Huntin' for Herbs

[coral]

It's quite simple for anybody to find herbs. The question was: Which herbs? You definately didn't want deathberries, but charmoline was essential for soothing a stomache, which happened quite a bit in the Clan. Or maybe the cats just wanted to eat the lovely tasting herb. No matter. But either or, Coralbreeze was here to find herbs for bare-leaf. Her new medicine cat den was nearly empty on a few important herbs, and she was here to replenish them.

But who said she couldn't have fun while she worked? Lowly Coral (sometimes she still called herself that) began to hum a little tune about two skipping kits who encountered a moose.

What's that?
What's that?
It's getting very near.
What's that?
What's that?
Oh my, it looks like a deer!
What's that?
What's that?
Ahh! It's not a deer!

Perhaps it was a very silly song, but it still always made Coralbreeze giggle. In the later verses, it goes on to tell about how the annoyed moose charges and then the kits flee back to the camp, never to be so thingyy again. And still didn't know it was a moose.

Chuckling softly, Coralbreeze went on to find some more herbs. Hmm... what do I need beside charmoline? Ah, here we go. Some cobwebs and comfrey. The long-haired gold and cream tabby laughed a lot harder now as she realized she was Coralbreeze, looking for comfrey, cobwebs, and charmoline. A whole bunch of C's. Odd how nature presented on to the world.

It was ridiculous that Coralbreeze should find a bunch of C's funny, but she had been so deprived of laughter lately that even the tiniest hint of silly set her off. Her laughter made a tinkling sound to her auds, and with good spirits Coral went off to collect more herbs.

[--> arcticstripe <--]

Hollypaw slowly took small steps towards her mentor. She had listened to her hum and wasn't sure if she wanted to disturb her. Nonetheless, she wanted to learn all she could about herbs in her time that she could.

She soon came to be behind Coralbreeze. Her eyes were wide and wondering, she was obviously looking for herbs.

Hello Coralbreeze. Um... I was wondering if you needed any help. I'm not very advanced in this medicine cat stuff yet, but I'm sure I can do something.

A small smile came onto Hollypaw's face as she said this. She wanted to do anything she could to help, and not just sit around. Of course, she never wanted to just sit around though.

[coral]

Coralbreeze turned her benign gaze upon her apprentice, Hollypaw. Despite the interruption toward her song, the she-cat knew that company woud be helpful and interesting. And Hollypaw needed to learn more about being a medicine cat anyway.

Of course you may help! Right now I am looking for comfrey; it looks like a flowerless plant that is shaped as a palm. Hmm... like this!

Coral eagerly pulled up a stout leaf from a pile of similar leaves.

Comfrey can clear up about any type of skin irritation, like cuts and insect bites. Do you think you can find some?

Kindly staring at Hollypaw, Coralbreeze hoped she would know a few other herbs for injuries and the like. Reciting every single type of plant out there did not sound like any small task. Coral knew; she had learned the different poultices and the like even after she had become the RockClan medicine cat. You learn everything on the job, thought the long-haired feline. And it means trouble if you don't. Deciding to test her apprentice upon some basic knowledge of herbs, just to see what they needed to work on, Coralbreeze thought up some quick questions and answers.

But before we go a huntin', I need to figure out your strengths and weaknesses. Just answer these questions as well as you can.

What herb can be used to heal tooth aches?
Is water mint used to cure belly troubles?
And lastly, name three plants that are chewed up first, then distributed.

She hoped that the questions wouldn't be too difficult for Hollypaw, but one never knew. But Hollypaw was smart, and should do well. But I musn't expect too much; she is young, and still learning.

[--> arcticstripe <--]

Hollypaw listened to Coralbreeze's description of the Comfrey carefully. Of course she could find some! She smiled when she studied the plant Coralbreeze had picked, but then started to become more nervouse as Coralbreeze said that she was going to test Hollypaw.

The first question came and Hollypaw struggled to find the answer. What was it again? She knew that in the back of her mind somewhere she held the answer. She shook her head though, she didn't want to miss the other questions.

The second question was easy. Yes, water mint was used to cure bellyaches. She had learned that when she herself had a bellyache and had to ask Coralbreeze what to use since they were out of Juniper Berries. Coralbreeze had told her chervil root and water mint were helpful.

She bit her lip when the last one came. It was like the first, the answer was hidden in the back. She racked her brain for the answer; Marigold leaves and petals could be chewed and then placed on wounds to stop infection, and Yarrow was the same but it could also relieve pain. Hollypaw bit down harder on her lip when she couldn't think of another. She was also still having trouble figuring out the toothache question.

Well, water mint is used to cure bellyaches. And um... marigold and yarrow are two plants that should/can be chewed first and then applied.

It came to her then what was used to cure toothache. She remembered when old Silvereye came in with his teeth hurting. Coralbreeze had ofered him some alder. Anxiously, Hollypaw gave her answer.

Alder can help a cat with a toothache reduce the pain and swelling right?

Hollypaw didn't wait for an answer, but quickly kneeded her paws on the ground, trying to think of a third plant that could be chewed and then distributed. When she gave up she bowed her head and looked at her paws.

Sorry Coralbreeze, I can't think of a third herb that should be chewed first.

[>>:Featherstone:<<]

From a bit away, Nighthawk stalked a mouse carefully, one ear pricked to catch the other's words. She leapt, and caught th mouse by the tail, killing it. She listened to the converse between mentor and apprentice, and suddenly a clump of weeds caught her eye. "Hey, Coralbreeze. Is this Burdock root? She asked, pawing at the roots of the weeds. They were red and stringy, and smelled strongly.

[coral]

Right then and there Coralbreeze knew that this Hollypaw had the makings of one of the finest medicine cats StoneClan had ever seen. Yes, those great warriors up there would see what a fine she-cat she'll be.

You are correct on everything! Don't worry about the third one, but of you wanted to know, thyme was the last one I was thinking of. It is used to help treat cats in shock. It's not something we use often, as it is a rare day our great warriors scare themselves that silly.

Coralbreeze couldn't help but to smile at Hollypaw. Coral knew that when she was young, those kind of questions were far too hard for her. But Hollypaw had answered each one wonderfully. She must be one dedicated apprentice. On sudden impulse, the she-cat leaned down and licked Hollypaw's crown, then, embarrassed, she began speaking again in a semi-gruff voice.

Now that I know a few of your strengths - I don't believe that you have many weaknesses - than let's go find that comfrey.

Then a new warrior appeared. It was a she-cat, and was asking about burdock root. I really have got to get the names straight. I do believe this one is... Nightsparrow? Nightowl? Oh, yeah. Sheepishly she grinned. Nighthawk. Staring at the root, Coral couldn't help but feel apprehenive.

I would suggest getting a thicker root, that looks more like a singular trunk than lots of different roots. The common name for is taproot.

[>>:Featherstone:<<]

Nighthawk nodded, digging futher for a thicker, branching root. "Here, Coralbreeze." She siad, puashing it over with her paw.

[coral]

{We posted at the same time I shall modify my post to include Nighthawk!}

[--> arcticstripe <--]

Hollypaw smiled at the praise. Her eyes sparkling. When Nighthawk arrived and was talking to Coralbreeze sighed. She then peered around Coralbreeze's shoulder to get a good look at the 'taproot' and then at what might have been 'burdock root'. She may know names for things, but she sure didn't know what they looked like. Her eyes studied the root. She thingyed her head to one side confused about the taproot and burdock root thing. Were they the same? Or was one this another one a different one? She wanted to ask, but she could see that Coralbreeze was busy and stayed silent. Later she would get that part cleared up.

[coral]

Yup. That's the burdock root. Is there anything else you need?

Coralbreeze was anxious to get back to Hollypaw and continue her education, but politeness came first and Coral was a generally polite cat. Then, when she realized that maybe the felines about her might have gotten confused over the matter of burdock root and taproot, Coralbreeze took it upon herself to explain.

I mentioned taproot earlier, right? Well, taproot isn't actually a type of plant. More like a definition of a type of root. Taproots are very think with few branching "mini" roots. Burdock root is classified as a taproot, so that's why I mentioned it.

The she-cat couldn't help it. She liked to have a classification for everything. It kept her from getting fustrated; looking all over for a herb tended to strain her patience. Not that she had an especially large amount, anyway.

[--> arcticstripe <--]

Hollypaw nodded slowly as she took in the information. She needed to remember everything. Someday, she was going to be as good a medicine cat as Coralbreeze was. Her eyes sparkled when for a moment she imagined herself in Coralbreeze's place. She wiped it away quickly though, did that mean she wished Coralbreeze was no longer here? No, of course not. She just wanted to be a full medicine cat - with Coralbreeze still here.