Herb Training (Mousepaw)

[Poppy]

Ashfoot awoke slowly and looked out of his den, the sun was barely even rising yet, he needed to get up now with his new apprentice. The white medicine cat, pondered what he was first going to teach Mousepaw. He had just received the young apprentice two days ago, it was going to be a long time until Mousepaw got his full medicine cat name but Ashfoot decided it was time to start training Mousepaw now. He stood up and lightly prodded the brown scrap of fur with one of his dark gray paws, and spoke softly. "Mousepaw, herb training time, meet me by the camp entrance when you are ready to go out." He patiently waited for Mousepaw by the camp entrance like he had told him. He had heard that Mousepaw was quite a skittish cat, but he would eventually have to get over the fear of things and react.

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[atrb=background,http://i41.tinypic.com/160tt1x.jpg] While he was a coward anywhere else, in his dreams he was a hero. Mousepaw stood triumphantly before the cats of his Clan, body holding itself tall and proud. His usually small physique was about three times larger in his dream world, making him a cat everyone looked up to. He stood in front of the other warriors, the ones he always looked up to who were now looking up to him. His tail was raised and his chest was puffed out proudly as the other felines gathered around him and looked on in a silent awe. He felt a warm prickle run down his spine at their approval of him. Ashfoot, his mentor and the Clan's medicine cat, stepped up to him. "Mousepaw, herb training time, meet me by the camp entrance when you are ready to go out." The young apprentice felt a touch on his side, stirring his dream world and dissipating it from existence. The brown tom made a slight face when he was awoke, pale yellow eyes blinking open slowly into the daylight just in time to see the white form of his mentor leaving the den. It took a moment for the tom's mind to catch up with what had just happened, and once he did, he sighed and rolled over, pawing gently at his face. It was so early; this was one thing he didn't quite like about being an apprentice. The early wake up times really put a cramp in his beauty sleep. Wait... Training? This was his first day! Oh, StarClan he was making Ashfoot wait on him! The young apprentice quickly picked himself up, fur sticking out every which way in his frazzled state, and rushed out quickly after his mentor. Heh. His mentor. His mentor. He liked how that sounded. He was an apprentice now; he had a duty now. He had something to fulfill; a goal to get to. He wasn't just an apprentice, no. He was a medicine cat apprentice. Finally, after so long of watching Ashfoot and learning from a distance, he got a place to study under him. And he was late already. The young tom broke into a sprint to make it to where the older feline was waiting for him, uncomfortably aware of the twigs still clinging to his fur from his nest due to the rush to get up. "S-sorry about that, Ashfoot," he panted softly, body reflexively crouching close to the ground to make himself smaller, just as he always did. "Won't... Won't happen again, I promise." words: 426 . tagged: poppy with ashfoot . notes: thanks for starting this. <3 [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,375,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true]

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[Poppy]

Ashfoot smiled when he saw his apprentice finally emerge out of the den, immediately apologizing to him that he was late, which wasn't entirely true plus, it didn't matter that Mousepaw was late they had all day. "It's alright, there is no hurry today since it is your first day as my apprentice. Now, there are some things you should know about being a medicine cat. First off, medicine cats are the healers of the clan, they also go every half-moon to speak with StarClan. Medicine cats do not learn any major battle or hunting techniques, only the small basics, as we will not need them very often, unless the camp happens to be ambushed. We will not be doing any battle training today, herbs is what you will focus on." Ashfoot felt a little nervous about teaching his apprentice the proper herbs and poultices he will need to know. What herb should he start with? Cobwebs would be a good start.

Ashfoot spoke once more to Mousepaw. "Would you like to eat something before we get started?" He glanced at the fresh-kill pile, his stomach growling with hunger and he realized that he hadn't eaten since the previous night. The medicine cat looked at Mousepaw, with curiosity in his bright blue eyes.

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[atrb=background,http://i41.tinypic.com/160tt1x.jpg] Ashfoot smiled at his appearance, which the young tom could only take as a good sign. He visibly relaxed, letting out a soft breath that he hadn’t known he’d been holding, and sat himself up slightly to run his tongue through his fur, eager to rid himself of the mess that had become of it and look a little less disheveled. He knew the other tom wasn’t a spiteful spirit, and for that he was grateful. He didn’t know how he’d survive if his mentor had been some big scary cat who liked to give orders, like a few cats he knew. Ashfoot would be a good match for him, he thought, and Mousepaw was eager to show off what a great learner he could be. "It's alright, there is no hurry today since it is your first day as my apprentice. Now, there are some things you should know about being a medicine cat. First off, medicine cats are the healers of the clan, they also go every half-moon to speak with StarClan.” He was excited about this idea. He’d witnessed them leaving before and had always thought about what mystical things happened once there. Mousepaw felt excitement prickle in his belly at the thought of him actually being able to go along some time to see what no other cats get to see. He felt special in a way, and that made him beyond happy. He was worried about the day, but at the same time he was far too excited to think straight. "Medicine cats do not learn any major battle or hunting techniques, only the small basics, as we will not need them very often, unless the camp happens to be ambushed. We will not be doing any battle training today, herbs is what you will focus on." The young brown tom nodded at these words, mentally thanking StarClan that battle training was not on the schedule for today. Mousepaw knew very well that he was no type of hunter in the least and was a bit embarrassed at the thought of having to later show Ashfoot just how bad. Even as a kit he was always the weaker one who couldn’t keep up with the others. Herbs, though, herbs he could do. He’d been paying keen attention to his mentor even before this moment, watching what he used for what kind of injury, and thought he had at least a pretty basic knowledge of everything. "Would you like to eat something before we get started?" The brown tom blinked at this and followed his mentors’ gaze to the fresh-kill pile. His ear swiveled at the sound of the older feline’s stomach growling, and a small grin appeared on the apprentice’s maw. Breakfast wouldn’t hurt either way, especially if they were going to be out for a time. “Yes, please.” Even if he was incredibly excited to get started with his first lesson, in knowing Ashfoot was hungry it was only polite to agree. He moved off, his small body seeming to creep forward as his paws carried him with careful steps to his destination; he nearly seemed to tip-toe everywhere he went. The apprentice chose a small bird for himself and crouched close to it, waiting for his mentor before he began. words: 547 . tagged: poppy with ashfoot . notes: - [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,375,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true]

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[Poppy]

Ashfoot smiled sheepishly because of his growling stomach. Good, Mousepaw had agree to eat breakfast before they left. Mousebrain! He should have thought of eating something when he first woke up this morning. The white medicine cat padded over to the fresh-kill pile and began searching for something with his eyes instead of his paws. Soon, he found a plump mouse and he saw that Mousepaw had gotten a small bird out of the pile to eat. He nodded to his apprentice to begin eating. Ashfoot took a large bite of the mouse and looked up to see a warrior walk out of the den, and go through the camp entrance. "I wonder where that warrior is going..." He wondered out loud to no one in particular. After he finished his mouse, he pushed away the scraps and licked his paw, slowly drawing it over his face and ears. Ashfoot glanced at Mousepaw, such a small cat, and spoke softly like always. "Are you ready to go out into the territory."
(Sorry, I had to finish my project.)

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[atrb=background,http://i41.tinypic.com/160tt1x.jpg] The young apprentice crouched beside his meal and watched his new mentor with his wide pale yellow eyes, tail curling absently around his small body as he waited patiently. It would be rude to begin eating before his partner, right? It was only common courtesy to wait until his company began eating. At least… That’s what he thought. What if he was wrong and was doing this all wrong? What if Ashfoot thought he was being impatient? The feline’s cinnamon colored ears flattened slightly at that thought, suddenly worried. He didn’t want the older tom to be angry with him, but what if it was too late? These were good manners he was using, right? He’d been a little late though… And his fur had been far from tidy when he eventually had shown up, and- His mentor nodded, giving him the silent cue to go ahead and eat, and Mousepaw felt himself breathe a small sigh of relief. Well at least he didn’t look mad. No… These were the proper manners, he was sure of it. Absently lowering his head to begin eating his meal, his attention was pointed elsewhere when the medicine cat spoke up. "I wonder where that warrior is going..." The young apprentice glanced up from what he was eating at the indicated warrior, watching them disappear out through the entrance, and then smiled slightly to himself. He didn’t know where the cat was going, but he’d spent moons sitting back and watching the older warriors leave at their own free will, some many at a time for a patrol or hunting party. They always had purpose and drive and they were strong, and now, Mousepaw also had a purpose and a drive to leave camp. He was still working on the strong part, but that was fine with him. He had his own things to do now, his own things to learn along an experienced member of the clan, and he was elated for this news. Ashfoot finished his meal and began cleaning himself up, and Mousepaw quickly stuffed his face full of what was left of his own before promptly following suit and doing exactly what the older tom did, studying his movements. This wasn’t the training he was used to and he knew he didn’t have to do this, but he wanted to be the perfect apprentice for the other tom and was determined to get all of this right today. He was definitely not going to mess any of this up. He decided then and there that today would be a successful one; one that he could look back on as his first day of training and be proud about. "Are you ready to go out into the territory?" At this question, Mousepaw instantly jumped to his paws with a confident “Yes!” before he realized that may have been rude, and almost instantly went back to crouching again, his already small form sinking close to the ground under paw. “I, um, I mean yes, if you’re ready, Ashfoot,” he amended, offering a small smile to the white tom. words: 516 . tagged: poppy with ashfoot . notes: that's perfectly fine, please don't feel rushed. <3 [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,375,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true]

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[Poppy]

Ashfoot smiled proudly that Mousepaw was actually excited about training. "So tell me, what made you become a medicine cat apprentice instead of becoming a warrior like the rest of the other apprentices?" He hadn't ever had the chance to ask an apprentice that question. Ashfoot's mentor had asked him the same question and his answer had been, 'I've been watching you apply herbs and use them on many different cats, I would love to learn the different types of herbs.' Ashfoot had always taken pride in his mentor, who had taught him so much in such little time, because once Ashfoot received his full medicine cat name, his mentor died of illness a moon or so later, and it was his time to step up, even if he didn't think he was quite ready yet, he had to do his duty as a medicine cat to push past his doubts and move forward. Now, he had an apprentice of his own and he would try and teach Mousepaw all he knew. "Alright, let's go." Ashfoot chuckled at the young cat's eagerness to get started.

Ashfoot began to walk out of SunClan camp, slowing his pace to let his apprentice take in the outside world, since it was his first time out of camp. "Now, breathe in, and remember the different scents you smell." The white tom stopped and looked back at Mousepaw, waiting for him to take in each an every scent around them. There was strong scents of herbs he would be teaching Mousepaw.