A Bloody Echo

Echopaw limped into the medicine den "Stupid fish-brain" he quietly mumbled as he sat down starting to lick some blood of "Anyone there? I kinda need some help here" he meowed loudly before continuing to groom himself.

OOC: Sucks but yeah he just needs some healing his health is at 0 right now

Mottleheart was sorting through his herbs - his main duty since the snow had rolled in - when the scent of blood caught his attention. His gaze snapped to the side to see an apprentice limping in. Holding back a sigh, he shook his head as he pulled a small bundle of goldenrods from where he had tucked them away. He would have perhaps been more worried if the tom wasn't treating the wound like a minor annoyance with how he was simply grooming himself to remove the blood. "What exactly happened?" the scarred medicine cat questioned as he carried the goldenrod over and started to chew it up, able to tell that the wounds were from another cat but he was certainly interested by whatever trouble Echopaw had gotten himself into.

He looked at Mottleheart and stopped grooming himself "I where just hunting by the border when one of the stupid Riverclan scums jumped out of no where and started a battle" he answerd. "If I ever see that piece of foxdung I will tear him apart" he growled quietly.

Spitting the goldenrod out onto his paw, he carefully started to apply it to the wounds as he shook his head. "Now, now, returning violence with violence is never a smart thing to do. All it means is an endless cycle of bloodshed and that helps nobody - mostly when every Clan is suffering from a lack of herbs this leafbare," he scolded slightly, but kept his voice light. Mottleheart had always been a level-headed cat even when he had been a warrior but he knew the price one paid if they allowed their anger to get the best of him - he had plenty of scars to prove the cost. "You certainly don't have to like them for what they did, but it might be smart not to try to cause trouble if you see them - mostly if its at a Gathering," he said as he turned, padding away to gather some up cobwebs. "Anyways, I'm sure you made sure to hopefully teach them a lesson that we aren't to be trifled with, hm?"

He shook his head "Ofcourse I wouln't start a fight at the gathering!" he meowed. The he looked at his paws when the medicine cat asked if he had teached the cat a lesson "P-probably not.. He b-beat me.." he stammer and looked back at Mottleheart.

"I'm sure you wouldn't, I am just making a point," the medicine cat hummed as he pressed the cobwebs to the wound. At the apprentice's sheepish admittance that he had lost, the brown and white tom leaned down with a knowing purr. "But even the greatest of victories come at a price. Wounds are still wound and while he can let the knowledge that he won sit in his head for a while but those wounds are still going to be aching as much as yours will. Really, a true winner are those who can walk away from fights." Mottleheart pulled back slightly, giving a shake of his head. He had never been fond with fighting - he couldn't understand why cats could stand attacking each other but while he could accept that they were destined to fight, his true hatred was for those who would maim or kill on the battlefield when neither of those were needed...And then those would do such outside of combat for their own sick desires. "Don't swoop down his level, Echopaw, be better then him in every way. Sooner or later, if he still wants to pick a fight, chances are he will choose the wrong foe one day and learn his mistakes harshly."

"I'm already on a lower level than him" he mumbled quietly to himself. He sat perfectly still even if it stinged. He knew Mottleheart where right, the Riverclanners wounds would also ache. He took a deep breath and tryed clearing his mind, almost everytime he though about battles the picture of blood flowing out of the Shadowclanners throat before the cat had token his last breath. He swallowed and shook his head lightly.

Mottleheart titled his head, his expression soft as he finished putting on the last of the cobwebs. "Don't be so hard on yourself, we all have regrets. StarClan knows that I have my fair share of a few rash choices or things I couldn't stop...But what is important is learning how to move past it and look to the future." He paused, his eyes narrowing as he realized something, remembering who the young apprentice's mentor was. "I'm not sure what you might be referring to but already being lower than that RiverClan tom but I would recommend chatting with your mentor. Smokepelt knows a good deal about regrets himself. He was once deputy and a rash choice...Well, it hurt the entire Clan and can be traced to why Ashstar demoted him. I still respect the tom despite everything even if I don't know his feelings on me but...I'm sure he could lend some keen insight. And remember, the important thing is always striving to be better."

He stood up, giving his pelt a shake as he looked down at the apprentice. "Now you should be all patched up but be careful. Don't lick the poultice from the wounds, it would leave a terrible taste in your mouth anyways. Have either Featherpaw or myself check it in a day or two to make sure it doesn't get infected and try not to get into any trouble and reopen it - but if you do come right back here, alright?" he rambled as he gathered up whatever herbs were still lying around, carrying them over to where he had been sorted them before Echopaw came in. "And if you need to talk to anybody...Well, I'll most always be in here if you need an ear. Have a good day, Echopaw."

"Thank you Mottleheart, you're truly a wise cat" he smiled and got up "Bye, I guess I'll see you around" he meowed before he exit the den. First then he realized what he almost had done, he had almost told Mottleheart about the murderer only Frostfeather knew and he wanted to keep it that way. He took a deep breath one day they would all know what a horrible cat he where...