[Whad'da want?!?] Tikker-Silver-White

[whitepaw]

Littleleaf blinked sleep from her eyes, her warm nest too comfortable for her to leave, although she knew she had to; Pebblepaw had been having belly-aches and she wanted to collect more juniper berries. Now that it was newleaf, some cats may be over-feeding. Littleleaf snorted in disgust. All the cats she had to treat that ate too many pieces of prey, causing them to have a belly-ache. Although Littleleaf was young, she was highly skilled in herbs. Littleleaf licked her fur down, shaking off pine needles and moss, then stretched, accidently knocking over some herbs.
"Fox dung!" She hissed, then yawned, quickly picking up the spilled herbs.
After the last of them were picked up, Littleleaf slipped out of Shadowclan camp and went into the pine forest, sniffing out any possible herbs she could find. She grunted as a loose thorn from who knows where grinded her paw. Quickly pulling the small thorn out, she licked her pad and padded on through the forest in search of the juniper berries she would need. Littleleaf sniffed mouse under a tree, and what would you guess that mouse was chewing on?!? Nothing other than a juniper berry! Littleleaf hissed and pelted over to where the mouse was, soon finding a small juniper bush.

[Tikker]

The twigs underneath her paws crushed as a dark brown tabby she-cat worked her way through the forest that belonged to ShadowClan. Her blue eyes were clouded with the thoughts about what her old, long-since gone mentor whom had once told her about her birth.

She could still faintly remember his rough voice as he was dying, "Dawntail, you are not originally from ShadowClan, your real family resides in the rivers." It had taken Dawntail a few seconds to figure out what he ment. Her true family was in RiverClan, not in the darkness of ShadowClan.

It had always made the she-cat wonder what had to have happen to not make anyone come find her, then another set of words Blackfang had mentioned, "Your heart is in the briar." Yet, this time it took her a few moons to figure out what that one ment. Dawntail thought it over, night after night, until she met a RiverClan warrior along a border patrol.

The she-cat's name was Briarheart, that's when it dawned on her. She had always wondered why she and Briarheart had the same pelt, and their stripes were in the same places. Briarheart was her sister, and not only that, her twin; or atleast as much of twins without the eyes. It seemed to them both that Briarheart had no clue about them being family, and it enraged the ShadowClan she-cat.

Enough! Dawntail spoke to herself, She's never once thought about me, let alone known I was family, so why should I worry myself over her!?

Shaking herself out of the thoughts of RiverClan and her sister, Dawntail focused on the real reason she was out in the dark pine forest; prey. Stopping where she was, she opened her mouth to see what prey was close by, and there was. Mouse.

Going into her trained hunter's crouch, and crept forward, keeping her scent downwind. Stalking forward, she could almost taste the mouse in her mouth as she closed in. Strangely, Dawntail got distracted again, which wasn't in her character, and noticed the mouse was eating next to a juniper bush. Yet, as she looked towards the bush, she turned back to notice the mouse had started off and a cat was taking it's place.

Littleleaf, how Dawntail just dispised the she-cat who had just recently been accepted by StarClan to be ShadowClan's new medicine cat. The warrior had noticed in her own eyes that the new medicine cat got to frusterated as soon as newleaf came into place. She wasn't the one who had to protect her and the Clan, no she just had to give cobwebs to stop bleeding and tell you to rest so it would heal. Big deal and it was bursting her last nerve now.

"Look what you did!" Dawntail hissed at the she-cat, how could she not have scented the small she-cat, and just because she was there, didn't mean she had to scare away her prey. "I was about to go for that mouse to take to camp!" Dawntail didn't want to listen to anything that she-cat said, but still stood for a few moments to gather her thoughts and continue to glare at Littleleaf.

[Silvercloud]

Nightpaw had risen early as usual and slipped out of camp. With the lack of a permanent mentor Nightpaw was able to enjoy herself until Smallstar appointed her a mentor for the day. She didn't mind, it actually worked for her. She was able to sneak off much easier that way to do thing like this, climbing trees and watch the sun rise.

Pine trees were difficult at best to climb. The bark didn't stay on the trees well and the branches were very thin. Amazingly blue optics watched the proceedings below with slight amusement. The amusement didn't stay long as she remembered her frightful hunt. She had chased a squirrel up a tree and was attacked by it. She lost her footing and slipped. Despite the warm weather a cold wave of fear raced down her spine and made her fur rise slightly. Instinctively and out of panic she clutched her branch tighter.

To her dismay she watched helplessly as her shift caused a few pieces of bark fall to the two she-cats below. StarClan only knows what kind of a lecture Littleleaf was going to give her about being among the trees again. The fall could have killed her, she was lucky to only be sore, although her chest had pained her for many moons after. It still hurt to inhale deeply.

The tiny black tuxedo cat pressed herself closer to the limb and tree, trying to disappear completely. She doubted it worked however, then again it might have. The forest around them was turning green once more as the dormant plants awakened. The evergreens like pine who ever never changed. Flowers and seedling trees would soon be littering the forest floor once more. Spiders would spin their webs and various insects including ticks would re-emerge as well. Ticks could be so annoying, it made the elders cranky. Cranky elders would be the least of her problem however when Blackwing got word of this. No doubt Littleleaf would tell her.

(hehe kinda random I know. xD)

[whitepaw]

Littleleaf had started to gather some juniper berries when a tabby she-cat bounded up to her. Littleleaf could feel her anger burning off of her in waves, and with a whiff she realized that this was Dawntail. Dawntail was giving her a "lecture" about how she had scared off the mouse that was going to be prey. Littleleaf sighed. Older cats thought they were so much better than her because she was young and a medicine cat. Trying to be as calm as possible, Littleleaf quickly second-guessed what Dawntail was thinking. That being a medicine cat was nothing compared to that of a warrior. Again, sighing, Littleleaf's eyes clouded with understanding. It was probably hard to go home either empty-pawed or with few things to feed her clan. Again, a small nod, then Littleleaf spoke.
"You know, Dawntail, putting cobwebs on cats' wounds and telling them to rest isn't all a medicine cat does. Would you be born if it weren't for a medicine cat? What about wounds in battle, if you got a deep cut and it got infected, would you want me to sit there and laugh at you or help you? Yes, that's what I thought."Littleleaf glared back at her, then, softening her gaze she continued, "I know you must be mad at me for scaring that mouse, but what happens when you need juniper berries and i hadn't collected any? There's plenty more out there."
Littleleaf nodded, her voice wise beyond her age. She held Dawntail's glaring gaze before going back to picking juniper berries. Soon after Littleleaf has collected some more berries, she felt bark smack into her face. A few ticks hit her smack on her head. Hissing in digust, she looked up to see Nightpaw clinging helplessly unable to hide on a branch. Littleleaf hissed angrily. Hadn't she told him not to go up in trees for a while?!? His breathing was still stiff, and what if he fell? Now that would just be disaster! Littleleaf took her mind away from Dawntail to Nightpaw, and looked sternly up at him.
"NIGHTPAW! I told you not to go climbing trees, shouldn't you be training? Maybe I shall have to tell Smallstar about your little adventures here?" Littleleaf narrowed her eyes at the apprentice, then continued with "Are you here to hunt? If you are, you'd better join Dawntail. Your choices are hunt or care for the elders, take your choice." Littleleaf smiled grimly. "Go on,"
Littleleaf took a large leaf and wrapped the juniper berries in it, then she hid them in roots in a tree, covering them with grass and leaves so no rodents would get at it. Then, she padded over to Nightpaw and put her paw on his chest, checking his breathing. His chest felt stiff, as if he were having trouble to breath. She licked his chest slowly, then mumbled to herself. Coltsfoot for breathing. . .poppy seed to ease pain. . .and aching joints? Littleleaf thought hard, then her eyes brightened. Goldenrod poultice. . . Littleleaf looked up at Nightpaw.
"Okay, how's your breathing? You'd better take some coltsfoot, then poppy seed to rest and ease your pain. If you have aching joints, then tell me and I can give you some goldenrod. Make sure you tell me if you feel any pain. Now you two'd better hunt." Littleleaf thought for a second, then looked at Dawntail, "Actually, where are you headed? I could do with some extra herbs to store for the colder season."
Littleleaf looked warmly at Dawntail, because she knew she wasn't the favorite person of Dawntail's at the moment. It's be better to make the situation better and not worse than it already was. Besides, Dawntail knew better to attack a medicine cat, even if they were getting on her last nerves. Littleleaf licked her paw, putting it over her face, then prodded the ground, watching the two cats closely. What was she leaving behind, being a medicine cat?

[Tikker]

(OOC: Nightpaw is a she-cat not a tom Whitepaw XD Also, I think you might have power-played, Littleleaf shouldn't have been able to check her breathing because Nightpaw is still in the tree...)

Dawntail glared at the she-cat in front of her, she couldn't believe that this young cat, this kit, was telling her what a Medicine Cat does. It was ridiculous and this she-cat shouldn't even be a healer in the brown feline's mind. She can't even tell when another cat is around!

Dawntail knew she was being to harsh on Littleleaf for that, for she herself wasn't paying attention; but the warrior had figured that every cat knew to be on the look out for hunters.

"I know you must be mad at me for scaring that mouse, but what happens when you need juniper berries and i hadn't collected any? There's plenty more out there."

The ShadowClan warrior flicked her ears, her blue eyes kept on the smaller feline. "You can bet StarClan I'm angry with you; and I know for a fact that there are other Juniper bushes closer to the Camp. Also, Littleleaf it is the start of new-leaf, and the prey is just coming out of hiding. I've had to leave Dark-kit in the nursery just to come out here and get both of us food. No apprentice will do it, and certainly no warrior will. You go back to camp and see how much prey is there, then tell me there is other prey out here. It's been new-leaf for a moon now."

Dawntail spoke swiftly, giving a mimicking tone when she said the first part of Littleleaf's name. The warrior hasn't left Dark-kit alone since she was forced by her mate to make sure she was healthy. Just because she was a Medicine Cat, didn't mean the younger cat had any right not to pay attention.

Suddenly a noise came to her attention, and the dark brown queen looked towards the tree overhanging the juniper bush. When she heard Littleleaf exclaim Dawntail let out a loud hiss, "Will you not yowl, can't you tell Nightpaw is already scared?" Dawntail glared at the tortoiseshell she-cat and a way that told every cat that she despised the she-cat. "Hang on Nightpaw," was the last thing Dawntail said for the moment as she let her claws slide out.

Putting the power in her hind-legs, Dawntail launched herself off the ground and dug her talons into the bark of the tree and began to climb. After having Dark-kit it was harder to do this sort of thing, but eventually she managed to reach the branch where the small black-and-white apprentice held on too. Dawntail grabbed the cat by her scruff and leaped down to the forest floor, praying that the apprentice keep her paws tucked in for a smooth landing.

Once back onto solid ground, Dawntail released Nightpaw and began to speak lowly to the apprentice to calm her down. Low enough so Littleleaf couldn't hear she added, "I won't tell Blackwing, but next time go out with a warrior. If Littleleaf speaks a word of this to your mentor, she will have claws in her fur." She said with a small wink to the apprentice.

Looking back up at the Medicine Cat, Dawntail stated in a dead tone, "I'm going to take Nightpaw with me, she can help me hunt for the Clan. As long as you stay closer to camp that way the prey doesn't hear your paws pounding the ground." Turning around, Dawntail waited to see if Nightpaw would say something before motioning for the apprentice to follow her; daring Littleleaf to say something more so the queen would have a reason to rake her claws into the cat.

[Silvercloud]

Mouse-dung! They hadn't been absorbed in their argument enough, they'd still noticed. Then again the fallen bark had hit Littleleaf in the face. Nightpaw might have laughed so hard as to cause another fall, but call it lucky or not her fear kept her from much more than a small chuckle.

Littleleaf had every right to be angry, she hadn't been an easy patient for the young tortoiseshell, always wanting to do something other than lay down and rest. Oh those wasteful, boring moons of doing nothing!

Scared yes, but petrified? Not so much. She didn't need help getting down, she had four working legs and long, elegant tail for balance. She'd managed to ease hr way down before. It was easy as long as she didn't think about that horrifying gravity experience. Then again Dawntail was right, Littleleaf wasn't exactly helping by mentioning the incident.

Nightpaw felt ashamed for accepting the help but didn't fight or complain as the tabby she-cat's teeth gently but firmly closed on her scruff. With expertise and motherly care the pair reached the ground swiftly and neatly. Nightpaw had forced herself to relax a little and go limp, tucking her fore paws against her body in a manner similar to a horse jumping over a high fence.

Nightpaw's features displayed her annoyance and displeasure to the medicine cat's fussing but let her do it all the same with nothing more than body language. " I'm fine, today honest. I love climbing trees though, I don't want to stop. I've learned my lesson I won't chase a squirrel up the tree again I promise. Just don't tell my sister or Smallstar, please? I'll stick to the low branches. I want to hunt! I want to practice stalking birds, I haven't had a chance to try it in a while."

Nightpaw was truly blessed to have Dawntail as a clan-mate. The queen was so full of understanding and compassion that lit the whole camp up despite their gloomy surroundings. She didn't mind working with the elders, she loved their stories, not their complaints.

((Okay, I think I addressed everything. xD))

[whitepaw]

Littleleaf's eyes were cold, hard and narrowed, she opened her mouth to retort at Dawntail, but she closed it slowly and her gaze softened as it settled on Nightpaw. She had been a little hard on him, although she had already warned him. Nightpaw was only an apprentice and he had a lot to learn. Littleleaf's voice was smooth and flawless as she spoke to Nightpaw. Littleleaf ignored Dawntail's crude comments. It was as it was and you couldn't change a cat. If Dawntail wanted to be rude to Littleleaf she could, but Dawntial would never lay a claw on Littleleaf because Smallstar would know about before you could say 'mouse'. Littleleaf's voice was hardly a whisper, but her voice carried wisdom and confidence,
"Nightpaw, I'm sorry for raising my voice, just be careful okay? I don't want you to get hurt, how'd you like it if you could never become a warrior? Anyway, I like your idea. Stick to the low branches for now and I'll check you in a little bit. You'll be as good as new once you've rested and taken it easy. Remember, if you can't breath or your chest if hurting tell me okay?"
Littleleaf glanced at Dawntail, narrowed her eyes then looked back at Nightpaw, awaiting an answer. Littleleaf was coming, or trailing behind their hunting patrol. Perhaps she'd make it so Dawntial didn't know she was there, just so Littleleaf could watch Nightpaw. Besides, she really could do with some more herbs. Littleleaf stretched and sniffed the air. Littleleaf felt some pity for Dawntail, her having to leave Dark-kit but it was no reason to be cranky. The three would need to get moving soon before it got dark but Littleleaf waited patiently, deciding firmly that Dawntail was having a bad day, Nightpaw was bored and curious and she would never really tell Nightpaw's mentor or Smallstar he was out, unless it was real bad. Littleleaf was quite fair, after all.

[Silvercloud]

Relief washed over the tiny ebony and white marked female. She dipped her crescent moon marked head in respect to the clan's medicine cat. At least she understood and wasn't so mad. Her mood brightened as the she-cat's blue eyes softened. Nightpaw's ears pricked forward as the she-cat's lips started to move. Her black and white ears strained to catch the friendly words from the tortoiseshell. A small smile tugged at her pale pink lips and pulled them up wards. Littleleaf was so forgiving, if only Blackwing could practice such a trait. Perhaps she should spend some time with the she-cat. The thought amused her and she could picture her sister with Littleleaf. The pair would be exchanging critiques, using words to fight for them. As surprising as it might seem Blackwing did have a sense of respect, though out of fear for StarClan and the Warrior Code. She would never strike out at Littleleaf.

The small smile faded from her face at th mention of not becoming a warrior. What would she do? The thought of being maimed so severe that she could no longer fulfill warrior duties caused her to panic and her hear began to race. She could scarcely imagine having to go through such pain and be a cripple for the rest of her life. It would hardly be a life living and having horrifying nightmares and flash backs. Reliving the fall was bad enough and she hoped that that would be all.

Careful? Such a interesting word and it was something she heard often enough. Her fears and visions of being maimed left her mind and the smile returned. "Don't worry I'll take it easy and be careful. I'll come by your den if I feel any pain." Her blue eyes were warm and filled with thanks. She held Littleleaf's gaze for a moment before switching it to the tabby warrior. She was ready to go and start hunting.


((Blah not great but its here. ^^))