grass on the hill (open)

Something skittered on the ground just outside the medicine den, but Henpaw didn’t budge. The calico was curled in a tight ball next to the herbs, breathing in their calming scents. But it just didn’t work like it used to… a lifetime ago. When her father had been here. When she’d gotten along with Timberpaw. When she’d had a mentor. When she had things to look forward to, things bathed in an unrealistic rosy glow. Now that these things were here… she’d exchange all the responsibility, the weight her words carried, all of it, for a single glimpse of her father. She’d be a warrior apprentice, an insignificant warrior apprentice. Someone with lightweight, carefree days. Someone who wasn’t responsible for the well-being of an entire Clan. She couldn’t represent WindClan. She didn’t have her father, the cat she’d looked up to her entire life. She didn’t have her mentor, a cat she’d respected and grown fond of. She didn’t even have her brother, and that’s what hurt her. The others… gone, or dead, and she couldn’t fault them for that (although it still tore at her heart.) But… Timberpaw… if she could go back in time she would. She’d make up for her mistakes. She’d… she’d apologize. She shouldn’t ignore him like this… but the other losses cut her off from him, painful, searing…

Whether she wanted it or not, responsibility was on her doorstep, so to speak. (If she knew what a doorstep was, that is.) WindClan couldn’t have anything getting into the herbs. Henpaw heaved herself to her paws and poked her head out of the medicine den. Ah. A kit. Not a rat or mouse, but still as dangerous to her herbs. But… it was her duty to WindClan… and Thrushflight’s gaze from across the clearing was what prompted her to call out to the kit. “Kit. Over here.” A bit blunt, maybe. Thrushflight bored holes in her with her eyes. Alright, a lot blunt. But she was caring for WindClan, and that was the important part.

From across the clearing, the mangled elder rolled her eye. Henpaw was far too brusque… but it was better than she expected, honestly. She’d sat up through the night with the sobbing calico. Losing her father, her mentor, and even an arguement with her brother… the elder motioned to the kit with her tail, telling her to listen to Henpaw. She isn’t as scary as she looks, she mouthed with a grin. Henpaw couldn’t go around scaring kits… she’d have to talk to her about that.

Elderkit nodded, unsure as to what she might have done. As she slowly stepped over to the medicine cat apprentice, she couldn't help but bite her lip. Mother wasn't going to happy... I'm doomed. She realized, biting her lip. The gust of wind had left with the scent of grass, now leaving nothing but a whiff of cat.

"er...did I do something wrong?" she squeaked, voice making it clear she was just barely maturing while her tail dropped between her legs and her ears flat on her fur as she avoiding eye-contact. Elderkit tried to place a name in the molly in front of her but none came to mind yet. She swore it had something to do with a bird.. Hen she thought. I wonder what hens look like..

"If I did I'm sorry! I won't go out again! Please don't tell my mom!" She scurried to sit down, guilt biting down on her gut and her heart beating unnecessarily fast. The soil getting all over her fur as it puffed up a little.

Henpaw’s ears flattened in confusion. What? Why was this kit rambling? She- oh. She was bigger than the kit, after all. “You ain’t in trouble, mouse. You’re allowed to go out in camp. Not further than that, though. Come in,” she beckoned with a flick of her tail, padding into the medicine cat den. She sat on the hard, cool stone, the last lingering hints of her mentor’s scent misting her eyes. “I’m here to make sure everycat in WindClan knows the basic herbs. Gonna save your life at some point. Now.” She pawed at a few, distinctive black seeds. “Poppy seeds, dull pain. Come out of a flower like that ‘un. Don’t take black seeds from any other flower- might be foxglove.” she motioned with her tail to a solitary cobweb hanging from the den entrance. “Cobwebs stop bleeding. You can die of blood loss, those things make sure that don’t happen. Can find ‘em nearly anywhere. Yarrow, that white flower, makes you toss your lunch. If you get real bad stomach pains after eatin’ crowfood, take some yarrow. Better a mess than dead.” Thrushflight’s gaze seemed to follow the calico into the medicine cat den. “Erm… sorry if I’m blunt with you, kit. The last moon hasn’t been a fun one. It ain’t nothin’ to do with you. Back to the herbs, though. Even the best warrior needs to know them. Now. What’s that, and what do it do?” She pointed to the black seeds, giving the kit an encouraging look. This warrior-to-be needed to know her herbs, just the same of everycat else. These three she’d singled out as the most useful. Maybe they’d save this kit’s life some day.

Elderkit smiled, glad to know she wasn't in trouble and followed the other molly inside. She couldn't help but be in awe about the everything she saw, her ears perking as she listened intently on what the other had to say.

She couldn't help but frown though, why come she couldn't help Henpaw? "Why can't I help you out, everyone needs help sometimes! Right?" She asked, genuine curiosity clear in her innocent eyes.

"Oh oh! Those are poppy seeds right? They...um..oh! They stop the pain right, or was that cobwebs?.." She answered, unable to contain her excitement in answering. She hopped a little, eyes wide. This was so much fun!

“I don’t need help.” Henpaw spoke firmly and bluntly, eyes glittering. She didn’t need help. She didn’t need anycat else. WindClan could rely on her, yes, but she did not rely on WindClan. She loved them, but she could stand on her own paws without them. She didn’t need help. “WindClan always needs more warriors,” she mewed gruffly. “But every warrior needs to know a few basic herbs. Now. You’re right about the seeds. Good.” She nearly dismissed the kit, but remembered… she wasn’t just here for herbs. She was here for the Clan emotionally. “Now. I’m the medicine cat.” Apprentice, her mind chimed in. She ignored it. “If you’re ever confused or overwhelmed, I’m the cat you come to, yeah? Hrm… any questions?” Her tail swished on the rock, sending Smallbean’ scent all over the den. Curses. Why wouldn’t it just go?

Why… why couldn’t everything just go. Everything that reminded her of the cats she’d lost or distanced herself from. Shaking her head, she focused on the kit. The future of WindClan. Hm. She’d have a paw in that future- as soon as she answered any questions the kit might have, she’d set about making sure she knew the right things. Sure, she’d get a mentor, but it wouldn’t hurt to know the basics.

The medicine cat's answer didn't satisfy Elderkit but she didn't further investigate. She didn't want to make Henpaw uncomfortable after all. Yet her head kept wanting to ask why she couldn't ask for help too.

She grinned when learning she was right, saving the knowledge for the future. She was giddy to learn more, to do more while still a kit and had free time. "hmm...oh! What happens someone gets like um, hurt during a fight. But like super hurt you know?" She gestured with her paws hoping to put emphasis on how bad the injury was hypothetically.  

“They die.” Henpaw said flatly. Memories returned… memories of snapping and yowling and blood, gore, and teeth. This kit… when she’s been this kit’s age, she’d seen a cat’s leg snap, SkyClan’s deputy take Ashfall’s eye and ruin her leg, blood pooling on the sands… “You’d better get back to the nursery, ‘kit. Practice mossball with the other kits. Hone your skills, you never know when they might be needed.” Her fur was bristling with tension. “And don’t try sneaking out, ever.” She warned the kit, thinking of the many dangers the moor hid, even to warriors. “If you ever want to go out of camp as an apprentice, you can ask me, or your mentor. Sneaking out never ends well.” Foxes. Badgers. Dogs. Or worst of all, SkyClan. The many, many dangers of the moor shot through her mind. Maybe she was being paranoid. But after her father, and Smallbean, and her mother, and… she flicked her tail at the kit, dismissing her. She needed to be alone for a bit.

"Oh..." She frowned, ears drooping as she listened. That doesn't sound fun at all, why would someone want to do that to another cat? Elderkit wondered, but didn't ask further.

"Okie dokie!" She nodded, quickly getting up and waving her tail good-bye to Henpaw. She should visit her again soon!