[AbsurdJinx]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]

Originally Posted by RedHead

She watched with big blue eyes as Juniperpaw took a look at her wound, and to Settingpaw's relief, not touching it. Settingpaw didn't like being touched by other cats in the first place, and when she had an infection that hurt, well that just made it even worse. Lifting a forepaw to give it a lick, the apprentice lifted her head at once in when Juniperpaw spoke.

"Uhh... Well..." Settingpaw's ears flicked back against her head at Juniperpaw's question. She wasn't sure how to explain to the other molly that she came to Riverclan to find her father, hoping he would want to see her, even though he ended up not wanting to. And now she was stuck in a clan with no friends, no one to talk to, and it hurt the young apprentice. A lot more than she was willing to admit. "I came here to see my father, because... I'm half-clan, and I wanted to live with my dad. But, he doesn't seem to want to see me, so I've kind of come here for nothing." She turned her face down, a bit ashamed to admit that she was a half-clan cat. Split loyalties was not something that Settingpaw liked admitting to, even though she was a pure example of one. But she had pledged that when she got here, no matter what the turnout, she would stay loyal to Riverclan for the rest of her life.

She watched as Juniperpaw came back and started to chew up the leaves she had brought out of her herb store. The black-and-white cat wondered for a moment what her background was. Was Juniperpaw a full-clan cat? Did she not have to prove her loyalties? Was she fully accepted because her blood was all Riverclan? Settingpaw only wished that she could be like that. She didn't care if she was full Riverclan, or full Thunderclan, she just wished cats wouldn't judge her harshly because of her blood.

Juniperpaw applied the chervil carefully to Settingpaw's infection. All the while, she listened to her patient's explanation patiently. Why would a father turn away his own children? Juniperpaw did not struggle with such neglect as her own father loved and adored her to pieces, and so did her mother until she disappeared. However, little did Juniperpaw know, her half-brothers would better understand Settingpaw's issues as they were neglected somewhat by their shared father. Juniperpaw was her family's star, the center of attention, the apple of her father's eye. She had trouble understanding family issues because in her eyes, her family was perfect.


``Oh, you haven't come here for nothing,`` Juniperpaw purred as if amused by Settingpaw's problems. She finished applying the chervil bits as she spoke, ``There's so much opportunity in RiverClan. You can start afresh. Sure, you'll have to prove yourself, but you can prove yourself beside me. Though I was born here, a couple of my clanmates do not approve of me as medicine cat. I must prove myself to them just as you do. I was neglected at first, when Geckoleaf, my mentor, the medicine cat before me, chose me to be trained as her. The clan was still grieving the loss of our former medicine cat apprentices, and they were not ready for me to replace them. Russetstar was the father of the beloved former medicine cat apprentice, Cricketpaw, who was killed by a Dusk Syndicate member. Even the leader disapproved of me, and Geckoleaf avoided me like I was an illness. She was not very happy when we went to the Starcave to preform my ceremony. I have no knowledge of herbs - at least, a very small one. And I'm not even eight moons old, yet I'm expected to carry the weight of the entire clan on my shoulders.``


Juniperpaw paused. Why am I telling a stranger all this? Shaking her head in self-disapproval she meowed,``I'm sorry. I shouldn't be telling you all this. This is my weight to carry, not yours. Anyway, I've finished. I suggest resting for at least a few days. Take it easy on your warrior duties, and be especially easy on your leg, alright? I'll keep watch over you from around camp.`` As she spoke, rather firmly and leaving no room for question or resistance, Juniperpaw picked at the bits of chervil that had fallen and she gathered the leaves that hadn't been used. She created a pile of used parts to clear out later while carrying the decent pile back to the herb store.