The Starcave

[CheetahPelt]

@wren @SilentLamb @Moon Lily


Otterstone followed Coyotesnarl. She was tired, but less so then Lionwhisker and Coyotesnarl. She had built up her lung strength when she lost her leg, keeping her respiratory system strong during her time she couldn't move.



Breathing heavily, she smiled at the two toms. "So what is this place called?" She asked. She knew this was a sacred starclan place, Irisflame has proposed the idea, and all of the medicine cat's had agreed on it. It wasn't as murky as their last gathering place.



"I hadn't heard about all the Starclan stuff that medicine cat's had to do. I mean I knew about it but... I haven't thought about it." She meowed.

[Moon Lily]

@wren @CheetahPelt @SilentLamb

Irisflame puffed her way up the large hills that ambled their way up to the Starcave. Stopping to take a few breaths, she coughed profusely. Her lungs had never agreed with her. Eyes narrowing in determination, she continued up the rocky hill. She had never been a very fit cat, due to the fact she had never been a warrior like the others, and hoped that would change over time. She really had thought that her last trip here, only a few days ago, would have helped, but no. Her lungs once more decided to claw at her. She should have taken tansy before she left. She had some in the bundles she was carrying, but wanted to save it for the others.

Emerging over the peak, she shimmied over to the others, sitting down almost immediately.
"Well, I'd say this meeting will help us get fit, huh?" She breathed between wheezes. Standing up, she shook out her fur, looking Otterstone's way. She smiled, eyes sympathetic. She had wondered whether cats had been here before. It seemed Otterstone hadn't.
"Welcome to the Starcave." She mewed. This would be her third time here, but she knew the crystal inside would still take her breath away.

She looked between the cats, eyes curved in amusement.
"What are you waiting for? Let's go!" She mewed, high-tailing it off towards the center of the cave. She sneezed a few times in the camp darkness, but smiled despite it. This, she knew, would be fun.

[wren]

Coyotesnarl watched as the other two medicine cats arrived, dragging themselves up and over the hill to join them at the foot of the caves gaping mouth. He felt the cold breath of the cave up against his back and that... discomfort settle like a stone in his belly. He wasn’t excited to go back in there. His first experience with the star cats wielded nothing but bad memories and birthed foul hatred for them.

As Irisflame explained the starcave to Otterstone he simply sat back and just watched before hooping up onto his paws. He didn’t want to seem weak among the lot of them... though he was unsettled to go back inside. No time for cowardice. the tabby turned and suddenly pushed his way into the dark tunnel. His tail tracking along the side of the stone walls that seemed to go on forever. He wouldn’t wait for the others.. he just needed to get through and get out of the cramped space. Though he felt his paw snag on something- a lose rock he’d knocked on his way out last time. “Mouse dung!” he yowled in frustration feeling a shooting pain up his foot. Great. “watch for the stupid rock” he mumbled pushing his way past it and finally into the great opening of the cave.

@SilentLamb @CheetahPelt @Moon Lily

[Leucos]

@CheetahPelt @Moon Lily @wren

Following the others in a single file, he felt the coldness wrap itself around him. It seeped into his fur causing a shiver to run down his spine. Yes it was creepy, but he felt....calm? Safe even. The musty smell helped aid in that factor. Though he jolted at coyotesnarl s yowl good starclan !! . He did laugh at himself though as the tom said it was a rock. Doing his best in the pitch darkness the golden medicine cat did his best to move around them. " so this is the starcave.....are we ever gonna speak to our ancestors at our meetings ?" he was very curious . And was kinda eager to get to that part!

[Moon Lily]

@SilentLamb @CheetahPelt @wren

Irisflame chuckled in the camp darkness, her laughter bouncing off the walls. The grumpy Coyotesnarl would be some fun. He reminded her of Thunderhowl, honestly. And she needed a nickname for him! Uh, how about...grumpmeister? That would go well. Blueberry, Grumpmeister, Laddieboy, and Flirty Pants. Heh, those she'd remember. Avoiding the pointy rock, she almost hissed at it teasingly. She could hear Lionwhisker's voice loud and clear, despite the fact he was a cat away from her.
"Hm? Yeah! Well, first I have something to tell you guys." She mewed. Hopefully their ancestors would show up.

She passed through the stone hallway, emerging after the scarred tom. She gave a mew of delight as she tested her eyes on the grand crystal in the center of the cavern. It wasn't turning blue just yet- she'd be able to teach them till Moonhigh. Turning to the Riverclan and Thunderclan medicine cats, she grinned.
"Its pretty cool, huh?" She mewed. Her heart still fluttered at the sight of the rock. Which sounded ridiculous.

[CheetahPelt]

@Moon Lily @SilentLamb @wren

Otterstone was almost vibrating. Starcave! This was the place that leaders got their nine lives from Starclan!

She limped along after Lionwhisker, twitching her whiskers as she felt the air dampen. It was cold, a chill breeze whistling through the cavern. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would be here, well maybe in her dreams of becoming Otterstar, but never as Otterstone the Riverclan medicine cat.

How the game of fate played.

Her ears perked at the voices and noises of the cats ahead of her, she was learning more about her fellow medicine cats all the time. The Windclan Tom she hadn’t spoken too yet was cautious and grumpy. Lionwhisker was upbeat and quiet and Irisflame was a brave and bubbly soul. An interesting mix, she almost purred.

As she rounded the corner her eyes landed on the grand crystal and her jaw d r o p p e d. Even though it wasn’t lit and glowing, her eyes traveled the surface of it.

“It’s beautiful.” More so then the crystalline waters of ice melt streams in spring time. “And we get to meet our warrior ancestors?” Her voice was barely a whisper, her eyes huge and glimmering.

[Leucos]

@Moon Lily @wren @CheetahPelt

His ears flicked at Irisflames voice, intrigue and excitement growing even more. He raised his brow at otterstones whisper , he was confused at all the oohs and ahs. Until he saw it . The crystals presence and the light it provided blinded him a bit causing him to close his eyes and flinch. He had grown used to the darkness in such a small amount of time, though as he opened his eyes again, his eyes readjusted to the sight. Pupils enlarging along with his eyes Lionwhisker was speechless . How could something like this still exist? Truly majestic . so this is what all the jazz is about eh?...it lives up to the excitement "i....heh...uh..." he meowed as the corner of his lips turned into a smile. yeah this is worth being a medicine cat.

[wren]

Coyotesnarl spared no time padding across the open cave and taking a seat next to the stone. He’d never seen it lit up... the last time he was here was just to check it out. His tail curled over his paws and he watched as Lionwhisker and Otterstone mused over it. It was funny to watch... he’d been to scared to actually pay much attention to the rock itself. He didn’t care much for its beauty anyways.

“Don’t get your hopes up. Those stupid star cats can be cruel. My first time here I got a bad prophecy.. or omen or whatever you called it. I went racing out of here like a rabbit escaping a fox” he blinked a few times letting the information sink in.

“If you guys are going to visit them later tonight I suggest you get your thoughts out now... we don’t have much time. The moon will be out soon”

@SilentLamb @Moon Lily @CheetahPelt

[Moon Lily]

@wren @SilentLamb @CheetahPeltprint

Irisflame smiled in Flirty and Laddie's direction. They seemed awestruck by the rock. She felt her heart flutter in embarrassment. She must have looked the same way when she had first been here. That was so long ago... She remembered her squeaky excitement as a kit, and the price that filled her small belly as she gazed up at Tallmarsh. Oh, Tallmarsh. Where are you now? She mewed silently to her old mentor, eyes curved in nostalgia. She was snapped from her thoughts at the warning new of Coyotesnarl. She offered him a small smirk, shaking her head.

"Not everyone will have the same experience. It's their first time, let them enjoy it without hearing about the scary omens and things." She mewed, a touch of amusement in her mew. He still reminded her of Thunderhowl. The tone, the grump, even the loss of hope in Starclan. Smiling gently to herself, she began to unload her herbs. After all, they hadn't covered sicknesses yet, right? She hoped not. They'd covered tansy, borage, catmint, coltsfoot, feverfew...anything else? No.

Laying out some herbs, she recognized the ones that she had used later on. Chervil, comfrey root, juniper berries, chickweed. She'd squeezed these from the medicine den earlier on. She hadn't really known what they did at first, but she heard Thunderhowl talk, and she may or may not have self-experimented.
"Okay everyone! This'll be short, thanks to Mister Moon, but there are a few more herbs I learnt to help with sicknesses."

She waited for them to gather round, then she'd the herbs nervously. Away we go!
"Chervil! This thing you chew and so that you can stop bellyaches. But spit out the leaf afterwards, only the juice does something, apparently." She mewed, holding up a green, leafy stalk. She experimented with this after she'd swallowed the comfrey together was up next. She'd done intense experimenting.
"Comfrey root is this flowery root thing. Tastes interesting. You rub it into wounds or joints to soothe them. Trust me, it works." Her foot had felt much better after rubbing some of it on.
"Juniper berries! You can also eat them for belly aches. They can help with fevers too. But if you're not sick, they are a good traveling herb."
Let's just say she'd squeezed information out of cats for this one.
"And chickweed. This thing helps with greencough, but not super well." She finished, holding up the tall-stemmed plant.

And the moon was rising, which meant it was almost time. The stone began to glow softly, growing more intense as the moon aligned with it. The bluish light stretched across the cave, illuminating it.

[Leucos]

@Moon Lily @CheetahPelt @wren
Taking a seat infront of Irisflame, he payed attention to her mini lesson. Or tried to. And he also chose to block out the stuff about bad omens. Iris was right it was his first time anyways . Though his head shot up at comfrey root. I could have used that !! .....instead of wasting those precious seeds... he felt dumb...Then again he didn't have any comfrey when he was in the den. "so for rubbing that stuff on there...it just works ? Even with fur in the way?......how?" may have been a dumb question but it did confuse him. Eyes jerking toward the crystal , he noticed the light spreading . Just...wow.. " next time will we be able to communicate with them?..." he asked his voice nearly a whisper.