A Helping Paw [Smokepetal]

A cold gust of wind made Graywind shiver as she approached the medicine den. Skyclan's warriors were struggling to find prey, but they weren't the only ones struggling. Wolfblossom had assigned cats to help with things around camp, and Graywind was happy to do what needed doing. Hunting was important, of course, but if there was no prey to be caught... The pale tabby shook her head. The prey shortage didn't negate everything else in camp, and while Smokepetal didn't have an apprentice, she was as busy and overworked as the rest of them. Taking a breath, Graywind padded forward.

"Smokepetal?" Graywind called into the den, "I'm fine I promise! Uh, did you need help with anything?"

Having returned from a foray not too terribly long ago, Smokepetal was seated near the herb stores, organizing and storing the new herbs they'd brought back. If there was one thing to say about this shortage of prey, it had at least proven valuable in the way of protecting some of the last fresh herbs they'd see until Newleaf. There was no prey to threaten the herbs, and so thankfully, there was enough to stockpile. They needed it, desperately.

A voice from outside startled her from her daydream, and Smokepetal's gaze slid sideways to see Graywind enter, with assurances that she was not, in fact, injured, just wanting to help. The medicine cat smiled warmly, dipping her head to the gray she-cat in greeting. "Oh," she said. "Well, yes, I suppose I could use some help..." She waved the warrior over with her tail. "I'm just sorting through these, now, and folding up some premade bundles for Moonstone journeys..." she trailed off a bit, realizing just how few apprentices there were who even needed to visit the Moonstone, still.

No sense in dwelling on that, though - or the lack of kits since Juniperheart's litter. Right now, all it meant was fewer mouths to feed, and truth be told it was nothing short of a blessing. "Do you know what any of these are?" she gestured to the herbs.

The medicine cat was welcoming enough, and Graywind stepped into the den, trying not to let her nose wrinkle at the sharp, bitter scent that seemed to always cling to the den. Smokepetal had probably gotten used to it, being in that den so often, but Graywind definitely wasn't.

"What do you need me to do?" Sorting herbs didn't seem like it would be too difficult... If one happened to know and recognize them all, which Graywind did not. Smokepetal explained these were traveling herbs for trips to the moonstone, and her question made Graywind remember her own trip there with Birdstar, mostly how long it was. The herbs had tasted terrible, to say the least. "I don't know what they do. They have some use or we wouldn't take them before going to the moonstone, right?" The warrior tipped her head, curiously eyeing the bundles that Smokepetal was making. "I remember how bitter they were." She added, "I can't believe a cat would eat those regularly."