i think im learning which way is up [open; post sitewide healing topic]

Riverclan's medicine cat den was tucked away underneath a thorn bush, reenforced with reeds to prevent any cat from snagging their fur on the walls. Slowly, as the clan had returned, the den was becoming patched up. Debris that had collected due to rounds of melting and falling snow was cleared away and fresh bedding gathered in the sealed shelter. Along the side of the broad overhang, trickling past the sloping walls was a struggling stream. Its current was mostly squashed by the frigid air that chilled everything it touched. Littlepaw wondered what the water would look like as it flowed properly, uninhibited by the season's freeze.

He pulled his eyes away from staring at the glistening, ice-coated surface. Behind him were various bundles of herbs, meticulously separated out into piles of thin scraps. The limited amount of dried plants needed to be enough for the whole clan. Looking down at the sorted pieces, the little grey and white tom hoped that it would be enough to strip away the rest of the illness that still clung to this clanmates. It was worth an attempt at least. After all of the work that had been done to find the cure, an effort between all of the medicine cats, it was time for the whole forest to take a step forward. He had yet to travel to other clan's territories but it was safe to assume with everyone settling in that they would also be doing the same.

"Alright..." Littlepaw breathed as he took a step back, careful not to stir the leaves. He'd learned very quickly that reckless movements or an unwatched swish of the tail could easily ruin an afternoon's work. The medicine cat's ungroomed pelt showed how much time he had spent hunched over sorting. Loose bits of foliage clung to his pelt. Letting his partially clouded gaze cast a glace through the entrance, he settled on the first cat that he saw. Thankfully, it was another apprentice which made the words come that much easier, "Reedpaw. Tell the clan its time. I am ready."

With the most severe having already been healed, his den was mostly empty, which had made it vastly easier to reorganize and recount the herbs many times. But soon the den would be filled with everyone filtering in and out. Moving away from the mouth of the den, he pressed himself to the cool wall to allow for cats to weave their way in. With Reedpaw's assistance, cats would soon be seeking out healing and he would be there to guide them.

Scorchlight brushed past the reeds and entered the comforts of the medicine den, glad to see Littlepaw there. "Oh, hello, Littlepaw. I’m still sick," she meowed.

Why hadn’t she asked for help earlier when she knew she needed it? She had also known Littlepaw was a newer medicine cat apprentice but trusted he was skilled enough to heal her, as many of her clanmates were healed prior to the journey by him.

When Reedpaw came to grab her, Kitespring quickly made her way to the medicine den. She hated to make Littlepaw's workload even larger, especially since he was the only one in the medicine den, but she rationalized that if he needed more help he could always go to the elder's den and consult Sandyshell. "Hey, Littlepaw," she said, a cough bursting out of her. "Sorry. I'm not... feeling well. That's why I'm here." Every time she spoke, it was awkward and weird. You need to get healed. Get yourself in the den so you can get healed. Her thoughts snapping her out of her daze, the russet she-cat made herself comfortable in Littlepaw's den (without messing up the herbs in there, of course).

Sprucebark still felt a little crummy at times and now that the very severe clanmates were well it looked like it was their turn now.

He went over and was pleased to see that his mate Scorchlight was also getting healing. They were happy together and knowing that each other was taking care of themselves made him purr softly between a little cough.

He went to go and sit by his mates side and to be given the herbs from littlepaw. He looked but did not touch at all the little piles neatly organized.

He thought back to littlepaw sweeping rocks away from the ealrier camp. He defentetly seemed very organized. Something they shared in common and that sprucebark could appreciate very much so

The sniffling and cough that seemed to linger within Swandive was mild compared to most of her clanmates, and it had taken some convincing from her siblings to finally trudge toward Sandyshell- no, Littlepaw's, den. Reluctantly, the pale she-cat stepped in, grimacing as she realized she was not the only one waiting on the medicine cat apprentice. Carefully, she stood to the side, trying to avoid both the mess of herb piles and the other cats in the den.

"Sorry... This cough is lingering and it's... Annoying enough. I wouldn't bother you about it but..." As if on cue, she could feel the itch in her throat.

Dovetail trailed quietly behind his sister, hating that he had to go into the medicine den at all. It was a tiny cough--hardly anything! especially compared to how bad everyone else had it--but apparently it just wouldn't go away on its own. What a pain. Murkyriver had eventually insisted when he'd awoken her by coughing loudly in the night one too many times. He'd let everyone else go first, though--Swandive included. "Yeah, uh... same."

Owlcall followed shortly after his two siblings, letting them take their places inside the den. He would stay out of the way for now but he poked his head into the den, "Same for me." The large brown tom stated before pulling back and sitting outside the den to wait his turn.

Harebounce was still subdued, feeling far less bright and joyful than she used to. That pelt, though given willingly and in solemn grace, to her she still expected to see Egretswoop’s wispy white fur flowing out from beneath it. Dovetail had done nothing wrong. Nothing wrong in his whole life, and he should be a cat who could share this grief with her, but she couldn’t bear to look at the pelt he wore. Not even in her peripheral vision. Couldn’t bear to smell it either, not when her daughter’s scent still clung to it. Not when her voice still echoed in her ears.

If she were aware of her own expression, she would’ve been glad that her averted eyes lay hidden in the shadows of her own, new hare pelt. Harebounce waited patiently outside the medicine den, paws tucked under her chest and rendering her pelted disguise more complete. She wasn’t nearly as ill as so many other RiverClan cats had been. She could afford to wait a little longer.