it's the least he could do [p]

[BEAR.]

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆. ࿐࿔
　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　 ੈ✧̣̇˳·˖✶ ✦　　

... Uncertainty eased; a dream on a whim coasted into something of an understanding. A need, primarily, a willing to listen - because what choice did he have?

Did either of them truly have a choice, at this point? Aconiteheart probably looked a mess, the wounds inflicted by Bumblestar those pawful of moons ever-clear. Even if StarClan wasn't in shambles, it'd still feel wrong to fix it.. guilt decreed it might never feel right, even if he didn't know what else he could have done.

He listened, as Hollowpaw spoke of what he knew. It was.. underwhelming for the amount of time he'd been in his position. In a way, it reminded him of when he first met Wolfhawk - left to figure things out on his own, without a guide or sense of direction. He hadn't seen Wolfhawk in a bit, but if their paths aligned once more he'd have to speak with him on this. ".. There is a lot to cover, and there will be more to learn. I'm sorry things have taken so long, it should never be a drag to obtain knowledge." Sympathetic, disappointed - not in the young cat beside him but the situation. Failures that spanned beyond both of their sight.

This was the most stable a dream had felt in moons - he wondered if it had something to do with the cat beside him - as the world around them morphed into a clone of ThunderClan's medicine cat den. Hollowpaw might feel more at home here.

Aconiteheart had determined by now, it'd be best to start at the top - figuratively to him, and literally to BEAR. Aconiteheart knew it wasn't the best teaching method - hell, Hollowpaw might forget half of it by the time they were done - but that was the issue. Time.

Even if he only retained a pawful of this, it was better than remaining stagnant - it'd be a step in the right direction. He swallowed, not having realized how nervous he felt. "We'll go over the brunt of what I know, so you are more prepared for what the future might bring." Wisdom knew that knowledge was ever changing, and things learned today may not be everything Hollowpaw needed, but it was a start.

"Alder bark." He had pulled the brownish-gray bark out from the spectral storage, so Hollowpaw had a visual example. "If a cat has a toothache, they can chew it to ease the pain. Have them spit it out when they're done chewing, if they swallow it might give them a bellyache." He'd set it aside, onto the next. For the sake of not being a broken record, Aconiteheart would show and tell these herbs so Hollowpaw knew what they looked like as they went.

"Beech leaves and nuts; you can use the leaves to help carry herbs, and the nuts as bait for prey when things are getting scarce.

"Bindweed: these help hold a broken leg in place so it mends properly. Ivy, rush and cobwebs work as an alternatives." Since they were on the topic of broken bones, actually.. "You can tell if a bone is broken primarily by if a cat can put their weight on it. It'll be swollen or tender to the touch, you might see bruising, and it'll more than most wounds a cat'll face. Some breaks are very mild and just require rest until a least a moon has passed. Others will take longer. Since pain is one of their first symptoms, you'd give them poppy seeds -" Hollowpaw knew about those, so he was more concerned with the rest. "Juniper or thyme will help with shock when eaten, and stinging nettle, broom, and comfrey root can be used to promote healing of the bone. You chew those two up and apply it as close to the skin as you can get, line sticks up alongside the broken bone if possible to help it heal straight, and wrap everything together in a splint." He showed Hollowpaw how to on some disembodied leg - no need for the full cat. For good measure, he also included how to soak nettle in water to remove the stinging effect.

"Tree sap: this stuff dries out easy and can be very sticky, so watch your fur! Cats can suck on it to help with coughs, if catmint isn't working. You'll find the best stuff near the top of trees, where the bark is younger and softer and bleeds easily. Apparently, birch sap specifically might help with yellowcough, but I've never seen that for myself.

"Blackberry leaves, you chew them into a poultice and apply it to bee stings to reduce pain.

".. The Blazing Star flower promotes strength and good health, can be eaten to fight against sicknesses or poisonings if nothing else works. It's rare, and cannot handle overharvesting, so do not use it unless you have no choice. It's best found in damp, shaded places, like a cave with little light or beneath a cliffside.

"Bright-eye and lovage go together, you mix them into a pulp and feed them to your patient for minor coughs and chest infections.

"Catchweed burrs hook poultices in place, so they can't fall or be rubbed off without damaging skin.

"Chamomile soothes anxiety and strengthens the heart, if cats need to travel and you feed it to them, it'll give them strength.

"Chervil, you can chew the leaves and squeeze the juice onto infected wounds. The root can help with bellyaches caused by nausea or kitting, but it doesn't help with trapped wind.

"Chickweed is an alternative to Catmint, but it isn't as effective.. I would use it if symptoms are mild and your storages low.

"Cobnuts can be chewed into a paste and used to thicken ointments so they stick better. Prey also love them, so if food is scarce you can use it to attract them.

"Daisy leaves are chewed into a paste and fastened onto cobwebs; you then wrap that around joints or sprains to soothe them. It's particularly good for back pain.

"Dock leaves, chew them up and apply them to scratches or sore pads - beware: they sting at first! They're very common and you've probably seen them around your territory already - because of this, you can use them for practice without worrying about wasting more important herbs and they can be used for holding other herbs in place. If you're dealing with a sick patient, they can vomit on these to make cleanup easier. If you find dock leaves, take a look around - they usually grow near nettle.

"Fennel, you break the stalk and squeeze the juice into the receiver's mouth. It helps ease hip pain - especially during kitting.

"Feverfew, when eaten, reduces body temperature for fevers and chills and can help with aches and pains like headaches. You can pair it with chickweed or catmint to treat sicknesses.

"Feed a few leaves of goatweed to a cat daily, and it might lift their grief. It isn't a cure, by any means, it just calms their senses and makes it easier on them.

"Hawkweed, like catmint and chickweed, can be used for Greencough. It's about as effective as chickweed - use it for cats who aren't very sick, or pair it together for a stronger mixture.

"Heather nectar, like honey, can be used to make herbs taste better. You can soak the flowers in water and apply that to aching joints to soothe them.

"Horsetail works similar to marigold, and is a good alternative to it. You chew it and apply it to minor wounds to treat and prevent infections, but it does sting when applied.

"We briefly discussed ivy, while it can be used for binding bones back together, be careful to not crush any leaves - its juices can burn you." At this point, he allowed himself to trail off - in part because he realized he just rattled off a couple dozen things, and in part because he wanted to give Hollowpaw a chance to take all this in. It was a lot, and they had much more to go over still, excluding any questions he might still possess by the end of it all. Aconiteheart was trying to be as thorough as possible, but some things Hollowpaw would need to determine on his own.

[ @Neptune. hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ]

[Neptune.]

Hollowpaw
~<>~
186/200
11 moons || he/him || ThC medicine cat apprentice || Silk Spinner, Dream Walker, HkT1
brown, masked classic tabby w/ low white; titanite eyes

Oh. Okay, yeah, that's a lot! All at once!! Honestly, Hollowpaw was warned it would be a lot, and he'd braced himself to hear it all, but still the sheer onslaught of herbs with a few scattered techniques was nothing short of a boulder shoved in his face for lack of a better analogy. Still, his mind is decently analytical and he's a sucker for lists and a sponge for knowledge, so he drinks it up, commits it to memory - even if he is going to have to ask Wolfhawk for random pop quizzes to make sure he's remembering this all properly.

"Alright," he nods, alder bark to ivy. Got it. Probably. Mostly. "What's next?"

[ @BEAR. yippee yay yahoo ]

[BEAR.]

What was next.. oh yes! Again, Aconiteheart would show Hollowpaw the herbs and how to prepare them, as needed. Keep it simple. "Lamb's ear, eating a leaf can give your patient strength.

"Laurel leaves are excellent for holding honey - it doesn't stick to them like it might other leaves - so patients can lick it off easily.

"Lavender.. I wouldn't eat it as it can be toxic, but if you have your patient inhale it it can help with fevers and chills. You can crush it into a pulp and apply it to bee stings to help soothe them. And.. in the event of a vigil, you can rub it on the fur of the dead to mask their scent." His nose wrinkled - a reminder of scorched flesh - lavender only covered so much.

"Lungwort, it's the best treatment for yellowcough. Your patient just needs to eat the leaves.

"Mallow, when eaten, can help calm stomachaches, and if you're low or out of other herbs you can use it to help treat coughs.

"Mint is similar to lavender in that it can mask the scent of death.

"Mouse bile!" He scrunched his face at the smell. "You capture mice but don't kill them, and extract it from them." A ghostly mouse worked well enough for the demonstration.. "Use moss to soak the bile, then you dab it against ticks in fur to treat them. Wash your paws thoroughly after in a stream - you don't want to lick them!

"Dried oak leaves are good platforms to mix salves on, if needed. They'll help keep dirt out of the mixture. You can also chew them and put them on wounds to prevent infection - but if an infection sets in, you need to swap to marigold.

"Parsley stops a queen from producing milk; it can come in handy if her kits die, she's producing too much, or she just doesn't need milk anymore. It can also be used as an alternative to bellyaches but I would not give this to queens unless necessary. This does look similar to water hemlock, so familiarize yourself with the differences. Water hemlock is poisonous, and will severely damage or kill cats if left untreated. If you suspect a water hemlock poisoning, immediately feed a cat yarrow to induce vomiting. It might not save them, but it's better to try then do nothing." He was reminded of how Wolfhawk handled their assessment - he would've given up on the patient. "Water hemlock survivors often have issues even once the majority of the toxin is purged, it breaks down their body and leaves them susceptible to future illnesses. The Blazing Star can come in handy here.. it isn't a cure, but it will help strengthen them so they can survive.

"Ragweed, you eat the yellow petals and it can provide strength and an energy boost. It can also dull kitting pain.

"Ragwort is another strength herb. You can also make it into a poultice with juniper berries to treat aching joints.

"Raspberry leaves.. you can apply in two ways: feed them and it will thicken the blood and reduce pain, but this can take some time to be in effect. For emergencies, you can crush the leaves and use their juice to reduce bleeding, especially during kitting.

"Rhubarb is another leaf-wrap for storing other herbs.

"Rosemary also masks the scent of death.

"We talked about rush briefly, it's just an alternative for binding broken bones.

"Sheep sorrel is eaten to reduce fevers. It looks a bit different than regular sorrel, so don't get them confused! Normal sorrel is a travel herb - it helps with appetite and can quench thirst.

"Sticks - as you know - can be used to straighten bones while they heal. You can also give it to cats as something to bite down on when they're in pain, like in kitting or while you set their bone, to distract them from it.

"Sweet-sedge helps with infection, snap the stalks and apply the sap to wounds. It's best found near water... I'm not sure ThunderClan would run into it too often." He was unaware of Cattail Pond!

"Tansy.." He lulled for a moment, eyeing Hollowpaw. He didn't recall Hollowpaw covering this when he explained his knowledge and needed to be safe. It'd been a very vague statement after all. "Never give tansy to a queen that's pregnant - unless, of course, they no longer want the kits. It will end their pregnancy. They'll - have some issues following being given this; early queens might see some blood, late queens will still have kits, but they will be premature and stillborn. Terminated pregnancies are still hard on the cat as their body rejects the kittens and can become complicated quickly. If.. this ever occurs, Hollowpaw; try to monitor them through it. Parsley can discourage milk, which will give their body more strength as it can focus on itself, and rosemary for the pain and excessive bleeding." A refresher of notes so if the worst happened, Hollowpaw would be more prepared.

"Tormentil, you chew the root and place it on wounds to promote healing, and it can extract toxins from them.

"Watermint, you have them chew it to a pulp before they swallow it to help with bellyaches. Like chervil, it doesn't help with trapped wind. Another herb to mask the scent of death.

"Garlic, you roll in it after you're bitten by rats; this draws out the poison from their bites so they don't get infected.

"Willow bark, you'll want to shred this and have the patient lap the juices. Sticks are the easiest way to get this. The juice will ease pain, similar to poppy seeds.

"Willow leaves are chewed into a pulp and eaten, and can be used as an alternative for yarrow. I would use it mostly for younger or vulnerable patients as it's less aggressive.

"Wintergreen, you apply a poultice to treat wounds and toxins.

"Wood sorrel, this is a treatment for abscesses and boils. Chew it into a poultice and apply - it'll draw out the infection and dry up wounds.

"We've discussed yarrow, but only for poison treatment. You can also make it into an ointment to soften and help heal cracked paw pads." A moment of pause, to give Hollowpaw a second before moving on.

"Now onto poisons themselves.. we have yew. Deathberries, if you will. The seed of the berry is the toxic part and if consumed, will kill a cat within minutes. However, if you remove the flesh of the berry - you see the lighter red? You can make that into a poultice to treat infections. Deathberries are one of the most common poisons a cat will run across. Kits love them for some reason!" It was almost exasperated - a reminder of how they were a baby magnet.

"Foxglove seeds look like poppy seeds, but the flowers are very different." He stressed showing the comparison. "It can also be mistaken for comfrey flowers, so examine these all closely. These cause paralysis and heart failure very quickly.

"Holly berries look like yew berries, but they are rounder - kind of like red juniper. They're deadly to kittens and will make warriors very sick.

"Meadow saffron.. I've mentioned it before, albeit briefly! Eating even a nibble can damage your blood stream and nerves and kill a cat. Cats have used this to poison prey - and those who've eaten said prey have grown sick and died.

"And.. we've discussed water hemlock already.. let me know if you need more clarification on that.

"For poisons that have been eaten, first you want to induce vomiting by feeding them yarrow. Have them aim for a dock leaf - if they don't miss you'll thank me later. Once they're done with that, you can start worrying about the rest. For most poisonings, once the toxin is out - or mostly out, you can give them something to ease their stomach. Any of what I've said to help will bellyaches can work; chervil, mallow, juniper berries, watermint, parsley.. use what you have on-paw. You should also make sure they drink plenty of water, the sickness will dry them up faster than dirt in Greenleaf." The corners of his eyes crinkled. "Juniper and watermint are best if their stomachache is mild, but do what you can if it's more severe and you have no other option. Meadow saffron poisoning requires an extra step - you need to feed them dandelion to try to mitigate the damage. If they recover, they need to rest for a half-moon minimally.

"Now, other common ailments you might run into: aching joints! The bane of us old cats. You might hear complaints of pain in the legs, paws, ankles, back, toes, muscles, neck... sometimes even the shoulder! The cat might be stiff, have inflammation or swelling, and or is fatigued. To administer treatment, combine a poultice of ragwort, goldenrod, daisy leaves, and or juniper berries, and add a dab of honey so it sticks together. Have your patient chew on it - eating too much can cause an upset stomach. Juniper is especially helpful here if they have a loss of strength.

"Allergies, usually caused by flower dust - errr, pollen, if you will. Their nose might run, they might struggle breathing, they might have hives or swelling - and in extreme cases they might pass out and die 'cause they can't breathe. Coltsfoot, thyme and catmint combined will help reduce symptoms - if they're unconscious chew it into a pulp and try to shove it down their throat. Asthma is similar - difficulty breathing, chest pain, coughing, wheezing, throat goop, tight chest, irritated throat, trouble sleeping 'cause of shortness of breath or wheezing... same treatment.

"Broken teeth, pretty self explanatory on how that might happen but I can drone on about that too if you want." It was rare he talked so much and honestly, he was surprised Hollowpaw hadn't shredded him like Bumblestar - at least verbally. "If it's not too bad, wash the blood out of their mouth, give them a poppy seed, and have them rest for a day. Then give them a poppy seed for up to a half moon if it hurts. If it isn't lookin' so hot, put them on a diet of soft food like mice, wrap the tooth with a cobweb if it's jagged and might cut them, and give them a poppy seed until the sensitivity is gone. If it's severe.. the tooth's probably gone, so keep the hole clean with water and cobwebs, put them on a soft and plump prey diet, and give them poppy seeds for at least a moon. Every time they eat, you gotta clean the hole or it risks infection.

"Burns can be mild, moderate, and severe - and you have to determine each one based on the symptoms." Aconiteheart would go on to explain the different types, going from slight inflammation to blisters and cooked skin, and everything in between, as well as submerging injured parts in den-temperature water to reduce continued damage. He'd also explain the usage of catchweed in keeping the poultices in place, and how honey, comfrey, burdock root, dock, and thyme in treating the wounds, staving off infections, and soothing smoke inhalation.. ".. but smoke inhalation is a silent killer, and even if you do all this right it might not work." Heh, he was almost rehearsed in this. BEAR. totally didn't steal from another Aconite post.

He would go on to cover chills and fevers, their symptoms, and how to apply the medicine and poultices to treat them, including if it was caused by being submerged in water. Forgive me Neptune for I have sinned but this is getting too long.

They talked about damage eyes before.. "Fleas are similar to ticks, and you can use mousebile to kill them...

"Joint dislocation might look similar to broken bones at a glance, but.." he'd explain the difference, how to pop it back into place safely and what herbs to use to treat it from there. Rest was required as well as re-treating with poultice.

"There's several kinds of coughs, as you know already. Greencough and Whitecough are the most popular ones but.." Kittencough, yellowcough, blackcough, redcough all had their own issues. Catmint was usually the best treatment, but in the case of Redcough it did nothing and alternatives were needed.

"Loss of appetite..." and how to help spur it on. There was usually an underlying cause! Nausea was in a similar boat, as also covered.

"Shock..." a more silent killer, thankfully just as treatable as any ailment. Shock of the mind and shock of the body were too very different things though, and had their own remedies.

"It can be hard to determine the severity as most snake bites are... well, as dangerous as a cat's! But sometimes, the snake's fangs are more deadly than they appear, and it will cause a cat's blood to burn as if it was set ablaze." Aconiteheart's expression had grown more grim. "It is rare, but not impossible. SkyClan welcomed many travelers into our Clan, with tales of snakes that could kill cats with one nip. Snakes with broad, flat but pointed heads, a dark line across their eyes to their jaw, and more notably.. a tail that rattles in warning before they strike.

"If you do not suspect the cat to have been bit by a venomous snake, you are safe to treat it like a normal wound. If you do... first, you need to clean the wound with water as thoroughly as possible. Then, you need to make them eat wintergreen, thyme, comfrey, and chamomile. Wintergreen helps encourage healing and staves off infections, as you know thyme is good for shock, comfrey will help soothe the inflammation in their blood. Chamomile will improve their heart's health, give them a boost of strength in general, and additionally helps keep them calm. We do not want them to go to shock - it will kill them.

"Do not try to stop the bleeding, they won't die from bloodloss but the more toxins within them the likelier they will die in general. You can chew a combination of tansy and yarrow and squeeze the juices onto the still-bleeding wound until it coagulates - that means it stops bleeding - and then apply a poultice of both and honey to the wound and wrap it in cobwebs. The honey will further help with infection, and can help keep the skin from rotting. Assuming they survive all that, you can give them some more honey as a treat." Not BEAR. stealing from the same post as burns again!

"Rough activity can cause sores, which makes the skin red and raw.. treat for infection and pain as needed..

"Sore throats aren't always because of sickness, they can be from smoke, allergies, the weather, maybe a cat snores too much... have them eat honey and drink some water, tansy can also be used..

"Stomach or bellyaches are usually from eating something off but can be sickness related, feed stomach calming herbs if needed, have them rest.

"Weakness is a lack of strength that impacts muscles.. find the cause then give strength-giving herbs.."

And after covering all that, he cleared his throat. Was that it?? It sure as hell felt like it! "Pretty sure that's all I got, any questions?"

[ @Neptune. ]