Healing Herbs

[kelsey .]

Bluefeather sorted her herbs in a unique way, making sure everything was correct and neat. She was ready. It was time to give her apprentice, Frostpaw, a lesson about healing herbs.

"Frostpaw? Come here, dear," she said in her quiet fashion. Ever since Snowliily, er, died, she had been quiet and observant, a feeling she rather... liked. It was good to not open your mouth at every second.

[..::Frostpaw::..]

Frostpaw padded over to Bluefeather, her new mentor. Eagerly she meowed, "Yes Bluefeather?"

[kelsey .]

"We have to do a lesson." Bluefeather meowed anxiously. Would she be able to do this right? "Er... See, this is marigold. You can tell it from any other plant because of it's sweet scent." she scooted the leaves to Frostpaw, so she could smell them.

[..::Frostpaw::..]

Frostpaw leaned forward to take in the herb's scent. It was quite a distinctive scent, and Frostpaw pulled away in surprise at the strong smell with eagerness to learn more. "Wow, that's a really strong scent. What's it used for?" she asked her mentor curiously, her head tilted to one side, her icey blue eyes gleaming.

[kelsey .]

"Marigold is chewed up into a poultice to stop infection," Bluefeather explained. She took out a few moire leaves, some more stronger smelling than others. She pulled out a darker roan color leaf, sliding it forward carefully. "This is watermint," she said softly. "It helps cats suffering bellyache."

[..::Frostpaw::..]

Frostpaw bent down to take a sniff at the new herb. "That actually smells pretty good," she purred. She was determined to remember the smells of each and every herb she came across, if she was to be a future medicine cat. "Are there any more you'd like me to learn today? I am so excited! This is going to be so much fun!" Frostpaw sat down and quickly licked one of her front paws, waiting to see what her mentor would bring out next.

[kelsey .]

Bluefeather's mood was brightened at her apprentices enthusiasm. She sidled a few more herbs over, letting Frostpaw take sniffs. "Those are Juniper, Tansy, and Poppy." she looked at her apprentice cautiously. She then rolled a dark red berry over to Frostpaw. "These are Deathberries." she said, her voice now low and careful. "If kits or elders ingest this, they'll die within hours."

[..::Frostpaw::..]

"I'll stay away from Deathberries, then!" Frostpaw purred. "So, what are Juniper, Tansy, and Poppy used for?" She bent down to take long sniffs of each herb, because she wanted to know each scent by heart. After all, she knew sooner or later, she'd have a test on her skills one day and also one day get to start helping with patients. But, right now, she was only curious about which herbs were which.

[kelsey .]

Bluefeather smiled wanly. "Juniper is also used for bellyaches, but also helps cats with shortness of breath. Poppy is used for cats in distressed; it soothes pain. And Tansy is used for coughs, strongly recommended for whitecough." she looked down. Speaking of coughs...

She pulled out a plant that was leafy and delicious smelling. "This is catmint. It cures the worse, most deadly cough. Greencough."

[..::Frostpaw::..]

Frostpaw nodded understandingly. "What happens when a cat gets Greencough?" she asked, her curiosity overtaking her as she took a long sniff of the catmint.

[kelsey .]

Bluefeather froze. "When a kit or elder has it, it's very possible they will die over night. Cats with Greencough have spiking fevers and runny noses. It's hard to breathe. And move. And Greencough is very, very contagious."

[..::Frostpaw::..]

"I see. So, it usually comes around during leaf-bare, doesn't it? Isn't leaf-bare near? Or isn't it.." Frostpaw asked with a slightly worried look on her face. She hoped that Greencough wouldn't strike too bad this year, and she hoped that if it did, at least most of the cats would survive that caught it. "How long does it take to recover from Greencough? Er, that is, if the cats who catch it survive.." Frostpaw looked at the her solid white paws, then looked back up at her mentor.

[kelsey .]

Bluefeather's eyes sfoten. "Don't worry. We'll collect tons of catnip soon. We'll try to survive it..." she deliberatley ignored Frostpaw's other question, about the duration of Greencough.

[..::Frostpaw::..]

Frostpaw sat staring at the herbs, wondering when she would get to use them. She was worried that she had asked a little too much, and so she dropped the subject. She may just find out how long Greencough lasted for herself, although, that was one thing about being a medicine cat apprentice she wasn't looking forward to. "So, Bluefeather, when will I start to collect herbs for you and help with patients? I can't wait!"

[kelsey .]

"Soon," she said, brightening at her apprentices enthusiasm. "We'll have to put some of these herbs back, and we have to sort and discard others. I think we're short on Chervi, so we'll collect some of that, too." She stopped suddenly. She smelled blood, coming from a wound on a cats paw. And then, a long furred white she-cat came through the Medicine Den entrance. "Arcticstar," she greeted her leader warmly. "I see you have a thorn in your paw."

Arcticstar nodded. "I was on border patrol, and the silly thing stuck right into me." Bluefeather glanced over at Frostpaw. "Your first patient, Frostpaw." Bluefeather said, smiling. "Just tug the thorn out, and then put some Cobweb on it." she pulled out a web of sticky cobweb, and placed it on Frostpaw's right paw. "I know you can do it," she said, encouraging the apprentice. Taking throns out could be hard work, and often their was some blood.

[..::Frostpaw::..]

Frostpaw dipped her head in respect to her leader. "Hello, Arcticstar." Frostpaw's eyes gleamed when she heard she'd be getting to tend to a patient. She turned to Bluefeather and replied, "Ok, I'll try." She walked over to Arcticstar and sat in front of her. With her forepaws, she pulled the thorn out and pressed cobwebs onto the spot where the thorn was. "Is that better?" she asked Arcticstar.

[kelsey .]

Arcticstar winced as the thorn came out, but she nodded, putting a little pressure onto her paw. "Yes, very." She meowed warmly, glad that the apprentice was doing so well. Pressing the cobweb harder on to her paw, she decided she'd leave the dressing on and take it off later, when she was settled into her warm, dry nest. That way, she didn't have to discard it in the medicine den, which would seem a little rude, according to her. She didn't want to be disrespectful to neither Bluefeather or Frostpaw, they have done so much and will do a lot for the Clan if past and future moons. She cinged sadly at the thought of the deceased Snowlily, who had saved the Clan many times before, whether it be attle, sickness, or advice. "Thank you, Frostpaw," She meowed, on a happier note. She walked out of the den that smelled like too many herbs.

"Good job!" Bluefeather exclaimed, licking her apprentices head. "Your a natural." She blinked warmly, and went on discovering more herbs for the apprentice to learn about. "This is borage- have I already mentioned that?" She went on without any reply. "Borage helps nursing mothers get milk- it's a very useful herb." She slid some of the green, juicy leaf forward, for frostpaw to sniff. Next she'd get out an herb you'd have to make a poultice for, so Frostpaw could chew it up like she was going to heal a battle wound. She hoped no battles would break out- although the threat of SilenceClan was so heavy it could knock all four clans- no, five clans including TrueClan- down. she shivered as she saw the ugly demons breaking through camp, wreaking havoc... shaking her head to clear bad thoughts, she waited for Frostpaw to sniff in the tangy smell of the thick Borage leaves.