SkyClan Medicine Cat's Den

[Charmer]

Originally Posted by jingle pom

Ringpaw turned, her eyes slanted a bit tiredly but her body jolted upwards everywhere when she saw the yellow tom, his eyes open. The calico launched up, this time managing to not destroy any piles of valuable herbs, and skittered over towards her mentor. “You woke up!” She said cheerily, trying to sound thrilled even though she was still worried. At least he had woken up, she couldn’t imagine if he had blacked out permanently. At his request, she dipped her head in compliance. “Stay here.” She meowed after noticing he had tried to get up. She quickly walked over to the small area where they kept the moist moss. Ringpaw had an abundance of it, that had been all she had dared to give him. She had fretted too much over what herbs to use that she had decided that only borage was safe, it wouldn’t worsen anything and she knew the usage well. She had chewed up some of the borage and added it into the water she had trickled in her mentor’s maw often, but she wasn’t sure if it had helped or not. After bringing more water back, she sat down with her paw near Shinefang. She flicked her ringed tail towards the damp moss, her calico spots flickering. “You blacked out a few days ago. You’ve been asleep for a few hours, you woke up yesterday a little bit- I got you to move enough to change some of your bedding. It’s a bit early, you must be starving!” The apprentice exclaimed with a small smile. She decided not to mention the coughing fits, they had lessened a lot, so Ringpaw assumed they were over.

Shinefang rasped as he stretched out his neck and began to lap at the soaked ball of moss his apprentice set before him. He moved slowly at first, his throat burning at even this small movement, but soon he began to feel the soothing coolness of the water working. He took a breath when he was able to rest for a moment after drinking. "A few days..." he echoed, surprise peeking out from under his fatigue. When the shecat mentioned food, he suddenly became aware of the gnawing hunger in his belly and nodded. "Food would be good," he said, before adding. "Nothing too heavy...and no bird meat please. Even as hungry as he was, his least favorite meal made his throat clench in nausea.

[Charmer]

Originally Posted by Charmer

Shinefang rasped as he stretched out his neck and began to lap at the soaked ball of moss his apprentice set before him. He moved slowly at first, his throat burning at even this small movement, but soon he began to feel the soothing coolness of the water working. He took a breath when he was able to rest for a moment after drinking. "A few days..." he echoed, surprise peeking out from under his fatigue. When the shecat mentioned food, he suddenly became aware of the gnawing hunger in his belly and nodded. "Food would be good," he said, before adding. "Nothing too heavy...and no bird meat please. Even as hungry as he was, his least favorite meal made his throat clench in nausea.

@jingle pom

Clearing his throat, the tom added, "Did you give me any herbs while I was out? Were there any patients?" As lousy as the old tom felt now, teaching Ringpaw to be a medicine cat was still his priority first and foremost. Here she had had an opportunity to act without his, so he wanted to know what she had done with the opportunity.

[Freesia]

Originally Posted by Charmer

Shinefang nodded approvingly at his apprentice. “You’re correct, for the most part. Your dosages are spot on.” The old tom grinned wryly at her comment about a healthy cat needing no medicine at all. She understood what he meant, he knew. “Queens should not be given poppy seeds, that’s right. But the reason is that it may hurt the kits inside her. And you’re right that cats who are fainting shouldn’t be given poppy seeds either. One last one that I’ll add is that poppy seeds should not be given to a cat with a head injury. Some kinds of head wounds can cause a cat to not be able to wake up again or even to die if they fall asleep. Instead, they should be kept awake, have their wound treated, and if necessary given pain management herbs which don’t affect consciousness.”

Shinefang sat up a little straighter, a flicker of guarded pride in his eye as he looked at his two pupils. What he wanted to teach them next was important to him because, had he known how to use other pain management approaches when he was new to the life of a medicine cat, Acornpaw might still be alive today. Instead, the apprentice had died in this very den after Shinefang treated him for what appeared to be a minor head wound by cleaning the cut and then giving him poppy seeds...

“So, an otherwise healthy, adult tom stumbles into your den. He reports smacking his head against a rock while hunting. There’s a minor cut on his head, which is bleeding and he appears to be slurring his speech and having trouble walking straight. What do you do?” The medicine cat looked at each of them in turn, waiting for their answers.

@jingle pom

[pomegranate]

Originally Posted by Charmer

@jingle pom

Clearing his throat, the tom added, "Did you give me any herbs while I was out? Were there any patients?" As lousy as the old tom felt now, teaching Ringpaw to be a medicine cat was still his priority first and foremost. Here she had had an opportunity to act without his, so he wanted to know what she had done with the opportunity.

Ringpaw quickly dodged outside, searching for anything not-bird. On the prey pile, there was a small squirrel, it’s fur less brown and more gray as winter approached. She plucked it off, hoping its small stature had less muscle and more tender meat- easier for Shinefang to eat.
She brought it back and plopped it in front of him, before crouching down to tear it into strips and remove the chewy fur and some of the small bones. No choking allowed here, not on Ringpaw’s watch! She purred as the thought of Shinefang saying something cheery like that. “I only gave you some borage- that’s all I wanted to give you. I chewed it up and added it into your water that I gave to you every once in awhile.” She nervously fidgeted with her tail. “I think I gave you something for headaches, I forget the herb, but no poppyseeds.” She assured him. “And no patients. It’s been this way for a long while, I thought there was a war going on!” She laughed light-heartedly. She smiled as she finished tearing apart the squirrel, then nudged the pile of fur towards herself and the meat towards her mentor. Picking up the bones and such, she quickly ran out of the den to deposit it near the old moss pile she had made outside where the apprentices of Skyclan would soon clear it away. Maybe Raccoonpaw could come over and help her... nah. Raccoonpaw was probably much too busy with her warrior training.

[Charmer]

Originally Posted by jingle pom

Ringpaw quickly dodged outside, searching for anything not-bird. On the prey pile, there was a small squirrel, it’s fur less brown and more gray as winter approached. She plucked it off, hoping its small stature had less muscle and more tender meat- easier for Shinefang to eat.
She brought it back and plopped it in front of him, before crouching down to tear it into strips and remove the chewy fur and some of the small bones. No choking allowed here, not on Ringpaw’s watch! She purred as the thought of Shinefang saying something cheery like that. “I only gave you some borage- that’s all I wanted to give you. I chewed it up and added it into your water that I gave to you every once in awhile.” She nervously fidgeted with her tail. “I think I gave you something for headaches, I forget the herb, but no poppyseeds.” She assured him. “And no patients. It’s been this way for a long while, I thought there was a war going on!” She laughed light-heartedly. She smiled as she finished tearing apart the squirrel, then nudged the pile of fur towards herself and the meat towards her mentor. Picking up the bones and such, she quickly ran out of the den to deposit it near the old moss pile she had made outside where the apprentices of Skyclan would soon clear it away. Maybe Raccoonpaw could come over and help her... nah. Raccoonpaw was probably much too busy with her warrior training.

Shinefang listened as he nibbled tentatively on the strips of meat Ringpaw set before him. He kept his face stoic as she told him about the herbs she used. The borage would have been a good herb to use if he had been feverish, and based on how freezing cold he had felt the night of the last gathering, he had no doubt of that. The question was, did she know? Being a medicine cat was about more than just throwing herbs at sick cats and hoping they worked. There had to be a justification for every medical decision she made. "Why borage?" he asked her, feigning disinterest. At her admission that she didn't remember which herb she had given him for a headache, the old tom wrinkled him nose. "I don't remember which herb I gave a cat can be a very dangerous sentence for a medicine cat to utter. Here, how about you find some more on the shelves and show it to me," he prompted.

[pomegranate]

Originally Posted by Charmer

Shinefang listened as he nibbled tentatively on the strips of meat Ringpaw set before him. He kept his face stoic as she told him about the herbs she used. The borage would have been a good herb to use if he had been feverish, and based on how freezing cold he had felt the night of the last gathering, he had no doubt of that. The question was, did she know? Being a medicine cat was about more than just throwing herbs at sick cats and hoping they worked. There had to be a justification for every medical decision she made. "Why borage?" he asked her, feigning disinterest. At her admission that she didn't remember which herb she had given him for a headache, the old tom wrinkled him nose. "I don't remember which herb I gave a cat can be a very dangerous sentence for a medicine cat to utter. Here, how about you find some more on the shelves and show it to me," he prompted.

Ringpaw listened carefully to his questioning. “Well, borage also helps with tightness in your chest.” Ringpaw had remembered with a shudder her panic. She had been worried that something in him had failed- and she couldn’t know what it was. Maybe now she would be able to know what Shinefang had collapsed for- sickness? Fever? Joints? She didn’t know why he had blacked out, but now he would be able to tell her. He hadn’t been feverish, so that’s probably why he was wondering why she had chosen borage to give him. “My first instinct was ‘joints’ or that something was happening with your breathing, so I thought that borage would be good to clear it up. I didn’t want to give you anything stronger for particular sicknesses, mainly because I didn’t know what was happening.” She admitted, trying to keep a calmer tone than she really could. Maybe Shinefang would have woken up faster if she had known- maybe if she had tried to figure it out instead of coasting on the ‘safe to use’ side of herbs.
At his request, she dipped her head and stood back up. “I’ll bring it over,” She responded, her tone hinting that Shinefang should wait for her to bring it and not for him to come and see what she had used. Who knows what would happen if he tried to stand after days of blacking out. She scanned the shelves, and found the small white petals that were stuck to a stem and a yellow center- she still couldn’t place the name.
Bringing it back to her mentor, she smiled at the tom gently upon seeing that he had eaten some of the fresh kill. “It’s a traveling herb.” She explained, hoping he would approve of the herb she had used. “It’s supposed to either help with headaches or endurance, I forget which one this is. If I’m correct, it’s chamomile, but...” After Shinefang’s previous statement, she didn’t feel like admitting that she wasn’t sure. What a stupid thing, Ringpaw! He’s going to be angry, you gave him some random herb you can’t even remember the name of. Her mind chattered, before she shoved it down. She was fine, she had learned so much. Shinefang was fine now, it didn’t matter if she didn’t know the name, she hadn’t poisoned him... yet.

[Charmer]

Originally Posted by pomegranate

Ringpaw listened carefully to his questioning. “Well, borage also helps with tightness in your chest.” Ringpaw had remembered with a shudder her panic. She had been worried that something in him had failed- and she couldn’t know what it was. Maybe now she would be able to know what Shinefang had collapsed for- sickness? Fever? Joints? She didn’t know why he had blacked out, but now he would be able to tell her. He hadn’t been feverish, so that’s probably why he was wondering why she had chosen borage to give him. “My first instinct was ‘joints’ or that something was happening with your breathing, so I thought that borage would be good to clear it up. I didn’t want to give you anything stronger for particular sicknesses, mainly because I didn’t know what was happening.” She admitted, trying to keep a calmer tone than she really could. Maybe Shinefang would have woken up faster if she had known- maybe if she had tried to figure it out instead of coasting on the ‘safe to use’ side of herbs.
At his request, she dipped her head and stood back up. “I’ll bring it over,” She responded, her tone hinting that Shinefang should wait for her to bring it and not for him to come and see what she had used. Who knows what would happen if he tried to stand after days of blacking out. She scanned the shelves, and found the small white petals that were stuck to a stem and a yellow center- she still couldn’t place the name.
Bringing it back to her mentor, she smiled at the tom gently upon seeing that he had eaten some of the fresh kill. “It’s a traveling herb.” She explained, hoping he would approve of the herb she had used. “It’s supposed to either help with headaches or endurance, I forget which one this is. If I’m correct, it’s chamomile, but...” After Shinefang’s previous statement, she didn’t feel like admitting that she wasn’t sure. What a stupid thing, Ringpaw! He’s going to be angry, you gave him some random herb you can’t even remember the name of. Her mind chattered, before she shoved it down. She was fine, she had learned so much. Shinefang was fine now, it didn’t matter if she didn’t know the name, she hadn’t poisoned him... yet.

Shinefang chewed another bite slowly as he heard his apprentice's explanation. "Chest tightness..." he muttered aloud. "I do seem to recall coughing. And of course you already know that I have a history of joint pain. Something I want you to take from this though is that there are some problems that are more important than others when treating a cat. Joint pain is uncomfortable, but it won't kill a cat. Trouble breathing very well might. Breathing, heart beat, bleeding, and poison: these are the things that you should always be tending to first. It's good to keep in mind when you are working with elders. Most of them have a few things wrong at any given time." Next, he waited patiently for Ringpaw to bring over the other herb she had used. She was right; it was chamomile. "You are correct," the old tom said with a nod. "And it's not a bad choice. It's good for strength, which a sick cat could always use more of. It's also a very safe herb. You'd have to be pretty determined to poison a cat with it. Maybe if you made them eat as much as their body weight you'd have a chance," he said with a small chuckle. "Borage is good for fever too. You probably kept my brains from melting in my head with that little flower." Meeting his apprentice's gaze cooly, the old tom said to her. "You did good, Ringpaw. You likely saved my life. At my age, something like whatever I had going untreated isn't likely to have me up and walking again." Settling down to tear off another strip, he added, "I knew I made a good choice when I picked you."

[Browneyedfox]

@Charmer
@pomegranate

Deertail staggered into the medicine cat den, shaking her head in an attempt to get the blood out of her eyes. Her ears were ragged and torn and her side was stinging fiercely from the deep scratches inflicted on her by an opposing warrior. She knew she was in bad shape, and the dirt clogging her wounds wasn’t helping. She looked around for Shinefang and Ringpaw. They could help her out, and hopefully they weren’t too busy with the rest of the many injured cats from the Riverclan battle.

[Charmer]

Originally Posted by Browneyedfox

@Charmer
@pomegranate

Deertail staggered into the medicine cat den, shaking her head in an attempt to get the blood out of her eyes. Her ears were ragged and torn and her side was stinging fiercely from the deep scratches inflicted on her by an opposing warrior. She knew she was in bad shape, and the dirt clogging her wounds wasn’t helping. She looked around for Shinefang and Ringpaw. They could help her out, and hopefully they weren’t too busy with the rest of the many injured cats from the Riverclan battle.

How about I go next, pom, then Brown again?

@pomegranate

Shinefang had Ringpaw dashing around like a mouse in a nest of warriors. The battle had concluded and they had tended to some of the more critical injuries in the field, but now cats who were able to make it back to the medicine den to receive more complete treatment would be coming this way, and Shinefang was barking orders to make sure that they would have any herb they might within paw's reach. After a battle like this, treating injuries quickly was vitally important. "Get at least two of our biggest horsetail stocks down and start chewing them into pulp! Use the cobnuts there on the bottom shelf to hold the stuff you've already chewed. Horsetail will work to stop bleeding and prevent infection."

Almost like he was a young warrior again, the sound of pawsteps set his ears upright. The old tom turned to see a dark brown shecat staggering into the den, a drop of blood wormed its way over her face like a stream and a droplet fell with the tiniest splash on the den floor. Before she could say anything, Shinefang was already headed toward the shecat. "Lie down in that nest there and let me look at you," he growled, his blood running hot with a mix of fear and worry. He recognized the young warrior as Deertail, and already he disliked the wobbling way in which she moved. The blood from her head was coming from her ear, that much he could tell. But he could smell the sour tang of infection coming from somewhere else, following the scent of blood, he noticed a large gash in her side, and a lot of dirt caked into the wound. Keeping his face still so as not to alarm her, the medicine cat simply said, "The gash in your side needs attention, but your ear is bleeding badly. I have to take care of that first. You're going to be fine."

Headed over quickly to his apprentice he spoke to her in a low whisper. "Take a break and come over here. I need you to lick the grit out of the wound on her side. It's already getting infected." Next he grabbed a cobnut filled with horsetail pulp in his teeth and made his way back over the the shecat.

[Charmer]

Originally Posted by Charmer

How about I go next, pom, then Brown again?

@pomegranate

Shinefang had Ringpaw dashing around like a mouse in a nest of warriors. The battle had concluded and they had tended to some of the more critical injuries in the field, but now cats who were able to make it back to the medicine den to receive more complete treatment would be coming this way, and Shinefang was barking orders to make sure that they would have any herb they might within paw's reach. After a battle like this, treating injuries quickly was vitally important. "Get at least two of our biggest horsetail stocks down and start chewing them into pulp! Use the cobnuts there on the bottom shelf to hold the stuff you've already chewed. Horsetail will work to stop bleeding and prevent infection."

Almost like he was a young warrior again, the sound of pawsteps set his ears upright. The old tom turned to see a dark brown shecat staggering into the den, a drop of blood wormed its way over her face like a stream and a droplet fell with the tiniest splash on the den floor. Before she could say anything, Shinefang was already headed toward the shecat. "Lie down in that nest there and let me look at you," he growled, his blood running hot with a mix of fear and worry. He recognized the young warrior as Deertail, and already he disliked the wobbling way in which she moved. The blood from her head was coming from her ear, that much he could tell. But he could smell the sour tang of infection coming from somewhere else, following the scent of blood, he noticed a large gash in her side, and a lot of dirt caked into the wound. Keeping his face still so as not to alarm her, the medicine cat simply said, "The gash in your side needs attention, but your ear is bleeding badly. I have to take care of that first. You're going to be fine."

Headed over quickly to his apprentice he spoke to her in a low whisper. "Take a break and come over here. I need you to lick the grit out of the wound on her side. It's already getting infected." Next he grabbed a cobnut filled with horsetail pulp in his teeth and made his way back over the the shecat.

Bump @pomegranate