The Love of a Mother [C]

Poppyshine

Poppyshine entered the medicine den quietly and approached Sandypaw while she was busy organizing herbs. She withheld the purr that rumbled in her chest until she suddenly nuzzled her face against Sandypaw’s back. “Hello sweetheart!” she purred, tail eagerly flicking back and forth with joy at surprising her daughter. “How has it been here in the medicine den?”

Sandypaw

Medicine Den

“Mama!”
she squeaked, startled by the sudden push against her back. That was the only surprise though, having easily recognized her mother’s scent and felt her pawsteps approaching. Sandypaw turned around and pressed her nose to Poppyshine’s with a purr. “It’s been okay, just really tiring. I wish warrior life wasn’t so dangerous...” she replied softly, returning to sorting herbs before continuing, “How is being Deputy?”

Poppyshine

Poppyshine purred sympathetically and nuzzled her daughter. “Unfortunately, that is just how warrior life goes. You’re doing a fantastic job as a medicine cat apprentice. You’ll be a full medicine cat soon, I just know it.” She pulled way from her daughter and sat beside her so Sandypaw could continue sorting her herbs without her mother getting in her way.

She considered her daughter’s question. “It is…a lot, some days,” Poppyshine admitted. “But I’m definitely better at keeping up with things than when Perchstar first appointed me. I fumbled so many patrol assignments when I first started.” She laughed at the memory. It had taken her a while to understand who did or did not work well together, and assign better pairs to go out together. “Your father and Owlshriek would always get into arguments when I sent them out together, and I was so oblivious that I never even noticed. I like to think I’m more in tune with those things now.”

Sandypaw

Medicine Den

Though she appreciated her mother's encouragement, she didn't believe it. I’m not good enough to earn my full name yet... And I don't think I ever will be...

She listened intently to Poppyshine, brushing her tail against her in support. “I love you, and you’re the best deputy ever!” she mewed brightly. The molly pondered the mention of her father for a moment. Curiosity grew at her maw, begging her to ask. “Hey Mama?” she started softly, “Can you tell me more stories of Dad?”

Poppyshine

Admittedly, Poppyshine was surprised at the request. She had told her kits about their father when they were still in the nursery, filling them with stories of what a wonderful cat he was and how heroic he was. She told them the stories in the hope that he would return and he would not be a stranger to them. But so many of them were warriors by now, and with the amount of moons that had passed without his return, Poppyshine did not think that he ever would. It was a sad fact that she had quietly come to the conclusion of at one point without fully realizing that she had—and perhaps that was why it was so surprising to be asked about him now.

Poppyshine smiled, though, and settled down in a spot beside Sandypaw so she could keep working while Poppyshine spoke. “Of course, dear,” she purred. She rested against the wall and thought about what sort of story would be best to tell. When one came to mind, she began to speak.

“I…am terrified of water,” Poppyshine started. She wasn’t sure if she had ever told Sandypaw that fact, and she found herself chuckling. The irony always made her laugh, even if there was nothing she could do to change her phobia. “I’m better now, but when I was an apprentice especially—it was awful. Even bearing near a puddle made me go frozen with fear. I could not set a foot in puddles after it rained. It was entirely irrational and completely paralyzing.

“Your father, though. He loved the water. He was so similar to Mink…not quite ready to jump in at every opportunity, but he got into the river when he could. The first time we went out together, we had to cross one of the smaller streams. Your father went through just fine, and reveled in the water. I couldn’t even cross it. Your father was always quite perceptive, and he realize that I was paralyzed with fear immediately. And he was so sweet. He offered to help me across and promised he would be there for me. And then when I still seemed nervous, he said we could find another way to cross.”

Poppyshine laughed this time. “Well, something about his confidence and his kindness made me temporarily throw my fear away and I fully got into the river. I immediately panicked and froze up like a sheet of ice. Your father had to help support me so I didn’t get submerged and then quickly hauled me out and onto the other side of the stream. It wasn’t even that deep, even when I was apprentice-sized. But he managed to get me to go willingly into water. I haven’t been able to do that before or since.”

The memory brought a smile to Poppyshine’s face that was tinged with melancholy. She missed Rushtalon so much. Sometimes she wondered if it would have been better if it had gone differently. If was dead out there, she would have liked to know…had a body to bury. Something. But then Poppyshine would think, what if he was just out there somewhere, living his life in some other way? It saddened her that he could not be here, but if he was elsewhere, and perhaps even happy, then she could not really complain. Perhaps the mystery of it all would haunt her for the rest of her life.

She blinked a couple of times and looked back at Sandypaw. She smiled and meowed, “I suppose I got carried away there, didn’t I?” She rested and smiled. “Sometimes I’ll look at Minksplash or Olivepaw and see so much of your father in their appearance. They have his red coat. Olivepaw especially.” Poppyshine’s gaze rested on Sandypaw and her smile grew warmer. “You and Sprucebark look the most like me.”