[Forgottentrail x Cardinalpaw] Sunrise

[caffeinecraving]

His new past time of visiting cats in their dreams was cutting into his sleeping. He yawned and walked into the dream of Cardinalpaw. Looking around he flicked an ear. It was very quiet here... almost deafening in the silence. His deep purple eyes looked around.


"Cardinalpaw?" It came out as a whisper, almost afraid to disturb the silence. He spotted the red apprentice near a pool of water. He walked over and looked at the pool reflecting silverpelt. "What do you want in life Cardinalpaw?"  

[EvilSilverDragon]

Purring away, Cardinalpaw stared at the water with fascination. Moments earlier panic ensued, no Bumble set off a every bell in existance. Calming came after the storm of emotion. Catching her reflection in the pool almost transposed among the Silverpelt seemed a tonic to her.

It was in that moment of calm and reflection, she heard a voice. Ears went first before she turned her head to see the unfamiliar tom. Walking right up to him, she sat right in front of him and purred loudly.

Several minutes passed with just the sound of a purring apprentice looking up at the white and gray cat. Internally she tried to puzzle away how she could answer his question. Well, might as well start with the easiest part. "Hi-" Her voice came out, louder than expected even when nothing was expected.

The paw literally recoiled and blinked several times in confusion. With her head tilted to the side, eyes almost looking through Frogottentrail's fore paw to something seen in the distance. Could he hear that?

Trying again, she spoke, "Hello?!" Oh this was fun. All at once the red kitten explodided bounding around the forestclan cat with so much enthusiasm it was a wonder her paws touched the ground at all. "I can talk! You can hear!" Her voice came out scratchy from disuse but it was hers.

Three whole circles later, she finally came to a stand still with her bright smile never dropping. What was his question again....Oh right, what did she want in life? "I want my brother to be happy. I want momma not to be afraid to let us live. We are supposed to learn how to be medcats. Momma says we can make sick or sad cats better, I'd like that too."  

[caffeinecraving]

The forestclan cat hesitated. He purred back as she sat infront of him, and then she spoke... loudly. He flicked his ears back at the harsh noise and then laughed a bit. He watched her. Youth... it was good to retain that.

HE nodded at her second attempt and then waited. "You can! I can!"

Forgottentrail waited patiently and then nodded. "Wonderful goals, You think that being a medicine cat is for you then?" His eyes held the weight of silverpelt and his face showed worry. "Do you know the cost of being a medicine cat?"

He was here not only to encourage but to teach. To make sure that the apprentices knew everything they were getting into. Being a medicine cat was a way of life, not just a position. And he wanted them to know that.  

[EvilSilverDragon]

That question had been asked before, a worried conversation between her Leader and mother. At the time there wasn't a way to really ask further about it all. With a lopsided smile she answered cheerfully with a little volume control this time, "I have no idea!" Oh the same it would cause her mother to hear that one.

Finally sitting back down, her tail wrapping around her paws, she continued, "Momma thinks its the best thing for us, worries about bumblepaw. I think its silly, there isn't anything my brother can't do and I am with him. Shadowstar says we comp..comp..comploment each other." That word came out weird. With a shrug she discarded the word and moved on. "Being a medicine cat will let me help make other cats feel better, and momma would feel better." The only reasons needed from the limited perspective of one little red cat.

Cost? Mulling over that word a moment, she answered, "No?" What did being a medicine cat cost? Was it more cost than being a warrior or hunter? What exactly did cost mean? Huh mister?

So used to not being heard, everything after the uncertain no followed as a normal conversation track heedless of its silence.  

[caffeinecraving]

He watched her. And then he smiled. "Good answer."

HE twitched his tail and then listened. "So you dont worry about bumblepaw?" He considered the apprentice a moment longer. He nodded. "You do... But you are still individuals."

HE contemplated those answers and then looked to silverpelt above their heads. So close it felt as if he needed but to reach out and he would be among the stars. He looked back. "It would.... It would let you help the clan, but i dont know if your mother will feel better... she carries a guilt with her that no amount of pride will remove." But he looked back to her, leveling the weight behind his eyes on her.

He flicked an ear. And waited. "Everything... The cost is everything... your heart... your soul.... every ounce of you will become... medicine cat. It means staying up all night worrying about if the clan will make it through leafbare and then watching little kits perish as if you hadnt spent a whole day beside them, doing everything that your knowledge allowed you to do."

Forgottentrail frowned and looked over the red cat. He wanted her to ask questions... This was of course a time to learn for her. "Do you ever want kits Cardinalpaw? Your very own kits? What about a mate to love you and only you above and beyond the clan?" He knew he was talking to an apprentice but that was a cost for a starclan medicine cat.  

[EvilSilverDragon]

Purring louder with the praise, little Cardinalpaw beamed up at him. With the question about worrying about her brother, the red apprentice easily shook her head 'no'. Bumblepaw didn't need her or anyone worrying about him. While her head was shaking the 'no' the purr rumbling never so much as slowed down. Without words, sound and action communicated for her as it always did.

Helping her clan was one of her goals, his answer seemed to confirm that the medicine cat life was the right path. Her mother having guilt earned a head tilt to the left and the abrupt stop to the purring. What did her mother have to feel guilty about?

Continuing to just listen, Cardinalkit met his gaze fearlessly. Eyes for eyes, strengths in silence meeting the wisdom of the starclan without flinching. Remembering her sister born sleeping, she offered, "Maybe, maybe I could save one, just one like Rosekit? That would be good." If even one litter didn't have to lose one of their littermates, surely that was worth a lot.

His next question seemed absurd to her. her muzzle wrinkled up to form a face of one who scented something terrible. Shaking her head so hard it caused her to have to move her front leg as a better brace before she fell over. "Of course not!" There was a lot of certainty for a kitten who had no concept of what that answer really meant.

It didn't help that in her life time she had only seen that once, Fawnbriar and Sootpelt. No other cat she knew had any stronger bonds then just siblings.

With that strange question answered, she asked him one, "Can you teach me how to find and use things to help my clan?" The questions asked, and everything communicated through eye contact urged her to ask so she could learn.  

[caffeinecraving]

Forgottentrail nodded as the she-cat shook her head. That gave him confidence that she would make the right choices in who needed help and who did not...

He flicked an ear brushing over that question. Flamedapples guilt was not for new and inquiring minds.

He was impressed with the amount this cat seemed to be taking on to herself and he nodded. "It seems you do have the heart a medicine cat beating in your chest."

He just looked at her an nodded. He had felt that way when he was barely more than a kit too. But he let it go... apprentices would be expected to make these grandiose choices no matter his worry.

He nodded. "Of course... " His eyes went to the sky as if he were counting the stars there..... "Shall we start now? Its going to be a long road... but im sure... you can handle it.." He walked to the pool. "First you need to know where to look... there are plants that grow in Riverclan territory... and there are plants that dont... while you wont use them a lot... you will still want to learn them...." He found the herb he was looking for and pulled it up. "This is the herb has saved clans by catching greencough before it becomes full blown greencough.. Here... chew it... remember its smell... thats the best way to identify it... This is Tansy... Note its yellow flowers...." He waited for her. Perhaps only a few more for this night... "Chervil is one you will use alot in treating warriors, to keep infection from their wounds." He flicked his tail going to look for some in this dream forest.  

[EvilSilverDragon]

Her heart was that of a medicine cat? For a moment the kit looked down at her chest to ponder that concept. The apprentice got just past that thought to wondering if her brother had the same before the conversation shifted and the thoughts were left behind.

Following Forgottentrail, Cardinalpaw sat right next to him. Intently focused, she stared at the plant he pulled up. Committing its name to memory, she sniffed at several times. As she took her time, she just studied the plant looking at it from each angle and testing its smell before and after stepping on it. Once she stepped on it, Cardinalpaw investigated the scent on her paw.

If any cat stepped on it, this might help her find it through their patrol. Finally, she did as he asked and chewed on the plant. Several faces with various ear positioning followed. With the same curiosity and focus, the red apprentice really feel the plant in her mouth and exactly how it tasted.

A little too focused, perhaps, she missed the name of the next plant and almost got herself left behind.

Falling over as she tripped on her paws to follow the tomcat, she picked herself back up and bound after him.  

[caffeinecraving]

Well at least thats what it seemed to Forgottentrail.

He watched the apprentice a moment and then purred. Yes that would be the medicine cat passion, He watched her study until he moved on. He gave a short laugh when she chewed it. "I dont think i ever got used to the tastes of some of these plants..." He purred and then he looked back.

Finding the plants "This is Chevril... I always kept as much of this on hand as possible... We use all parts... the leaves and roots..." He touched the plant softly. "Smell it... its sweet... Thats how you distinguish it just from a run of the mill fern."

He gave her a chances to study the plant... and then nodded. "Alright last one for tonight.... Sunrise is almost here..." He walked to a bush that had bright red berries. "These... are deathberries... and should be avoided at all cost... however... sometimes... a medicine cats job is not glamorous... and we must help a suffering cat to the warmth of the sky... Do not eat theses or try them just know them by their appearance, know where they grow so that you can warn cats from eating them..... "  

[EvilSilverDragon]

Still in the middle of hearing her own chewing, Cardinalpaw missed a little bit of what he said. What she did hear was taste the plants. Srunching her muzzle a few more times, the kit was ready to learn more. The prior memory settled pretty well.

Trotting along with Forgottentrail, she plopped down as close to the new thing as she could without sitting on it. Sniffing the plant once, she pulled her head back, tilting it to the side before sniffing it again. Oh, she liked that smell. Purring loudly, the red kitten stuck her whole head right into the fern enjoying the scent before licking it several times.

There was a chance after this was over she'd remember that this was useful for more than just its smell.

Finally she followed him to those tasty looking bright red berries. Oh those had to be delicious! They certainly didn't look like anything she was familiar with. Sitting down right next to the plant, an overly eager learner was already sniffing them just about the time he told her not to eat them.

The name probably should have been an indication that these were not good. Thought process went a few steps too far and her mouth was starting to open before she froze. Looking from the plant to the tom and back to the plant, Cardinalpaw slowly backed up a step and, once seated, closed her mouth.

First thought was to make sure she showed these to bearpaw and told him 'no' enough times that he wouldn't think of eating them. Two moons should be as many times as needed.

Looking up to the celestial cat she nodded her head. "I understand!" That statement was about half true.  

[caffeinecraving]

Forgottentrail watched her carefully. Even he didnt like plants this much... HE dealt with them but the love of plants for sure wasnt a requirement.

He had just about moved to bap the red apprentice for trying to eat the berry that he had just told her not to. but she stopped. So he relaxed. "Good." HE looked about the starry sky. "Its almost time for you to wake up... So i have to get back, keep studying your plants... always ask questions..." He stood shaking himself. "Nothing but these berries will kill you instantly... Taste things... perhaps you will find something new.... Next time.... ill show you more plants."  

[EvilSilverDragon]

Cardinalpaw nodded eagerly, "I can't wait!" She took one more exuberant frolic around Forgottentrail purring up a storm. "Thank you for teaching me, I can't wait to learn more." Looking up at him with big, excited eyes. The little red apprentice wanted to stay 'up' to keep learning and talking.

Morning came without her permission and Cardinalpaw had to finally close her eyes here as her dream ended and she was woken up. First time she ever batted and made a hissing motion and being woke up.