ANGEL EYES & BASKETBALL — medicine cat meeting

[BEESONG]

the medicine cat meetings have become routine. rising with the stars when the moon is bisected, leading gloompaw to highstones, not without wariness at creeping through the blood-soaked moors. it's too easy to imagine eyes watching from behind windswept heather, claws glinting in the dim light. he would like to think that windclan would not let harm fall upon two healers on a quiet journey to the moonstone. but with the hawkish sootstar as their empress, he couldn't push the possibility out of his mind. who knows what they'd try... hell, he wouldn't put it past them to try and guard the moonstone with some ridiculous claim that they owned it simply because they are the closest.

the mentor-apprentice pair make it without encountering conflict, thank whatever stars are listening tonight. tensed muscles deflate just a little as beesong guides the young she-cat at their side into the looming darkness of the cavern. "try to keep the peace," the cinnamon tabby mumbles to her, a precursor to every half-moon gathering that has become as much of a ritual as the actual meeting. even if they think gloompaw wouldn't stir up trouble, it feels nearly ill-fated to not warn her.

with the warning lingering between them, beesong steps into the blinding light of the moonstone. he blinks for a good minute as his eye adjusts, scrunching his nose up; once his vision has adapted, he glances over who has already gathered. as always, he drifts closer to skyclan subconsciously. "hey," he greets with a faux casual flick of his stubbed tail. i wonder if windclan will show tonight? a selfish part of him hopes that they wouldn't; it would be some semblance of peace of mind to have one less cat to worry about turning claws on them.​

 

[BERRYHEART]

A yawn split his maw as he waded into the light... these late nights were often taxing. It had been foolish to lack the foresight to sleep during the day- he had ended up busy with herb-gathering and other patient-tending endeavours, and had forgotten to take enough naps. Still, it was a necessity- these meetings were his only chances to gain knowledge from the other medicine cats outside of directly seeking them out, and for once he had something else to offer. Fawny's repeated recoveries as well as his own troubles, though his weren't as bad as hers, had confirmed to him the cure of their shared ailment. Given certainty, he was eager to share.

He took care to individually greet each medic as they arrived, nodding his head to acknowledge them in the politest and most succinct manner he could assume. As much as anything he wished to keep on good terms with them all- they harboured knowledge that he did not have, had been on this star-written path a little longer in most cases. That twinge of doubt he felt so uncomfortable toward flared up again, seeing Bear-tail and Peepers accompanied with their apprentices... wisdom had accrued in them enough to pass it forward. His experience was still greatly lacking.

How many more would die before he knew all?

Askew eyes swept the surroundings. WindClan... would their representative show, tonight? Or had they scorned the idea of collaboration, isolating themselves on the wind-whipped moorlands? Perhaps it was better off that way. The moorland Clan seemed to breed conflict, and they were in no need of that. "I have a little knowledge to share, if it's welcome." A simple offer- and if they wished to dismiss him, doubt, then he would not blame them for it. It had taken him this long to be certain- if they had not the faith enough in someone so new yet, he would not scorn.​

PENNED BY PIN ☾​

 

[GLOOMPAW]

Beesong's energy around the WindClan territory rubbed off on Gloompaw, every step felt like she was being watched. She was not immune to the matters of clan affairs, however confusing they may have been. Like the river, she wondered if Sootstar would eat her if given the chance. It'd been something she heard a queen tell a kit, and though the kit remained unphase maybe it'd accidentally rubbed off on her. She startled easily, hoping the growls of fear as the grass rustled were cut short quick enough. By the time they reached the moonstone, she was antsy.

"Kay," she agreed dutifully, nodding. It would be easy for her to keep peace, if she remained tight-lipped. This was not her first meeting, and she had come to fall into appreciative quiet during the reverent time, something rare for her. Gloompaw didn't worry much about her reputation in the wetlands, but she knew these meetings would be a lifeline if worst came to worst. She was terrified of losing Beesong, as so many medics had lost their mentors, yet she knew she had to keep the fact that these cats would be crucial to her if something happened in mind.

Then came the utter darkness of the tunnel, claustrophobic until there was light. She too wondered if the moorlanders would not arrive, but didn't find the same conflicting relief and anticipation as the others. Simply it was noted, cast aside easily for interest in what Berryheart had to share.

Honey-hued eyes turned to him, blinking and staring, before looking to her teacher to ensure he too was drawn in by the proposal.​

 

[Starlingheart]

The journey here was hard, upon stepping foot on the moors she could feel the wind rattle her bones, still exposed from the long moons of leaf-bare that left her as well as many others starved. By the time she makes it to the ever-coveted mother mouth she is out of breath and exhausted, wondering how she will make the journey home in this state. Perhaps StarClan would lend her their strength. She certainly hopes so.

Her green eyes find the pelts of the cats who she served alongside. She didn’t trust any of them. Maybe her aunt was right, maybe they were not a group she wanted to be associated with, but she wanted to learn, wanted to speak to the stars, so she came here every time though she feared that one day they would turn on her like they did Bonejaw, like they did to Dandelionwish. It’s a baseless fear but anxiety makes her chew at her claws when she sits idly, waiting for the false pleasantries to be over so they could share tongues with their ancestors.

Berryheart, it seemed, had other plans. She turns her round eyes in his direction and looks at him, her gaze expectant. What did he have to share? She wonders and she hopes all in the same breath. "If-if you do I-I’ll share a little of- of what I kn-know too" certainly what she knew was valuable right? Perhaps she should ask for prey again like they had with WindClan… she doesn’t want to press her luck but the idea of food makes her mouth water slightly. She swallows hard, trying to push the thought out of her mind. "i kn-know how to i c-can treat treat in-infections" she offers, though she keeps the previous knowledge to her self. In order to get they had to give, she reasons. She leans forward eagerly, waiting to hear what Berryheart had to offer
​

 

[Fireflyglow]

"Rooooollcallll! Fireflypaw is here, he's in the clear!" Shouted the rowdy apprentice as he clumsily shoves himself through the crevice of the stones, paws skidding to a stop in front of the other medicine cats. Gloompaw seems content to quiet, and the others seem to be in the middle of discussing things. Should he bother his fellow medicine cat apprentice? Definitely.

So, while the medicine cats talked, Fireflypaw shifted over to Gloompaw to dip his head in greeting. The smell of riverwater and fish, as well as reeds graces his nose instantly, but he doesn't shrivel up his nose in disgust. No, he's grown accustomed to this scent after being around it for so long. Every medicine cat gathering, every moment at the Gatherings. He sneezes, seating himself beside the apprentice- unaware of personal space. "What's it like, being Beesong's apprentice?" He asks, curious. The tom never seemed to speak much, after all. How did Gloompaw learn like that?

// ic opinions, ofc!​