Our gossip lips stuttered every word // Intro

It was hard to not feel disheartened at all the loss WindClan has been suffering, Gooseberry thinks as he takes a moment to himself. He finds it hard to relax for too long, especially as he grows older and more hardened. Their victory against SkyClan was probably the only good thing to happen to them recently, and he's not quite sure if it was truly a victory or more just a statement to keep the clan at ease. He wasn't one to doubt Sootstar for too long, however. Any kind of win they could get was a nice difference from what has become their usual. It shouldn't have to be, but the entire world seems to be against them. No matter, he wouldn't stand down, and he would give his leader his all until his dying breath.

Gooseberry isn't a super approachable cat, but that didn't mean he was an outlier in the clan. No, he fits right in, and it's a comforting feeling to know that he doesn't have to hold back too much scorn. If a cat is being stupid, it's on them, and he will readily tell them their mistake. He can have a short fuse, especially when he's not in a good mood, like he is at current. His moment of relaxation is cut short, and whoever he opens his eyes to, he gives them a glare. "Least you can do is bring me a snack for bothering my rest," he mumbles. Any semblance of peace would have to wait, he supposes.
 
"Dude, chill," Juniperpaw replies with a snort, voice muffled until he drops a mouse at Gooseberry's paws. "I'm already a step ahead of you." An amused smile twists on the apprentice's lips, which he disguises by ducking his head in a respectful nod. Most of his clanmates have a similarly short fuse and sharp tongue--it doesn't bother Juniperpaw at all. He knows that, despite how they might sound in conversation, every single one of these cats would proudly give their lives to protect the clan. It doesn't matter if they're nice. At least they're honest. Except for maybe Snakepaw, but he's special. "You got fleas or somethin'?" Juni asks with a teasing grin. "Or are you always this grumpy?"
 
Loss was a difficult thing to dwell upon. Though he has seen his share of it both within these moors and without, each new one of late has been a piercing to his heart. Their spirits had been low for some time now. He thinks that with their victory over SkyClan, things may finally begin to take their turn. His own heart is lighter, at least, though he cannot say if it is truly because of WindClan or for his mate. To call him so is enough to make his heart soar far above his head. He walks among the clouds– it is a miracle he is not the one to disturb Gooseberry as he goes about camp with his heart so aflutter. He does startle some, his mind racing to catch up. Between the mouse that Juniperpaw drops (how strange, he thinks; Juniperpaw) to the comment the warrior had made, his mind works backwards to its conclusion.

After he makes sense of it, he snorts. It is easier now to pretend that he had not been lost in his fawning. "If only fleas could be cured by a good meal. No, I'm afraid only grumpiness may be."
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  • ooc:
  • SUNSTRIDE. named for his coloration and his bold chasing of fate.
    —— cis male, he - him. approx. 40 moons old. lead warrior of windclan + former rogue.
    —— gay, monogamous. mate to wolfsong from 07.05.2023.  npc x npc, no larger family.
    —— has recently regained some of his earlier lightness, but maintains his steady facade.

    sunstride is broad and bold– a creature standing above most of windclan, though not a beast beyond its borders, with fur that flames red 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"
 
── .∘°°∘. ── Wolfsong did not avoid the elders before Sootstar named him medicine cat, but he did not often have reason to visit— just as he was not often within the nursery. Now, however, he has decided that it would be prudent to remain ahead with the oldest WindClanners' health, especially given the fragility inherent to a great age. He would not be surprised if they prefer to remain tight-lipped in regard to serious concerns— it would be like a WindClanner elder to maintain the visage of strength.

Though that does not mean they are without complaints, of course.

Overhearing Gooseberry draws an amused glint to his eye, one that softens into affectionate warmth when Wolfsong brushes up against Sunstride. Shoulder to shoulder, as they so often are, and yet with a new honesty between them. He smiles at his profile before glancing at Juniperpaw, his heart stuttering a moment when memory calls the image of his father. He shakes it away, refocusing. "I hope fleas are not involved," he begins, "or we will all have a miserable moon."
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WOLFSONG of WINDCLAN FORMER ROGUE TURNED MEDICINE CAT. 36 MOONS, HE/HIM, NPC X NPC. MATES WITH SUNSTRIDE (07/05/2023). BIOGRAPHY, PINTEREST, & PLAYLIST.
  • ★★★☆☆ WOUNDS: You're (mostly) in safe paws. You'll know if he's less experienced if he asks for your permission to try a treatment. No wound can scare him away from knowledge. — ★★★☆☆ INFECTION: He can prevent most infections. If you feel feverish, let him know— he'll hum thoughtfully over herbs and sniff your wound before saying, "With your blessing..."
  • ★☆☆☆☆ ACHES & PAINS: If you complain to him of pain, he'll ask where. If it's a headache, you'll likely feel a bit better. For anything else, "Try this, if you'd like, and tell me how you feel." — ★☆☆☆☆ BROKEN BONES: At best. he can ask you to remain lying down in the den. He may try to distract you with conversation while he considers what herb to feed you.
  • ★★★★★ TRAVELING HERBS: Going somewhere? No worries; Wolfsong knows just what you need to stay hale and healthy during your journey. The rest is up to you. — ☆☆☆☆☆ KITTING: He doesn't remember what it was like to be born. Coincidentally, that is the extent of his familiarity with kitting. At least he won't leave you without moral support.
  • ★☆☆☆☆ POISONS: It's best if you avoid eating anything unfamiliar to you— it's probably just as unfamiliar to Wolfsong. The best he can do is offer you yarrow and sit with you. — ★★☆☆☆ ILLNESS: If it's white or greencough, you'll likely recover. Otherwise, prepare for odd concoctions and the usual request that you consent to a little trial-and-error.
 
Gooseberry's surprised at the apprentice actually bringing him a snack, and part of him feels bad. Only part of him though, so he readily takes the mouse. "Thank you, Juniperpaw." He takes a nibble, then puts it down and smirks back at her. "No fleas, otherwise I'd spread them to you readily." It's not true at all, but who knows how he'll feel when he's an elder.

When Sunstride joins the two, he snorts at his comment. "You're not wrong. Though you know me, food will only help so much." He didn't have the energy to try and be too kind, but he's sure most of his clanmates understand. It's just part of who he is, and he wouldn't do much to change that. "And no, no fleas, Wolfsong. I'm younger than both you and Sunstride over there, you'll be getting fleas before me, I'm sure."
 
( 🐍 ) Venomstrike overhears the conversation about fleas as he walks over, the thought of the damned insects making his skin crawl and the large moor runner's snout wrinkles with slight disgust. He hoped that he would never get fleas cause that meant having to be moved away from his clanmates and mouse bile, the mere thought of it making him want to gag but he reminded himself that he was in public with his clanmates and not by himself. His large paws bring him forward to stand by the rest of his clanmates offering a respectful dip of his head, a snort leaving him as Gooseberry mentioned how Wolfsong and Sunstride would be first in gaining fleas since they were the oldest and it made him flick a single ear since he could recall being the same age as the two tomcats.

A part of him hopes that it isn't the case or he would be royally screwed. Whiskers would twitch lightly in amusement as he tried to figure out a way to hop into the conversation without stepping on anyone's toes especially since the majority of Windclan had the tendency of being bluntly honest which wasn't wrong in the slightest but he oftentimes wishes that they'd filter themselves. "Don't know... Younger cats have more fresh blood to spare," He decided to interject a little jokingly, if he had been a flea that definitely would've been his logic... Not that he would know what fleas thought of in the first place. Do fleas think?
( ME GUSTA LA MAÑANA; ME GUSTAS TÚ )
 


☽༺♰༻☾
juniperpaw, caught under a green gaze. her brother was delivering prey, it was not usually out of the ordinary. but when she saw him place a freshly killed mouse at the paws of a warrior, suspicions were raised. wasn't gooseberry perfectly capable of getting his own prey? a warrior, not injured visibly. did he have some other ailment that rendered his legs useless?

as she trotted over, the word of fleas was shared around. did gooseberry have fleas? hollypaw hoped not, especially when he was in such close contact to juniperpaw at the moment. a frown on her face, she joined her brother, although notably sitting a distance that would not put her at risk for catching such a plague. venomstrike prodded that younger cats were the ones with fresher blood coursing through them, making them much better candidates. a brief moment of shock passed her face, were this true? if so, was it already too late for her poor brother? "you can't get fleas," she muttered to the blue apprentice. hollypaw wore a deadly serious expression, as if a sibling with fleas would alter her life for the worse.
 
Milkpaw had just gotten back from his training. More blabbering about how to properly hunt, as if the healing scratch on his cheek didn't remind his mentor that he could indeed hunt. But his 'posture was all wrong' or he was 'too loud'. it was always something, but he bit his tongue.

He wasn't apart of the skirmish between Skyclan and his own clan, which was quite unfortunate, having to stay back in the nursery and guard camp, but he did very much wish that he was apart of it. He would have been able to take out so many stupid kittypets, but he was not allowed. The next one he would for sure be apart of it. Even if he snuck out.

He had only been barely listening to the conversation, and when fleas would escape their mouth, he felt his fur stand on end. "Only damn our enemies to get fleas, bothering the twoleg place and such, it's bound to happen," he said. Or Snakepaw. He hoped the brat would get infested so that he would leave the apprentices den and be held back from his duties.

He had no clue yet of the feeling of fleas, and he planned not to get any. The stories were enough. That's all he wanted to avoid or more rumors about him would be given, and he wasn't okay with that.
 
At the threat of purposefully spreading fleas, the young tomcat wrinkled his nose at Gooseberry. "Not cool," Juniperpaw retorted with a laugh. "After all that hard work I put into catching a mouse for you..." He puts on a stricken expression, a paw resting over his heart, as if suffering grievously from his clanmate's lack of gratitude. Juni didn't bother mentioning that the mouse was originally supposed to be his snack before he gave it away. It was only a mouse and he could always go grab something else to eat later. Thoughts of filling his hungry belly distracted him momentarily before the arrival of his sister brought him back to reality. You can't get fleas. It was a demand. A threat. A plea. Juniperpaw met her deadly serious expression with something bordering on mischevious. "Oh yeah?" he replied teasingly. "How do you know I'm not already infested?" Without warning, he leaned over and rubbed the length of his body against Hollypaw as obnoxiously as possible. "I'm feeling kinda itchy!" He grinned over at Milkpaw. So much concern about some little bugs. What was the big deal anyway? At least it got everyone all riled up over something other than war for once. "You want some of this too?" Juniperpaw didn't bother waiting for a reply before pouncing at Milkpaw in an attempt to spread more imaginary fleas.​