Ask to Join Paying a Visit

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

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Ashpaw knew that some cats were less keen to 'be a bother' than others, it was a spectrum in the tom's eyes. A spectrum of confidence. Some cats bordered on taking advantage of the medicine cats while others refused to tell anybody that something was wrong until they were on their deathbeds.

While both were annoying, it pained the tomcat when a feline never asked for help. The medicine cats were there for a reason! All the warriors had to do were take some time out of their day for a little bit and most of the time something could be fixed before it became a bigger problem.

The tom had decided to pay the elders a visit when he immediately noticed Sunbeam and he felt his heart ache a little. It hurt a lot that Aspenberry wasn't around anymore and besides his own immediate biological kin, cats like Sunbear, Bayflower and Beewhisker were also easy reminders. But he knew that he had to shake the grief away. Medicine cats were empathetic yes but they were also advised to keep a level of professionalism.

"Hi, Sunbear." the tom called softly, approaching the feline that had fostered his dam. "How are you feeling?"

Like the sun, I may burn fiercely, but it's my fire that warms those I hold dear.

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Sunbear greeted the apprentice with a flick of her ear as he drew nearer. He didn't necessarily look much like Cloudflare or Aspenberry, but that's how it was sometimes, some kits just don't look like either of their parents, but by StarClan did he look like Rooknose. "Sore." She stated gruffly, nothing against Ashpaw, though she did hope that Ashpaw knew how she was by now.

"My forepaw joints are killing me today." Sunbear added, glancing briefly to her outstretched front paws. "Got anything for that?" She asked, she would much rather simply exist in the presence of Aspenberry's kits, Sunbear did miss her like a mother missed her child, but she knew that she would live on in memory, and through her kits, so that was consoling at least.

When Sunbear tried to move her paws, the dull ache turned sharp, causing a faint hiss at her own ache, but she had certainly been through worse, after all, she did birth two litters of kits in her time. "Don't feel obligated if there are other cats you need to get to. I've waited longer than this." She let out a dry chuckle as her tail gave an inviting flick regardless.

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

«────── « ⋅⋆˚࿔ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆⋅ » ──────»

Ashpaw simply nodded at Sunbear's answer. He was a little odd in that way, seeming to switch between extremes of yapping about what little he currently knew about medicine and being too exhausted to make a sound. Perhaps that was the life of a medicine cat sometimes. But in this case, he wasn't tired, just making an attempt to be more considerate. Even if there was a common trend of elders losing their hearing as they aged, he didn't speak anymore for the time being just in case he woke up somebody else.

The apprentice took a closer inspection at Sunbeam's forepaws, sniffing them just in case before looking off to the side. He was a little embarrassed to admit that he wasn't completely sure what to do here. Or at the very least that nothing came to him immediately but after digging through his memories, the tom nodded slowly. "I think I have something for that... There's nobody I need to check on right now. Do you trust me to gamble with what little I've memorised currently speaking or would you rather wait for Rowanglade? I completely understand either way."

Like the sun, I may burn fiercely, but it's my fire that warms those I hold dear.

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"I think you should. It's a part of learning." Sunbear responded with a nod then a soft breath escaped her, despite the ache "Rowanglade can yell at me later if she wants." She added, using her tail to ruffle the short head fur on Ashpaw's head. He was the closest thing she had left of Aspenberry now, Ashpaw and his littermates all were. She'd need to cherish them while she was still here.

She laid her chin on the earth beneath and gave Ashpaw a twitch of her mouth, the closest she had come to a smile in a while, there was a humorous spark on her eyes that followed it. "After all, I don't think you could make it any worse." 

Sunbear let out a quiet hum to herself, if Ashpaw did want to help her, she would watch him every step of the way, or perhaps it was duty of some sort. Either way, her paws hurt and Ashpaw was the only one there to help her right now. She had to trust him.

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

«────── « ⋅⋆˚࿔ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆⋅ » ──────»

Ashpaw nodded slowly, a determined look in the tomcat's eyes. "Fear not though! I will do my best to remember what is actually needed!" the tom responded before digging into his mind for the little training he had received so far.

"Is it just your forepaw joints that are sore? Any other pain or symptoms I might need to know about?"

Like the sun, I may burn fiercely, but it's my fire that warms those I hold dear.

· · ─ ·☽𖤓☾· ─ · ·

Sunbear's eyes softened at Ashpaw's noble confidence and nodded at the young tom. "I don't doubt that. Even if you aren't quite sure, Rowanglade is there to teach you and I'm sure Muddypaw wouldn't mind helping." Sunbear answered with a nod. She hadn't really talked much to any notable cat in particular... aside from Petalsnap, be she didn't seem to conversational type. Sunbear would much rather a cat talk over her than have to lead a conversation anyway.

"Just the forepaws, my body's gotten used to walking, and since well, I haven't in a while, it's complaining about it." Sunbear answered with a playful roll of her eyes. "No swelling, yet. Just a dull ache that's pretty persistent. Nothing to rush for." she added. Sunbear was never really the worrying type, sometimes she wondered how Basilflame got her worry, but Fennelwhisker then curled around her mind. Now she remembered. He'd be helping Aspenberry find herself at home in StarClan, surely. Eventually, I will join them. She thought, almost absently before fixing her gaze back to Ashpaw.

She rose her ears, twitching the scarred tissue for a moment before lowing her muzzle to relax. "Got anything for that? I won't keep you if you don't. Being a medicine apprentice must be busy work."