Closed Thread The Prey Still Poisoned [6TL2020]

Having little else to do during a peaceful morning, Flutterdream had briefly checked over her herbs before perching herself outside of the medicine den. She was pretty much in the shade, but she let her feathery tail drift towards a patch of sunlight, warming her body to a comfortable temperature. As of recently, she had little trouble as medicine cat. Most cats were staying injury free and Clovershine and the kits were strong and healthy, so when Heronsong anxiously approached her, she gave her a friendly but questioning look. 'Yes, of course. Come inside where we can talk in private' she said softly. She wasn't sure if it was a private conversation, but it was always better to have a sense of privacy, even if talking about the most basic things. 

She swept the floor lightly with her tail, inviting Heronsong to sit down. Despite being a well sheltered den, a reasonable level of light still penetrated the roof, allowing for a comfortable feel within the den. 'Is everything alright Hersonsong?' she queried, giving the warrior a hopeful look. 

Relief bloomed around Heronsong with the strong scent of herbs as she sat down in front of the fluffy tortoiseshell. "Well...yes, I suppose," she answered, trying her hardest not to mumble. "It's just...I--I can't help it. Ever since we found out the prey was what was killing cats at random, I--I'm worried." Her amber gaze fell between her paws as she tried to figure out the exact right words.

"I'm worried, all the time. I...it's hard to eat now. Every time I sit down to eat, I can't help but fear, every time." She took in a deep breath, ignoring the pangs of hunger still gripping her stomach. "And I check my prey, too, so I know they're not poisoned, but...what if I miss something? I miss something once, and I'm done for, you know? I just..."

Letting out a shaky sigh, she continued, "Is there anything that can help me...get over this? Feel better? Because I'm sort of...scared to eat, now."

A quiet, rumbling purr emerged from Flutterdream, though it lacked any scorn. 'Even the bravest of warriors have fears, and this one is completely understandable'. Flutterdream gently placed her feathery tail on her shoulder, though it was a bit of a reach due to her smaller nature. 'Fear is something we cannot control, no matter how much we want to. Instead, we learn how to live beside it, and overcome it. I have some herbs that might help ease your troubles, but first I would like to talk a little more

'You already do the first step right. Checking for poison will be extremely important for reassuring yourself, but there are other things you can try too. First of all, it would be highly unlikely to miss such bile within the prey, and I know you are completely capable of looking for it. When you start to feel anxious about eating, just focus on your prey, rather than what might happen. Have another look and focus on what you see and not what you think. Sometimes thoughts are a little hard to block out, so you can try look around at your clanmates too, watch them as they eat and see if that brings any sort of comfort towards yourself.' The small she-cat paused. She had said a lot, and she needed to give Heronsong time to process what she had said. Sometimes the things she suggested wouldn't work, and that was okay, but it was all about trying, as if you didn't try there was no point at all. 

'Even I have my own troubles. I am a cat blessed by none other than StarClan, yet if too many cats start talking to me at once I freeze. It's like a loose my senses, and can't feel myself anymore. My heart races and my chest tightens. It may be a different situation for you, but I grew to overcome it. Mostly. Sometimes I still get a little overwhelmed, but I have a few strategies I run through, which is what I want to try with you, alongside the help of some herbs.'

Heronsong sat quietly as Flutterdream spoke, admiring her kind tone of voice and ease with which she let the words out. Though they were relatively close in age, Heronsong would have mistaken her for someone several years her elder. Focus on what I do see, she repeated in her mind. Like hunting, I think.

She nodded as the medicine cat gave a pause. "That all makes sense..." The nervous energy in her chest was starting to quell, her heartbeat slowly just enough to let her relax her shoulders.

Part of her and her empty stomach still felt foolish for all these overblown feelings, but the medicine cat's soothing voice was enough to put at least most of her body at ease. "Thank you," she mewed with a slight sigh of relief. "The poison just took so many lives, I guess I'm still just shaken up about it."

Flutterdream held her gaze with Heronsong's for a little while, nodding her head slightly at her thanks. 'With me here, no more will die from this curse. I will do everything in my all to make sure of that.' She could still sense a small amount of nervousness radiating from the she-cat, and whether it was from the prey, or coming to talk to the medicine cat she did not know. But it did not matter. She let her tail weight down on her shoulder for a little longer before telling Heronsong she would get a few herbs to help ease the rest of her day. 

She briskly walked over to her store, reaching her paw towards her collection of Caraway seeds. Unlike poppy seeds, which would have the risk of making her sleepy, Caraway would help calm Heronsong's nervous system while still keeping her alert enough to perform her duties. If she was being kept up by her troubles, then Flutterdream would offer poppy. 'Here, these seeds should help both your mind and body calm down. Do your best to chew or swallow them while I find a little something for your nest.' Flutterdream peered into the area where she kept her dried flowers, looking for the familiar purple petals of lavender. She bundled a few stalks of the flowers within her tail before indicating to Hersonsong to stand up. 'Come, we can weave these stalks of lavender into your nest, and the scent shall help you feel more calm. When you feel too overwhelmed, retreat back to your nest and let the scent wash over you, focusing on your senses and not your mind. If you are feeling extremely awful, you may have some of the flowers from the lavender.'

Heronsong nodded. She could fully believe that Flutterdream would take care of the clan.  She just hoped no one would eat the green mush before the medicine cat could get to them. Still listening as Flutterdream searched the den, she bent and licked up the caraway seeds. As the earthy flavor spread between her teeth, she wrinkled her nose--it wasn't bad, exactly, but it wasn't a rich, bloody vole, either.

She stood as Flutterdream finished gathering a few strands of lavender. Now those plants had a strong, pleasant scent that almost washed out the taste of the seeds. "Okay," she said, letting out another breath. "Thank you for all this. It all sounds rather helpful." She flicked an ear with embarrassment as her stomach growled again, and cracked a sheepish smile. "I think after this, I'll try some fresh-kill, too."