Closed Thread [Closed] Here Comes the Sun [13FG]

Mistyleaf loved Sunningrocks. It was the perfect place to relax. "I shall indeed lay claim to one," Mistyleaf responded, though she hadn't decided which. Looking across the sun-warmed stones, she was glad RiverClan had been unable to take this bit of territory. Mistyleaf stretched and gave a chuckle. "I suppose if anyone asks, we're also renewing the border scentmarks."

"Hmm something productive," Mistyleaf thought aloud, amused at Bravesong's wink. She closed her eyes and turned her face skyward to feel the sun.

"So you've chosen that one and now we must find an even better one for Tigerrush," she teased as she looked at the rock he'd picked. Her fluffy tail-tip swished as she looked at their other options. "She does need it more than we do."

"Productivity is overrated at times," Mistyleaf remarked blithely and opened her eyes. "Often you just need to stop and rest. I think she works the hardest out of just about all of us."

Tigerrush certainly had during the blackcough outbreak. Mistyleaf would always be grateful for her efforts. "Sometimes I wish I could be of more use to her," she mewed after a light sigh. "But alas--" Mistyleaf leapt to a nearby rock to test its comfort. "--I am no medicine cat."

Tigerrush had been able to swiftly discard of the bundle she had taken to the elder's den and then gone to check on her herb supplies. There were a few that she could freshen but she'd wait and see if there were any good plants out currently. She just might have to wait a bit yet. With those few plants in mind, the brown tabby left her den and the camp and swiftly made her way after the other two, following their scent. Tail held high and green eyes sparkling in her good mood, Tigerrush emerged at Sunningrocks to see the other two settling down on some warmed stones.

"Oh, those look lovely!" Tigerrush trilled in greeting as she emerged from the undergrowth. "Are they nice and warm?"

As she waited to see what they had to say, she began to move along a couple rocks, resting her nose against them to check how nice and warmed they were before she decided on where she would rest her petite form. Choosing one that was slight distance from the other two but close enough to speak comfortably, she swiftly flopped down and began to roll contently on the rock she chose. She gave a purr of delight as the warmth seeped into her fur and began to warm her all over, cream belly flashing to soak up the sun as her striped pelt did the rock.

'They might not know of any other way, or be comfortable expressing it.'

Mistyleaf nodded strongly. "Yes, I think that's exactly it," she mewed. "And I understand we have to survive, of course." She settled down on her rock. "But there must be more to life than mere survival. Why else would we exist the way we do? We'd be aimless otherwise, like squirrels and such."

As Mistyleaf was going on about Clan life, she saw Tigerrush join them. "They are nice and warm," Mistyleaf purred as the medicine cat claimed her own rock.

Tigerrush blinked at Bravesong's question in surprise and she peered at him upside down, as she wriggled a little more comfortably onto her back. "Now why would I think that? While I care for my clan whenever I am needed, I still get time to myself, especially when I go herb gathering most of the time." A purr thrummed softly in her chest and her voice was content. "Sometimes, as much as I might enjoy my clanmates' company, I don't always know which location will have what I need, so I'm not always going directly here or there to gathering spots. And sometimes, I don't want wandering paws in the area when I lay herbs out to dry." The brown tabby wasn't afraid of work or doing things herself. She knew sometimes it lead to more efficiency, but she love and enjoy the companionship of her clanmates.

"If you say I need to relax more, I am content to just enjoy these rocks for a bit longer. The sun is warm and the day is at it's height. Perhaps after it lowers a bit, we can do some more herb hunting." Tigerrush's purr continue to issue softly and she closed green eyes to enjoy the warmth of the rocks even more.  "But I believe I could use some more marigold leaves and raspberry leaves to dry." 

After several moments, she opened her eyes to peer mischievously at the other two. "Be a squirrel or a hawk, eh? It could be fun to be an owl. I heard they have amazing hearing as well as sight and they move without a sound, unless they want to make some. I think some are even able to be out during the day as well as at night. Plus I wouldn't have to change my diet too much to adjust to theirs."

"Marigold and raspberry leaves? I think we can handle that," Mistyleaf told Tigerrush and shifted onto her side. "And being a falcon would be fascinating too, but now I like the idea of an owl more..." Oh yes, definitely the owl.

"Do you think they see Silverpelt the way we do?" she began, sitting up so her fluffy tail could swish freely. "Is it brighter? Are the colors different? And they can eat their prey whole and spit back up the bones and fur! What must that feel like? And worse, what do you think the poor prey feels like being swallowed that way? Or do you suppose they're always dead first?"

Tigerrush gave a soft 'prrrt' in response to Mistyleaf as the warrior mentioned them being able to find the herbs she would like to retrieve and when Bravesong began to turn his gaze to the sky and the other she-cat sat up, the brown tabby medicine cat closed her eyes to further concentrate on the warmth of the sun on her belly. She listened to Bravesong's input about what bird of prey to be before Mistyleaf began to muse aloud about what an owl might be able to do. "To be honest, I'd imagine the prey would already be dead. If owls eat the same prey as us, that would leave them awfully vulnerable to injury if they tried to swallow live prey."

Tigerrush listened to the other two for a moment, eyes still closed. "It does make sense in a way, Mistyleaf. When you sleep, most of the time, you don't knowingly control how the dreams go." She agreed, her banded tail was the only enforced how thoughtful she was being. "I think with Bravesong-" The medicine cat opened her eyes now to lock her green gaze on him. "Even though you think you might be over it, your mind might not necessarily agree. It might be a way for Starclan to remind you of the past to help hone your senses to the future. Understandably, that is a scenario we don't want repeated. " She fell silent a moment to grasp at a few more stray thoughts she had on the matter. "It might be a way for Starclan to remind you of your bravery and remind you that, while you are considered and elder now, you are not helpless and still have many useful things to contribute to the clan." Tigerrush's gaze was gentle as she spoke- there was no reproach at all in her tone. "But, I believe, no matter if you live to be 100 moons, that you will always have that dream on occasion. Because it is a part of you and your history in the clan, even if you might not want the reminder yourself."

Tigerrush thought about the moonstone visit each moon. As an apprentice, she had been absolutely in awe of it, not that she wasn't now, but where it had been almost overwhelmingly so, it not longer overwhelmed her. In fact, she enjoyed visiting with her warrior ancestors. "The light from the moonstone does still dazzle my eyes when I visit, but when I'm there, I feel the presence of Starclan and the overwhelming feeling of being among them has began to shift into a more comfortable." She wasn't allowed to speak about what she saw most of the time, unless she had already made out what it was Starcan decreed. But while they had recently had a prophecy, Tigerrush hadn't felt that she knew enough yet to share anything with the clan except their leader. "It's calming to know that when I press my nose to it, I'll be greeted by them and trusted by them to interpret things for our clan."

Mistyleaf laid there and listened fondly. Tigerrush's description of communing with their ancestors was lovely. Bravesong's question made her wonder how StarClan decided who showed up. Did they volunteer? Did the past leaders choose them? Did everyone show up as if it was a big Gathering and cats just stepped forward as needed?

More mysteries to solve, she thought.

Tigerrush was still laying upon her back, letting the stone warm that side of her while the sunshine still warmed her belly. She still watched Bravesong with green eyes, her gaze soft at his curiosity at who often greeted her in Starclan. "To be honest, when I first started going with Brightflower, I really didn't recognize any of the Starclan cats. Those who spoke to me were just medicine cats of the past, perhaps a mentor of Brightflower's, but all from before I had been kitted." 

Her expression relaxed and she seemed to be looking into the distance. "From what I've been told, many that speak to medicine cats are those that knew them in life. After Brightflower's passing, she is now one who I tend to see the most. She tends to be the one I speak with. One thing all of Starclan's cats seem to be is they all seem to be composed of their namesake. They have wisdom and stars in their eyes, just as their pelts shimmer like those souls in Silverpelt. Even the light of their pawsteps leave no indication sign of their passing."

Closing her eyes again, it seemed like she had trailed off as if she had grown lost in thought before her eyes reopened, their expression once more focused on the felines in front of them. "However, I fear that might be all I can really share on the matter. I probably shouldn't go further into detail of what has been told to me in these meetings."