Gathering Herbs

[Ki]

Feathercloud moved through the marshland with a quick pace. Her paws treaded lightly across the swampy mud and damp ground. Occasionally she'd jump over a puddle. Or, if it was too large, simply walk through it. A little water never hurt anyone. She finally approached a cluster of bushes. It was her favorite place to store herbs while she was gathering them. Mostly because it was relatively close to camp and close to where the majority of the herbs grew on their territory. The bush smelled strongly of herbs, like herself and her den. She shot a paw in and pulled some of the herbs out from inside her hiding spot. After creating a small pile she looked back to make sure Twistedclaw was there. Feathercloud was well-accustomed to travelling swiftly across the marsh. Like any ShadowClan cat, she expected Twistedclaw to be able to do the same.

[Yoko]

Twistedclaw travelled a tail-length behind Feathercloud, doing his best to avoid, branches, rocks and puddles, while determindly keeping his eyes on the forest floor. He was going to give his brothers a good clawing for this one. Leaving him to gather a bunch of smelly leaves by himself. Though, they did not all smell bad.

He was distracted from his daydream about how exactly he would extract his revenge by the pungent smell of even more herbs. He finally looked up, momentarily locking eyes with Feathercloud. His ears burned with embarassment and he glared at the ground beneath his paws.

"What kinds do you need?" he mewed roughly, circling around to her side, though quite careful not to touch her.

[Ki]

"I've gathered all I need right here." she replied. It had taken some time to gather all the herbs she would need for her patients, as well as a little extra in preparation for war. But she was glad that she'd managed to find all of these. She smiled brightly at Twistedclaw. For some reason he always seemed so tense. Feathercloud was beginning to wonder if there was something on his mind. The war, perhaps? Or maybe something with his brothers? She considered asking him about it. But she didn't want to come off as nosy or pushy. So she'd let it go for the moment. "Just grab as many as you can carry."

She smiled at Twistedclaw again, grateful for his help. With that she picked up the herbs in her mouth and began to trot back towards camp. Her eyes were on the sky. It was ablaze with color. Hues and shades of red, orange, and pink. Some of soft white clouds were tinged pink, which made Feathercloud want to smile. It looked so odd and pretty at the same time.

[Yoko]

Twistedclaw nodded, chancing a glance at her, only to see that she was looking up at the sky. She was quite small to be a full grown cat. Her fur looked soft, especially her tail, and he saw a reflection of the colors in the sky in her own eyes. After a few moments he forced himself to look away.

He was not a very gentle cat, but part of him understood that he could not be careless with these herbs. He gripped them firmly between his teeth, careful not to tear any, and did his best not to drool, though the sweet and tangy scents were quite intoxicating.

"It's only the sky Feathercloud," he muttered as clearly as he could behind the mouthful of leaves. He couldn't see anything more than fluffy clouds and colors. Not much to be interested in.

[Ki]

Feathercloud swished her tail, her eyes still on the sky. She found it odd how it turned these colors in the morning and evening. As an apprentice she'd always thought they were StarClan's way of telling all their beloved cats 'good morning' and 'good night.' However, Feathercloud had never shared that piece of information before. As an apprentice she feared she'd appear to be a mouse-brain, and now...well, there was just no reason to share her private thoughts and beliefs. At Twistedclaw's muffled words she turned and stared back at him with gentle, yet blazing amber eyes. He sounded funny with all the herbs in his mouth. It made her want to giggle, but she couldn't with the herbs in her mouth.

"That's like saying you and I are just cats, or that a flower is just a flower, or a bird is just a bird." Feathercloud replied. Her own words were distorted by the herbs in her mouth, and she wanted to giggle again. The medicine cat managed smiled brightly at him, despite the herbs in her mouth. "Everything has a purpose, and everything has beauty."

[Yoko]

Twistedclaw restrained his head from whipping away as the she-cat looked at him with those glowing eyes of hers.

He strained his ears to understand the Medicine Cat's words. He wrinkled his brow. Beauty? He looked up again. He tried to look beyond the soft hues of the sky and fluffieness of the clouds. Indeed, nearer to the sun there was a more brilliant red with hints of orange, and tendrils of yellow. The three were expertly blended together, as if it were colorful sand shaped by giant paws. Blood and fire, he thought with a flash of excitement, reminded that a war was soon to come. Well, turns out there was some beauty to it after all. He turned back to Feathercloud, his shyness gone with a hint of battle-hunger in his eyes.

"Is this all? We're going to war, you know. And we'll need every bit when can get," he mewed, a crooked smirk working its way around the herbs.

[Ki]

Feathercloud noticed the new fire in his eyes. She wondered what he had seen in the sky that suddenly filled him with such excitement. Her ambers eyes looked back towards the skies. All she could see was the soft, sweet beauty of the sunset. Shrugging lightly, she looked back towards Twistedclaw. His words made her ears draw back. The war was hanging over her like a dark storm cloud. She was just waiting for StarClan to let the rain pour down with a single swipe of their claws. While Feathercloud did not agree with war, she was still a ShadowClan cat. Born and raised. There was no way she'd speak out against her leader. Feathercloud was too loyal to her Clan. Too loyal to ShadowClan, some might say. In the end her allegiances should lie with StarClan. But they didn't. It was one of her biggest flaws as a medicine cat, some might say.

But despite her love for ShadowClan...

War meant battles.

Battles meant death.

Turning her mind away from the gruesome images war conjured, she replied, "There is more hidden in that bush. But I could not collect as many as I would have liked. One cat can only do so much on her own."

[Yoko]

OOC: Congrats Ki, on your 700th post!

Twistedclaw noticed a bit of hesitance when he mentioned the war. Did she not think it was a great idea. Twistedclaw thought it was the best thing that could ever happen for the Clan! But then, Medicine Cats were supposed to be more peaceful, more on the side of StarClan. Though, by the looks of it, StarClan wasn't complaining.

Twistedclaw looked down, suddenly unable to look at Feathercloud's soft fur or amber eyes. He cursed his brother's silently.

"I can show you how to carry more," he mewed gruffly, brushing past her, feeling the skin beneath his fur prickle as he accidently brushed her side. He rummaged through the bush, occassionally snagging the fur on his paw, but once he had gotten enough , he began rolling the leaves beneath his paws. At least they were still flexible, not dry like leaves in leaf-fall. Once the leaves were tightly rolled, Twistedclaw gathered the ball of herbs in his paw, pressed the ball to his throat, and tucked his chin, so that he held the herbs fast between his chin and chest.

"You try," He growled, muffled and dizzy from the smell and taste of all these herbs. How did she stand living among all these scents?

[Ki]

((OOC: Oh yeah, I'm awesome. *dances* Teehee. Twistedclaw is noticing Feathercloud. >3 Mwuahahahahahahahahaha....HA))

Feathercloud watched with interest, her ears raised and her eyes sparkling with interest. When he'd put the ball of herbs between his throat and his chest she let out a small gasp of recognition. Suddenly the she-cat moved forward and nudged Twistedclaw gratefully. She mewed, "Twistedclaw, you're so smart! I never thought of that!" He didn't know it, but he'd just made her job that much easier. The tiny she-cat went eagerly back to the bush. One of her white paws shot in and out of the bush tactfully. When she had a decent amount of herbs she began to roll them into a ball like Twistedclaw had done. It was a little slow-going at first. But after a good bit of trying the medicine cat began to get it. Soon she'd rolled the herbs into a tight little ball that could be unraveled later. Feathercloud tucked the ball against her chin and her fluffy chest.

"We probably look silly." Feathercloud said with a small smile. But it would get the job done, right? And that was all that mattered.

[Yoko]

Twistedclaw's ears flushed hotly at her praise. It hadn't been that big a deal...Lizardeye had showed him once. Still, he waited with un characteristic patience as Feathercloud gathered her own bundle. He had, without meaning to, been watching her again. The sight of her fumbling a few herbs even amused him slightly. Such a great Medicine Cat, struggling to roll up a few herbs.

The small tabby promptly looked at the ground as Feathercloud finally managed to get the herbs together. His ears warmed again, more of embarrassment. He was a mighty warrior of ShadowClan. He was not supposed to look silly. For the good of the Clan, he thought. Rather than risking dropping all the herbs speaking, he nodded slightly to Feathercloud and started to pad back towards camp.

[Ki]

Feathercloud padded on beside him. It began to get uncomfortable carrying herbs like this. Her neck began to grow stiff and it was hard for her to watch where she was going. That was bad in the marshes, where snakes lurked in the waters and hidden in the mud. But this was what they had to do to get the herbs back to camp faster. She wanted her den re-stocked before the patrol returned with Paleflower's kits. And since she had no idea what sort of condition they'd be in, she wanted to be prepared. The soft croaking of frogs could be heard, along with the buzzing of the bugs. To a ShadowClan cat it was like music. It represented peace, abundance of prey, and let them know they were where they belonged.

The scent of herbs was around her as well. To other cats it was odd and at times overbearing. But to her the scent of herbs meant comfort. Happiness. Peace. It reminded her of who she was and where she belonged.

[Yoko]

Twistedclaw was feeling much "happier" now that he was reminded of the war. No matter how angry he was with his apprentice, he would do his best to be sure that she and her sisters were well prepared for the war to come! The though of it made his paws itch and his heart thump. The rush of energy, the endless wails of falling enemies, the feeling of blood and fur beneath his claws. Yes, the battlefield was truly his home.

He was distracted from his battle-hungry thoughts by a clear sluch of muddy swamp water beside them. He paused and glared at the puddle. A snake? He wriggled his tail excitedly, ready to drop the herbs at a moment's notice to kill the beast. But a head appeared on the puddle's surface. It was only a frog. He reminded himself that the herbs in his mouth and under his chin were more important than the life of a pitiful frog. It would be prey soon enough for one of the many ShadowClan apprentices. He continued to walk, wondering if Feathercloud needed help with other things. Afterall, Twistedclaw had nothing to do with all his new found energy.

[Ki]

Feathercloud kept up a swift pace. Now that her herbs were gathered up she was prepared for the kits. StarClan willing, she wouldn't have to use any on the poor things. Then there was Fireshadow to think about. Brindlepelt was healing nicely at least. And Smokeheart...well, there was still hope. Feathercloud was troubled deeply by the she-cat's leg injury. Then there was the war looming over them...suddenly she remembered her other request to Specklestar. Battle training. The she-cat hadn't had anything to do with that since she was an apprentice. From what she could remember she hadn't been very good at it. Her only asset was her speed. But everything else...strength, stradegy, instinct...she lacked in those areas. It was what her Clanmates had known from the moment she was born: Feathercloud just wasn't meant to be a warrior.

He's on the slight side for a warrior. Feathercloud thought as she looked at Twistedclaw. Wouldn't it be better to train with someone her own size? Surely he must have had to deal with his lack of size in battle before? But will I seem overbearing? Feathercloud worried. He'd already helped her with the herbs. Plus sometimes she got the feeling that Twistedclaw wasn't fond of her. He didn't often look at her directly, and when he spoke to her it was like he was forcing every word out. But...he could always just refuse to tutor her, couldn't he? "Twistedclaw, can I ask another favor?" It was a trial to talk with herbs in her mouth and under her chin, but oh well.

[Yoko]

Twistedclaw picked up his pace to match Feathercloud, because the frog incident had put him a few steps behind. As she asked the question, Twistedclaw's green eyes swiveled to their corners, squinting with suspicion at what more he could do for a Medicine Cat. He knew nothing of herbs, except how to carry them apparently. Still, he had the time to help, depending on the request.

"It would help to know what you're going to ask," Twistedclaw mewed, rather bluntly, as was his nature. "What do you expect me to say, 'no you can't ask?'"

Part of him felt a little rude, Snaketail's lessons in etiquette had not been wasted after all. At last he mewed, "Yes, you can ask."

[Ki]

Feathercloud waited until Twistedclaw granted her permission. His comment made her ears burn at her own foolishness. Finally she said, "Even medicine cats need to know how to defend themselves. And I haven't had proper battle training since I was...maybe eight moons old." Sagewing had insisted she have some sort of training in combat. Feathercloud had always been grateful she'd never had to put it to use. Because she had never had any need for it, almost all she'd learned had almost completely vanished from her memory. "I was wondering if you would train me." She knew that Twistedclaw had an apprentice. So it would be understandable if he turned down her request. She would prefer to attribute a refusal to that, at least, than his own apparent dislike for her.