A Mossy Corner - August

OOC: Life has been crazy and I've been caught up in so many other topics that I hesitated to make a new one for myself, but we're back in business ladies and gentlemen! No posting order, and have fun! Don't be afraid to have a scratch or thorn she can take a look at, or just come hang out!

The Gathering was going to take place in a couple moonhighs, and Mossbloom had been waiting in nervous anticipation for it. There were many issues left from the last Gathering that she was unsure had been resolved or not. Was ShadowClan okay? Had they been able to settle back in? How about SkyClan, how fared those within after the revealing of their leader as a murderer? Was Amberdawn, Lightpaw, and Leaftwirl okay? She hadn't seen Lightpaw at the last Gathering, and she hoped that it was a simple case of the patrol being too large and him needing to stay behind. The nursery was fairly empty, Grayleaf had taken a young kit under her wing, and she was proud of the young warrior. She had always shown such promise, even if she was unsure of herself. She spent her days looking around the camp, reassuring herself that things would be okay. Life moved on, and happiness could be found even in the darkest of times... And ThunderClan needed a medicine cat. Pricklebush was spending most of his time in RiverClan now that Mossbloom had officially gotten her name, and while she was confident in her abilities there were still times that she desperately wanted to take comfort in the long, bushy fur of her mentor. Life for her had usually been harsh and unkind however, so she took the disappointment in stride as she started to air out the medicine den. The stench of sickness lingered from Falconwing's bout of greencough, and the quick-acting, unknown illness that had taken such a swift hold of Sparkfrost. She regretted that she had been unable to help more with every day that passed, and kept a watchful eye on the barely apprenticed she-cat that had arrived with the RiverClan warrior from afar.

Grayleaf padded into the medicine den, a smile on her face. “Well now, this looks familiar now doesn’t it?” She padded over to her friend. Of course, with those words she was referring to the time she had visited as a kit. Mossbloom had merely been an apprentice then, and herself a tiny, playful little kit. “My how the times have changed. I wanted to say thank you, Mossbloom. Ever since I was a kit, you were there for me and arguably my only friend. Not many cats will do what you always did for me. I guess I would be hanging out with more cats if they did.” The she cat joked. But what she said was true. In her eyes, Mossbloom had lifted her from a hole she didn’t even realize she was in. That was something Grayleaf still wanted to pay back.

As much as he enjoyed spending time with Mistlepaw, and as many problems as he had with the Clan he lived in, it was always a weight off his shoulders to see the familiar bushes at the camp's entrance. ThunderClan just smelled like home... musky and forest-scented, prey hiding in every corner, not as dry and fishy as RiverClan always seemed. A tiny shiver ran through him as he saw the medicine den- once a place he had loathed, now where he spent most of his time. Avoiding any glances from Clanmates in the center of camp, Pricklebush made a beeline straight for the den, single-minded as usual with the purpose that brought him here. Nowadays, almost the only reason he returned. Mossbloom. The large tan tom looked into the entrance of the medicine den first, not wanting to barge in if his apprentice- fully named, now- was busy treating someone. Fortunately, it just looked like she was talking with someone. One of the younger warriors... Gray, Gray-something? It had been too long since he paid attention to most of the cats in his Clan. The corner of his mouth quirked upwards at the sight of the calico she-cat chatting amiably. Hopefully, she was feeling better. He almost didn't want to intrude- but he was technically supposed to be helping in here. "Back again," he announced self-deprecatingly as he fit himself through the opening of the den, ear-tips almost brushing the ceiling. "Sorry to crash your gathering, feel free to continue talking as if there wasn't a grumpy old tom in here."

Every step made his paw feel like it was on fire. A singular claw dug repeatedly into his pad. The apprentice had tried desperately to dislodge the thorn embedded there but with his less than gingerly tactic found he had only worsened the problem. Houndpaw kept his ears pulled back, trying to show company was unwelcome as he limped over to the medicine cat's den with his eyes trained on the entrance. It wasn't often he found himself here but it appeared Mossbloom's efforts were actually needed. Besides, he found some buried drive to check on the she-cat, to see her. To make sure she was alright. The thought was disrupted by a stabbing in his paw as he stepped without thinking. He hissed aloud, enough of those thoughts.

When he hobbled through the entrance of the medicine cat's den, his gaze was immediately pinned on what could only be described as a pale, walking bush. It took a moment and a blink to realize that foliage was indeed a cat, a cat that also reeked of herbs. So Pricklebush must have returned, at least for now, "So he is more than just a legend, huh?" Houndpaw pushed past to find Mosspaw and flicked his ear towards Grayleaf in a quick acknowledgement before meowing matter-of-factly, "I have a thorn in my paw and I can't get it out. I need you to fix it." With that he turned over his injured paw and thrust it forward. His eyes pleaded for a quick fix but he would never indulge in such a plea.

Mossbloom looked up as a cat approached, and smiled warmly at Grayleaf. She had come as a kit with a thorn in her paw, and now she had taken in a kit of her own. My how time flew. "Indeed it does, and it surely has. You've grown into a fine warrior, Grayleaf, just as I was sure you would. You have a kind heart, and it shows. I'm proud to have watched you grow." Her eyes softened as the warrior continued speaking, expressing her gratitude. "It was my pleasure, Grayleaf, I'll always be here to help or lend a listening ear." She purred lightly as the rustling of ferns heralded the coming of another. The face that emerged was one she had not expected to see, and she got to her paws excitedly. "Pricklebush! Welcome back, how was your trip? Are things well in RiverClan?" She asked, touching her nose to his quickly as he came into the den.

As she waited for the response, a pained hiss sounded from outside the medicine den, and before long the familiar large ears of Houndpaw came into view. He hobbled forward, one paw kept away from the ground, and concern instantly lit the medicine cat's eyes. She hurried over to take a look, and noticed a thorn embedded deep in the apprentice's pad... As well as marks that made it look like a certain young tom had tried to pull it out himself. Her eyes raised to his quickly, and she flicked his shoulder as she turned. "You tried to take care of it yourself, didn't you?" she asked as she disappeared into the crevice where the herbs were stored and then backed out holding a single oak leaf. "It's buried pretty deep in there, I'm going to need you to stay super still, okay? It will hurt at first, but the pain will go away pretty quickly." She placed the leaf down and sat, inspecting his paw once more. Carefully she bent her head, gently pushing the flesh of the pad down with her teeth until she could feel the end of the thorn. Gripping it tightly, she pulled her head back swiftly, setting the thorn to the side. "Alright, lick your pad. I'll put
a poultice of oak leaves on it to help prevent any infection, since it was so deep." She began chewing the oak leaf as she waited for Houndpaw to follow her orders.

Grayleaf smiled at Mossbloom's words. It was nice having a friend she could look to. One so kind and gentle, and she was a medicine cat. It was always good to be on a medicine cat's good side.

As Pricklebush walked in, she dipped her head to the elder medicine cat. "No, no! You are perfectly fine, Pricklebush. You aren't interrupting anything! If you need Mossbloom, go right on ahead!" She smiled at the ginger tom. She held a lot of respect for him, especially with what she heard he was doing for Mistlepaw. "I hope your trip was well!" She said, adding onto what Mossbloom said.

She laughed a little as Houndpaw came in, a thorn on his pad. "You know, Houndpaw, that is exactly how I came to know Mossbloom as a kit. She had treated a thorn in my own pad. Don't worry though, it only hurts for a quick bit after she pulls it out."

As Mossbloom greeted him enthusiastically, Pricklebush smiled, thankful he had returned already. Their customary nose touch was something he always looked forward to, though he usually hated physical contact. The pure she-cat was always so kind and gentle. "It's good to be back," he purred lowly. This happened every time... he was hesitant and unwilling to come back to ThunderClan, but always enjoyed every second with the perfectly capable apprentice he had trained. He nodded thankfully at the other cat he had interrupted as well- Graypelt? Grayberry? He had no idea. How embarrassing. As the tom prepared an answer to the questions, remembering how his past half moon with Mistlepaw had been, another cat walked into the den. Limping, obviously recognizable signs that a thorn was in their paw. An apprentice tom, vaguely familiar-looking, with large ears and eyes that.... Oh, StarClan. He looked exactly like a cross between Beartooth and Ridgelight. It was Houndkit.

Slightly shocked, the medicine cat blinked hard a few times, trying to reconcile the tall, lanky apprentice before his eyes with the bloody scrap of fur he'd licked clean as his sister had been exiled for her atrocities. The kit of two abominations he had the misfortune to be related to- whether by adoption or birth. One of the reasons he'd spent so much time away in RiverClan. Houndkit... of course, he was probably Houndpaw now. StarClan, he'd at least doubled in size. Did the tom know or care of their relation? Due to the snarky, passive remark sent his way, Pricklebush guessed that since he hadn't seen the tom since he had his eyes sealed shut, there would be no recognition whatsoever. It was easier that way. He wasn't sure what to say to the tom... and eventually, he settled on saying nothing at all. It was easier that way. There was nothing for them to talk about anyway. After all of these thoughts racing through his head for a few moments, the large, bushy tom did what he'd learned to do best these moons in his position: he seized control of his undesired emotions and shoved them into a corner to be dealt with later, or never.

Having finished with his few moments of surprise and discomfort, the ThunderClanner's facial expressions were regulated back to their normal smooth expression. Mossbloom, bless her soul, probably hadn't noticed- she'd immediately turned to treating the apprentice's thorn. He didn't even need to step in, she was doing perfectly well. Of course, she'd probably interacted with the tom very often, being almost the sole medicine cat most of the time. What had he been doing before his thoughts were derailed?... Right. Mossbloom had asked him a question. Pricklebush looked at the busy calico she-cat, a slight smile touching his muzzle again. "RiverClan is fine, as usual," he responded finally, thinking back to the time he'd spent there. He interacted very little with most of the warriors in the Clan... mostly spent time in the medicine den training Mistlepaw. Right, Mistlepaw. "And, Mistlepaw's training is progressing nicely. She may even earn her full name within the next couple of moons." His smile widened slightly at the thought of his second deserving apprentice coming into her own. "The trip was uneventful, as usual, thankfully. I trust no chaos has taken place in ThunderClan since my departure? I'd be very disappointed if there was a war and no one invited me." Hopefully, Mossbloom could tell that he was mostly joking.

As her eyes met his, the tabby tom's ears heated up for a moment and then she looked away. As she questioned his efforts, Houndpaw flattened his ears and shot her a half-hearted glare. Bringing himself to the medicine cat's den was not an easy task, and she was only making it worse. In every way. Ways he did not even consider for more than a breath. Underneath her cool gaze, he had begun to feel small, a sensation that had began after their journey to Windclan. After the death of her father. For some reason, thinking of it all make his head pound. So he opted not to do so. Instead, he stared after the calico medicine cat, awaiting her to do her job. She quickly reappeared with an oak leaf. Grayleaf chimed in about her own experience with thorns and he flicked his ear in acknowledgement before grumbling a response, "I sure hope its only a little pain. This whole thing has already been such a tick in my pelt. And I was about to catch the fattest squirrel this camp has ever seen. It ruined my hu-"

One might have thought that the medicine cat bit off his paw with the raucous snarl that came from his maw and interrupted his words as Mossbloom plucked out the tiny thorn. Only the tiniest pricks of blood began to well up from the wound. More out of instinct than per her instructions, the large eared tom began to lap at the salty droplets as the pain subsided. It appeared there was more healing to be done. He eyed the oak leaf warily, regarding the she-cat in a similar manner before holding out his pad. There was something terrifying and soothing about the idea that she soon would be slathering the poultice onto his paw and Houndpaw had too look away as he waited. He couldn't meet her gaze. Instead, briefly glancing at Grayleaf, the apprentice's hazy, gray gaze landed back onto the elder medicine cat. Pricklebush sure talked a lot. He said he spent time helping train the Riverclan medicine cat but really he had just left his own clan to their own devices. Maybe he had spent time lazing among the thorn bushes where no cat could see him. That was more likely.

"A whole war could have started and you wouldn't have noticed, old tom." Houndpaw snorted. The taunting sound of his own voice seemed to ease what anxiety had built up in his chest. This was safe, this was comfortable. Allowing another cat to touch his paw was not. Especially not Mossbloom, "Thunderclan territory could have disappeared and you'd be too busy stuffing yourself with fish and sunning on the rocks to notice. I'm surprised you even came back. Mossblood has been doing a wonderful job on her own. I hardly noticed you were gone." Personally, Houndpaw had nothing against the tan pelted cat. But there was solace in the bitterness and it stood to soothe his angst ridden soul, one that was further tainted by emotions he chose to ignore and sought not to understand. It was when his compliment of Mossbloom reached his own ears that the last of his words was clipped ever so slightly. He didn't even mean to. Houndpaw found himself willing her to not say anything about it as his ear pressed back against his skull. Never again. Never again would he come for healing. Next time he'd just let his paw fall off.

Grayleaf recalled the time that she had come as a kit, and Mossbloom purred at the memory as she chewed the oak leaf into a pulp. She had pulled the thorn quickly while Houndpaw had been distracted, complaining about what he had been doing before the thorn lodged itself in his paw. His ferocious snarl had startled her slightly, and she had busied herself with the poultice without even meeting the apprentice's gaze. Worry tinged her thoughts, had she nipped his pad as well?... The tom had quickly started to lick his pad, and she could feel his wary gaze on her as she bent over to carefully inspect the wound and gently lick the herb onto his paw. The quick inspection showed that there was no further injury, and that it had just been the thorn, making her right ear flick with relief. Oh thank StarClan.

The juice from the chewed oak leaf seeped into the young tom's pad quickly, soothing any lingering pain. Once she was satisfied, she spit out the remnants of the poultice and hesitantly met his gaze once more. "How does that feel? Better? The oak leaf will help stop infection, but if you notice any swelling or continued bleeding please come back immediately, that way we can take care of it as quickly as possible." She turned to lap up some of the water from the pool in the far corner of the den, but Houndpaw's harsh words to Pricklebush reached her ears. Her tail flicked in surprise and dismay, as much as she always missed Pricklebush that crossed a line.

She moved to sit in front of Houndpaw once more, staring eye to eye with him. Sitting tall, and straight, she mewed. "Pricklebush has been gone doing something honorable by helping to train another clan's medicine cat apprentice. He's been having to work with not only me but Mistlepaw as well. It must be exhausting, having to make that journey as often as he does. He's been doing this since before you were born, Houndpaw, and now that my ceremony has been done of course he's going to spend more time with her." Was that bitterness or frustration in her voice? No, it couldn't be bitterness.... Pricklebush had been working his paws off.... She still missed him though, when he was gone, nothing could stop that.... Soon Mistlepaw would have her ceremony, and be able to take care of things herself, and Pricklebush would be home once again. Right?