Ask to Join Checking In and Checking Up

"I'm a big boy now... But that doesn't mean I don't need you."

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Ashpaw whipped his head around at the sound of his sister's voice, eyes lighting up before guilt washed over him. Guilt that their worlds were so different now. But joy that she had come to see him. Purring, the tomcat bounced over, booping his nose to his sister's.

"Flickerpaw! Welcome in!" the tom purred, offering her a lick on the cheek. He was still grieving a little. Grieving their late mother. But they had to push on forward. The apprentice felt lucky that they never lacked support. There were four of them to support each other and they had understanding clanmates.

"Oh Flick-.. Your throat sounds a bit off, eh? Wasn't just a 'little cough' after all?"

Never be bored and you'll never be boring.

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Flickerpaw hopped to her feet and purred as loudly as Ashpaw as he greeted her. 

"No, I'm really fine. Well, I think I'm fine." She hoped she was. Getting sick—actually, properly sick—right after starting her apprenticeship would be the absolute worst. Not considering it likely, she continued jauntily, "Does my voice really sound bad? Anyway, I just want you to make sure I'm not gonna die or anything, and maybe give me something to make my throat stop hurting. And then you need to tell me everything that's happened since I last got to talk to you, everything you've learned from Rowanglade, and everything you've found out about Muddypaw," She ended her list of demands with a cough. Talking as much as she liked to wasn't doing much to help her sore throat.

"I'm a big boy now! I don't need protection!"

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Ashpaw shook his head when Flickerpaw asked her question. "Nah, you don't sound bad. I guess I can just tell quickly being both your brother and a medicine cat. In fact, you sound kinda like Cinderpaw right now." the tomcat snickered. "Anyways, have a seat, I'll get a good look at you then we can go on a walk. How does that sound?.. I know apprentices aren't supposed to leave camp by themselves but we'll make sure we can at least see camp the whole time. How does that sound?"

Never be bored and you'll never be boring.

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“Sounds like a plan!” Flickerpaw plunked herself down and awaited examination. She had never been above bending a rule here or there.

“Do you get to leave camp much?” She couldn’t resist asking.

"I'm a big boy now... But that doesn't mean I don't need you."

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"Say ahh-" Ashpaw requested before sniffing the inside of Flickerpaw's mouth. It was a weird skill but perhaps that was one of the reasons Ashpaw was prophesied to be a medicine cat from the beginning. He had an odd skill of being able to smell a common illness in its early stages.

The tom stepped back and shook his head, offering his sister a reassuring smile. "You'll be right. Just keep eating and drinking as normal. Let one of us know if you lose appetite but you shouldn't. Then we'll have to start giving ya honey, feverfew, catnip and all that jazz."

With a flick of his tail, the tom gestured for Flickerpaw to follow her. "Nah I've only left camp by myself once, and it wasn't very far either, just a treelength. Every other time was with Rowanglade." as the pair padded out of camp, Ashpaw turned right, padding about the edge of camp.

"I'm gonna be real. Like nothing has happened since we last spoke. I'm gonna be honest though, I do not like Muddypaw. At least not right now, I think she asks too many questions at once. Too loud. Too attention-seeking. I value my peace and quiet and can't wait for her to go back to ShadowClan" the tom vented.

"Don't get me wrong. As nosy as she is I do value her as a fellow medicine cat but... I wan't space."

Never be bored and you'll never be boring.

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"Hahah, called it," Flickerpaw replied teasingly to Ashpaw's diagnosis. She wanted to know what feverfew and catnip would do, exactly, but managed to keep her mouth shut long enough to let him answer her other questions. 

Striding a step behind him, she split her attention between his reply and her surroundings. Her eyes lingered for a moment on the shaded area under the talking cliff, where Petalsnap was eating a bird so hastily that Flickerpaw wondered how she didn't choke. 

Ashpaw's description of Muddypaw hit a nerve. Flickerpaw asked lots of questions. Flickerpaw had sought her brother out for the express purpose of disrupting his peace and quiet. What if he was only using the topic of Muddypaw as an excuse to complain about her? Well, fine, whatever, she could take a hint. 

"I won't bother you anymore, then, I guess." Flickerpaw turned and stalked back towards camp. 

"I'm a big boy now... But that doesn't mean I don't need you."

«────── « ⋅⋆˚࿔ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆⋅ » ──────»

Ashpaw had noticed Petalsnap almost immediately as well, as much as he wanted to giggle at the scene, he decided it was more important on spending quality time with his littermate, ignoring the warrior in favour of looking over at his sibling.

However, at her response, the tom's expression morphed into a frown, shaking his head. "You bee-brain." the tom mumbled, upset before catching up to her. "There is a difference between you and Muddypaw. To me, Muddypaw is explosive and selfish. You are my littermate, Flickerpaw. My patient and kind and caring littermate who cares about how others feel. I don't feel like Muddypaw has not demonstrated any of the positive traits you have. That's the difference. I admire your curiosity."