Sleepy Thicket

[Starfall]

Rowanmist
@spade @Tiabirb @Willowfern

The tom stopped making his way out to the territory when he was met with silence. Turning around he noticed none of them made any notion of moving, none of them responded to him either. With a dejected smile, ears drooping, the tom tilted his head to the side. Had he said something to make them angry at him? Or was it just that they were going to a gravesite? He knew the most recent death's were a tender spot for most, but simply ignoring him like that was a bit harsh.

Thwacking his tail against the ground the Russet feline let out a short sigh. "If you're uncomfortable...I'd suggest talking to Snakeheart about it. I'm leaving though if any of you wish to come." he hummed as he turned heel and went out into the territory.
-----

Truth be told, Rowanmist felt his heart drop more and more the closer he got to the thicket. However he just had to be careful with where he was stepping and with taking flowers. Curteous is what he had to be, kind and cautious. His nose wiggled as he looked around, couldn't find what they needed quite yet.

He hadn't explained what exactly they needed yet...or he depending on how many showed up. But if someone showed up, he would explain...to the best of his knowledge that is. Snakeheart had explained what they looked like, so truth be told it was already covered.

[Tiabirb]

Had they needed words to affirm they were going? Was she not already here? He was the patrol leader, was he not? When he started moving, she moved as well, looking back once more for her apprentice. Hmph.

Well it seemed Frogpaw had chosen elder duties today. Keeping her head and tail low and a hard glare in her eye as she followed Rowanmist, she slipped through the tunnel and out onto the territory. Why did he seem so dejected? And...what? Starlingflight couldn't believe her ears. "You're suggesting we're uncomfortable? Really?" The molly asked irritably. "Are you leading this patrol or not?" She asked him, her tail twitching slowly. "If you are, then let's simply go."

Borage. Marigold. Tansy. Those were the herbs they needed to get. Starlingflight had no qualms raiding the resting place of their dead Clanmates. If anything, the herbs taken from the 'Land of the Dead' would be used to keep cats alive. She had no real connection or aversion to the Sleepy Thicket; Her kit hadn't been buried there. So what sentiments could she possibly have for the RiverClan Graveyard?

@Starfall @spade @Willowfern

[Starfall]

Rowanmist
@spade @Tiabirb @Willowfern

The Warrior let out a laugh as he padded to the territory. Ears twitched. Why as it they were so mad? Lips turned upwards into a tight smile, not as soft as it usually was. "I wasn't suggesting, I was asking. There's a difference." his voice still held a chipper tone, attitude doing a full flip as blue hues looked over at the other Warrior.

He was, by no means, a small tom. Maine coon mix with fluffy fur that made him look 2x as big as he already was. "What does me asking my clanmate's if they're okay, after still getting over two very recent and big death's, have to do with my leadership of this patrol?" it came out as though a child was asking the question. Blue hues flickered with a challenge, but the smile stayed. After a few seconds the Russet tom let out soft bubbles of laughter.

"Hopefully whatever's gotten under your fur goes away quickly. It would be a shame if this patrol were to become sour because of it." he chirped as he shuffled to the side, eyes already zoning in on a rather plush looking orange flower. "I found some marigold, if you would be so kind as to find the others that would be great! Let me know if you need me to explain what they look like. I'd be happy to!" it was as if his demeanor from earlier didn't even exist. Soft smile no longer strained, the twinkle in his eyes was purely excitement, and his tail flicked against the ground, brushing some grass and kicking up some dust.

[Tiabirb]

"Death happens all around us." Starlingflight shrugged. "The cats who have died recently may have more significance than others who laid down their own lives for their Clan, but they're dead all the same." She prowled along, glancing at Rowanmist and his smile.

"And why I question the leadership of this patrol?" She quipped, her eyes narrowing to respond the challenge presented. "Because we're on a patrol. Which is our duty. IF I wanted to chat and share tongues, I'd do it at camp. If cats are 'uncomfortable' serving their clan, no matter where they are in the territory, then that is their problem. Not yours. Not mine. Theirs." Her cold, pale yellow eyes looked at the marigold, and she sniffed. "I know what we're looking for. I've been around long enough." She muttered and padded off in search of the herbs they were tasked to find.

Sniffing about, Starlingflight put the tom's senseless compassion to the back of her mind. When did cats become so soft these days? Cats died left and right. It might seem heartless, but Starlingflight simply didn't see the difference between which cats were dead, or why they died. They were safer and probably happier than any of the cats currently still alive were now. They didn't go hungry. They never had sickness. They got to be reunited with their loved ones upon death.

The only difference she acknowledged? Dead or alive. And that's the only difference that mattered to Starlingflight.

@Starfall @Willowfern @spade

[Starfall]

Rowanmist
@spade @Tiabirb @Willowfern

He held back a sigh as she dragged the conversation on, swiveling to look at her, his head turned, looking over his shoulder. He gave her an unimpressed gaze. To be quite frank, her words ticked him off. It was rare for the tom to actually get mad, let alone annoyed. But here this Warrior was.

"I want you to go and tell that to the Clanmates who are still grieving and see if you get as gentle a response as you do now." he stated. It was an order, there was no room for arguments. His, usually soft voice, held a thick air of anger. But it stayed soft all the same. He thought back to Goosefury, to Kestrelstar. How heartbroken they were. And she had the audacity to say that without an ounce of care.

As she spoke on about how she questioned him he simply stared back, the russet feline was now fully facing her, a few of the Marigold he'd picked tucked within his pelt. He had to think for a few seconds, not about what she'd said, but about how this patrol would end up becoming of something wasn't done. So, with a gentle bright smile, accompanied by sharp blue eyes that flickered with anger, Rowanmist tilted his head to the side.

"Riverclan warriors all have their strengths and weaknesses. It's very sad that you feel as though it's not allowed." he hummed, bringing a paw up to his maw as he looked to be in deep thought. "Maybe it should become your problem. Than you'd have more cat's to care for you." it was a quick and concise cut to the jugular. "After all, you should treat other's the way you want to be treated. With this being said. I'll give you two options. You can either stay here, and help me and Olivenose, since your Apprentice hasn't shown up, and have a wonderful conversation with us. Or you can go back to camp, bringing your attitude with you." it was a chipper hum, tail thwacking against the ground as he adjusted the flowers he had tucked away in his pelt.

To say Rowanmist was angry...it would be an understatement. He wasn't angry that his position or whatever it was, was being questioned. He could care less about that it's happened before. No it was the fact that Starlingflight was brushing off how his friends felt without batting an eyelash. And saying that they were alone in dealing with it, that it was a weakness. That. Made the Warrior angry.

[Tiabirb]

Starlingflight stopped and sighed deeply, shaking her head, "No cat ever stops, grieving, Rowanmist. Trust me. Learning to live with that grief is the hard part. And no matter the amount of cats that comfort and tell you it's okay...it's still your grief to bear. And it never goes away..." She mewed quietly, her tone sounding almost distracted as she sniffed out a few stalks of borage.

When she spoke again, her voice had grown firm and harsh, "I'm on a patrol. And that patrol has a job to do." She shook herself out and began nipping the stalks gingerly and setting the borage aside. Two stalks so far. "If you don't like or respect a Clanmate's opinion, or care why they might have said opinion, then don't converse with them." She said flatly and moved on to find more borage.

It wasn't that Starlingflight didn't care. She very much did. But with the death that was clinging to their pelts like ticks lately? If she tried to openly care, to be there and be a part of their lives during this turbulent time, she only opened herself to more pain. More grief. And after her talk with Kestrelstar...she just couldn't bear the thought of it. No. Being cold and distant, while not a popular choice, it still kept them her Clanmates away from her for the most part. She would bear their anger. Cats came and went all of the time. Some left deeper pawprints in hearts than others. Sometimes a death that one hadn't thought related to another...it created an even bigger pawprint. Fresher. And as such, though she didn't show it, her grief had returned, stronger than ever.

And with it had come a hardened, cold cat that Starlingflight didn't recognize.

@Starfall @spade @Willowfern

[Starfall]

Rowanmist
(This will be the last post so turn it what chya got! /w\ )
@Tiabirb @spade

He thwacked his tail against the ground, they weren't the soft, happy thwacks and thumps that they normally were. They were heavy, aggressive almost. Smile still plastered on his maw, but it never reached his eyes. "I never said I didn't respect your opinion. I'm just asking you to keep it away from me." he stated.

The russet tom, did his best to keep his mouth shut after that. Clicking it closed as he swiveled around, making his way towards the Tansy he'd spotted earlier. He'd had some Marigold, and he'd get a little tansy. He had absolutely no idea where Olivenose went, and he didn't quite get along with Starlingflight. Not because the lack of trying, might he add.

After plucking the Tansy and gently tucking it away in his fur, beside the Marigold, the Maine coon swiftly stood up and looked at the other Warrior. "This is enough. We can head back now." he hummed. Without waiting for the other to respond he began his hike home. This time deciding to stay quiet, arguing was always exhausting, and to be quite frank, he didn't want to argue anymore.

[Kunaisoul]

Nightleap looked at the sky, pausing from her battle practice. “Wow, its beautiful.” She soon turned back to the thicket, leaping into the air, and extending her claws out, landing onto the thicket’s root. She dodged a imaginary swipe. she then leaped and rapidly clawed the thicket. “Whew.” She stepped back, then leaping at the tree again, launching moves.
@spade

[Rani]

They needed more poppyseeds the clan would defiantly need more poppyseeds should the grab of firefly cove go awry. Thankfully the bright red flowers were abundant this time of year especially in the sleepy thicket. It was the morbid fact that the cats and clanmates buried here in Riverclans burial ground caused the plants here to grow like mad with thick grassy patches around the places Snakeheart remembers burying the dead. Sure there was probably a reason for this occurring that Snakeheart didnt know but it was poetic in a way, life from death and morbid in turn, herbs gathered from the graves of those he couldnt save to save those who would otherwise join them. Still the bright herb flowers the medicine cat needed were here and they would be used as the tom plucked three bright red poppies from the ground. Poppys were a rather unique herb too, their seeds were what was needed not the flower but the poppy flower contained multiple seeds. It made things convient at least and deciding he didnt need more seeds than the three flows contained Snakeheart plucked two more marigold to complete his bundle of 'as many flowers as I can carry at once'. Time to go home and shake out some poppyseeds.

[wolfie]

@FrostCat @hope @Zesty Mango just throwing this here to try and get it rolling !! would you guys be up for an extension because it ends tomorrow ;w;//
Wormbite had been making a point to avoid this place for obvious reasons. A nervousness had settled in his limbs, his expression didn't falter but if you were keen enough you could tell. The way Wormbite hesitated with every step, every breath.

He trailed slightly ahead of the others, his head high in the air as he scented for any of the smells Snakeheart had listed. He would everyso often take a moment to nose at a bush or a patch of ground. Which led to Wormbite getting a face full of Marigold. He recoiled, hissing in anguish. "Well, hello." He grunted, it was only a small patch and he gathered them up.
+4 marigold