Closed Thread [Closed] Bark of Willow & Leaf of Nettle (PRIVATE - 20FG)

Willowfrost was humming to herself at the back of the Medicine Cat's den. She had just been out herb gathering the day before and was hard at work organizing the newly obtained treasures into their proper places. 

The sun wasn't quite up yet, but already a warm breeze was blowing into the den, rustling her silver fur and wafting pleasant scents into her nose. Along with something else...

Oh? That must be...

"Don't be shy, Nettlekit, dear." Willowfrost's call was decorated with a pleasant purr as she turned her misty blue eyes towards the entrance of the den where she'd noticed the kit's scent.

"Do come in, little one! Is everything alright?"

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It was only a moment before he was met with an approving meow. That meant... Willowfrost was here! The edges of his blue eyes were wide as he stepped in, with permission this time, he'd add. It wasn't his fault that her herbs were so enchanting!

While her voice was welcome, her choice of words brought a bristle to the end of his fringed tail. Calling Nettlekit shy was like comparing him to his brother - which he didn't much appreciate. Tossing his head with a prideful saunter, Nettlekit approached Willowfrost.

"I'm not shy!" He reasoned out loud with a little indigannt huff. "I'm just being respectful!" It was only a matter of time until she inquired about his visit - and at that moment, the kit turned thoughtful, the spite instantly receding from his body.

"My... I... "

Paw? Tripped? A whisper of uncertainty, voice trailing softer and softer before he finally shook his head.

When he looked up towards the medicine cat, his blue eyes were stormy with severity. "I had a dream." Stated simply, earnestly. He sat down not far from her, and gave a slight shiver.

A small murr of laughter escaped Willowfrost and she padded closer to the young kit, her eyes bright with affection. "Oh yes, how could I be so silly!" she exclaimed "Your mother certainly taught you wonderful manners."

Finishing her sentence, Willowfrost sat a few tail lengths away from the kit and wrapped her tail around her paws in anticipation. Kits rarely visited her den, unless they had too of course, but from what she could tell, Nettlekit seemed perfectly healthy. 

Ah, a dream hmmm...

"A dream you say? Would you like to tell me about it, sweet paws? I'm always happy to help!"

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While oft misplacing manners, Nettlekit certainly wanted to be on the right foot with Willowfrost. Certainly out of anyone in the clan she would understand. After all, didn't she have Starclan's ear? That certainly elevated her in his eyes, and as he looked up at her, he couldn't help but give her a small smile at her willingness to help him in that matter. It had been bothering him all night.

"Well," He began, settling himself down onto the medicine cat's den floor with a flurry of his fringed tail. "It all began yesterday when I was talking with Boldstar. I asked him what the biggest fish he ever caught was and he said that he caught a trout as big as his tail once and that it was rainbow colored!"

The kit's restlessness brought him to his paws again, and he stood there, swaying with thought as he recounted his dream to her. It wasn't long before he began to pace the walls of the den, every once and awhile glancing to see if she was paying attention. "In my dream I was facing the river and it was full of those rainbow colored fish! But when I tried to catch one they kept slipping away from me, even though I was using my claws. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't catch any fish."

His tail sagged as he turned fully to face her. "How can I be provide for my clan if I can't catch any fish?"

The smile drifted from Willowfrost's face as she listened to the young kit before her. Dreams were extremely important, especially for those so young. Of course, many cats would discount a kit's dreams to be meaningless messages of milk and cottonfluff, but Willowfrost wasn't among them.

The most innocent of minds, most often, hold the rarest treasures.

"Hmm, yes I hear you..." Willowfrost murmured softly as Nettlekit spoke, taking note of his restless paw steps while primarily focusing on the details of his dream and what they could mean.

She did not want to interrupt his train of thought, so she waited until he had stopped speaking, his little form so full of spirit before, now a small ball in front of her. 

"Now, dear one" Willowfrost spoke softly, a serious tone to her usually light mew. "I want you to first understand how brave you are for coming to talk to me about your dream. Not everyone likes to face the stories that StarClan sends to them." The Medicine Cat allowed a small smile to return in order to send her message home. She did not want Nettlekit to feel ashamed of his dream in any way. 

"Secondly, dreams do not always have meanings, but this one...yes...I believe it has quite a lot to tell us."

Pausing for a moment, Willowfrost listened to the sounds around her as she thought. A breeze rustling through the herbs she had left at the back of the den, voices of their Clanmates bubbling outside, and the river itself chuckling as it flowed.  

StarClan, please give me wisdom for this young kit...

"Nettlekit, do you think that catching fish and fighting over borders is the only way for a cat to provide for its clan?"

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Nearly pacing a hole in the den from his trail, he felt deflated. His posture was uncertain as his wide eyes, usually sharpened with intuition, lay bare and vunerable before Willowfrost. What he had dreamed had really shook him to the point of seeking guidance. Guidance and perhaps acceptance - answers, even vague, would be better than wallowing in fear and uncertainty.

Staring, Nettlekit watched the thoughts turning inside her head. Or at least he hoped they were just thoughts. Please don't think it's stupid! Judgement... coming from her would be a heavy blow. Yet instead, her first words were that of encouragement and he could feel the tips of his ears warm with quick onsetting relief.

Of course, he was wise to bring his dream to Willowfrost's attention. His chest puffed up with a returning swagger, yet his entire ego was put on pause briefly. Starclan? Could it be a sign? The only cat he knew that might have a solution would be her, and he listened, enraptured as her voice fell silent. As the smallest details of clan life took root in his ears as he was left at his smallest state.

Strangely humbling, if only temporarily to the kit's ever roaming mind. He had been silent up to this point, yet his eyes gleamed with acknowledgement. "N-No... A clan needs to have kits, like me, to continue on. And there's you, Willowfrost. Without medicine cats the clans wouldn't know what to do or prepare for!"

"Preciously, dear one! Well done!"

Willowfrost purred softly in a quick acknowledgement of Nettlekit's statement. He was quick witted for his age, and ready to unpuzzle her questions. She was pleased with the consideration he took before answering and she could tell by his stillness that he was taking the situation seriously. 

She took another pause before continuing. 

"Queens bring kits into the world, providing strength to the clan through their sacrifice. Elders offer wisdom and insight thanks to their many years. The Leader and Deputy guide us through the hardest of tribulations while apprentices rise above their kittenhood to learn how to best care for their clan as a new generation...and yes, Medicine Cats have their place as well. Offering guidance and care in the darkest of times."

Willowfrost wrapped her tail around her paws and brought her nose just a hair closer to the kitten in front of her. No, towards the young cat in front of her. 

"Nettlekit, your dream may be telling you that your paws are meant for more than just providing for your clan in the traditional way...have you ever thought that perhaps, StarClan is calling you towards a different path?"

She waited, still as a puddle on a windless day.

She had not anticipated this day would come as soon as it had, however, from her experience she knew that StarClan always loved to surprise those who were willing to listen. 

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Nettlekit stood stock still, suspense eating away at his nerves as he awaited the medicine cat's reply. Just thinking that an answer might not be satisfactory could have made him nauseous if it meant falling under her judgmental stare. But instead of admonishment, he was met with a purr, and praise - and the kit nearly fluffed up with pride. He had given it an honest attempt, and his fringed tail flicked with anticipation. He could barely wait!

He nodded as she spoke of how each member of the clan contributes to its betterment. Elders were indeed wise. They had lived long lives and experienced a lot of things - so they'd better be! Leaders and Deputies were cats that needed to be trusted. Nettlekit trusted Boldstar enough, and had faith in his leadership so far... Starclan had given him lives and he had even used a couple to save Riverclan lives!

He thought briefly of his mother. While she was in the nursery, she hadn't returned to warrior duties. And his brother and him were still kits. Growing to be sure, but still very young. He wasn't exactly sure what was destined for him, but if recalling the early days of his nursery stay, he wasn't really fond of all the romping and kit fighting. Sparring with his brother was less fun and he much preferred listening to stories and putting his mind to different sorts of mental experiments.

Like, what would happen if Willowfrost kept a fish? Surely they can't just be for eating!

When he blinked, she was closer, just a hair, yet the intensity of her stare held him still. "Starclan? Calling me? Well... Mintkit is so excited to become a warrior, but when I try to picture myself as a warrior, it's foggy." His dream pretty much solidified this feeling. He wasn't meant to be a warrior. Not him. Taking a steadying breath, Nettlekit hadn't looked away from her sky blue eyes. He wasn't scared.

"I want to do more. And I like the smell of herbs. And- and, if Starclan is trying to guide my paws to be your apprentice, Willowfrost, I'd do my best!"

A breath of peace and happiness washed over Willowfrost like a breeze on the WindClan borders. She knew the moment Nettlekit spoke that StarClan had made the right decision-it was time to take on an apprentice and Nettlekit was her chosen helper. 

With a quick movement, Willowfrost covered the rest of the distance between her and Nettlekit, giving him a decisive lick on the forehead. 

"Well, sweet paws, I'm as proud as they come!" she crooned, her eyes sparkling like the night sky. "I feel confident that StarClan is calling us together, and if you'd like to answer that call, I'd be more than thrilled to teach you the ways of a Medicine Cat."

Sitting closer to Nettlekit, Willowfrost wrapped a gentle tail around his small frame and looked down at him warmly. 

"Of course, the decision isn't final there. Let me speak with Boldstar and see what he thinks. Does that sound alright to you?"

She knew that Boldstar would be supportive of her decision, especially with how important it was to get an apprentice trained, but she still wanted to do things the proper way. 

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Nettlekit himseld could scarsely come to believe his good fortune. Where once he awoken with apprehnsion and concern, now he felt comforted and encouraged in what he deemed to be a sign from Starclan. Providing for Riverclan the traditional way might be good enough for Mintkit, but he always thought that perhaps he was destined for something more than border squabbles and pouncing after prey.

Every cat had their place, their own duties and responcibilities, and in this case, he felt the drive pulling him closer to Willowfrost. Indeed, the silvery tabby drew closer to him, and he couldn't help but purr, even if the attention seemed to start to get under his fur. Proud of himself and the ever expansive capabilities of Starclan, Nettlekit could have blushed.

A medicine cat. Him. And the only thing keeping him from his destiny was Boldstar. From their interactions the other day he wondered what the big, grizzly tom thought about him. He did his very best to impress him, but he doubted Boldstar could be impressed so easily. Pushing down the slighest bit of creeping unease, the young cat sat on his haunches. Feeding off the she-cat's warmth despite him making a half, slightly awkward effort to return the affection.

"Yes. You can talk to him. See what he thinks." An ear flicked at the notion that betrayed his outward confidence. Please approve, Boldstar!

Willowfrost nodded her head and purring contentedly, she moved away from the kit to give him space. 

"Wonderful! I will speak with Boldstar the moment I find him." She was extremely excited, and a bit nervous to be honest, but she wasn't about to pass that energy onto the young one in front of her. Especially considering the big day he'd already had. 

"Now, you've had quite the day so far with such little sleep! Why don't you run along now and enjoy the rest of your morning." she smiled "I'll come and find you once I hear back from Boldstar!"

Walking to the back of her den, Willowfrost began sorting herbs again before pausing. "Unless you need anything else of course, sweet paws. Did you come here for anything else other than to chat? No upset stomach or injuries?"

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Nettlekit gave the she-cat a nod, but not before his maw pitched wide with a kittish yawn. It was obvious that he hadn't the best rest, and the lack of sleep was catching up to him. He was more than pleased with how his courage had driven him to her paws. Her guidance was worth it, but he wasn't about to argue going back to bed.

"Okay, Willowfrost." He mewed simply, rising to his paws and sliding forward in a stretch. Watching her out of the corner of his blue eyes at the back of the den, Nettlekit was again confronted briefly with his thoughts upon entering her herd lined abode. It wouldn't have been proper to lie about an injury, however minor, just to have an excuse to talk to her.

In this rare case, he was glad he opened up to her. "I'm fine." He assured her with a flick of his ear before he quietly made his exit. "Thank you..." Appreciation like a dovelike coo from his maw as he slipped out of her den, making his way back to the nursery while his mind seemed a flutter like the windbeats of a hundred butterflies. He could only imagine what lay in store for him now.