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Who: Badgerstar & Rowanglade ( @Kitsufox )
What: Discussing the Clan's future
When: Early evening of the 1st of First Green, 2020
Where: WindClan camp outskirts
It still felt unreal. Roughly three moons ago, he, Badgerstar, had been Badgerclaw. He'd been a warrior well on his way to earning the position of deputy. And now? Now he was where many paws had stood, though he was sure most of them had a better idea of where WindClan's destiny would be than he did. As he sat by the edge of camp in an area that had full view of the stars while being far enough from prying ears, he debated this silently.
Rowanglade, whom he was waiting for, was a cat with moons of experience under her paws. She had to be two full cycles of seasons older than him, give or take. And, certainly, she was not a terrible medicine cat. On the contrary, she knew her herbs and practices very well. But the kind of help Badgerstar needed was something more spiritual. Still within the realms of a medicine cat's duties, he awaited her counsel.
When he caught the sounds of a cat approaching, he looked over his shoulder. "Rowanglade?"
Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.
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Rowanglade slid though the quiet of the camp, walking with purpose to where Badgerstar had asked her to meet him this evening. She joined tom, settling herself next to him, her pelt glowing beige in the moonlight. She wrapped her dark tail fastidiously around her paws before turning to the larger dark shape. "Hello Badgerstar."
There wasn't as much to say in greeting as there was about where their paws would take them together, leader and medicine cat both. "I hope the day has treated you well," Badgerstar mewed politely. In truth, although he certainly had been to Rowanglade's den of healing many times over the course of his warrior days, he didn't think he had any right to act casually with her.
Looking to her, he said, "I... will admit I don't have any specific plans for this talk. I'm not sure if Honeystar ever did. Still, I want us to work together as best we can. For the sake of WindClan and its future."
Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.
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"Honeystar and I worked together just as you and I will. WindClan comes first." Rowanglade spoke with unwavering confidence. She didn't need to hear the words, but it seemed Badgerstar did. But he was young, and finding his way through to become the leader he was meant to be. "There's no reason to be worried. I was called to be a Medicine Cat and StarClan found you worthy when you faced them for your lives."
She looked up at silverpelt above and waited on the big tom's next words. She was certain he would find his voice and ask what even he didn't know he needed answers to yet. Rowanglade wondered if she'd left him to his own devices for too long in her efforts to give him space to find his own way as leader.
Badgerstar gave Rowanglade a solemn nod in response. He knew that, although a cat might experience a whole spectrum of emotions and events, the Clan's future was always more important. After all, what made a warrior was not mere survival, but the continuation of culture, tradition, and honor. Thus, a life extended beyond just one cat. Nonetheless, he felt he needed to hear what Rowanglade had to say. He knew it to be true, but having a voice other than his own explain it was reassuring.
"That is true. If StarClan didn't want us guiding the paws of WindClan, they would have rejected each of us in turn. It isn't often a leader is deemed unworthy, either. But I was shaking so hard as we approached Mothermouth. Do you recall?" Badgerstar asked with a hint of amusement. Then he followed it with a more serious topic. "I know this past leafbare was tough on the Clan... but it feels like it was worse than others."
Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.
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"Mothermouth is overwhelming even when you see it often." There was a purring laugh in Rowanglade's voice as she said the words. She couldn't specifically say that the nerves tied to leaders, but she'd see enough apprentices make their trips that it made sense for a Deputy preparing to become Leader to be even more stressed.
Then she moved on to the second question. "This Leaf-bare has been particularly brutal. Prey ran more poorly than most years, and that's led to more sickness because cats are weakened. WindClan lost much, but we survived." Rowanglade suspected it was one of the worst leaf-bares ever, but didn't feel she needed to say the words out loud. It was bad enough to know for sure that it was the worst one she remembered personally. Thankfully, New-leaf had dawned and prey was running again. "Slim years usually give way to rich ones. And StarClan has given no warnings of continued starving times."
It was comforting to know that even a medicine cat, as sage and connected to their ancestors as they were, would always be humbled before the gaping maw of Mothermouth. But he did not comment, deciding to focus on the Clan's past leafbare.
His stomach tightened thinking of the days where prey ran so poorly that, although the elders and nursing got their share, the Clan practically starved into husks. Badgerstar nodded. "That's the important part. Survival. As long as we make it to the return of leaves and life, we will always survive," he said softly. Although things had been awful, there was still a promising future for the Clan. "It's good to know that StarClan has no dire warnings for the moment. I appreciate their wisdom and guidance, but in this case, the silence is... promising."
A moment later, he continued to speak. "It is not my place to question you, either, but I... wanted to ask if you have considered anyone for the role of medicine cat apprentice recently? I hope we will get to work together for many moons, but it is good to be prepared."
Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.
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"It's always your place to ask questions." Rowanglade purred slightly. The respect of her position with wane with time, as Badgerstar grew into being a leader. Eventually he would realize that authority between them was complicated and tied up in StarClan. Hopefully then they would be true friends and things between them would be easy despite the age difference.
Rowanglade's eyes swept over the stars above. Thinking on the question the big tom had asked. "When they're a little older, I'll interview the kits and work out if any of them had what a Medicine Cat needs. It's not just pointing at a kit and naming a mentor like it is for a warrior. They have to have the spark of something special to be a truly good Medicine Cat."
