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Post by ~Creamy~ on Jul 23, 2008 19:21:45 GMT -7
Redpaw, who seemed pretty confident a moment ago, suddenly looked nervous. He hadn't been expecting the question she'd asked and the one that followed it. He quickly compared the scent of the plant to the comfry that was in front of him. At least he thought it was comfry. He shook his head to clear it. He knew what comfry looked like and he was almost certain he knew what it smelled like. "I would bet my life on it," he meowed, his voice faltering a bit. "But not yours."
He wasn't exactly comfortable betting the lives of other cats on something that he wasn't completely sure of, even if it was only in theory.
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Post by **Liz** on Jul 23, 2008 19:33:13 GMT -7
Sunmist's eyes narrowed. He'll learn something today.
As he uttered the words ' But not yours.', she felt a surge, a wave of different feelings cross her mind. On the one hand, it showed his compassion for the life of other cats. On the other hand-
" Redpaw," Sunmist flicked her ears, her tone strict, serious, and somewhat sad. " Sometimes, as a medicine cat, you will have to make a bet on a cat's life. That is just how it goes. But if you are certain, you wont have to." She quickly stood and walked over to him, so they were eye to eye. " So, Redpaw, are you ready to bet my life on it?"
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Post by ~Creamy~ on Jul 23, 2008 19:48:31 GMT -7
Redpaw's head drooped slightly and he sighed, nodding to show he understood. "Okay," he meowed and took another deep breath, trying to convince himself that it was really comfry. He told himself that he only doubted himself because of the unexpected question. He nodded again. "Yes, I am," he meowed, looking at the plant instead of his mentor. "I'm sure that is comfry," he meowed, trying to sound firm.
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Post by **Liz** on Jul 23, 2008 21:10:41 GMT -7
Sunmist's tone was softer now,
" Redpaw, you always need your first answer to be the final one. Never second guess yourself." She picked up on his nervousness and purred encouragingly. " You're right, though, it is comfry." She picked up the bundle of herbs, knowing how important it was to encourage her apprentice forward.
She flicked her tail, signaling for him to lead the way.
At the comfry patch, Sunmist stopped.
" Now, be very careful not to damage too much of the plant when you pick it," She took one gently in her mouth and plucked it. " Easier to carry if you don't hurt them."
She sat back, signaling him to try. The sun was warm and comforting, she closed her eyes a moment, and suddenly caught the scent of her old mentor, Galeface.
She breathed in deeply and sighed now in her own little world...
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Post by ~Creamy~ on Jul 23, 2008 21:18:02 GMT -7
Almost instantly after Sunmist told him he was right, Redpaw perked up and trotted forward to the comfry patch. He waited for instructions on how to pick the herb and watched her do it before actually trying it himself. Gently taking a leaf in his mouth, he pulled slowly as if he was afraid he'd rip the leaf. However, he managed to pick the leaf without tearing it badly and placed it on a pile with hers.
He thought of another thing to try and began nosing aside the stems so he could get at one and bite through it so the leaf would fall to the ground. He did that a few more times and placed the leaves on the pile before noticing that his mentor had stopped picking. Fixing her with a curious gaze, he took a step towards her. "Sunmist?" he asked, hoping it would get her attention.
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Post by **Liz** on Jul 23, 2008 21:31:39 GMT -7
Sunmist remembered her old mentor, her dismay when she actually got to know him, how the fought, made up and fought some more, but she never thought for one second thought he stopped caring for her.
Then she remembered how he'd eaten the death berries. Her eyes clouded with pain as she flashed back to that day...
She heard her own apprentice call her name.
" Oh...oh Redpaw I'm sorry, good-good job Redpaw!" She stared at the pile. " That should do, pack 'em up, lets go find the next closest. " She sighed shakily, " What do you think that is?" It was thyme, she sniffed the air.
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Post by ~Creamy~ on Jul 23, 2008 21:40:03 GMT -7
"Are you alright?" he asked slowly when she responded. She seemed upset, but Redpaw didn't press the matter when Sunmist moved on and asked about the next herb. This scent was less familiar than the comfry and he wasn't very sure. There were two things it couldn't be and that was Catnip and comfry, so that left thyme, feverfew and chervil roots. He didn't think it smelled like the chervil plant, but he still wasn't quite sure at the differences between the two other options, so he guessed. "Is it....feverfew?" he asked uncertainly, looking to Sunmist and half expecting to be scolded for a wrong answer. He was pretty sure that if Sunmist did scold him, it wouldn't be too severe, but he was still anxious.
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Post by **Liz** on Jul 23, 2008 21:52:26 GMT -7
Sunmist shook her head tiredly.
" No, Redpaw, it's actually thyme." She sighed. Oh dear, I'm getting all worked up over nothing, Sunmist shook her head to free herself.
" It's okay, Redpaw." She added softly, more aware of her apprentice. " You're new, these are things to be learned. This isn't a test. That'll happen later on." she promised.
" Let's go get some thyme, shall we?" She was more herself as they walked farther on, toward the thyme patch.
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Post by ~Creamy~ on Jul 23, 2008 21:57:15 GMT -7
Redpaw flinched as he mentally kicked himself and nodded. "Okay, thyme. I think I can remember that," he meowed, trying to be positive as he bounded after his mentor and looked at the thyme leaves with a smile. "Just pick them like the comfry?" he asked, wanting to make sure that was the right way to pick them before actually going after the herb. He didn't want to damage the leaves and mess up again.
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Post by **Liz** on Jul 24, 2008 10:01:15 GMT -7
She watched the young apprentice carefully and knew he was berating himself over his little mistake.
The she-cat sighed happily. Oh well, at least he wont be apathetic. There was always a bright side, from the Sunmist perspective.
She looked at the thyme patch. It was a big patch!
" Wow..." She breathed. Greenleaf was doing well for this plant.
" Uh, okay, about picking thyme," she walked over and took a stalk, speeking through clenched teeth. " We need a lot, so take it stalk by stalk. It's a one cat job, because it can come in large amounts like these, good for travel. We'll pick the leaves off when we get back to camp." She dropped the thyme and looked at it. Very good...fresh, crisp leaves, tall strong stalks. She pointed to the one she'd picked. " Only a few more of these." she thought a moment. " Tell me Redpaw, what is thyme and comfry used for?"
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Post by ~Creamy~ on Jul 24, 2008 12:25:39 GMT -7
Once again, Redpaw sat back to observe while Sunmist demonstrated the proper way to pick the plant. After he felt like he could do it, he copied her successfully and laid the stalk down next to the first one. One of the leaves tickled his nose as he went after the second stalk and he had to lift his head to sneeze. After a short pause, he went back to collecting the stalks. He picked two more and sat down, looking at Sunmist. "Is that enough?" he asked eagerly.
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Post by **Liz** on Jul 24, 2008 12:45:30 GMT -7
" Yes Redpaw, that should do fine."
Sunmist nodded, signaling him to go forward so they could collect more herbs.
They continued their lessons with chervil root, feverfew and catinip, and Sunmist was very impressed with her apprentice. She was proud, too, deciding she would never could have asked for a better cat.
On their way home, Sunmist was thinking. Oh, dear there is so much to do with him... hunting, fighting is important too. But which should she do first?
Well it is against the warrior code to attack a medicine cat, although Sunmist knew all too well it could be done. Fighting, was important. And he can't be dependant if he needs food, so hunting too.
Sunmist remained lost in her thoughts as she entered her den. Suddenly she turned to Redpaw.
" Fighting lesson?"
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Post by ~Creamy~ on Jul 24, 2008 13:25:34 GMT -7
Redpaw made sure to pay close attention to the herbs. Now he not only knew what chervil smelled like, but he knew what the plant looked like. He was just used to seeing the roots of it. He set down his mouthful of herbs and licked his whiskers a few times to try and get the tastes of the different plants out of his mouth and looked to his mentor when she spoke.
His tail raised a bit in an eager way and he nodded to show he was up for a fighting lesson. Sure, fighting wasn't exactly his favorite thing ever, but the little part of him that wanted to be a warrior before a medicine cat was still there and got him a little excited for fighting lessons.
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Post by **Liz** on Jul 24, 2008 14:52:56 GMT -7
" Right, well, we'll do it here by the stream in case anyone needs us." Sunmist hoped no one minded they practice here. There was a lot of free space and the camp was all but empty, save for a few lounging warriors.
She crouched, gazing unblinkingly at her apprentice.
" Now then, always size up your opponent. For example;
I notice you are small, a young apprentice maybe, but I could probably beat you in a fight. Always choose your battles wisely. Prudence, dear Redpaw, is what will save your life." She stood calmly, tail slightly flicking but not in anger, her ears pinned back and teeth bared. Luckily for Redpaw, he had never seen Sunmist really, truly angry, before.
She growled deeply.
" Attack me."
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Post by ~Creamy~ on Jul 24, 2008 15:22:09 GMT -7
Redpaw nodded and crouched down in a defensive stance. He scanned Sunmist, looking for a weakness. He couldn't take her down with just strength because he wasn't that strong and he was too small to do that. Attack me. He raised himself off the ground slightly and stalked quickly around in an attempt to dart forward and land a blow on his mentor's side.
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