Every Cloud... [C]

The heat had been almost unbearable lately - leaving Acornstar to almost beg for the bitter weather of Leafbare once more despite the troubles it brought. She was laying within her den, sprawled out across her nest but her den was proving to be an excellent place for the heat to gather... So with an huff she pushed herself to her paws and headed towards the entrance. As her head broke past the threshold of her den, she quickly recoiled in surprise as a soft wet plop struck her nose. Rain? Or...No, it was far too late - a simple Newleaf shower at best. It was still a welcoming change as she slowly pushed herself into it, closing her eyes as she raised her head to let the gentle prattle of rain wash over her.

The coldness that every drop brought was refreshing and almost made her drowsy - the temptation to just go flop onto the Highrock for a nap was there. Opening up her eyes to squint past the rain, she was expected to see a sky dappled with clouds but instead... It was like a single large cloud had gathered over the ThunderClan camp to bring a refreshing light shower to just them. Huh. Padding over to reach the back of the Highrock, she stopped as she felt her paw step on something - not a leaf but... A flower. Raising her paw, she could see a squished white petaled flower - one she recognized. The name escaped her - 'charm-mild' or...Something but she at least knew it use as some part of the traveling herbs that she had been messily making for moonstone journeys. She must have somehow tracked it to her den after one of her visits into the medicine cat's den.

...A sigh escaped her as she leaned down to pick up the flower - to move it to shade to see if it could still be of some use despite her stepping on it and the gentle shower. She would be visiting the den soon anyways, she always had to try to see how Sleepycloud was... Suddenly she paused... And her eyes flickered back up towards the single large cloud that dotted the sky above the camp and then at the herb at her paw. Perhaps the herb was her fault but... She turned, darting around the Highrock as she headed straight towards the medicine cat's den. "Sleepycloud? Are you awake?" she called out as she pushed into the den, peering around for the injured warrior.

The said cat rested on a badger pelt, injured leg splayed to the side, held up by a clump of moss. It kept it elevated, which Sleepycloud was able to tell kept any swelling down. The leg itself was patched with whatever herbs that Sageroot and Wiggleworm had tended to it with, splinted together with the straightest twigs available, and wrapped in fresh oak leaves to keep everything in place. Next to Sleepycloud in another, smaller nest was the white fluffy form of Hopepaw. Who, after watching her father be buried and her mother injured, had insisted on staying with her mother, lest Sleepycloud die too.

Or at least that's what Sleepycloud had assumed. There was only so much Hopepaw could communicate with the limited sign language she was building. The warrior rested, silently watching her daughter's chest rise and fall. If it hadn't been for her children, Sleepycloud wasn't sure if she could have continued. But even as she was now, the desire to move and do anything felt so far away. If Stormsong was here-- She stopped her thought, flinching as the memory of his mangled form entered her mind. She should have hunted with her mate that morning, even if she wasn't assigned to the patrol. Maybe it was her fault. Could she have stopped it somehow? Gone with, seen the badger, and helped Stormsong take it on?

Inhale. Exhale.

The footsteps and scent of the leader of ThunderClan hit her a moment before Acornstar spoke. "Unfortunately." Sleepycloud replied. Her leg itched up a storm, but touching it was not wise. Her heart ached, and when left alone to her thoughts...so many filled her mind she was unable to pick one out amongst the bunch. Fighting away the guilt-ridden thoughts, the warrior raised her head to greet Acornstar. "How are you handling the heat?" She yawned, shifting her posture to support her head more.

Acornstar's gaze soften as she caught the bundle of white next to Sleepycloud - it had been quite the panic the first sunrise after Sleepycloud's injury. She had known Hopepaw had been determined to stick by her mother...But she had failed to realize that had meant sharing the same nest. She had allowed training to pause for the time being - Hopepaw wanted to stick by her and Acornstar wasn't about to pull her away for training. It had given the leader time to focus on other matters anyways, thought perhaps if this was true...

"There is actually a Newleaf shower happening," she meowed, raising her paw to let some of the water drip down her pelt. The temptation to shake herself dry was there, but the rain was still serving to cool herself as it clung to her fur. "If you want, I could help move you out to enjoy it - thought we would have to be sure to keep your leg cover so the herbs don't get wet..." she mused, before she fell silent. She glanced behind her, barely able to make out the cloud sitting above the camp from the inside of the den before a soft sigh escaped her.

"I...A thought however incurred to me," she started carefully - part of her was uncertain if everything that had happened - the herb outside of den, the gentle shower to ease the heat - was from StarClan but even if it was... She didn't want to pressure Sleepycloud. Her destiny would be her own, injury or not. Acornstar would just be the first to speak of the option. "...How would you feel if you became a medicine cat?" she offered, before she quickly turned to look at her. "Not that I plan to force you into it or anything! Once your leg is healed as well as we can, you can stick to being a warrior - we'll find ways to make it work even if it doesn't heal as well we we would want. But...With everything that has happened, I would not blame you if the thought of fighting or hunting again was unappealing. I just...Wanted to know your thoughts on it."

"Medicine cat?" Sleepycloud echoed immediately. Her incredulous tone caught even her off guard. "I won't lie to say that I haven't. But it was mostly out of concern whether I could return to service as a warrior or not." The admittance caused her to shy away from Acornstar's gaze. "I don't know anything about herbs other than what I learned recently for my legs. I have no one to learn from..." It felt overwhelming. A completely new role and an entirely new set of skills to learn. "But, I don't want any other cat to require help, and no cat be there for them." Like Stormsong.

She swallowed away the pain and gazed back at Acornstar. "What must I do to learn? Especially without Fawnshine here, do we contact the other medicine cats?" There were so many questions, but oddly, it filled her with excitement, similar to how she was as an apprentice. Always eager to learn.

Acornstar winced slightly at Sleepycloud mentioned being unsure if she would be able to return to being a warrior, mouth parting for to say something but no words found her before the she-cat sharply continued - that either way, she didn't want a cat to be without help. Which raised the question she finished off with, causing the leader to frown softly. "That...Is a good question," she sighed as she allowed herself to fall onto her haunches. "From the Gathering, it seemed that most Clans had their own shake-up - if any would be in the position to help, perhaps it would be ShadowClan but..." She shook her head, taking in a deep breath as she tried to steel herself. "...No, no hesitation or doubts. Leopardstar seemed to at least think highly of us while Mottlestar was here so I feel that ShadowClan is the best bet."

There was a pause, before her expression softened as she pushed herself to her paws and approached. "...But I do what you to know, Sleepycloud that if this doesn't work out... You can be a warrior. No matter if your leg doesn't heal correctly, no matter the hurdles - whatever path you want to take, I will not stop you. No matter what, we would find a solution that works. This..." she took in a deep breath. "I don't want you to think that I am offering this path because I don't think you could keep your duties as a warrior. This is not a punishment, this is an option - and one I wish for you to walk freely."

The injured warrior seemed thoughtful, her gaze turning just over the leader's shoulder and looking like she was seeing many thousand tail lengths away. Sleepycloud was a good warrior. She had combat skills on par with her father, who had been an impressive combatant. Her heart ached at the knowledge that he may still be looking for her outside the forest. She could hunt just fine but caught fish better than mice, though it had been a long time. Catching fish needed a much more nimble paw than any land prey. Indeed, a nimble paw would be required for a medicine cat. Of which she had in spades. It would just be a matter of learning. Which, thankfully, Sleepycloud enjoyed doing.

But..."Do you believe the clan would accept me, a former RiverClan warrior, as their medicine cat?" Her eyes had returned to Acornstar, and the wall she had built when she first joined the clan allowed her daughter's mentor in. "I'm not sure they see me as part of the clan as much as I see myself as part of ThunderClan." No cat aside from Sweetheart had ever troubled her nor given Hopepaw or her children any issues. But cats can say one thing but think another. "I love this clan. I love this home. I want to protect it as best as I can." Sleepycloud searched Acornstar's eyes. "Do you believe I can do it, Acornstar?"

Stormsong had been in her ear, encouraging, supporting, and telling her it would all end up alright her entire life. Now, it was so, so quiet.