missing home & poison lesson

[Dandelionwish]

How easy would it be for him to refuse to teach, face death head on with a tilted chin and brave face but he would be lying if he claimed he was not afraid. Dandelionwish had been terrified the moment Sootstar explained her dream, insisted he was a weed before the clan that was threatening their livelihoods and it was with solemn realization did he understand they would not rise to defend him or risk death and maybe even some of them believed it as well. Already two cats had been sent away for speaking up, he thinks of them both often and hopes they're well. Galeforce, noble and strong hearted and learning his clan cared not for him in his greatest moment of need so long as he stood against their leader. Yewberry, quiet and meek but with good morals and a good heart and unfortunately a very loud mouth; but he'd been brave enough to speak his mind. It was remarkable in its own way. That the sepia point did not join them was not simply because he was to teach their new healer first, but because he could already see his own blood staining the snow in the future and spilling out a message to WindClan exactly what defiance earned you. It was no life for any cat. With his new forced companionship with @TIGERFROST as his guard, he had not even had a moment to see his siblings or father to talk to them in private, but he wished they knew how desperately he wanted them to leave to safety so they would not have to watch what came next.
Sootstar would know if he dragged out his lessons, she knew his knowledge was limited due to Honeytwist's failures, so he had no choice but to press onward and hope he would think of something before he'd outlive his usefulness.
"This isn't just a lesson for Vulturemask, you should ALL be aware of this so gather around to see." He had set up two large but withered leaves before himself. In one weathered brown buds that looked almost like tiny acorn caps but were very much just brown leaves and the other a dried sprig of white flowers; tiny and miniscule little petals on display. "Foxglove seeds." He says, waving a paw to the first, "Water Hemlock.", he follows up moving that same paw to the next without pausing.
"Extremely lethal poisons. The foxgloves are dying due to leaf-bare but they look the same though green come newleaf. The hemlock was pressed between two rocks to preserve it-so it looks mostly the same." Except not flat, obviously.
"Eating either is a death sentence." He debated digging into their stock recently, but only found these two withered and useless ones in his den-not a fresh drop of poisonous herb to be found.

-tagging @VULTUREMASK
​

 

[Jasperglare]

Oh boy! Dangerous plants!!

Nature was terrible!

Jasperglare lifted his head as he heard Dandelionwish announced that they should all be aware of something. He shakily rose to his feet and dragged them to where the ex-medicine cat stood.

He was numb to the pains and aches that wracked his body. He was skinnier than he was when he arrived thanks to the greencough, and he still wasn't sure if he was going to make it through leafbare.

Hollow eyes looked upon the herbs laid out before them. Huh. He had seen water hemlock before. Good thing he was smart enough to keep it out of his mouth.

His gaze drifted to the seeds, and the shock of recognition nearly made him black out.

He knew those too.

His eyes wide as if he had seen a ghost, he recalled the day his mother died. His father crouched next to her ailing form, shifting those very seeds to her.

He had said they would make her feel better.

He lied.

He had sent him away to fetch water so he wouldn't see it.

His father lied to him.

Jasperglare took a breath as if he forgot to breathe.

"Those......I know them." He said weakly.

It was dawning on him. His life was a miserable wreck of misfortune.....All because of the tom he had once loved and admired.

Fire began burning inside.

If it weren't for him.....His mother would be alive. His little brothers would still be with him. His family would be whole.

Jasperglare felt like he was about to be consumed by madness. He had to stay calm, however. He sat up straight and took a deep breath.

"Thank you for showing us these. I  deeply appreciate it....More than you know." He said.

The light had returned to his eyes. His will to live, reignited. Was this a gift from Starclan? Were they showing him the truth?

It had to be.

He sat there with newfound conviction, quietly waiting to listen to the rest of the lesson.
​

 

[MALLOWLARK]

Was it foolish to show Dandelionwish kindness, after he had been exposed- somehow, as some infection, vines binding WindClan to a terrible fate? For some reason, the healer had seemed... concerned with Mallowlark, worried what his connection with Dawnglare might do for his fate in the Clan. Would the same warning extend to him? Just how thin was the ice that he trod upon?

Attention was called to all, and Mallowlark made his decision to approach. Dandelionwish had only ever been kind to him, only ever tried to help. If he'd not said to be more careful- his bliss might have lead him into a trap, sent him running from his own moorland. Grin settled upon his features, silver eyes watched the prod of his paws upon the poisons. Foxglove seeds, water hemlock... the names sat in his mind, stayed settled there with an acid-green arrow pointing toward them that blinked deadly. The sun glinted in his eyes, smile remaining, grey expanse notably void of light or curve.

Knowing Dandelionwish would be gone, soon- it was sad, to say the least. The sort of sadness that stayed and ached. But he was not gone yet, at least- and the best he could do to show his appreciation was try and be infectiously happy even in the most lightless of nights. "Thanks, Dandelionwish!" he hummed, pupils snapping toward the medicine cat. "I'll remember this," and not a lie left his lips. He would- this knowledge might impress someone he knew...​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[SUNNVAR]

What is there to be done about this situation? The die has been cast, and they would all suffer the moons to come. Should Sootstar and StarClan speak the truth, there may be light at the end of the tunnel– if they do not, there is something far worse in store. Even if it is not his place nor his duty to consider such a future, it weighs heavily upon his shoulders. It must touch upon the others as well, though when he comes to stand for Dandelion's lesson, it seems that they have much else to think on. The shifting of Jasperglare's body language has him raising a quiet brow, and Mallowlark's cheer is as unnerving as it had ever been. Still, the warrior rests himself near the two of them and studies the proffered herbs in silence. They were not familiar. This was the work of one beyond his station, and Sunstride was not the sort to blindly swallow moorland plants.

That is not to say that others were so careful. "There would be no way to cure one so foolish as to eat it?" he clarifies, oceanic gaze washing from the herbs to the herbs' master. For a short instance, they also catch Vulturemask. "Should we worry of prey that has fallen to it as well?"

﹥ˏˋ〘  OOC NOTES INFORMATION 〙ˊˎ﹤

• ooc: —
• SUNSTRIDE. named for his coloration and his bold chasing of fate.
  —— cis male, uses he - him. thirty-four moons old. warrior of windclan and former rogue.
  —— cautious of clan life, but an apt learner. encourages close bonds between clanmates.
  —— loyalty uncertain, cares for those surrounding him. undoubtedly closest to wolfsong.
  
  sunstride is broad and bold– a creature standing above most of windclan, though not a beast beyond its borders, with fur that flames red at its base and deepens to a burnt amber with every whorl and stripe. his eyes, in comparison, are a pale summer's blue, still as bold as the rest of him.
• "speech"

​

 

[VULTUREMASK]

Another day with something new for him to learn. Poison this time. Vulturemask couldn't deny that he wasn't tired, his brain had been working non-stop these past days trying to memorize everything Dandelionwish had taught and told him this far. He might be quick to take in information but this was alot for one single cat to learn. Even him had his own limits. Yet, he didn't let it show keeping his face while never complaining, to keep on pushing himself above his own limits. Didn't help that he rarely got any sleep either. His nights where constantly plagued with nightmares, of horrors from what he had done.

Vulturemask silently sat himself down his mentor, watching as they placed the deadly herbs across the ground. Foxglove and hemlock was the names of the two first picked out poison they where gonna talk about. He looked at them both carefully, trying to find something with their looks that would stick out so he could remember them for the future. Shame both of them where in such bad shape though...almost having withered away in this cold. " What are their symptoms? and where do they grow?" he asked calmly, looking concentrated as he gave a flink of his tail. It was importand so he would know if this would happen in the future...to where to be extra careful when the hunters went out for food.


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[TIGERFROST]

Tags and Information

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How very interesting. Tigerfrost eyes the poisons that are put out on display, his fiery eyes glowing with studious curiosity. It was always good to be able to recognize such fatal herbs, and he wonders what Dandelionwish's motives are for sharing them. Perhaps he feared Sootstar's wrath if he refused to continue his duties as directed. Regardless, such knowledge was important, and Tigerfrost commits the pictures of the poisonous plants to his memory. Perhaps he could use such knowledge to his advantage later, should SkyClan or RiverClan start getting any foolish ideas.​

 

[LAMBCURL.]

Poisons, why, he hadn't considered that they may so freely grow out on the moor. At the very least, they were not appetizing. So unlike even the worms; hidden deep in the ground, puny as they were, they blushed a fleshy pink, the illusion of meat, maybe. The poison this one spoke of lay tucked between the petals of something beautiful. Something to stop and sniff, hardly something to swallow on your tongue. He can't imagine why nature's wonders had taken such a form. Fooling nobody.

Still, Lambcurl comes for this lesson. Even if the tunnels were where his work lay, he could not help but gather where the others called. Poking from the ground, eyes glaze over lingering faces. Sunstride's words are taken in entirely. Careful, warm. Mallowlark chitters his thanks. Jasperglare speaks spine-chilling rumble. There was so much more that he could not see. So young, this one, but he thought him a worthy teacher all the same... "Symptoms?" Lambcurl repeats the question with an airy lilt. Low, low spoken. His smile is placid. Dull-eyed gaze. "I suppose you'd just die..." He blinks tears from his eyes. Though, not because it's sad... Oh, they were really fooling nobody... a trick of fate, or a trick of nature? Strange, unless a smell would doom you too... He wonders, and wonders...​

 

[Badgermoon]

It was bizarre to Badgermoon that some plants were like blessings from StarClan - herbs that could ease pain, heal the sick, soothe an upset stomach, cool a fever - but others were apparently so dangerous as to be lethal. That they both grew readily from the ground and could be - hypothetically - stumbled upon by anyone made him uneasy, which he supposed was the point of a lesson like this. The broad-shouldered tomcat settled into a sitting position near Sunstride, attempting to bump his shoulder affectionately against the lead warrior before focusing his attention on their forsaken healer and his unexpected successor. A few cats in the group - cough, cough, Mallowlark, cough cough Lambcurl - seemed a little too interested in the poisons, but he decided to chalk that up to their general...quirkiness. "Surely there'd be something first, though, right? You'd feel something, wouldn't you?" the idea of a cat simply ... dropping dead, with no awareness of what was happening to them, was somehow more unsettling than the idea of dying itself. "I mean, if you have greencough or something, there's symptoms with that..." did he sound like a fool? He wasn't a medicine cat, after all, and he had been fortunate to dodge most illnesses thus far.​

 

[HOUNDTHISTLE]

"YOU'RE NOT A PART TIME GOD"​

Now there were many things Houndthistle could say he was and knew he was. Large, strong, loyal, aggressive. But smart was never one he'd use to describe himself, thus the gray tom had done his best to avoid anything that used too much thinking power. Following orders didn't take much thinking, didn't require him to sit and wonder if he was doing right because they weren't his choices. Just as his claws weren't guilty when he chose to fight for survival, he wasn't guilty when his higher ups commanded him to partake in the dirtier of tasks.

But poisons were never something he enjoyed or agreed upon.

The hulking tom came to sit down with the others, orange eyes peering thoughtlessly at the two plants-to him they looked way too similar, despite their colors-and his ears flicked back. "Why don' we just not touch plants we don' recognize? Afterall, ain't this something for you plant-folk to deal with?" He rumbled. He knew the basics of poisons, and he viewed them as a cowards weapon. Tools used when your claws weren't good enough and, typically, in the acts of vengeance-another fools' game. Everyone else was wondering about symptoms, about what happens if someone ate it, and he couldn't stop the face he made as he listened to them. Were they so stupid as to just eat random things they don't know about? Even Houndthistle knew better than that. "I mean, if someone's dumb enough to eat a random plant, I think that's just the way the stars or whatever wanted it to go," He shrugged, "If I'm sick, I go to the plant-cat, if I'm hungry, I eat prey. It's not that difficult to avoid stuff like this, right?"
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✦ ★ ✦​

 

[SUNFLOWERMASK]

( ❁ ) Poison? Well, that was a new concept to Sunflowerkit. They knew that Vulturemask was learning all about plants that could heal cats (and oh how exciting that was!) but this was very different. The idea of a plant that could hurt a cat had Sunflowerkit's ears tiling back against their head. Still, though they couldn't help but be curious, craning their neck forward for a better view. Dandelionwish was right, this was important -- no matter what the big grey tom said.

Looking at the plants, Sunflowerkit couldn't even tell the difference between them and any other plant. Sunflowerkit loved collecting plants; they'd take anything they liked the look of. Pick them up in their mouth. even. Could they get poisoned that way, if they accidentally ate a little? They did like to nibble sometimes... It was a worrying thought. Well, they'd just have to remember them, then. Foxglove and... henlick? No, that wasn't right. They didn't envy Vulturemask having to keep track of all of this.

Vulturemask asked a good question, though. Knowing the symptoms, at least, would help if they accidentally picked some up when they were hunting for treasures. And then they could come to him, because surely he could find some way to help. Satisfied with the thought, Sunflowerkit leaned back and looked up at Dandelionwish expectantly, ears perked as they awaited an answer.​

 

[crowpaw]

dandelionwish's voice met her ears, and while she didn't picture hanging around plants would be any fun, crowpaw still carried herself over. it wasn't like she was doing anything important anyways. curious ears tipped forward as she approached, wondering what was so special about this foxglove and hemlock. upon further explanation, they were poisons. deadly ones at that. green eyes grew a little too interested. it wasn't like she was going to go around poisoning clanmates, but maybe they could find themselves useful. of course only if she were in danger, only as a last resort.one last second of staring and she committed their appearances to memory, just in case, before moving towards the back of the group. ​

[ 𓆩⟡𓆪 ]​

 

[Sedgerunner]

"BUT I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR"​

The familiar drawl of the WindClan medicine—well, former medicine cat's voice drew over prominent ears, drawing her attention away from her grooming to where the sepia tom stood. Poison? Her smaller cranium cocking to the side as the word grazed over her mind. With a gleaming curiosity, Sedgerunner edged over towards where the gathering group had settled around Dandelionwish. She listened to him intently while tracing over the preserved leaves of the Hemlock and petite petals of Foxglove. Such delicate things with a deadly consequence if devoured. Did it kill anything that consumed it? How could such a small plant cause such a harmful toxin enough to kill?
The moor runner shifted herself into a sitting position, her brow furrowing in thought as she stared at them. She would make sure to plant the images of the two within her mind, capturing them into her steel trap memory. Not everything in the vast moorland was as delicate as it seemed. Questions buzzed around her from the other warrior's, all equally as interested as she was. A question pops in her mind then, and without thinking, she opens her maw to speak. "In a hypothetical situation, what if our prey has eaten such a poison? When it's eaten, would the cat be poisoned as well?" Her eyes flickered to the young tom, meeting his gaze. Her question was filled with genuity, no presence of malice within her voice. To some, it may be slightly off-putting, because typically the prey would be already dead or on it's way, wouldn't it? The realization finally hits her and she looks around frantically. "I just am curious is all. Are the symptoms relatively similar in prey? That way we would know to stay away if we happened to come across one that hadn't started to feel it's effect yet." Her frantic rambling began to grow more rapid, and she soon realizes shes starting to look more like an idiot than before. "Right? That's something that'd happen right? I just—nevemind. Sorry." The warrior finally makes her mouth stop talking with an audible snap, pupils flitting back to the plants in question. Just shut up, please.
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✦ ★ ✦​

 

[Firefang]

Firepaw wanted to ignore Dandelionwishes existence, luckily she could avoid the medicine den long as she didn't start bleeding again but he wasn't a cat she could avoid forever for now he was still apart of Windclan as long as Vulturemask was still training and his fate afterwards was yet to be decided. He's a danger she has to remind herself, a weed that must be plucked from the earth and discarded before it infests them just like Sootstar had said whatever happened to him in the coming moons was Starclan's will and she would never contest that. She sits besides her new mentor looking towards him as he goes about his lesson; she knows very little about poisons just the basics of "don't put random things in your mouth Firepaw" and that warning had served her well this far! It was infallible, couldn't get poisoned if you weren't a mousebrain just don't eat crowfood or berries very simple in her opinion. There was more to it and well so far it just seems like he's talking about common sense right now. Herbs were left to the medicine cat to decide, so like who cared about what herb was poisonous or not, they could just rely on the medicine cat to know that for them!

She can't stifle a yawn that splits her jaws. Actually though maybe she should pay attention just in case he decided as one last hurrah to slip some hem-love whatever he called it into a normal bundle of herbs to poison her or someone. He had nothing to lose didn't he? She finds the idea unlikely but the thought lingers in the back of her mind regardless.​

( PLACE ME IN MY CASKET TONIGHT ; BECAUSE IM ALREADY DYING INSIDE )

 

[Flarekit]

ALLOW ME TO SEE AND HEAR ​

---

It was not too long after that Flarekit found themselves amongst the many faces. The announcement combined with the huge gathering of cats caught their attention. As they weave through the bodies, some who may have the misfortune of dealing with clumsy paws, their sight quickly locked onto Sunflowerkit. Their pace quickened and let out a low, rumbling purr, both as a means to greet and alert them of their presence, before settling down next to them. Their eyes beamed with curious excitement. News had spread fast about Vulturemask becoming the new medicine cat and it was something that intrigued them.

As Dandelionwish started, they listened intently, but let out a couple of huffs of frustration as more cats gathered and their small frame made it a lot harder to see. They didn't want to stray too far away from Sunflowerkit but their eagerness to fully see the herbs did cause them to move a tad. However, despite their lack of vision, Dandelionwish's message did not go on deaf ears.

Extremely lethal poison. Eating either is a death sentence.

Poison? Death? A hard frown spread across on Flarekit's face. The kit was not too familiar with such concepts, but Dandelionwish's tone sounded scary and the other cats' reactions weren’t helping. With a quick turn of their head, they immediately scanned for Sunflowerkit's reaction. Based on their brief display of flatten ears, it didn’t appear like they appreciated the news. Flarekit attempted to sit closer to them, both to comfort them and themself. They never consider plants to be dangerous. Shouldn't they just be pretty toys? It was fun to bat them around or chew on them, despite the usual gross taste. They even liked to roll in some of them since they could have some interesting smells. And sometimes, they made for some interesting gifts and a fun excuse to adventure with others. Almost by instinct, they started to look around to see if they could recognize any wild foxglove and hemlock. As far as the kit was concerned, these plants felt more like monsters lurking in the shadows ready to poison them or their siblings at any moment.

Despite their fears, some of the questions, such as from Vulturemask, perk their interest. They wanted to learn all they could about how to defend themselves and their family against them. Still, there was something nagging at them. Their attention turned towards @sunflowerkit and commented "They sound scary. Why collect them?" Almost as if to emphasize their confusion, they shook their head. To Flarekit, anything that sounded scary wasn't something they were as eager to explore. Even some of the comments and questions such as Sedgerunner's caused alarm. What if the hemlock or foxglove was in their food? Could it be everywhere? Flarekit was hoping that Sunflowerkit would have some sort of answer considering their love for collecting all sorts of plants. And if they didn’t know, Vulturemask was a plant expert too now so they could also ask him and anyone else that could deal with the kit’s investigation. Despite addressing Sunflowerkit, their voice was still audible enough for those around them to hear.
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[SUNFLOWERMASK]

( ❁ ) Sunflowerkit feels more comfortable as soon as they hear Flarekit's purr. They give a quiet purr of their own in response, tail settling next to their sibling's paws. They had been eager to learn already; they wanted very much to keep up with Vulturemask, hanging onto every word he spoke about his training and listening in on Dandelionwish's lessons when they could get away with it. Still, they didn't feel quite right without one of their siblings by their side. Sitting next to Flarekit, they feel right at home--until, of course, the medicine cat explains the nature of the plants he's brought out.

Flarekit doesn't like it either, if their expression is anything to go by. When they move a little closer, Sunflowerkit does the same, their shoulders nearly brushing. They keep their eyes on Flarekit as they listen to the other cats' questions, tail tapping softly against their sibling's paws in a small gesture of comfort, a reminder that Sunflowerkit is still there. They'll keep their sibling safe. When Flarekit turns back to them, their ears perk up attentively, eyes fixed on Flarekit's, taking in their softly worried expression, colored by confusion.

"They sound scary. Why collect them?"

Huh. Sunflowerkit hadn't thought about that. They can't often explain why they collect plants, but it's a good question... They wouldn't want to keep something dangerous so why would Dandelionwish? Their first instinct is born of fear: they've heard the way the other cats talk about him, about why he's being held prisoner. Was Dandelionwish planning to poison someone? They cast a side-eyed glance at the tom, but... No, they think, trying to calm themself. He wouldn't be explaining if he was planning to use them. No one will eat them if they know they're poisonous. Dandelionwish isn't dangerous, no matter what the other cats say. That's what they have to believe, half-hearted as the thought is. Vulturemask likes him, so Sunflowerkit wants to as well.

They close their eyes then, head tilted in thought. Okay. The obvious reason to collect a plant is, of course, because they're pretty. However it clearly has to be more than that for something so deadly. So, why? A medicine cat's job is to help cats. How can they help cats by collecting dangerous plants?

Wait.

Oh!

They think they get it now. Sunflowerkit opens their eyes, looking back towards their sibling. Their voice comes out decisively: "Keeping them away," they say softly, insistently. Keeping the cats away from the plants, the plants away from the cats. It makes sense. Dandelionwish can recognize what's poisonous, so he hides them where the other cats can't eat them by accident. "So everyone's safe." They feel confident in their answer, yet once it's spoken they still glance over at Dandelionwish, then Vulturemask, looking for confirmation from the medicine cats. They don't think they've seen the plants before, but they also haven't been too far from camp so their knowledge is limited. Still, that's what Sunflowerkit would do, so it feels like the correct answer.​

 

[Dandelionwish]

"A cat who ingests these will show signs of illness quickly. Retching, gagging, shaking, froth at the mouth." He raises a paw to gesture to his muzzle for emphasis, sometimes cats who got too hot showed similar white foam near their lips but he makes clear with a wave of his paw he means something more significant than that. "WindClan does not carry the better herb for inducing vomitting to purge it from a cat's system. I believe it's called Yarrow? I'm not sure where to find it but it's not in the moors. What we have is tormentil but its not for ingested poisons." He had no idea what plans in their territory might work similarly and he would never find out. He had described the symptoms now, their inability to properly treat any cat who so foolishly ingested it, and now he tilted his head to the side as he contemplated the notion of prey eating it. Sunstride and Sedgerunner both put up the idea and he pondered it quietly for a moment or two. He'd never personally come across a rabbit without the sense to not nibble strange things but he'd met plenty of cats similar. "The poisons would kill prey, it is up to you to determine if eating dead creatures you found is worth it." A hungry cat didn't have many options, "I can't say it won't still be in them. It might be less potent." Perhaps. Perhaps being eaten by a rabbit and then said rabbit being eaten by a cat meant they would be fine, but Dandelionwish didn't have all the answers sadly.
"Unfortunately Lambcurl and Houndthistle have the right idea. Don't eat a strange plant, trust your judgement on dead prey. " Do it and die, as much as he didn't want to be so blunt with kits present it was a good enough lesson. Cats who just ate random things that weren't food put themselves at risk and would suffer the consequences of their actions in time.

"I don't collect them actually." Flarekit's question is not a bad one, not by any means and Sunflowerkit answers in an almost astute manner themselves but not quite. "These are all I have, dried and preserved to show. To teach. I try not to have the poisons in the den less a kit wanders in and looks for a treat. These have been there since-" Since...after Honeytwist had left. When he'd learned off poisons briefly before she'd sunk her claws into ShadowClan flesh. Dandelionwish blinks the memory away, "Since before I was a medicine cat."
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