Lessons of flowers and growing friendships [P]

[Panda1440]

Iciclepaw had decided that tonight would be a good night. The former TC medicine cat [apprienice] hadn't visited her, and personally- she was rejoiced. Everything seemed to be going well. She had learned marigold and treated her first patients- one even using the ice abilities!! So now, she slept. . .

Eyes fluttered open, and paws stretched out on the- grass?!? Not a mossbed, but a nice clearing. This- this looks like StarClan,,,


[ @spade]

[spade]

In between her long awaited dreams with Snakeheart, Cricketpaw had found herself rather bored with the tedious daily life in StarClan. There wasn't much else to do other than observe the Clans that lived on without her. Once she might've spent the time searching for Daydream, or Northpath... but their trails had gone cold quite some time ago. Why was she still searching for them? It made no sense to her, yet her heart would always ache for the ghosts she'd once loved.

Noticing a familiar face materialize in front of her, the young molly stiffened a bit. A part of her felt guilt ridden by teaching the ThunderClan medicine cats behind Snakeheart's back. RiverClan was not on great terms with ThunderClan, understandably, but... medicine cats were above borders, right?

"Iciclepaw, hello," the bengal mewed in greeting, waving her tail as she padded over. Well, there it was. Out in the open, no turning back now. Flashing a hesitent smile, Cricketpaw continued, "My name is Cricketpaw. You're the new ThunderClan medicine cat apprentice, correct?"

// @Panda1440

[Panda1440]

As the spotted cat stepped into whatever clearing she was in, Iciclepaw looked at her with curiosity. Cricketpaw,,, I don't think I know her,,, then again,,, I don't ' know' a lot of cats...

"Ye- yes,,, that's me-" Wait- would a StarClan cat know of her one visit to the Dark Forest.. am I in trouble?!? Grey paws shifted uneasily on the sunlit grass.

[ @spade]

[spade]

Ready or not, the moment was here. There was still a part of her that was torn, but Cricketpaw knew in her heart of hearts that Iciclepaw's worth was not measured by the actions of the rest of ThunderClan. She stood outside that world, in a world of healing and peace and serenity.

If Geckoleaf were still around, she would've already welcomed the new medicine cat apprentice in with open paws and a smile. If anything, this was to make her former mentor proud, wherever she was.

"Relax, you're not in trouble. You don't know me, which is understandable considering I walked in a different Clan many, many moons ago." The begnal was almost certain that her story wouldn't travel across borders. She hadn't been all that close with the ThunderClan medicine cats - not until after Northpath had passed away that is. "I was a medicine cat apprentice myself, but for RiverClan. Though I'm certain no one alive today recalls my time, as it was short lived." She had really only been Geckoleaf's apprentice for three to four moons before her untimely death at the claws of a vengeful Syndicate rogue.

"On behalf of StarClan, I want to apologize for us not being here sooner to teach you. But come, there is much to learn." With that, the bengal gave a flick of her tail, hoping that Iciclepaw would put her trust and faith in a cat she hardly knew - it was asking a lot, wasn't it? But with a soft smile and steady hand, Cricketpaw was certain she could at least teach her the basics.

"Are you ready to learn?"

// @Panda1440

[spade]

[ just gonna continue this here so it can be organized! here if you want it for Icicle and Sun ^^ ]

Cricketpaw was restless. Tensions were growing high between RiverClan and ThunderClan, and now with the death of Lionstorm and Fawnsqueak, even the began had to admit how bad it looked. While she knew the truth - that Fawnsqueak’s death was nothing more than an ill-timed accident, she understood the rage and guilt that blinded Lionstorm, allowing him to break the warrior code and kill several members of ThunderClan - including Buckstar.

So much blood had been spilled, so many lives lost, and all of it could’ve been avoided if StarClan had acted. Why did those that surrounded her feel as if they shouldn’t have a paw involved in the living? What good was their advice and wisdom if they couldn’t break the barrier to share it?

The young molly was rather agitated by it all, so she was taking matters into her own paws. Waiting for Sunhowl and Iciclepaw to both fall asleep, no doubt exhausted after a day of healing on little knowledge, Cricketpaw strode into their dreams, shoving their astral forms awake with her small paws.

”Look I know I may be RiverClan, but stars I will not stand by while cats are slaughtered and not able to be treated.” She breezed past an introduction - at least Iciclepaw already knew her - so she could get started on the herbs. That was what was most important, anyways.

”Right so. This is going to go quick so pay attention,” she began, looking at the grass between herself and the ThunderClan medicine cats. Two different looking plants sprang up - there was no time to show them the proper setting for them to grow, she would just explain it. ”This one,” she explained, pointing to a rather springing green plant with multiple leaves, ”is called burnet. It is usually plentiful in the forest, and often in sunny places. You can harvest the leaves and have your injured swallow them to bolster strength. It can also be used to expecting queens as well.”

That was that, onto the next one without checking to see the expressions of the two cats. ”Now this one is a bit different,” Cricketpaw continued, signaling to the scraggly roots before her, topped off with foliage. ”This is burdock. Specifically, the healing properties are found in the root so you’ll need to dig up the plant, wash the dirt off, and then chew it into a pulp to be used.” She paused, only to take a breath, before barreling on. ”This is great for infections and cuts, and also rat bites - especially if they’re infected or showing signs of infection. It can act as a pain killer for some injuries, though if too much is consumed it can give you a belly ache.” Cricketpaw glanced down at the root, studying its thistle-like exterior and the root underneath. ”It’ll have a bitter taste when you go to dig it up and carry it back, so be careful.”

Just as quickly as they had appeared, the two herbs vanished and in their place sprang two new ones. Blue eyes meeting Sunhowl and Iciclepaw, Cricketpaw blinked. ”I hope I’m not going too fast. I just want ThunderClan to be prepared for whatever happens. I’ll try my best to reason with Snakeheart, but there’s only so much StarClan can do,” she said, a bit crestfallen.

”Now this one,” she launched into the next herbs without missing a beat, ”is Tansy. It’s quite plentiful in Firefly Cove and close to Twoleg Place as well. You’ll recognize it by the bright, round yellow buds.” Using a paw she angled the yellow bud so that both cats could clearly see it. ”Very useful for all sorts of cuts and wounds that can grow to be infected. If the infection is increasingly bad, an emergency use is one bud. Usually though, you’ll want to go based off the cats body size. Keep it away from queens though - it’s not good for them.” Motioning with her nose for Sunhowl and Iciclepaw to take in it’s scent, she stood back, knowing it would be rather sweet and strong.

Was she moving too fast? There was such an urgency to this it seemed, though Cricketpaw had no way of knowing exactly what the future held. ”This one is Chamomile,” she breathed, beginning to feel raw from speaking so much in such a short time. ”It has white petals with a yellow center. When eaten whole, it can calm the mind and level the heart rate - this is good for stress and regaining strength.”

Stars that had been a lot, and there was still more to go, but for now Cricketpaw sat back to let all of that sink in for the two cats.

// @Panda1440 @Exis

[Exis]

Sunhowl nodded. “Alright. Gimmie some more doc.” he mewed b
@Panda1440 @spade

[Panda1440]

[Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star. - W. Clement Stone]

The image of her adopted father's body,, the cuts and blood- the brown and white fur she barely recognized yet did were still tangled in the vines.. still floating in the icy harbor. It's just like before... Sleepy eyes closed, and before the young she-cat knew it,,, she was asleep. Or so she hoped she was.

Feeling the small-ish paws on her long yet messy fur [No mother there to lick it into perfection unfortueantly], Iciclepaw jolted awake. "Cri- Cricketpaw?" Oh. Right- Iciclepaw kinda forgot that the bengal she-cat was former RiverClan. A spark of anger was quick to ignite, and in return- quick to be drowned. Am I any better than the golden tabby if I go blaming random cats? Again though, the memory of the fallen repeated itself. Dogspirit, .. Applepaw, Rainywhisker- Buckstar. All slain out of anger and sorrow,, maybe Lionstorm was a good cat once- but now,.. I'm not completely sure... . She gave an appreciative nod of her head, thoughts still stirring though.

Wait- what was going to go fast?!? When the plants all the suddenly poped up, green eyes stared at them in astorneshemnt. Who knew StarClan cats could do that? Then again, there where a lot of things she still didn't know- and a lot of things she just learned in a few moments...

... The former medic apprintice seemed to be racing through the herbs as fast a monester on a Thunderpath [not that she had ever seen one of course, but the stories always emphasised how much speed they had...] Her mind racing to piece it all togeather, it took a few moments for Iciclepaw to even regonize Crickepaw had stopped to take a break. Burnet for strength, burnert for strength- chew and swallow,,, long stem, flower bud on top- The burdock root seemed important as well- Stars, all herbs were probably important by definition! She didn't know when they would be battling rats- if ever- but she did sincerly hope it wouldn't be soon. Large root, too much hurts ,, good for rat bites and overall infections-

It didn't look like the break was lasting long though- "Thank you so very much-" she quickly meowed before giving another supprised expression at the two new flowers. Tansy.. bright, yellow buds- cuts and wounds.. oh dear, I hope I don't confuse this with marigold- Then there was chamomile- eatting a plant whole sounded like a strange task- why not chew? But Iciclepaw didn't bother asking, it was enough work to try and memorise things on a tired mind. "Th- that really helped.. I think I got it all.. if you have more I'll try my best to take it in..." Sunhowl seemed ready to go at least-

[ @spade @Exis]

[spade]

Guilt seemed to trickle down as she noticed the exhaustion rolling off of Iciclepaw in waves. The poor she-cat must've been overwhelmed, and for a moment Cricketpaw allowed herself to get angry. With RiverClan. With Lionstorm. With Snakeheart... She was trying her best to show the tom that StarClan really did exist - she was proof! - but it was taking longer than expected.

"You're both doing excellent," she reassured, voice smooth and soft like silk as proud blue eyes rested on both Sunhowl and Iciclepaw. ThunderClan would be in excellent hands with these two after some training, she was sure of it.

"I've only got a few left, since I know you two are already aware of marigold, and poppyseeds," she told them, nodding once before bringing up two other plants. "This is called a daisy - you'll want to chew this thoroughly into a paste and spread onto any aching joints. Usually mostly used on the elders, but it's good if Eveningstar or any warriors need to travel quite a ways." The flower between them now had a yellow center with thin white petals sprouting out around it. "You can find this nearly anywhere - again, Firefly Cove is a plentiful place for them."

There were only three herbs left she could think of that she knew that they did not. Stars, how she wished she had trained longer, learned more... her death had come too soon, and Cricketpaw not for the first time desperately wished she could be back in the land of the living to help.

Swiveling her paw to the next patch of foliage - thick green leaves sprouting from a single root. "This is sorrel. It can be difficult to find some times, and you may need to venture closer to barns or Twoleg Place, as it can grow plentiful in gardens. It's good for strength and preparation for long journeys or intense battles." Battles... even she wasn't sure when the big battle between RiverClan and ThunderClan would happen - if it even would.

"Next up... rather difficult to collect, is honey. The best way to get it is from the combs inside the hives," Cricketpaw explained, flicking her tail to a patch of hexagonal shaped combs dripping with honey. "You'll want to watch out for bees though. They can get protective of the hive - but a few stings won't kill you. Best to send warriors to collect it though," the bengal explained, looking back at them both.

There was only one other herb she had knowledge of left, that the two didn't already know. "Lastly," Cricketpaw began with a sigh, summoning a patch of catmint - its sweet and tempting aroma drifting into the air between herself and the ThunderClan cats - and looking back at them, "this is known as catmint. The leaves are a bit fuzzy, and can sometimes have purple flowers near it. This is by far the best cure for greencough or whitecough - a deadly disease that goes after primarily elders and kits during leaf-bare. You generally won't find any in the territory - it's often most plentiful in Twoleg gardens." She couldn't think of a spot in ThunderClan territory she had seen yet that had the rare herb - so the Twoleg Place would be their best bet.

Finally. That was everything Cricketpaw knew that they hadn't learned already. With a soft smile, she looked between the two. "You two are going to do great, okay? Believe in yourself, believe in StarClan, and we'll - I'll - do my best to try to change the tides of war. But, I want you both to be prepared - for whatever happens."

The former medicine cat apprentice couldn't see the future, so she didn't know what was coming. But regardless, at least she had passed on what she knew now. The rest of it was up to the Clans.

// @Panda1440 @Exis

[Exis]

Sunhowl decided, just this once, to be thankful. He padded forward and gave a small hug to cricketpaw. “Thank you. You have served a lot of our brethren this night.” He mewed before stepping back. It was almost time to wake up. A new day. Good.
@Panda1440 @spade

[Panda1440]

Right. A 'few' might save a life one day- As tired as Iciclepaw was, she knew if she were to become a full medicine cat,, she needed to be able to actually heal. Cricket's soft voice really helped.. like an anchor in a stormy river. A river that wants to swallow me,.. - just as it did to Dad...

The flower called 'Daisy' seemed pretty, delicate white oval-shaped petals and a center that reminded her of a small sun. Just more yellow than normal. Daisy, Daisy, daisy- Firefly cove.. spread on aching joints after chewing into a paste.. It seemed as if so many herbs grew in Firefly cove, and the young apprentice decided she would need to send a patrol out later to collect some. Next was Sorrel,, the thought of venturing to the two-leg place scared her- and why would Twolegs have herbs anyways? Long journeys.. battles- ... and strength,, still seems important- She wasn't sure if using a herb to ThunderClan's advantage would be good though- but, that was a topic for her tired mind to debate another time. Honey was after.. and generally- Iciclepaw didn't get why it was needed... not immediately at least-

Catmint- fuzzy leaves.. purple flowers near.. The mention of a deadly disease- Greencough,, Whitecough- really changed her mind on the twoleg place though. We can't lose any more cats.. I'll add that to my list of things to do- or maybe just leave that to Sunhowl. Her mentor was a former warrior after all, if he encountered trouble with twolegs- he would have a better chance than her.

Huh? Time to wake up already- It seemed as if they had just arrived- but maybe it was her exhaustion acting up. "Thank you so so, so much Cricketpaw- ThunderClan thanks you for all the help you've given- " A smile of hope appeared on her maw now. We may not be in the best position currently- but.. it doesn't mean we're giving up either... at least- I hope it doesn't.

[ @Exis @spade - Thank you so much!! ]