hope for the future (closed)

Hollykit didn't know why there was no cat in the medicine den.

He knew that it was because SkyClan didn't have a medicine cat - but he didn't know why a cat never took over as medicine cat afterwards, to at least try and help the clan. Couldn't someone have taken the role of medicine cat? Wouldn't StarClan have sent a message to the clans already if that were the case, that SkyClan needed a medicine cat once more?

It made him wonder if that SkyClan warrior who said that the stars hated them was right.

The ginger tom snuck into the empty medicine den, picking one of the herbs from the pile. He began chewing one of them - before spitting it out. Yuck. He never realized these herbs were so bitter - though it did explain why cats hated herbs.

Wolfstar made her way toward the medicine den with a small bundle in her jaws. It wouldn't be long before another of the apprentices was ready for the journey to highstones, and that meant more traveling herbs needed. Other than those, it was a good idea to stock up on what herbs she could with leaf-fall now upon the forest. She only hoped that Skyclan would not have need of anything but the traveling herbs for as long as possible.

A flash of bright fur in the gloom was the first thing the leader noticed upon entering the den, and she quickly dropped the bundle of herbs. "Hollykit? What are you doing in here?" There was a bit of partly-chewed something by the kit's paws, "You didn't swallow anything, did you? Most of what I keep in here isn't dangerous, but..." The leader trailed off, a hint of concern and worry in her voice. Most of what she kept in the den wasn't poisonous or harmful, but she was still no medicine cat. Her knowledge was remedial, simple at best.

Bloodstrike had said they needed a medicine cat. She knew it, the clan knew it... All that was left was to somehow find one.

Hollykit stared blankly back at the SkyClan leader when she approached him. Most likely, he'd be punished for sneaking into the medicine den. "I was playing with the herbs," he said, trying to plead his case as best as he could. He hoped he wouldn't be held back from being an apprentice because of it. He didn't swallow the herbs, like Wolfstar worried - it was way too yucky for him to ever think of swallowing it.

The SkyClan leader seemed to be pulling double duty as medicine cat too. "Are you SkyClan's medicine cat right now?" he asked. "Why do we not have a normal medicine cat?"

Well, if the kit had swallowed anything, she thought he'd come clean about that. That didn't seem to be the case, and while she was annoyed at playing with herbs... At least he'd been honest. "You should be careful. Most of them are rather bitter tasting, but swallowing the wrong thing can do harm even if the herbs in here are supposed to be a benefit." She mewed.

His question was one she had pondered lately, if for very different reasons. "I'm not a medicine cat, not really... I've just picked up a few things over the seasons. Enough to be somewhat competent at the basics, at least. Thymeilght was a real medicine cat, and far more skilled, but she fell ill and never found an apprentice of her own before..." Wolfstar gave her head a small shake. Her siblings, Smokepetal, Thymelight... The losses were still painful. And Hemlockfox was far away, called to serve another clan. Ironically, they were in much the same position that Windclan had once been in.

"Being a medicine cat is a tough job, We've been lucky to not have any major injuries or illness so far." Perhaps Hollykit would have forgotten the mishap in her den he'd walked into. Kits had short attention spans... Right? Riiiight. "Still, we do need someone... I'm sure you've heard the talk in camp of it. I was hoping one of the apprentices might take interest..."

...Bloodstrike had said they would give her a sign eventually. Wolfstar sat for a moment, studying Hollykit. Not many kits came in this den to explore... "Hollykit... Do you want to know what some of these herbs do?"