beesong listens to starlingheart, his smile falling to be replaced with a thoughtful purse of his lips. she continues the lesson with dandelion, a herb that he'd learned from honeytwist what seems like an eternity ago. it's not useful information to him, now, so he doesn't bother with scrutinizing the herb as he had with the horsetail.. "the flower can also be used to soothe bee stings if you chew them into a pulp and apply them to the area," beesong adds, seeing an opportunity to exchange his own knowledge in between starlingheart's stuttered words.
they fall silent once more as starlingheart continues. goldenrod is used for speeding up the healing process. that, they didn't know. but when they shift their gaze down to take a good look at the slender yellow flowers, burning the sight and the anise-like smell into their memory... they realize that they've never seen this herb on riverclan territory, either. another disappointment, but they catalog the information anyway. who's to say? they could always trade herbs for goldenrod if they need to in the future.
honey is next; another herb that beesong already knows the use for. he catches the increase in the intensity of starlingheart's stutter, and he's reminded of the fire that swept across shadowclan's territory moons ago. the black she-cat must be intimately familiar with the sticky golden liquid... beesong's own jaw clenches at the memory of thunderclan's territory ablaze, a ghost of sizzling heat dancing along his right side.
oak leaves are good for stopping infection. beesong is gratefully distracted from the phantom sensations by starlingheart's wavering voice. riverclan doesn't have any oak trees, but they remember the leaves scattering across the forest floor in the dead of leaf-bare when they lived with rain's colony... they don't need to gander at the oak leaves to commit to memory like they did the others. if they ever ran out of marigold, starclan forbid, they could ask dawnglare for some of the extra leaves.
horsetail, in a similar vein, is used to treat infection and stop bleeding. it's another plant that he doesn't recognize at all, its long, bristly stems are an unfamiliar sight... and beesong thinks he would remember a horrid stench like the one the pungent plant gives off. but like the rest, he tries to memorize its features as quickly as he could and breathes a quiet sigh of relief when starlingheart replaces it with a better-smelling herb.
wood sorrel. it has heart-shaped leaves and white flowers arranged with five petals each. it functions similarly to goldenrod, starlingheart explains. beesong also doesn't recall ever seeing on riverclan's territory, which seems to be the pattern with all of starlingheart's knowledge... a bit of a waste, they realize while biting back a huff. but at the very least, they know more than they had before.
starlingheart asks them both if they had any questions, which beesong answers with a curt shake of his head. once gloompaw gives her answer, it would be time for beesong to start his own lesson...
the first herb they push forward is the peeled bark of an alder tree. "alder bark. it's chewed to ease the pain of toothaches." they aren't sure if shadowclan territory has alder trees... they aren't sure if shadowclan territory has most of the herbs they've brought. but beesong has agreed to teach starlingheart all they know.
next is a clear, sticky liquid gleaming on a moss ball. "birch sap is drunk to help with headaches."
blackberry leaves are next. beesong nudges the prickly, toothed leaves closer so that starlingheart could see. "blackberry leaves. you chew them into a pulp and place them on bee stings to soothe them."
a small flower with four yellow petals replaces the blackberry leaves. beesong scrunched up his nose at the acrid stench the celandine produces, too reminiscent of a freshly marked border. "celandine. you crush the flower and trickle the juice into eyes that've been damaged to soothe them."
beesong is thankful to trade the horribly scented yellow flowers with one that smells far better; chamomile. they brush the white petals of the flower absentmindedly... one of their favorite herbs. "chamomile. it's eaten to soothe the mind, very good for cats in shock."
chervil is the next herb on the list. beesong pushes the large, fern-like leaves into the space between the healers. "chervil. you can extract the juice from both the leaves and the roots. you drink the juice to help bellyaches, or apply it to wounds to cure an infection."
chickweed. beesong pulls out the tall stem of the plant, adorned with almond-shaped leaves. "chickweed. eaten to cure greencough if catmint isn't available."
the delicious scent of cob nuts has their mouth watering as they nudge it forward. "cob nuts are chewed into an ointment and applied to slow-healing wounds to soothe them."
coltsfoot replaces the cob nuts next, the flowers bearing a striking resemblance to those of the dandelion that starlingheart had brought. "coltsfoot. you chew it into a pulp and apply to cracked or sore pads." beesong would have no knowledge of any other uses for the yellow flowers.
the next is a combination of bell-shaped flowers and thick brown roots. the roots are the only part of the plant that could be used, as far as he's aware, but he figures it would be useful for him to bring the flowers as well so that starlingheart could better identify the plant in the future. "comfrey. the roots are useful for many different things; you can chew them into a poultice and use it to soothe wounds, wrenched claws, and inflammation, as well as treat itching and burns." beesong's nose wrinkles at the last tidbit of information. like coltsfoot, the cinnamon tabby would be unaware of another use for the roots.
"daisy leaves." beesong pushes forward the dark green, oval-shaped leaf. "you chew them into a paste to treat joint pain."
dock is next. its tangy scent is far too familiar to beesong now, they realize as they nudge the large leaf closer. "dock. you can chew the leaves up and place them on scratches to soothe them. or you can line a nest with them to ease the pain of wounds while sleeping. you can also rub them onto sore pads."
elder leaves take the dock leaf's place. "elder leaves are chewed into a poultice to soothe sprains."
and then, feverfew. beesong appreciates the soft leaves of the daisy-like flower as his paw brushes over them. "feverfew... as its name may suggest, it helps bring down fevers. it's also good for relieving pain, especially that of headaches." with how often riverclanners are getting injured or sick, beesong is surprised he still has feverfew to spare.
the fuzzy stem of goatweed is pushed forward next. "goatweed is eaten to ease grief."
next, mallow leaves. "mallow leaves are eaten to soothe bellyaches."
another herb that beesong has become intimately familiar with; marigold. the bulbous, yellow flowers are almost too commonplace in his arsenal. "marigold. you can chew both the leaves and petals into a poultice to prevent infection, stop bleeding, or treat inflammation in joints."
next... mint. despite the pleasantly aromatic scent of the serrated leaves, their stomach churns. "...mint. you can rub the leaves on dead bodies to hide the smell of death." the information lies heavy on their tongue, and they swallow it down with a self-soothing hum.
the round yellow flowers of tansy are a welcome distraction. "tansy. it can be eaten to cure coughs and soothe throats, as well as help with wounds. do not give it to pregnant cats, though."
watermint comes next. "watermint. you chew it into a pulp, and then it can be eaten to soothe bellyaches."
and finally, willow bark. beesong hums as they tap the peeled bark. "lastly, willow bark. it can be eaten to soothe pain."
beesong leans back, then, bobbed tail twitching as he readjusts his jaw... he isn't used to speaking so much in a short span of time, there's a dull ache settling in his jawbone. "questions?"
