Tigerrush had spent the morning collecting a variety of herbs and plants that were in the prime time to harvest and was currently spreading her bounty out to dry. Part of the reason she had gone out as early as she had was so she could gather as much as she could before sunhigh. The more she could gather and dry before leaf-bare, the better off the clan would be if they got suck during that time. As she spread the leaves and roots in the sun to start drying on this hot, clear day, the brown tabby medicine cat began to pace, not really noticing what she was doing as her mind began to wander.
Another reason she had gone out so early was to distract herself from the surprise death of a clanmate the night after the Gathering and for the life of her, she couldn't figured out what might have caused Dustpaw's death. He was young and strong and healthy- if he had been sick at all, she hadn't been made aware of it. Was his death one of those prophesized by Starclan? If so, what had he eaten to have ended his healthy, young life so early? Was it related somehow to the fox's dead body the patrol had found late last moon? Was there something to piece them together that she just wasn't recognizing at this point in time?
19
Tigerrush and whoever wants to join her
Interactions and distractions
Medicine Cat Area
There are heroes and then there are legends,
heroes get remembered but legends never die.
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Savagefox trotted back into camp with long strides, ears flicking and green eyes darting. They had not had a morning patrol today, but had done one of their own anyways. Tigerrush's pacing near the spread of drying herbs on the ground.
They darted alongside Tigerrush's pacing pattern. Savagefox's long limbs and Tigerrush's small size leading to them making mincing steps to match the she-cat's pace. "What are we thinking about?" Their voice was full of curiosity. Anything that made a Medicine Cat look this serious had the potential to be interesting.
Savagefox's tailtip was twitching as their focus zeroed in. Medicine Cat things were sometimes also Interesting things. And given how boring their patrol was, they deserved something interesting.
Tigerrush was so deep in thought that when Savagefox approached, she didn't initially notice the larger cat beside her until they spoke. She gave a noticeable start and blinked owlishly up at the bright pelted warrior for a long moment as her thoughts trailed away and mind registered the question being presented.
"Oh, hello Savagefox." The medicine cat tried to sound her usual cheerful self, but due to having been caught uncharacteristically unawares, her tone came out more flat than she intended and definitely had a hint of embarrassment in it. "I'm sorry, what was your question?"
Tigerrush might not necessarily be able to share many things with the younger warrior, but perhaps a small discussion in general could either rest her mind from it's troubles for the time being or maybe Savagefox's thoughts might give her something to consider from a different point of view?
"Tigerrush, I was going to -" Sunstrike cuts herself off as she saw two cats instead of the one she was expecting.
"Ah." She awkwardly looks away, one of her ears flicking. "Interrupting something, am I?"
She was a warrior now and could be included in conversations that weren't necessarily for her. But at the same time - she could feel her hackles rising at the idea.
Characters:
Coldgaze: (M) Stoic Riverclan Deputy
Gingerthrash: (M) Arrogant Thunderclan Elder
Lawn Gnome: (F) Motherly Semi-Feral Shecat
Piperpaw: (F) Meek Windclan Medicine Cat Apprentice
Sootpaw: (M) Bubbly Shadowclan Apprentice
Sturgeonkit: (M) Sleepy Riverclan Kit
Sunstrike: (F) Anxious Thunderclan Warrior
NPCs:
Quailcall: (F) Fierce Thunderclan Warrior
There are heroes and then there are legends,
heroes get remembered but legends never die.
✻ ✻ ✻ ✻ ✻ ✻
Savagefox’s tail tip continued to twitch when Sunstroke arrived on the scene. “If it was private we’d be somewhere private.” There was a needling edge to their voice. Sunstrike’s soft nature and tendency towards inaction was not to Savagefox’s personal taste, but she was ThunderClan so he had to deal with it. If there had been any doubt in it they would have made sure it was dealt with. Savagefox was fairly sure that Wildcry would have happily helped if something like that became necessary.
”Tigerrush was just going to tell me what we’re thinking abut so hard.”
Tigerrush blinked again as Sunstrike appeared in the den and stopped uncertainly with a flicking ear, however, the female warrior gave the medicine cat the time she needed to fully compose herself and find her rhythm once more. "Sunstrike." She greeted, her tone back to it's normal pitch.
"I was thinking about what happened to Dustpaw." She replied honestly to Savagefox. She wasn't going to share what Starclan had told her just yet, she still needed to figure out fully what they meant and speak to Moosestar about it first. "I feel like there's a piece to some puzzle that I'm missing but I just haven't been able figure it out yet."
Letting her green gaze shift back and forth between Savagefox and Sunstike, she mewed curiously. "Is there something I can help either you with? Or did you both just feel some company was needed?" She didn't mention whether they thought she needed the company or if they thought maybe they did.
Sunstrike's face never seemed to match her intentions. At the moment she could feel herself scowling - but a fight had not been her intention.
"I was wondering if you had eaten. You seemed caught up in all.. this." She nodded to the herbs. "I wanted to know if you wanted anything."
"Ah." At the mention of Dustpaw, Sunstrike sat back on her haunches and licked at her front leg; a tick that she tried to desperately to avoid for fear of continuing to rub the skin raw. She couldn't help but think about her own brother when his body had been found. His poor dame... "It is worrying. Especially with that fox body." She shook her leg in an attempt to relieve the nervous urge to groom.
Characters:
Coldgaze: (M) Stoic Riverclan Deputy
Gingerthrash: (M) Arrogant Thunderclan Elder
Lawn Gnome: (F) Motherly Semi-Feral Shecat
Piperpaw: (F) Meek Windclan Medicine Cat Apprentice
Sootpaw: (M) Bubbly Shadowclan Apprentice
Sturgeonkit: (M) Sleepy Riverclan Kit
Sunstrike: (F) Anxious Thunderclan Warrior
NPCs:
Quailcall: (F) Fierce Thunderclan Warrior
There are heroes and then there are legends,
heroes get remembered but legends never die.
✻ ✻ ✻ ✻ ✻ ✻
Now that was interesting. Savagefox’s mind immediately started to turn on the subject while Sunstrike started to prattle on about boring things like food. As if Tigerrush wasn’t strong enough to catch her own food and needed someone else to fetch it from the pile for her.
”I thought you looked very serious and like someone else thinking with you might help.” Their answer was straightforward and honest. And truly Savagefox wanted to help with the thinking on the apprentice who’d died in his nest. Such a mystery was fascinating. Something with the power to kill a cat while they were safe at home would be an immensely powerful thing to harness if they could work out what it was. ”Have you got any ideas about the cause yet?”
Tigerrush twitched an ear at Sunstrike's offer before she purred her thanks. "I am not hungry at this time but thank you for the offer, Sunstrike."
Her gaze grew a little distant as she responded to Savagefox's question, her mind working through the puzzle again, as she had been consistently since the deaths had come to pass. "No, I wasn't able to figure out anything that could have been wrong with Dustpaw. And since I wasn't able to examine the fox, as I didn't find it or dispose of it, I don't know if there had been anything more that could have been unusual with it's death." She stopped for a moment considering. "All I was told from the reports made on it was that the fox was a healthy dog fox that seemed to die in a puddle of it's own saliva."
She began to pace lightly again, murmuring. "That's the only thing I can relate to each death. A puddle of saliva. But even then, it's not unusual when something is dying." After a moment, she stopped once again before returning her gaze to Sunstrike and Savagefox. "Hopefully Starclan will reveal more to me at the half-moon. These happenings aren't upsetting either of you, are they?"
Sunstrike paused. "The Clan should be more concerned in general." She hadn't been the one to find the body, but at the same time a far as she had heard, nothing came of the investigation.Not to mention, Dustpaw passing out of nowhere... what if prey animals started dying to this strange disease? Wouldn't that cause another period of famine?
"Has there been any news of the other clans suffering something similar?" She piped up after a few moments. Might as well ask - maybe this was a forest-only problem.
Characters:
Coldgaze: (M) Stoic Riverclan Deputy
Gingerthrash: (M) Arrogant Thunderclan Elder
Lawn Gnome: (F) Motherly Semi-Feral Shecat
Piperpaw: (F) Meek Windclan Medicine Cat Apprentice
Sootpaw: (M) Bubbly Shadowclan Apprentice
Sturgeonkit: (M) Sleepy Riverclan Kit
Sunstrike: (F) Anxious Thunderclan Warrior
NPCs:
Quailcall: (F) Fierce Thunderclan Warrior
There are heroes and then there are legends,
heroes get remembered but legends never die.
✻ ✻ ✻ ✻ ✻ ✻
Savagefox listened with large ears pricked and mismatched eyes locked on the medicine cat. They hadn’t seen much of anybody drool much except when they had an upset gut. Or were high as StarClan on catnip… ”Do foxes eat catnip for fun?” The words slipped from between their teeth without considering the implications such a statement made concerning what may or may not be a fairly common older apprentice and younger warrior diversion.
Sunstrike:
She found herself glancing at Savagefox with curiosity. Do foxes know of Catnip? Maybe they used them like medicine cats would. Although, to be honest she didn't know the actual uses of catnip super well... She returned to licking her forepaw, debating. If she spoke up she would risk interrupting Savagefox and she didn't want to draw his attention anymore than she already had. If she didn't then she might be seen as standoffish or judgmental. Sunstrike sighed. There really was no winning in Thunderclan.
"Foxes have a use for catnip? I thought it was for.... ailments." She admittably hadn't eaten the plant much herself. "Can catnip Kill?" There was a nervous edge to her voice.
Characters:
Coldgaze: (M) Stoic Riverclan Deputy
Gingerthrash: (M) Arrogant Thunderclan Elder
Lawn Gnome: (F) Motherly Semi-Feral Shecat
Piperpaw: (F) Meek Windclan Medicine Cat Apprentice
Sootpaw: (M) Bubbly Shadowclan Apprentice
Sturgeonkit: (M) Sleepy Riverclan Kit
Sunstrike: (F) Anxious Thunderclan Warrior
NPCs:
Quailcall: (F) Fierce Thunderclan Warrior
