pafp HEMLOCK DIGGED IN THE DARK | sneaking into the medicine den

[Snakeblink]

The plan is simple, in theory. Sneak into the medicine den while Beesong is out, locate the poppy seeds, pilfer a few, and voila: an easy night’s sleep. Snakeblink gets his rest, and he doesn’t even have to bother the medicine cat for it. A perfect plan.

(Beesong already has their paws full healing all the ills and aches of the clan. He doesn’t need to deal with Snakeblink’s chronic insomnia on top of it, really.)

But he forgot to factor in one thing: the medicine den is rarely empty. There always seems to be someone with a cracked pad or a sprained ankle in need of medicine. It takes days before Snakeblink sees an opening as Beesong exits their den and doesn't seem to be coming back. By now his head hurts from a succession of particularly sleepless nights, so with a quick look around to check that no one is paying him any attention, Snakeblink sneaks around camp and into the medicine den.

Once inside, he takes a moment to bask in the soothing atmosphere of this seldom-visited place. The piles of medicinal plants he can only guess the use of fill the clearing with the subtle scent of dried herbs and flowers. In another life, perhaps—

But not this one. Shaking his head, Snakeblink starts looking through the plants in search of the blood-red hue of poppy flowers. A few of the plants he recognizes from patrols, though he can’t name most of them. He only knows of herbs what his mother imparted to him, meaning his knowledge is restrained to what will surely kill a careless kit putting it in his mouth. It’s been so long since the last time she could lecture him on the subject that he wonders if he remembers them all, or any.

He stops in his search and stares unseeingly forward as he ponders the question. After all, why not take this rare opportunity to brush up on what little knowledge he has? Beesong might not be back for a while yet, and he can always say he was waiting for them to come back if asked about his presence inside the den. It’s not as if there’s anyone else around to see him rifling through herb storage…

( please wait for @Raccoonpaw )​

ooc. information.

• 
  
  
• — Snakeblink • he / him. 34 ☾, riverclan warrior
  — a sleek, skinny tabby with long ears and a scar over his right eye.
  — gay, not actually evil, penned by @Kangoo
  
  
  

​

 

[Raccoonpaw]

Run, run, Lost Boy✧
It has been days since arriving into the medicine den, and the rough part of dealing with wounds and sleeping in weird positions was mostly over with. They where mainly in there cause they couldn't handle the fact of acing Cacadastar, not after the lashing they got from him after their attack with Forestkit and Houndsnarl. Guilt pulled at their chest and they looked to their black front paws for a moment, squeezing the moss beneath their toes, and gave a soft sigh. They should've known better, should've been better, but yet as they laid there they couldn't help the guilt. What if Houndsnarl had died because of them? Or Forestkit was harmed in some way?

Raccoonpaw shook their head and laid their head down on their front paws. This would be fourth downward spiral that day of them just thinking themselves into a rut, the same questions, the same 'what-ifs'. Sunset hues looked out towards the den entrance and wondered maybe they should go see Willowroot or Buckgait. They hadn't really come to visit them since the attacks and Raccoonpaw suspected it because they where disappointed in them. Buckgait would be furious with their stupid decisions, and Willowroots disapproved look they could honestly just picture.

Then there was rustling by the medicine den entrance, and they lifted their head as this tomcat slinked through the entrance. Oh who was that again? Snake-something, someone they had seen around camp but never interacted with. He was older than them, a warrior even, but still they grew curious. Raccoonpaw remained still as if sleeping to listen and watch silently as Snakeblink started to rummage through Beesongs' herb storage.

What was that for? Why would they do that? Raccoonpaw then moved from their spot in their nest and gave a furrowed brow at the tom, "What're you doing?" Raccoonpaw found themselves speaking, voice a bit raspy for no use, and swished their feathery black tail, "Do you need Beesong? He'll be back in a minute," A lie, but Snakeblink didn't need to know that.​

 

[Snakeblink]

The voice of another cat in what he assumed was an empty den freezes Snakeblink in place. Oh, no. There’s no way this cat didn’t see and hear him digging through the herb storage.

He turns to face the voice as nonchalantly as possible, and curses himself for being so unobservant at such a critical time. The other cat is right there, with just enough coverage from the entry to have some measure of privacy. He tries to make up for his previous lack of perception by considering them intently now.

Though unknown to him, they have that raw-boned look to them that he associates with adolescents. He really ought to pay more attention to apprentices. They’re also looking at him suspiciously, but that is neither new nor unjustified. If Snakeblink is anything, right now, it’s worthy of suspicion.

His only choice is between a bald-faced lie and the bold truth, which is worse. Neither will end well for him, he thinks, so he ends up settling for a bastard compromise.

"Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there." He offers the apprentice a stilted smile. Smiling makes you look trustworthy, right? "I was just looking. Medicine is such a mysterious art, I guess I could not contain my curiosity any longer."

He cringes. Oh, yeah, like they'll believe that. Closing his eyes, Snakeblink tries to invoke the part of him that sounds so put together in his head. He could always cut his losses—

Except he can’t, can he? He doesn’t even have the poppy seeds he came for, and now he has another problem in the form of a witness to his snooping. He rubs his face with his paw and sighs.

"I guess I do need Beesong, but it’s nothing so important that it can’t wait for another day. Only, I’m worried that he’ll be much less willing to treat me if he knows I’ve been… Indulging my curiosity. Do you think you could… not tell him of my indiscretion just yet? "
​

ooc. information.

• 
  
  
• — Snakeblink • he / him. 34 ☾, riverclan warrior
  — a sleek, skinny tabby with long ears and a scar over his right eye.
  — gay, not actually evil, penned by @Kangoo
  
  
  

​

 

[Raccoonpaw]

Run, run, Lost Boy✧
An eyebrow would be raised at Snakeblinks' wording, and they cocked their head to the side a bit, "Oh really now? You want me to keep quiet about this?" They inquired then gave a slight, michevious smirk, "Whats in it for me if I do?" Raccoonpaw wasn't usually one to play another cat, or manipulate them in anyway, but this was something they couldn't pass up. A warrior under their guise? "Cause if you gimme something good, I'll help you whenever you wanna 'do research' into the art of medicine," They where going to be here for a little bit longer than expected, and what better things did they have to do? ​

 

[GLOOMPAW]

*:･ﾟ✧☁ ⋯ Sadly, Gloompaw delights in the idea of having blackmail on someone else. Thankfully, at least for the ill and injured patients and their doctor, the only thing she'd love more than having dirt on a clanmate is being able to destroy another cat's attempt at it. Or, maybe this wasn't blackmail, but rather a trade deal, she really doesn't know what the fuck is going on when she reaches the medicine den.

Narrowing her eyes, her tiny brain registers the secretive aspect of the conversation she walks in on, but it barely draws a conclusion. Snakeblink she doesn't know well but assumes he's cool, and Raccoonpaw is nice, so there's no real reason for her to suspect anything like secret poppy seed deals. If she did know, Snakeblink can have them. She hates them, after on-and-off, miniscule prescriptions of them in her first moon of joining RiverClan.

She hadn't seen Beesong leave, and had come looking for him to help get a nasty splinter out of her leg. Pausing in the entrance, her gaze scrolls from Snakeblink to Raccoonpaw, and then back again, before the herb scent hit her and she sneezed. Sniffling, she asks, "Where's Beesong gone to?" ​

 

[Snakeblink]

Snakeblink’s whiskers twitch in sudden interest at the apprentice’s words. He can’t help but approve of their enterprising spirit, although their willingness to overlook his strange behavior in favor of personal gain is a little worrisome, albeit relatable — and convenient. Definitely something to keep an eye on… but for now, he’ll take what he can get.

He slinks closer to the other cat and leans over them, speaking in a hushed whisper.

“That depends on what you want... There’s a great deal I can do for you, but I don’t—” His ear flicks backward at a slight sound, something that he’s too on edge to ignore this time.

Straightening, he glances towards the entry of the den and sees another, smaller apprentice. This one he thinks he recognizes. Glampaw? Something like that. She stares at them, sneezes, and asks where Beesong is. He can’t help an amused huff at that, even though her presence is not making his situation any simpler.

For starters, she’s between him and the only exit, and he can’t exactly go around bowling apprentices over to escape awkward discussions. If she starts asking questions...

He can only bribe so many children to secrecy.

“He just left, but I’ve been told he’ll be back soon. It seems they’ll have their paws full with the two of you, though, so I better take my leave before this place gets too crowded…” He throws the black and white apprentice a meaningful look paired with a bland smile, hoping they’d be willing to play along without direct incentive. “I enjoyed our conversation. I’d be sorry to leave it unfinished. Would you care to talk again sometime? Perhaps once you are no longer under medical observation?” And there are no witnesses around goes unsaid.​

ooc. information.

• ooc: snakeblink looking at any cat under warrior age like "that's a CHILD. i don't fuck with that"
  
  
• — Snakeblink • he / him. 34 ☾, riverclan warrior
  — a sleek, skinny tabby with long ears and a scar over his right eye.
  — gay, not actually evil, penned by @Kangoo
  
  
  

​