to pat a shred of some old leaf on the floor.
It was early afternoon, the ghostly hush around camp barely broken. It was days like these Ringpaw thanked the elders for lying around, as they proved that cats actually were still living here.
It was a very slow, lazy day, the last heat of greenleaf being sapped up by the lounging elders in the clearing. Shafts of sunlight managed to break into the medicine den through the entrance, made visible by the dust that was still floating around.
By this time, Ringpaw had gotten used to the scent of herbs, and whenever she thought of ‘Camp’ she thought instantaneously ‘Herbs’ and the smell had come to be soothing.
Rolling over, she wondered where Shinefang was. One paw batting at the air at some invisible enemy, she suddenly jumped right up to practing her leaping. Maybe I could go mock-hunting. Or real hunting! I’m sure I could catch a mouse or two.
Maybe today was a free day! If she didn’t have much to do she could go climb a tree or something.
Or maybe Shinefang was waiting to give her a lesson. Her mint eyes twinkled as she thought multitudes of things she could learn today.
See, Ringpaw? You ridiculous little thing. You didn’t have to spend the last hour doing nothing, you could have gone herb-gathering or gone to pester someone.
“Even learning would be better then nothing.” She said quietly to herself, before bouncing a bit to the entrance to look around for the familiar yellow tom.
@Charmer

[Charmer]

Originally Posted by Silver Fishie

Ringpaw sat her haunches down with a puff of dirt as the light dust scuffed up beneath her paws.
Today was a slow day. It hadn’t been exactly very lively anymore in the medicine den, what with the slow amount of injuries and the tension in camp.
You know, you shouldn’t wish for injuries. Enough will come. She reprimanded herself. What she really wanted to do was pull a thorn out of someone’s paw.
She didn’t exactly like it, but for some reason she just wanted to. It was a strange and unnatural feeling for her, to be so bored that she wanted to do even the strangest thing that popped into her head.
Laying her chin on her paws, she reached out a plump black paw to pat a shred of some old leaf on the floor.
It was early afternoon, the ghostly hush around camp barely broken. It was days like these Ringpaw thanked the elders for lying around, as they proved that cats actually were still living here.
It was a very slow, lazy day, the last heat of greenleaf being sapped up by the lounging elders in the clearing. Shafts of sunlight managed to break into the medicine den through the entrance, made visible by the dust that was still floating around.
By this time, Ringpaw had gotten used to the scent of herbs, and whenever she thought of ‘Camp’ she thought instantaneously ‘Herbs’ and the smell had come to be soothing.
Rolling over, she wondered where Shinefang was. One paw batting at the air at some invisible enemy, she suddenly jumped right up to practing her leaping. Maybe I could go mock-hunting. Or real hunting! I’m sure I could catch a mouse or two.
Maybe today was a free day! If she didn’t have much to do she could go climb a tree or something.
Or maybe Shinefang was waiting to give her a lesson. Her mint eyes twinkled as she thought multitudes of things she could learn today.
See, Ringpaw? You ridiculous little thing. You didn’t have to spend the last hour doing nothing, you could have gone herb-gathering or gone to pester someone.
“Even learning would be better then nothing.” She said quietly to herself, before bouncing a bit to the entrance to look around for the familiar yellow tom.
@Charmer

Shinefang made his way back into camp as quietly as he could following his secret meeting with Auroraflame. Much to his surprise, when he approached the medicine cat den, there was his apprentice peeking out. She spotted him before he had a chance to do anything and he cleared his throat. "Dirtplace," he said simply, hoping this would be enough to keep the younger cat from asking any difficult questions. "Looks like today is a quiet one. What do you say we take advantage and have a lesson or two?"

The old tom shook out his matted, yellow pelt and headed for his herb stores. With a cursory sniff, he found an herb that he didn't use often but that he had a rare abundance of thanks to the trek into the Dusk Syndicate's abandoned territory. He took a piece of the bark in his teeth, and laid it down on the den floor."This is Alder bark," Shinefang said. "Notice the color on the inside. Red as blood. The red part is the part that touched the tree, while the outside is white. It's easier to spot in snowy weather because the upper layer of bark shrivels and you can see some of the red. The trees themselves tend to grow in boggy, wet places. So it's not something we really have in Skyclan territory. We happen to have a lot now and that's mainly because alder bark is really only good for one thing: toothaches. If a cat chews the bark, it'll help sooth the pain...and that's it. Also, they should spit the bark out after. It's not dangerous or anything unless they ate a lot of it. Mostly it's just only helpful while being chewed, so there's no point in swallowing the gritty stuff."

[NightWarrior4Life]

Originally Posted by Okapi

Cranberrypaw nodded slightly and returned to work jamming rocks in the gaps.

The two apprentices had worked hard all day and we're finally finished. It was slightly dark now, and chilly. "There. It looks cosier already!" the brown tabby mewed, her teeth chattering. "Hopefully ShineFang notices the difference. I don't know about you, but I'm freezing. I'm going to head back to the apprentice's den. See you soon!" GorsePaw buried her muzzle in Cranberrypaw's shoulder then trotted across the clearing, ready to curl up in her warm nest.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by NightWarrior4Life

The two apprentices had worked hard all day and we're finally finished. It was slightly dark now, and chilly. "There. It looks cosier already!" the brown tabby mewed, her teeth chattering. "Hopefully ShineFang notices the difference. I don't know about you, but I'm freezing. I'm going to head back to the apprentice's den. See you soon!" GorsePaw buried her muzzle in Cranberrypaw's shoulder then trotted across the clearing, ready to curl up in her warm nest.

She nodded in agreement pleased with her work and ready to take a nap in her den.

[pomegranate]

Originally Posted by Charmer

Shinefang made his way back into camp as quietly as he could following his secret meeting with Auroraflame. Much to his surprise, when he approached the medicine cat den, there was his apprentice peeking out. She spotted him before he had a chance to do anything and he cleared his throat. "Dirtplace," he said simply, hoping this would be enough to keep the younger cat from asking any difficult questions. "Looks like today is a quiet one. What do you say we take advantage and have a lesson or two?"

The old tom shook out his matted, yellow pelt and headed for his herb stores. With a cursory sniff, he found an herb that he didn't use often but that he had a rare abundance of thanks to the trek into the Dusk Syndicate's abandoned territory. He took a piece of the bark in his teeth, and laid it down on the den floor."This is Alder bark," Shinefang said. "Notice the color on the inside. Red as blood. The red part is the part that touched the tree, while the outside is white. It's easier to spot in snowy weather because the upper layer of bark shrivels and you can see some of the red. The trees themselves tend to grow in boggy, wet places. So it's not something we really have in Skyclan territory. We happen to have a lot now and that's mainly because alder bark is really only good for one thing: toothaches. If a cat chews the bark, it'll help sooth the pain...and that's it. Also, they should spit the bark out after. It's not dangerous or anything unless they ate a lot of it. Mostly it's just only helpful while being chewed, so there's no point in swallowing the gritty stuff."

Ringpaw tilted her head in confusion at his answer. Shinefang had been at the Dirtplace for a while, but he was getting pretty old... she had never been aware of his age until a while ago, but she could see why he had chosen her of all the cats out there. She was young, so maybe that’s why.
As soon as he mentioned a lesson, her thoughts were shooed back into the confines of her ‘to be considered later’ file. ”Of course! It has been a bit slow around here.” She agreed with a nod of her head. “I mean, that’s a good thing. Don’t want any injuries! We’ve had enough trouble lately with Riverclan that I’m just grateful for the peace.” Even if it’s short-lived, She added inwardly, not knowing if she’d be scolded for that sly addition or not if she voiced it aloud. A wide smiled cracked her face, a grin tilting up the corners of her eyes in joy. She hadn’t gotten a lesson in a while, but she was glad to have one today on such a slow afternoon.

——

Ringpaw sat down on the dusty ground inside the medicine den. Still grinning, she glanced in anticipation towards her mentor. Lately she had grown accustomed to the earthy smell of the den, rich tangs of bark and stalky herbs, along with the sharp and ‘in your face!’ bunches of marigold and other strong smelling flowers and plants. Bending over, she craned her to neck to assess her pelt. It was covered in scraps of moss from her nest; if Ringpaw didn’t watch herself she’d slowly turn into a plant! Quickly running her barbed tongue over her shoulder, she dislodged the lichen scraps before whipping her head around to watch as Shinefang approached her with a chunk of white bark hanging from his jaws.
When he laid it in front of her, she patted it with one plump black paw. It was an off-shade of white, with flecks of red showing through from the inside. He was right, it looked as red as a juniper berry, but with a more vibrant hue to it that made it look like a rosey sunset color. “It’s pretty! I wish I was that color. Then I’d be really pretty. My fur’s boring.” She remarked. She wondered what she would look like. Ringpaw, the bright red cat with holly eyes. She really would look like a berry!
As he explained what it was for, she nodded her head. “No wonder. I haven’t had a toothache but I’ve heard it’s painful. Have you had one?” She asked, mentally tucking away it’s uses. Every herb she tried to memorize got harder and harder. Comfrey and death berries, those were the main ones she could remember. And now Alder bark? Maybe if she remembered the color. That would help. Bright red bark with a snow shell. Good for toothaches, but don’t swallow it. Apparently it’s not the most appetizing. How does he remember all of this? Ringpaw bent down to sniff it, nudging it softly with her nose as it wobbled back and forth. It had a distinct woody scent, one she hadn’t really smelled before. It was more exotic than the oaks of Skyclan, but not as sharp as the pines in Shadowclan.
“By the way,” She began, worry creeping into her usual peppy and chatty tone. “Are you feeling alright? I mean, I know with age comes wisdom and also more trips to the dirtplace, but you were a bit longer than usual. Don’t want the medicine cat getting sick,” She joked, her pep coming back in but not exactly. I wouldn’t know what to do if Shinefang got sick.

[Charmer]

Originally Posted by Silver Fishie

Ringpaw tilted her head in confusion at his answer. Shinefang had been at the Dirtplace for a while, but he was getting pretty old... she had never been aware of his age until a while ago, but she could see why he had chosen her of all the cats out there. She was young, so maybe that’s why.
As soon as he mentioned a lesson, her thoughts were shooed back into the confines of her ‘to be considered later’ file. ”Of course! It has been a bit slow around here.” She agreed with a nod of her head. “I mean, that’s a good thing. Don’t want any injuries! We’ve had enough trouble lately with Riverclan that I’m just grateful for the peace.” Even if it’s short-lived, She added inwardly, not knowing if she’d be scolded for that sly addition or not if she voiced it aloud. A wide smiled cracked her face, a grin tilting up the corners of her eyes in joy. She hadn’t gotten a lesson in a while, but she was glad to have one today on such a slow afternoon.

——

Ringpaw sat down on the dusty ground inside the medicine den. Still grinning, she glanced in anticipation towards her mentor. Lately she had grown accustomed to the earthy smell of the den, rich tangs of bark and stalky herbs, along with the sharp and ‘in your face!’ bunches of marigold and other strong smelling flowers and plants. Bending over, she craned her to neck to assess her pelt. It was covered in scraps of moss from her nest; if Ringpaw didn’t watch herself she’d slowly turn into a plant! Quickly running her barbed tongue over her shoulder, she dislodged the lichen scraps before whipping her head around to watch as Shinefang approached her with a chunk of white bark hanging from his jaws.
When he laid it in front of her, she patted it with one plump black paw. It was an off-shade of white, with flecks of red showing through from the inside. He was right, it looked as red as a juniper berry, but with a more vibrant hue to it that made it look like a rosey sunset color. “It’s pretty! I wish I was that color. Then I’d be really pretty. My fur’s boring.” She remarked. She wondered what she would look like. Ringpaw, the bright red cat with holly eyes. She really would look like a berry!
As he explained what it was for, she nodded her head. “No wonder. I haven’t had a toothache but I’ve heard it’s painful. Have you had one?” She asked, mentally tucking away it’s uses. Every herb she tried to memorize got harder and harder. Comfrey and death berries, those were the main ones she could remember. And now Alder bark? Maybe if she remembered the color. That would help. Bright red bark with a snow shell. Good for toothaches, but don’t swallow it. Apparently it’s not the most appetizing. How does he remember all of this? Ringpaw bent down to sniff it, nudging it softly with her nose as it wobbled back and forth. It had a distinct woody scent, one she hadn’t really smelled before. It was more exotic than the oaks of Skyclan, but not as sharp as the pines in Shadowclan.
“By the way,” She began, worry creeping into her usual peppy and chatty tone. “Are you feeling alright? I mean, I know with age comes wisdom and also more trips to the dirtplace, but you were a bit longer than usual. Don’t want the medicine cat getting sick,” She joked, her pep coming back in but not exactly. I wouldn’t know what to do if Shinefang got sick.

Shinefang froze for a breath at Ringpaw’s question, his pelt heating like he was a caught squirrel before he cleared his throat. “Nope. Not sick. At my age, everything takes longer... and I mean everything,” he muttered. “But you bring up a good point. Let’s be honest here, I’m not a you g cat anymore,” the old tom said gruffly. “I plan to teach you everything I know for as long as I can, but leafbare is coming and it tends to be a hard season on cats my age. So let’s say I did get sick? Then what? In leafbare, what am I mostly likely to get sick with? What illness is more likely to strike in leafbare?” The old tom, watched the younger cat scrupulously. He was unsure if she had heard of greencough or whitecough before today.

[pomegranate]

Originally Posted by Charmer

Shinefang froze for a breath at Ringpaw’s question, his pelt heating like he was a caught squirrel before he cleared his throat. “Nope. Not sick. At my age, everything takes longer... and I mean everything,” he muttered. “But you bring up a good point. Let’s be honest here, I’m not a you g cat anymore,” the old tom said gruffly. “I plan to teach you everything I know for as long as I can, but leafbare is coming and it tends to be a hard season on cats my age. So let’s say I did get sick? Then what? In leafbare, what am I mostly likely to get sick with? What illness is more likely to strike in leafbare?” The old tom, watched the younger cat scrupulously. He was unsure if she had heard of greencough or whitecough before today.

Ringpaw nodded at his answer. He must be getting really old for that long of a trip. But she better not say that out loud, in case he (probably will) take offense. With another nod, she pretended to understand. Hopefully one day she died before she got that old. Maybe she would die like a heroine, defending the camp from hordes of Shadowclanners or something. The medicine cat who saved them all, that would be her title.
Ringpaw froze on her paws, racking her brain. Her tail tip twitching rapidly, she tried to scrap for an answer. She had arrived her in leafbare, so she should have heard a little bit about it... “Um. There’s whitecough, but that’s year round, just worse in colder months. Bellyaches? Since there’s no food? But that’s not a sickness. Can it be a sickness? I should make up a new sickness. When you start losing fur in the summer it’s not shedding, it’s the mysterious... Fyrlocious. Or something!” She have giggled have snorted. Fyrlocious, what an amazing sickness.
“I bet no one wants your sicknesses anymore, like whitecough. They all want the new Fyrlocious!” She cheered, before her face turned serious once more. “That’s all I can think of though. Bellyaches and white cough.” The calico repeated, blinking her eyes rapidly as a scrap of dust got in her eye, and tears began to form. Soon, the dirt fell out, but she couldn’t help but keep that eye closed for a second, before peering up at Shinefang to gage his reaction to her answer.

[Charmer]

Originally Posted by Spoopy Fishie

Ringpaw nodded at his answer. He must be getting really old for that long of a trip. But she better not say that out loud, in case he (probably will) take offense. With another nod, she pretended to understand. Hopefully one day she died before she got that old. Maybe she would die like a heroine, defending the camp from hordes of Shadowclanners or something. The medicine cat who saved them all, that would be her title.
Ringpaw froze on her paws, racking her brain. Her tail tip twitching rapidly, she tried to scrap for an answer. She had arrived her in leafbare, so she should have heard a little bit about it... “Um. There’s whitecough, but that’s year round, just worse in colder months. Bellyaches? Since there’s no food? But that’s not a sickness. Can it be a sickness? I should make up a new sickness. When you start losing fur in the summer it’s not shedding, it’s the mysterious... Fyrlocious. Or something!” She have giggled have snorted. Fyrlocious, what an amazing sickness.
“I bet no one wants your sicknesses anymore, like whitecough. They all want the new Fyrlocious!” She cheered, before her face turned serious once more. “That’s all I can think of though. Bellyaches and white cough.” The calico repeated, blinking her eyes rapidly as a scrap of dust got in her eye, and tears began to form. Soon, the dirt fell out, but she couldn’t help but keep that eye closed for a second, before peering up at Shinefang to gage his reaction to her answer.

Shinefang raised the brow of his missing eye as Ringpaw rambled on like a kit about Firosomething. Sometimes, his apprentice could be so bright. Other times... He gave his head a weary shake. "Well, you were half right. Bellyache is a problem every season, but whitecough can be very dangerous in leafbare because it can turn to one of the most deadly illness a cat can get: greencough." Even the word tasted vile on Shinefang's tongue. Greencough was the illness he feared the most.

"It begins as white cough. White cough is fairly easy to spot in cats. They'll have a wet cough where you can hear that they are trying to hack up something. There's a rattling sound, you know? If it's treated, the cat can generally stay in their nest unless their coughing is disturbing their clanmates. Greencough? The cat with have a fever. They'll probably complain about being far too cold and not being able to get warm. They're nose will run, and if you listen to them breathing, it will probably be labored. They may also cough up green mucus. Cats with greencough cannot stay near their clanmates. It is extremely contagious and if not treated, fatal, especially to kits and elders." Shinefang was silent for a long moment as he looked at Ringpaw. "It's what killed my mother... I lost my eye when I went to a two leg garden as an apprentice trying to find an herb that would help her. Kittypet," he added soberly.

[Freesia]

@Charmer
@Spoopy Fishie

Tallmarsh strutted across the SkyClan camp, granting a sharp glare to any cat who dared look at her the wrong way. Was she being too defensive? Maybe, but she just thought of it as being 'cautious of the negative opinion of others'. The dark gray tabby made her way over to what she assumed was the medicine cat den. It was the only den that she could scent herbs in. It appeared to be a pile of rocks in front of a natural cave. She slipped through the narrow opening and into the den. From what she could see, the den was stocked with herbs. She recognized some of them, like juniper berries and poppy seeds, but there were many more that she had never seen before. She spotted nests for sick cats and further back the nests for the medicine cats of SkyClan. As she padded towards the back of the den, Tallmarsh called out, "Uh, I'm Tallmarsh, the new ThunderClan medicine cat. I'm here for lessons on how to do my job."