Raven’s feathers (OPEN)

Ravenkit rolled around in the nursery, moss stuck on her raven black fur. She sighed. “I’m so bored...” Suddenly, she thought about something. Well, I also could just find some fun... She thought, slightly mischievous. With that, Ravenkit leaped onto her paws, and dashed outside of the nursery, inhaling the fresh scent of air. She wasn’t looking at where she was running, and suddenly, she barreled into a cat. Her head bumped into the cats’s flank, and she landed on her back with an “oomph”.

Blackclaw looked down at the black kitten that crashed into him. “H-He-Hello...L-L-Litt-Little...O-On-One.” he mewed down at her after setting the herbs he was carrying down. He was curious as to why the kit was in such a rush as she was only a kit and didn’t really need to be in a hurry.

Ravenkit looked up to see a dark warrior staring at her. Ravenkit swallowed and gulped, slightly frightened. “Uh-uhm-I—I’m Ravenkit...” Her last word trailed off, as quiet as a mouse scampering through the forest floor. “I wanted t—to explore camp...I’m so sorry.” She babbled, talking nonsense.

“Y-You..A-Are..F-Fi-Fine...R-Ra-Raven-K-Kit...I-I’m...B-Bl-Black-C-Cl-Cla-Claw..T-The..M-Med.” he mewed smiling down at the little kit. He remember when he was that small except he was always alone. He wondered if this kit was alone also. The first cat Blackclaw ever met besides his parents was his mentor, Mistedsong, the Skyclan medicine cat.

Ravenkit’s eyes widened in surprise. “So your the medicine cat? The one who um...collects herbs and stuff to heal other cats or something...never mind...” She trailed off again. Spotting the pile of herbs on the ground, Ravenkit snuffed it curiously, then cringed her nose slightly. It didn’t smell disgusting, but it didn’t smell weird either. It was a smell she had never before encountered before, and she was curious to know what it was. “May I ask...what is that?”

He smiled down at her before looking back at his herbs. “This is goldenrod, it’s chewed into a poultice and used to help heal wounds.” he mewed laughing as she sniffed them. “You can help me bring them back if you want.” he said picking up half the pile and leaving the rest for her.

Ravenkit took some in her jaws. “Offay, wheref fef medifine cat den?” Ravenkit mumbled through the pile of...goldenrod. She tried to keep her jaws from piercing the juice of the herb, because she knew how precious each and every stem was. She turned towards Blackclaw, tilting her head curiously.

Blackclaw motioned for her to follow him as he padded towards the dark and hidden den. He padded inside and set the herbs down next to the small bunch of goldenrod that was left. “Set them here.” he said and smiled at the young cat. “Your the first cat to not question why I’m not stuttering.” he mewed laying down as the herbs scents surrounded him and calmed him down.

“Oh...um...I felt like that was disrespectful and it that it would make you uncomfortable.” Ravenkit said, as she set down the herbs. “I feel like everyone should tell their own secrets themselves.” She shuffled her paws around. Being too curious could kill, and she didn’t want to be that kind of cat.

“I like you, well I can tell you. I was born with a stutter problem but when I was around herbs as a kit my stutter when away. I then became a medicine cat apprentice and Mistedsong, The Skyclan med cat, trained me. Even though I never stuttered when around herbs or when doing my job and always still stutter when I’m not doing anything.” He mewed. He never understood why he was like this but it made him become alone as most cats hated his stutter. Coalspark was nice enough to become his friend and he was happy about that.


(Raven can Friend night when he is born even tho he will be going to Skyclan)

OOC: Sure!

Ravenkit nodded slowly. “I guess that’s what makes you a good medicine cat.” Suddenly, she smelled something very enticing in the medicine cat den. Following her nose, she sniffed her way towards a pile of some green plant. Sniffing it carefully again, she turned to wards Blackclaw again. “What’s this? It smells...really good.”

Blackclaw looked to were she was looking and quickly put his paw in front of him. “That’s the catmint, please don’t touch as they can easily die.” he mewed knowing they would need to restock on the catmint when bareleaf came back around.

Ravenkit’s eyes widened, and she nodded slowly. “Ok...” She had no idea where she suddenly became so interested with herbs. The young kit had always been interested in everything, but herbs really attracted her attention. “What do all these herbs taste like? Do they taste bad?” She asked, not wanting them to taste awful when she had to eat them.

“Some taste bad but others taste good, hmmm you seem to really like herbs.” he mewed wondering how old this kit was.

Ravenkit smiled, slightly embarrassed. “I’m just pretty curious I guess.” Ravenkit said. It was true, she was interested, but she did feel a slight connection to herbs that was much more than interest. “Have you healed any cat close to death before?” She blurted out.

Blackclaw thought about it before nodding. “Oddpaw got seriously attacked and I healed them up. I have also delivered kit and even dealt with minor injuries when Coalpaw, now coalspark, was injured by a Fox.” He mewed smiling at how so far he only healed others when he was an apprentice. Now that he was a full medicine cat he wondered if he would be able to do more things.

Ravenkit heard Blackclaw’s story in awe and wonder. “It must be very exciting to be a medicine cat...” Ravenkit said. She walked around the den again. “How do you remember all these herbs? Does StarClan give you prophecies? Are there any new ones?” She fired question after question at Blackclaw, not knowing that she was being rude.

“Once you get the hang of the herbs they are easy to memorize, I have seen Starclan many times but no I haven’t received prophecies, yet.” He mewed laughing at her excitement. He wondered if this little kit would like to be his apprentice when she was old enough.

Ravenkit nodded excitedly. “I guess all medicine cats need good memory then.” She frowned suddenly. “How do you know if you are chosen by StarClan as the new medicine cat or medicine cat apprentice? Does StarClan give you signs or whatever? Can any cat be a medicine cat?”

“I never really knew. My mentor Mistedsong was in Skyclan when he got a sign from Starclan. He came to Shadowclan and found me before taking me to the Moonstone. I never knew what the sign was but I was glad it was Mistedsong who received it. He was the best mentor I could have asked for.” he mewed with a big smile of admiration.

Ravenkit’s eyes widened further. “So...you mean that...StarClan chooses?” She asked. She felt a twinge of disappointment. She was hoping to be medicine cat apprentice, but now it just seemed like there was only a tiny bit of chance to be it. Especially because StarClan could choose any cat.

He noticed how down she got so he gently nudged her. “Starclan chose me cause there was no medicine cat too, Yes we do get hints on who it will be but the medicine cat picks.” he mewed trying to cheer her up.

Ravenkit attempted a small smile. “Oh ok, yeah...” She was at a loss of words and shuffled her paws around. “What’s it like? Being the medicine cat? Is it...tiring? Do you...feel disappointed with yourself sometimes?” Ravenkit asked, tilting her head slightly. Her fluffy kit fur puffed up, and she tried to smooth it down.

He looked at her with a shocked face and shook his head. “Being the medicine cat is a big responsibility as I have to always be near someone in case of emergencies. It can be tiring but I always come back to my den to rest when needed and no I would never feel disappointed with myself unless I was slacking off when I could be doing something which never happens. He said smiling down at the kit. This was the longest he has ever spoken to someone without his stutter and it felt amazing.

Ravenkit nodded. She liked the medicine cat den. It felt cozy and warm, like the nursery, except better. Now she was getting used to the strong smell of herbs. Ravenkit knew that she would have a chance to not be medicine cat apprentice, but even if she didn’t get chosen by StarClan, it would always be better to have some knowledge in medicine with no medicine cat around, right? “Could you show me some herbs and their uses?”