𝕃𝕒𝕜𝕖ℂ𝕝𝕒𝕟
Briarbird had returned from her patrol with Glacierstar, and after a parting word slipped into the medicine den. Her whiskers brushed against the right side of the tunnel wall every so often, letting her know that she was walking on the right side; such things were important to avoid crashes in the darkness of LakeClan's Leafbare den. She was barley five steps from the main den when the sound of Appleleaves' fretting reached her ears.
"Oh, this can't be all our raspberry leaves!"
Crocuspaw's uncertain voice came after. "I'm sure that's enough, Appleleaves..."
"But-"
The tom stopped himself short as Briarbird entered the den. The bard could feel him turn his head towards her, but couldn't see him nor his apprentice. "Hello?" The Herbalist called. "Are you hurt?"
Briarbird set the holly berries at her paws. "Nope!" She mewed. "Healthy as ever. I brought an herb for you."
"You did?" Soft pawsteps approached her from the darkness, and Briarbird could just make out the shape of Appleleaves as he drew closer. His whiskers brushed against her face. "Oh, that's wonderful, Briarbird! Thank you so much!"
Warmth swelled in the bard's chest. Unbeknownst to her, the Herbalist grimaced when he identified the herbs as holly berries, but he was too polite to say anything to her. Instead, he carefully grabbed the bunch of berries by the stem and walked them over to the stores.
"Thank you, Briarbird." Came Crocuspaw's voice once Appleleaves was safely out of earshot. "He's been worrying non-stop. You'd think the camp had fallen into utter chaos." Briarbird could practically feel the apprentice roll her eyes.
"If he's going to make you look for herbs with him, I could come along?" The bard offered to the darkness. "I think I'm pretty good at sniffing them out" She added, smiling even though she knew the apprentice couldn't see it. She was quite proud to have brought something for Appleleaves to use.
"I think he'd appreciate that." Crocuspaw agreed. "He couldn't protest against more eyes and noses in the search."
~
So, the three cats set out in search for herbs, though Appleleaves reminded Crocuspaw and Briarbird to keep an eye out for prey as well. He didn't want anyone getting sick, not from the cold or lack of prey.
Though Crocuspaw and Briarbird were usually the sort to be in good spirits whatever the circumstance, Appleleaves' apparent distress kept them quiet. Silence hung heavy over the patrol, broken only by the crunch of their snow under their paws. Appleleaves led the way, his tail flicking irritably as he muttered to himself about herbs and illnesses.
Briarbird, for one, hated the tension in the air. In an attempt to lighten the mood, she turned to Crocuspaw and did what bards do best: offered a story. "Have you heard the tale of Feeterina?" Briarbird asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.
A sharp look from Appleleaves stopped the apprentice from responding, and caused Briarbird to duck her head sheepishly. "Sorry. Right. Herbs." She mewed. The bard bumped Crocuspaw with her flank. "Next time, then. Good luck!"
And with that, she split off to look for herbs and prey. Crocuspaw and Appleleaves continued on together for a few minutes more - after the Herbalist apologized - though they two eventually parted ways to cover more ground.
{556 Words}
Briarbird had returned from her patrol with Glacierstar, and after a parting word slipped into the medicine den. Her whiskers brushed against the right side of the tunnel wall every so often, letting her know that she was walking on the right side; such things were important to avoid crashes in the darkness of LakeClan's Leafbare den. She was barley five steps from the main den when the sound of Appleleaves' fretting reached her ears.
"Oh, this can't be all our raspberry leaves!"
Crocuspaw's uncertain voice came after. "I'm sure that's enough, Appleleaves..."
"But-"
The tom stopped himself short as Briarbird entered the den. The bard could feel him turn his head towards her, but couldn't see him nor his apprentice. "Hello?" The Herbalist called. "Are you hurt?"
Briarbird set the holly berries at her paws. "Nope!" She mewed. "Healthy as ever. I brought an herb for you."
"You did?" Soft pawsteps approached her from the darkness, and Briarbird could just make out the shape of Appleleaves as he drew closer. His whiskers brushed against her face. "Oh, that's wonderful, Briarbird! Thank you so much!"
Warmth swelled in the bard's chest. Unbeknownst to her, the Herbalist grimaced when he identified the herbs as holly berries, but he was too polite to say anything to her. Instead, he carefully grabbed the bunch of berries by the stem and walked them over to the stores.
"Thank you, Briarbird." Came Crocuspaw's voice once Appleleaves was safely out of earshot. "He's been worrying non-stop. You'd think the camp had fallen into utter chaos." Briarbird could practically feel the apprentice roll her eyes.
"If he's going to make you look for herbs with him, I could come along?" The bard offered to the darkness. "I think I'm pretty good at sniffing them out" She added, smiling even though she knew the apprentice couldn't see it. She was quite proud to have brought something for Appleleaves to use.
"I think he'd appreciate that." Crocuspaw agreed. "He couldn't protest against more eyes and noses in the search."
~
So, the three cats set out in search for herbs, though Appleleaves reminded Crocuspaw and Briarbird to keep an eye out for prey as well. He didn't want anyone getting sick, not from the cold or lack of prey.
Though Crocuspaw and Briarbird were usually the sort to be in good spirits whatever the circumstance, Appleleaves' apparent distress kept them quiet. Silence hung heavy over the patrol, broken only by the crunch of their snow under their paws. Appleleaves led the way, his tail flicking irritably as he muttered to himself about herbs and illnesses.
Briarbird, for one, hated the tension in the air. In an attempt to lighten the mood, she turned to Crocuspaw and did what bards do best: offered a story. "Have you heard the tale of Feeterina?" Briarbird asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.
A sharp look from Appleleaves stopped the apprentice from responding, and caused Briarbird to duck her head sheepishly. "Sorry. Right. Herbs." She mewed. The bard bumped Crocuspaw with her flank. "Next time, then. Good luck!"
And with that, she split off to look for herbs and prey. Crocuspaw and Appleleaves continued on together for a few minutes more - after the Herbalist apologized - though they two eventually parted ways to cover more ground.
{556 Words}
--cats on patrol
Briarbird | HP 100% | HUP 10% | Sick: N
Appleleaves | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: N
Crocuspaw | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: N
--level 1
experience: 34/200
--items in inventory used
N/A
--predators:
Fox
Stoat
Wolf
Bear
Falcon