[Forgottentrail x Bumblepaw] Midnight

[caffeinecraving]

He walked with a purpose. Forgottentrail didnt make it a point to visit dreams. Afterall, if cats wanted to see him they could search for him... but he had been watching the world... And he had seen stonebelly reject taking on apprentices. He couldnt say he blamed the cat.... Afterall, he had just been dragged into a position, only because of his faith and practical knowledge of herbs...Forestclan had approved his connection and thus his promotion.


But these two apprentice deserved a chance to. So the tom walked into the dreams of the first apprentice. "Bumblepaw." His pelt glowed and he stood infront of the apprentice, where they were dreaming. He looked around until his eyes came to rest on the apprentice in front of him. Twin pools of silverpelt gazed into Bumblepaw's eyes. "Im Forgottentrail.... will you walk with me a while?"  

[Fea Line]

Bumblepaw shifted in his sleep. Somehow his dreams always seemed to be loud, almost chaotically so, enough to cause him to twitch and wince. Memories of his brief time spent in Starclan leaving lasting echos of the sounds he had heard then left on a jumbled repeat of nonsense and disorder. But something this time was different and as a voice called out to him, Bumblepaw felt the chaos split, almost calm.

Blinking almost sea green eyes, Bumblepaw blinked until his vision settled on an older, glistening cat standing before him. The paw's head tilted, the words as crisp and clear as they had been back in Starclan. But this didn't look like Starclan, no. Still just his dreams.

"Fow-gohttentwail?" he blinked, forcing out the words and wrinkling his nose at how funny they sounded. New words were still tough to get right the first time. However, Bumblepaw nodded his head and rose to his paws, watching Forgottentrail like a well mannered kitten would to their mother. "Yes." he nodded tot he tom's question.  

[caffeinecraving]

His steps were silent as if sneaking, While generally forestclan couldnt walk in the dreams of starclan, he was different, Medicine cats were different, they could go to other medicine cats no matter their affiliation. He could reach out to both sides, He hesitated. Afterall Hollowstep could have come too.

He nodded to the tomcat apprentice. He lead the way, walking for something to do. "What is your greatest desire Bumblepaw?" He would never force the medicine cat life on anyone so if they wavered, he would highly recommend something else.

However he had a feeling that that wouldnt be the case with this pair of apprentices.  

[Fea Line]

Bumblepaw followed gingerly at first, watching his paws carefully, testing each step to see if it made a noise or not. He noted that Forgottentrail's steps were so light he almost couldn't hear them. Fascination swept through the young tom and he didn't speak much. He just listened. Listened to all the things he normally couldn't

Then the older tom cat spoke and asked him a question.

What is his greatest desire? What did he mean? In life? Or what he wanted most? Or what he wanted to be?

Frowning a moment, Bumblepaw's steps slowed as he concentrated hard. "Too....heawr." he said simply and honestly. It probably wasn't the answer the cat was looking for but it was what was first on his mind. Sighing, Bumblepaw glanced back down at his paws, brows still furrowed. "Nn, to hewlp my clan." he added, the feelings that other cats besides his mom, sister and leader thought him useless weighed heavily on his fur.  

[caffeinecraving]

Forgottentrail didnt break the silence until he had to ask his question. And then he listened. He frowned though at the initial answer... "To hear what? Dont you hear me right now?"

But he pressed on. "Ti help your clan is something you can surely do.But you dont have to be a medicine cat to do it... You could be the greatest warrior... you need only consider that you need to be more alert than others..." He frowned, "Dont let cats get behind you and then who needs to hear in a fight?"

Walking more he looked back. "So how? How do you want to help your clan is the question? By herbs and medicine? Or by tooth and claw. Because im sure, that whatever you choose... as long as you try hard... you can do it... " His deep eyes looked back and he stopped. "You arent a kit any longer Bumblepaw. And your destiny is tied to no cat other than yourself... consider... you have so many options, yet to move forward you must choose only one... " He swished his tail. "A medicine cats road is not easy, but the reward at the end... could be worth it.... if thats what you wish for."  

[Fea Line]

Bumblepaw frowned initially. Yes he could hear now but that's not what he meant. He wanted to hear always! When he woke up. When he was with his mom, his sister, his clanmates, enemies on the field, prey near by, the dangers before it was too late.

Sighing, Bumblepaw shook his head and stamped a paw down. No, he didn't want to be a warrior either. The thought terrified him. Even if the clan worked to help him and his deafness there was still a chance he could get some other cat killed and he'd never live with himself for that. At least by healing he could have a chance. Or fail knowing he at least tried all he could.

"Noh. Not fighting. Hewlp heawling. Hewlp ssick catss get better..... if i can." he said sternly, glancing up at Forgottentrail with a bit of a glare, though it wasn't at the past med cat, more so at himself.  

[caffeinecraving]

Forgottentrail blinked waiting. Selfish carried over, he wondered about the pity that bumblepaw felt for himself. To be a medicine cat was to give yourself, every ounce to the clan. But that being said... you didnt have to be selfless to be a medicine cat, it was just a concern that Forgottentrail would carry.

Swishing his tail he tilted his head as the smaller cat stomped his paw.

"Well good, because you will probably do very little fighting... though you may still do some." He frowned thinking of Direstars order to kill Hollowstep. Demote him sure... but wasnt that a bit harsh. He shook himself, it wasnt his place and so he looked back to Bumblepaw. "Good... then i want to show you an herb... and i want you to commit it to memory... and then i want to teach you how to patch up a cat.... and how to use these herbs....." With Cardinalpaw it was about answering the questions she couldnt ask... with Bumblepaw it was about him learning what he couldnt hear.  

[Fea Line]

The young cat tilted his head, letting Forgottentrail's voice entirely soak into his brain. He wan'ted to remember it well out of his dream. Recall the tones, the vocalizations, the pitches, his ups, downs, hints of emotion. Everything. Being able to hear here felt like a treasure he needed to hoard. It was precious to him, every last sound-drop.

Nodding, he eagerly glanced up to the once forgotten cat. "I am reawdy." he aid, eyes wide. What would his mother say when he told her about all this?

And then he paused.

Almost facepawing at his inner thoughts, he sighed. Really, what would she say? Because he couldn't hear her. He could read her face and her body languages but that wasn't quite the same. Though that didn't matter at this moment. His attention was turned in full back to the medicine cat, ready and waiting to learn all he could while his dreams lasted.

Starclan, don't let me wake up now!  

[caffeinecraving]

Forgottentrail watched that apprentice as he talked. Head tilted listening so intensely. He figured the apprentice would already know to read words when people were talking.

"Good." He blinked and stood. "Follow me." He lead the way to a plant. He motioned at it, "This is Coltsfoot." Luckily this was a dream or else he wouldnt have been able to show him this particular plant "This plant helps when a cat cant seem to catch their breath. Or for when kittens catch a cough." He gave a grave look, "If you find it in new leaf take as much as you can, but leave enough to grown the following newleaf... but make sure to preserve some for leafbare..."

HE waited. "How you use it is to Chew it into a pulp... and thenlet the kittens... or cats, lap it up." He frowned, "its also been used to cure cracked paws... Alright, you should chew some up... show me!" He waved at the plant.  

[Fea Line]

Bumblepaw listened eagerly, his ears swiveling hard to pick up every sound. He stepped forward and nosed the plant, taking in its scent to commit to memory as well as its size, shape, any little details he could find. Next he did his best to remember its ususes and how to apply it. Chewed into a pulp and used for coughs or sometimes cracked pads. Take enough to store but not so much so that it couldn't grow back.

So much information in what felt like such little time. But he wouldn't let that stop him. "Ok." he said softly, reaching forward and taking the plant in his mouth. He chewed and chewed, making sure he learned what it felt like in his mouth, its taste and all. When he felt it was pulpy enough he gently spat it back out on the ground and looked at it, sniffing it again. His whiskers twitched and he had to stop himself from making a funny face before glancing back up at Forgottentrail. "Like this?"  

[Fea Line]

Discord transder


caffeinecraving
Forgottentrail sniffed the pile and twitched his whiskers, "Good!" He held out his paw, "ok now apply it!" He waited and as bumblepaw applied it he made sure that the pulp was evenly covered.


"Right!" He nodded at the apprentice. But then his eyes went around. A whisper would be heard on the wind and his ears twitched and he jerked to his feet. "Oh no! I must go! Remember bumblepaw....no matter how much you want to hear...it's what they don't say that usually holds the answers." The forestclan cat stood and nodded his head before running quickly away. Starclan cats had caught his forestclan scent, it was no longer safe here for him.


Luna
Bumblepaw did as instructed, feeling quite proud of himself after he had managed to do things right. His fears and worries were just starting to slip away when Forgottentrail mentioned he had to leave. Tilting his head, he committed the Forestclan cat's words to heart. Nodding, he waited until Forgottentrail had all but disappeared into his dreams before he let the feeling of pure sleep take him again. He couldn't wait to see what morning held.