[taillow]

Bravebird
Despite her reckless nature and thirst for thrilling excitement, Bravebird had rarely seen the inside of the medicine den. Stepping inside now, with scattered moss and debris covering the floor, it was clear that it hadn't been cleaned or upkept since Peachfrost's disappearance. An eerie feeling settled over the warrior as the dim lighting enveloped her, head craned to observe all the nooks and crannies. It was larger than the warriors den, the nest that Bravebird suspected were used for patients spaced out with enough room to make them comfortable if the den had held any. And towards the back in little crevices were herbs - most of which were on their way to decomposing, but a few still looked salvageable.

First thing that needed to be done was to clean out the wound. The small ones lining her shoulders needn't be cleaned, and would heal up just fine on their own. But the opening in her chest was causing some difficulties. Tearing a patch of moss from one of the nests - whoever was the next medicine cat could take it upon themselves to replenish - Bravebird soaked it in a nearby puddle. Once it was damp, droplets rolling off, she curved her neck inwards, wincing as the moisture made its way into the open wound. A familiar stinging pain latched onto her like tiny little needles, driving themselves deeper and embedding into her conscious mind. After a moment or two the fawn colored warrior dropped the moss bundle with a gasp.

"I am going to kill every badger on this stupid moorland," Bravebird muttered, sucking in another breath of air tight before releasing it. Great StarClan above, she wished she knew of what could potentially numb the pain, though limping back forward the herb storage she came across a couple of poppy seeds. "That will have to do." She made quick work of lapping up just one of the poppy seeds, feeling relief ebb through her rather quickly. A soft sigh left her and she sank back onto her haunches.

Normally Bravebird didn't register her life as anything more than an expendable force to be utilized by WindClan whenever needed. She was a solider, a commanded pair of claws derived to drive out those who threatened the survival of her home. But that mad scramble for life, to breath air that was not clogged by dirty soil as the badger had attempted to bury her... it filled her head with new thoughts. She didn't want to die. As fierce and courageous as she was, remembering how easily the creatures teeth had pierced her fur and dove into her skin made her tremble.

But such was the life of a warrior. The day of her ceremony, Bravebird had made a promise. She recalled those very words now, vowing to trade her left for her Clan if need be. Helplessness wasn't in the cards for her, and the fawn colored she-cat gave a grunt as she hauled herself back up onto her paws.

Pain relief came from the poppy seed and spread more evenly throughout her body. Twisting her paws around a small pile of cobwebs, Bravebird attempted to patch them over her chest wound. They stuck better than the old ones had, and due to the stoppage of bleeding she was sure they would remain on there until at least nightfall. It would be good enough for her - all she really needed was a day or two to give her body time to do its thing and heal itself.

As she readied herself to leave the medicine den however, she was struck with an overwhelming urge to just... help out a little. Thoughts of Peachfrost wandering alone out in the moorland made her frown, and pretty soon Bravebird set to work sweeping up all of the dirt and debris that cluttered the floor. She organized the patches of moss, shelving the herbs that were strewn about - she even remade the nest she had taken the moss from. After a little bit of effort and some elbow grease, it certainly looked better than it had when she had first arrived.

"Hopefully whoever our new medicine cat is keeps it this way," she remarked softly, letting her gaze linger momentarily before turning away and limping out of the den.

( closed! just bravebird healing herself with permission from wolffang after her patrol incident! )