November Medicine Cat Meeting

Beechpaw made the last scramble up to mothermouth easily enough in the cold night air. Her tail tip twitched with irritation at seeing that she was the first medicine cat to have arrived, long, silvery and white fur ruffled by a gust of wind.

Dark eye turned in the direction she'd come, looking out over the night-darkened forest, searching for the forms of the other medicine cats as they made their way up to highstones for the night. She'd left Smokefeather in the medicine den with strict orders to stay there for the night, and would've preferred to be back in camp making sure no warrior decided to take pity on the bored tortoiseshell. She'd only be in the medicine den for another day or two, but she was driving herself and Beechpaw crazy with her inability to sit still for more than two seconds. Her injuries hadn't been as severe as Beechpaw had initially thought, but her mother still needed to rest.

Beechpaw paced silently, lost in her own thoughts as her tail tip continued flicking back and forth. The sooner the other medicine cats got here, the sooner they could get this over with and go home. The chilly air didn't bother her at all, but the waiting did.

Daisybloom lead her mentor towards Hightstones, just like she did every half-moon. For some reason, unknown to her, she was feeling especially sentimental tonight. Perhaps it was all of the losses she had experienced lately, or the brisk air was fueling her mind, but she remembered her early moments as a medicine cat. She hadn’t ever quite felt right with her warrior training, even when she was named warrior. Mossbloom had approached her with such an opportunity, and she had taken it. Just like that, she had became a medicine cat. Of course, the timing wasn’t fantastic, as this happened right around the time the Righteous Few became a big threat.

Her first medicine cat meeting had been moons ago, and she had trailed after her mentor so nervously. She had waited awkwardly, not knowing what to say. Her mentor had introduced her, and they had all been so kind. Now, only four of the cats from that meeting we’re still alive, one being Daisybloom herself. She finally reached the entrance of the tunnel, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her paws as she waited. Maybe tonight she could try to socialize a bit more, as she had tried to at the Gathering but been interrupted by some...news.

Even Cinderpaw felt cold under her thick, lion-like pelt. She padded through the scrublands with a grim frown, shoulders bunched up around her neck as the chill set in. Her paws were soaking wet, ceasing to dry even as the medicine cat scrambled up the rocky slope that led to Highstones. It would be her second journey here, but her first time actually participating in a meeting as a named medicine cat of ShadowClan.

Cinderpaw crested the slope to find Beechpaw and perhaps... was that Daisybloom? Sitting near the entrance to the tunnel, looking just as bedraggled. The night air didn't offer any solace from the storm of thoughts that swirled around in Cinderpaw's mind. She mumbled grumpily, nodding at Daisybloom with a dry greeting, and turned her back to the others. Perhaps Mossbloom would let Cinderpaw sit this one out this time...?

Beechpaw merely nodded at the Thunderclan medicine cats. She knew Mossbloom slightly better than Daisybloom, of course, but she seemed okay. Quiet, which Beechpaw didn't mind. Of course, her gaze cooled somewhat as Cinderpaw joined them, her fumbled words from the herb hunt they'd done still sticking uncomfortably in Beechpaw's mind.

Beechpaw's gaze lifted to the moon. The Riverclan and Windclan medicine cats were opting to cut things close tonight, it seemed. Or maybe it was the punctuality that Wolfstar and Beechpaw's parents had worked to instill in her. If she was early, she was on time, if she was on time, she was late. Spiderquill always seemed to be late, so the apprentice gave his absence no thought. As for that whiny Windclanner, Beechpaw was sure if she were here she'd find something to wail about. Her absence meant there was no sobbing, and no need to try and awkwardly avoid her as the others awkwardly comforted her. That was fine by Beechpaw.

Dark eyes flicked back to Mossbloom in silent question. Where they going to wait on them, or not? The moon wouldn't wait for them, as far as Beechpaw was concerned, and she had little reason to wait on the currently absent medicine cats, as well. And besides, if they took too long, the stars only knew what Beechpaw would walk back into camp and find. Would her herbs be destroyed by some cat's boredom, again?

The large she-cat vanished into the tunnel, paws quickly finding their way to the moonstone by the now-familiar path. Eventually the moonstone's soft blueish glow came into view, and Beechpaw gingerly pressed her nose to it, eyes falling shut almost immediately.

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Beechpaw had hoped for a sign of the missing kits, or perhaps the foxes that had been making themselves a nuisance in Skyclan's territory. She opened her eyes to find her surroundings changed completely from what she knew.

Strange objects, stranger scents. Yet something familiar hit her nose, and Beechpaw's fur bristled in alarm. Or, she tried to make her fur bristle in alarm. She couldn't move, couldn't yowl or hiss as a twoleg came into view. She tried to unsheathe her claws, but found she couldn't do that, either.

A hiss caught Beechpaw's attention, and she struggled to focus on the noise as the twoleg approached... something. A cat, she realized, wrapped in... some sort of pelt? Something about it vaguely reminded her of Sunflower's sky-pelt, but it was different. Beechpaw had no words to describe it.

The cat scrambled to it's paws as they were unwrapped, only to immediately go sprawling. The twoleg made some odd noises, baring her teeth, but... not in an aggressive way? She reached out a furless paw to touch the cat's face, and it was then that Beechpaw realized the cat too, had a hairless face. His fur was short and thin.

Spiderquill? Beechpaw tried to call out to him, but once more found herself unable to speak as the twoleg lifted the cat effortlessly to his feet. The twoleg didn't let go, and Beechpaw stared in confusion as she kept Spiderquill steady with her own paws. After a few moments, the twoleg released her grip, and Beechpaw stared, dumbfounded. Spiderquill hobbled forward a few steps, his gait and movements awkward.

Beechpaw continued to stare, her confusion only growing at the awkwardness of Spiderquill's movements. As if he wasn't using one of his legs at all, but she couldn't quite get a clear look at him for where she was immobilized. Then the tom began to hobble forward some more, seeming hesitant.

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As quickly as the dream began, it faded, leaving Beechpaw as confused as ever as she blinked awake to the now-dark moonstone. Carefully, she slipped past the other medicine cats sleeping beside her, making her way back into the chilly air on the surface. Something made her pause, remnants of the dream playing in her mind. She'd have to ask Mossbloom about it on the way back to their territories. The dream felt different from her normal dreams, and different from the time she had met Aspenheart. Yet the tall apprentice couldn't quite put her paw on it, much less put a paw on why she had dreamed what she did.

The member 'kjSage' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'StarClan Revelation' :

Mossbloom followed after Daisybloom, the cold air trying to steal the air from her lungs as she struggled to get up to Highstones. Huffing as they finally reached the top, she caught her breath as quickly as she could before lifting her gaze to the others. Beechpaw was there, and she greeted her with a nod, and before too long Cinderpaw joined them. Greeting her with a wave of her tail, Mossbloom turned to look out over the rocks towards the territories. She didn't see any of the other medicine cats, and concern opened in her belly. They had been late numerous times before, but something felt off this time, and she couldn't put her paw on it. As the moon rose higher and higher, Beechpaw turned and disappeared into Mothermouth. Mossbloom hesitated a while longer before turning to Daisybloom and Cinderpaw. "We should head in. Daisybloom, would you like to lead the way, or stay here and wait for the others? Cinderpaw, this is your first time participating in these meetings with StarClan, so I'm going to make sure you're settled first, okay?

Taking up the rear as they moved toward the Moonstone, she was relieved as they finally reached the brightly lit cavern. Motioning Cinderpaw towards the glowing stone, she waited until the she-cat was settled before taking up a spot a tail length away, and leaving an open space on her other side for Daisybloom, if she wanted it. Pressing her nose to the Moonstone, she relaxed as StarClan sent their sleep to her. What would they share this cold night?

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Mossbloom found herself in an eerily familiar clearing, and she huffed as two familiar shapes came into focus. After the discussion with Daisybloom and Nettlestar, Mossbloom could definitely recognize Cedarheart, so she turned her focus to the other. He smelled of WindClan, and was rather small.... She would have to keep an eye out during the next Gathering. Why was StarClan being so adamant in revealing the relationship between the two?

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Waking up, disappointed and slightly agitated by the lack of anything actually useful from StarClan, despite the kits still being missing and the recent losses of Oakheart and Harefoot, and knowing Rainstrike's crimes against ThunderClan and Ferretnose. She stood quietly, turning her back on the Moonstone and making her way to the surface. Why had they shown her the same thing again? Was it because she hadn't done anything about it initially? But Daisybloom had....

The member 'Mosspelt' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'StarClan Revelation' :

Softbreeze had arrived right as everyone had left. Staying back, she decided to wait for Spiderquill and Thornpaw, as she didn't pick up the scent of RiverClan mixed into the other three scents. Her friend had a habit of showing up late, she mused. It would be better to wait for him. To give him comfort and to seek comfort. She was still reeling from Sagelight, Wildflower, and Mothglow's deaths, and knew Spiderquill wasn't as okay as he let on.

Thornpaw's pawsteps became louder and louder nearing the entrance of the sacred meeting place. Disrespectful, perhaps unwise to bounce in uninvited. Arriving at the moonstone was troublesome for the medicine cat apprentice given she's all fluff and not exactly the swiftest cat in the forest. Pushing her slow and dramatic arrival, the matter at hand was far more important. The brown tabby could hear her heartbeat nearly pounding like a drum. Pitter patter, like the receding waves lapping towards the edge of RiverClan's territory. "I-" She tried to grasp for breath, her former calm and silent façade had shattered at this rate. The young she-cat took a quick breath, trying to still make way for the other medicine cats who were already leaving the monthly gathering.

Her pale green eyes turn from the others towards Softbreeze who appeared not to be in any sort of rush unlike the rest of the attendants. "I'm sorry," There's sorrow and confusion. Spiderquill had his friendship among other clan cats, although never would she dream the day of living out this situation. "Spiderquill's gone - I'm so sorry." Her tufted ears flattened against her skull.

Daisybloom nodded. "I think I’ll wait, maybe?" she took a deep breath, sitting down and waiting for another cat to arrive. She could have a bit of conversation for once, make some friends. After a few moments, Softbreeze arrived. She smiled, flicking her tail. "Er, hi, Softbreeze. How is, um Windclan and everything?” she mumbled. Her eyes darted around nervously. Hopefully this conversation wouldn’t completely fail. She heard some more rustling among the leaves, and figured it was the Riverclanners. They were the only ones not here yet. But just like the gathering, they were met with grief.

"S-spiderquill?" she repeated slowly. She pursed her lips and looked down, blinking slowly. Was he really gone? Were all of the medicine cats going to Starclan now? She had known him more than some of the others, and while they hand’t been extremely close, she had so many regrets. She wished she had gotten to know him more before...before...

That left her, Softbreeze, and Mossbloom. The only remaining medicine cats from when she had been first apprenticed. Sagelight, Mothglow, Aspenheart. They were all gone. And now Spiderquill too. Was Starclan angry with them? It seemed unfair that so many of the medicine cats were already leaving, some still being young. She couldn’t stand just sitting here, sadly in her own thoughts. She stood up, walking towards the Moonstone. Hopefully this would go better than the rest of the night had.

Opening her eyes, she found herself in a snowy forest. The sky was dark, and it was eerily quiet. Looking too her side, she saw roses, lining what seemed like a path. It was dark, except for the light of the moon, shining down on her trail. She started to walk, looking for something, anything, to give her a clue as to what they were revealing to her. After a moment, she felt a sharp pain in her paw. She jerked it up, looking at it. She stifled a laugh as she realized it was just a simple thorn. Why was she so jumpy? She pulled it out, and a drop of blood hit the snow. In moments, the blood spread throughout the snow, turning it into a sea of red. She gasped, trying to run from the wave of red. The roses broke apart, petals flying into the air, surrounding her in a whirlwind of red.

Whispers, growing louder and louder, overlapping each other.

Every briar has its thorns
Every briar has its thorns
Every briar has its thorns
Every briar has its thorns
Every briar has its thorns

She squeezed her eyes shut, her heart pounding. It was that same message she had heard before, but what did it mean? Suddenly, everything went quiet. Slowly opening her eyes, Daisybloom found herself standing in front of a river, not a drop of red in sight. Staring into her reflection, she saw a shadow, glowing eyes, and a flash of claws. Her reflection limped to the ground. The medicine cat whipped around, only to find herself in darkness.

Remember, Daisybloom.
Every briar has its thorns.

She woke up, her heart practically pounding out of her chest. That had been downright terrifying. And she still didn’t know much, besides what seemed like murder and something to do with...roses? And briars, and thorns. Stars, it was confusing. Instinctively she looked at her paw, and she found a small scar from what seemed like a thorn.

The member 'deer' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'StarClan Revelation' :