Meeting Rabbits (Closed)

"Oh!" Rabbitpaw suddenly perked up, a little taken aback by the subject change but she was silently thankful for it. "I really hope so. I've been an apprentice for a while, but I.. I don't know if I'm ready for my name yet. I think I've learned everything that I need to, but at the same time, I don't feel like I will be able to remember it all when the time comes around." She looked down again, but there was a hidden excitement that bubbled within her. "How about you? How long have you been a warrior?" she asked, just trying to keep up the conversation.

Mottleheart smiled softly as Rabbitpaw admitted that she would hopefully get her name soon. He couldn't blame her for being so scared of not remembering everything herb when the time was needed for them. He knew that he would never get a head for them, to him they all looked the same and all the scents seemed to mix together when he picked them up on Beetlepaw. "I am sure you will be a wonderful medicine cat when you get your name," he said with a faint smile before blinking at her question. He wasn't all that surprised that she had reflected the question back and simply shrugged his shoulders. "For a few moons," he admitted. "I am still getting used to the responsibilities of being a warrior."

"Is it fun?" She asked almost as soon as he replied. She didn't mean to jump on the question so quickly, but she had always been curious about what it was like to be a warrior. She had no interest in being one, but she did want to see the other side of clan work at some point. Of course, she knew they hunted and kept the borders at bay but there had to be more to it than that. "O-Oh, sorry. I've just always been interested in what it is warriors do since I've never had training to be one. I know the basics, but is there more to it than just hunting and keeping borders?"

Mottleheart frowned quickly when Rabbitpaw quickly leaped forward in question of if it was fun but he relaxed as she quickly apologized and explained what she had meant. But then he was forced to think about it...Was being a warrior fun? It surely wasn't all fun and games with all the responsibilities he was tasked with but it wasn't as if it was boring. Sure he had never had trouble at a border or had ever been in a fight, but the thrill of the hunt was enough to tide him over. He adored the feeling of running on the open moor, of the wind in his pelt and his paws skimming across the plains. But that wasn't truly her question, was it? Rabbitpaw wasn't just asking if it was fun, she was interesting in knowing more. He didn't know the inner workings of being a medicine cat while she didn't know the same of being a warrior. And so he sat there, thinking over what to say until the words came to him. "It...Does seem like nothing more then that at first, doesn't it?," he mused softly, half to himself and half to Rabbitpaw. "Hunting and paroling...Its really all that we seem to do. And I suppose most of the time that is what we do but when we you get an apprentice it becomes far more then that Suddenly their training is in your paws and it isn't about just you anymore, but instead about the Clan. You are training up the warriors that will one day lead the Clan and those younger cats look up to the older warriors so it also becomes putting on a good image, being a good cat for them to strive to be like." He grew quiet as he looked at his paws, unsure if he had answered the question like Rabbitpaw had wanted but it was a bit late for that. After a few moments, he glanced over to her with a faint smile. "Would you say that being a medicine cat is fun? I myself had thoughts of being one when I was young...But I am happy with the path that I took."

"Oh, yes!" she mewed followed by a purr escaping her lips. "Being medicine cat is a lot of fun! Even though trying to find the herbs is very tedious and difficult during leafbare, there's nothing like helping out the clan. Seeing new kits being born is a whole new experience, watching life come into the world one small kit at a time; watching the clan grow. But even nurturing the injured or the sick and knowing that you can make them better is... just astounding!" There was a whole new light in the apprentice's eyes as she spoke, looking back on all of the good things that she has been able to help with. However, it only lasted for a few heartbeats before she looked almost downcast again. "It can be a... a lot of pressure, though. Knowing that if you mess up, someone's life could be in danger. But that's why we train a lot! And we know all of the herbs and what they do. So that we don't mess up! But... it is a lot of hard work."

There was a smile from Mottleheart as he watched how excited Rabbitpaw was as she rambled on about the greatness of being a medicine cat. "I'm not surprised its a lot of pressure," he said before frowning softly. "I feel like Beetlepaw is feeling more of the pressure then he should be - being the only medicine cat after Cindercloud's death." He shook his head with a sigh before deciding to move onto more...Upbeat ideas. "But I am happy you find such joys in it. I had hopes of being a medicine cat when I was young - to avoid fighting but I know I would never be happy with that life. While you find joys in healing and caring for your Clanmates, I find joy in hunting for them and training them. Our paths are different but we still find pleasure in what we do."

Rabbitpaw nodded. "That's what makes us good clan mates!" she purred before the silence returned. However, even as she sat there quietly, she no longer felt awkward. She certainly wasn't comfortable, but it was nice knowing that she could talk to Mottleheart. "Well... I should be getting back to Skyclan. I'm sure that someone's looking for me. It was great meeting you Mottleheart! Maybe the next time we meet, I'll have my full name!" she mewed, standing up before heading for the bushes around the clearing. "And thank you for listening to me."

Mottleheart enjoyed the silence as well, having talked more then he was expecting to a cat he had just met today but there was something about Rabbitpaw he found comfort it - perhaps it was her willingness to help anybody, even if they were from a different Clan while most cats would just scorn them. He blinked when she decided that she should get going. He watched her get up without a word but smiled back at her when she stopped at the bushes. "It was nice to meet you as well Rabbitpaw! I do hope everything goes well for you and you get your name soon!" he said as he got to his paws, noting that Rockpaw wasn't likely to show up so heading back to WindClan seemed like a good idea. He paused at her last few words before simply dipping his head back at her. "I'm always happy to lend an ear when we meet again," he purred.