PATROLS ARE DUE FEBRUARY 3RD BY 11:59 PM EST
If you need an extension, let me know a maximum of 3 days after the deadline.
If you need to be replaced, please have your character approach Lightningstorm with an in character excuse.
Herb patrols have a maximum of 5 herbs that can be carried per character; 8 herbs for those with The Collector purrk. Please make sure to provide a link to the post where your character gathered the herbs when handing them in or the patrol will be invalidated and your character will be punished.
| Lightningstorm |
Flock Together [Tier 3] - Inactive
She was finally done. Never had Lightningstorm thought she would be glad to see the place so void of supplies. The herb stores were entirely empty... save for some... berries that someone had deposited inside. Lapis hues narrowed, suspicion eating away at her core. They looked like juniper berries, and yet... there was something off about them. What, she couldn't say, but if she had to guess, it looked like they were wilting with frost. A sardonic sneer crossed her lips in the loneliness of her den, wondering if this was a sign from StarClan over the nature of the herbs she was to send for now. Over how WindClan would find no herbs to help them these coming moons.
Or had it been a warning from a clanmate? The very same one that had poisoned the herbs - because she still refused to believe it had been Cowtuft's doing that had made the medicine den a place of certain death - letting her know that she was next? That they had her in view, waiting to strike at her like prey. Littleshock and Fleckstorm had most certainly been open about wanting to hunt down Cowtuft for his sins. She couldn't help wondering if their over eagerness had simply been glee they couldn't hide at the fact that their plan had been so properly executed. Well, if they thought she would keep these potentially tainted berries in her stores, they could forget it. There would be no herbs coming in here, no
cat coming in here without her say so. If WindClan thought she would just die on command, they were in for an unpleasant surprise.
Unfortunately, whether the clan wanted her dead or not was irrelevant to her job. She didn't need them to like or trust her to keep them alive. It would be a hypocrisy, really, to expect like and trust from them. She wouldn't give any of them a hair's width of either herself. She knew what they were now. Murderers. Cats all too eager to kill for fun. Waiting for her to mess up so they could toss her aside. Had already tried to do so when Cowtuft had been found innocent. They had accepted her staying back only because it was Twilightstar's will, but they had made one thing perfectly clear. She wasn't WindClan. Never had been. That right had been stripped of her the moment she had been made a healer. It was only the warriors that mattered. The ones who were allowed to sleep amongst the rest in warmth and company. The rest were replaceable scapegoats with time consistently ticking away against them, ready to be quartered for entertainment if need be.
Even with this knowledge, she needed to send patrols out. She didn't know if cats would take kindly to being sent out for herbs by her. Not after what had happened with Cowtuft, and yet she couldn't find it in herself to care. She would do what she could to keep their clan alive. She had taken a vow. But if they decided to dig their own graves by not looking for the necessary materials for their very survival? Seemed like a them problem. Sure, she would no doubt be executed at the first idiot that died from greencough or infection, but the rest would soon follow over their own ineptitude. That would be a form of justice on it's own, she supposed.
With a sigh, Lightningstorm dipped her head, picking the bundle of tainted berries as she headed out of the den. Might as well dispose of these once she was done with sending out patrols. Maybe even have Littleshock and Fleckstorm see the berries. A silent invitation of her own to bring it. She knew what her fate was, and she wasn't going down easy just because they wanted it. And if it had been a sign from StarClan? Well, maybe the bloody graypelts could get their heads out of their arses and send clearer signs.
Broom and Honey
[Known as Yellow Bells]
| Lavenderhaze
[ @Nixey ] - Curlypaw
[ @Cherry~ ] | Duskpaw
[ @Ladiebugg ] |
"Alright you lot, it's time for patrols," Lightningstorm cried out, the frostbitten berries besides her as she stared around the clearing for cats who looked open to a patrol.
"Lavenderhaze! Take your apprentice and Duskpaw out to Sunset Grove. Marigold might not be around this moon, but we can still rely upon yellow bells to keep infection at bay. Search for clumps of vibrant, yellow flowers. Similar to sunnyfuzzies, but with very distinct, thick petals that seem to droop from their weight. Very important for this season, especially with tensions high between the clans. We also need honey. Honey should be found from bee nests up on the trees. The bees shouldn't be too active this time of year, so you should be able to get away with some bits of honey from them without any incidents. Don't provoke them, though. Can't be treating any bee stings just yet."
Juniper Berries and Sticks
| Dewsong
[ @Desert Rain Frog ] | Orangepaw
[ @Yunhos_Personal_Potato ] | Stempaw
[ @elaif ] |
"Dewsong," the spotted she-cat continued once she was done with Lavenderhaze's patrol.
"Take your apprentice as well alongside Stempaw to Windy Hills. They are not in season, but there is some hope that some of the later blooming juniper berries might still be viable to gather. They are round, dark purple berries with a pungent smell. If you have any doubts, you may refer them to Orangepaw. Your apprentice is proper dependable and should be familiar with them. If you find some sticks strewn about that look nice and sturdy, feel free to bring them about as well, right?"
Catmint and Cobwebs
| Lionpuff
[ @Bean ] | Catchingflame
[ @Rustleaf ] | Mintpaw
[ @Partypooper ] |
"Next up, Lionpuff! I want you to take Catchingflame and Mintpaw out to Thunderglade in search of catmint. Tensions are high between clans, but seeing as how Bumblestar recently gave us full control of the border, you lot shouldn't be having much trouble with ThunderClan. Mind yourselves, though. I want no antagonizing, and no injuries when you get back. Catmint is the only known cure for greencough. We find none of that, we proper done for this leafbare. It's a tall plant you looking for, innit? Soft and leafy. If you can't recognize it by the looks, then trust me when I say you'll know it when you smell it. It's intoxicating, but don't go eating none of it. Last thing I need is your patrol to return with stomachaches and no way to treat them. There's usually plenty of cobwebs around catmint plants as well, so bring some of those along the leaves."
Poppy and Burnet
| Leechscar
[ @Undertaker ] | Littlepaw
[ @Leafy ] | Silverpaw
[ @Estelle ] |
Right... that was quite a few important herbs out of the way, but they weren't in the clear yet. There were... so many things needed. The tainted herbs had almost certainly decimated WindClan's survival chances for leafbare. It was almost comical. How some cat's attempt to rid themselves' of the medicine cat had potentially doomed them in the process. It seemed whoever had done this was either not as smart as they thought or had a strain of narcissism bigger than the entirety of the plateau.
"Leechscar," Lightningstorm called out to her former mentor. He might complain when sent out on patrols, but tough. If she had to be stuck here living among her future killers, then he could toughen up and deal with some flower collecting.
"Take your two apprentices out to Starry Meadow and bring some poppy flowers. You don't have to bring all that many flowers, it's the seeds that matter, and there are a fair number per bloom. Assuming you have luck in finding some, you'll be looking for some red, round petaled flowers. They should stand out well against the snow if they aren't dead from frost. Some burnet would be good to have as well if it can be found. Green, basal leaves. Can occasionally be seen with purple flowers, but at this point in leafbare, I doubt that would be a reliable indicator."
Borage and Moss
| Ravenwing
[ @al3cc766 ] | Wildstorm
[ @Cubeisdagoat ] | Adderpaw
[ @Katiethewolfchild ] |
Right... Getting a little more comfortable with the patrols sent - assuming any of them bothered to actually bring back any herbs - but she still needed a few more extras. Extras that she sincerely assumed would be unavailable this time of the year. Still, if it was between sending out a patrol to hopefully find something usable and giving up without trying, Lightningstorm was much more prone to the the first option given. Worst came to worst, the patrol might find something of use even if it wasn't the herbs she had sent for. This was of course giving them the benefit of the doubt and expecting some level of initiative... a level that had been severely lacking the day that Twilightstar asked for her warriors to go gather herbs to substitute the spotted she-cat's tainted ones. Still, a lass could dream, she supposed.
"Ravenwing, I need you to head on out to Twilight Falls with Wildstorm and Adderpaw and find some borage and moss. I hardly think moss needs a description, but borage is easily recognized for the flowers. It tends to have small, star shaped purple ones and dark, soft, green leaves. Rather hairy, too. I'm not sure if you'll be able to find any this late in leafbare, but if you could give a good sweep of the falls to see if you can find any, I would be grateful."