[Abyssopelagic]

Coldamber gritted her teeth at the mention of the warrior who did this to her. At the reminder of just how absent she's been. At what was done to her sweet little Springpaw.
She'd almost started to have a soft spot for the marsh stompers. The agonizing loss and loneliness she saw Dawnstar face had started it, and then her banter with Elmshadow.... But no, this was but a stark reminder of what ShadowClan was like, would almost certainly remain to be like as long as leaders remained as cruel as Dawnstar. It was a cycle that was unlikely to end.
She was so so tired of warriors taking their spats out on Medicine Cats. She's going to make that rat pay, one way or another.
She steadied her mind by leaning closer to the Medicine Cat apprentice. She could stew on this later, now she needed to focus.
Even still, there was no hiding the way her claws sank into the ground, paws ready to rip a hole through the world if that was what it took.
She blinked as she was reminded why she was here. As much as she adored the Medicine Cat apprentice, she had come by for a specific purpose, though she hated to cut their conversation short so soon. It was so rare that she actually had a chance to talk.... Well, perhaps 'casually' wasn't the word she was looking for, but about something other than herbs. Rarer still was the chance to talk to the Medicine Cat's she felt so connected to.

The StarClan resident sighed, eyes scouring the other's for an idea of how she'd prefer Coldamber to proceed. With the mention of the true reason of her being there being the last thing she'd mentioned, the nebelung relented.
"I do not wish to seem as if I'm brushing past what has happened to you. I do care about you, even if I do not visit as often as I wish...."
Taking another unnecessary breath, Coldamber's eyes rested on the ground as she let her mind wirr, trying to remember everything she's taught Springpaw and what Drizzlecloud might have shared from their own meetings.

 

"We'll start with something simple. More for my sake than yours."
She didn't know when it had happened, when remembering who had been taught what had become harder. Perhaps it was because of just how often she was seeing new cats come in and out of these ranks.
"Mushrooms. They're a simple plant. An inconspicuous and strange little thing, but one of the first things I had learned from my own mentor.
In use, they are to be shredded thinly and applied to open wounds. They help soak up blood and have a mildly antiseptic quality to them, but are not as strong as marigold and other herbs that prevent infection, but are a good two for one for wounds that are less at risk of becoming infected."
The starry Medicine Cat lifted her paw and made a small indent in the ground and from the freshly disturbed earth, the ground split as a small, grey-brown mottled plant began to poke forth, its bulbous head sat prim and proper atop the stem holding it up.
"This is what they look like. While there are many types of mushrooms that grow in many places, these are the only ones that I know are safe to use. You will find these in tunnels and cave systems, where light is scarce. They grow in small clusters, usually between rocky crevices.
They are most abundant during leaf fall, but can also be found plenty during new leaf."[/B]

 

Coldamber stared at the simple plant for a bit, and wondered when she'd last actually looked at one. She'll have to take the time to refamiliarize herself with them.
And perhaps a few of the other plants she'd learned early in her career. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen some of these plants actually in someone's herb storage.
Honestly she.... Didn't bother conjuring the whole plant this time around. Trees were a pain to make appear, as Springpaw had witnessed on their last visit.
As much as the craft of weaving dreams had become easier for her, she doubted she was ready to perform such a feat and still be able to get through the extensive list of herbs she had yet to get through. And so, as disappointing and underwhelming as it may have been, she simply passed her tail over where the mushroom sat, and in its place when the line of sight was no longer obscured was a variety of leaves.
Though they looked different, some were rounded at the edges and others had defined, smooth edges that visually ended in points. But, they were all long and upon closer inspection, every leaf has the same general shape to their outline, top heavy in appearance before thinning out where it would cling to its host tree.
"All of these are different kinds of oak leaves. They are easiest to collect in leaf fall, but are also weakest in potency around this time. ThunderClan seems to be most acclimated to climbing, so perhaps it won't be too much of an ask to send a warrior to collect some during green leaf?
When crushed into a powder, they work to stop bleeding. Oak trees are... Quite easy to find, as they are some of the most prevalent trees. It would be harder to find a tree that isn't oak. Though, you may want to take a bit of time to study the shapes of the leaves just in case, as leaf shape is the easiest way to tell the species of non-fruiting trees."
And something that may be of importance should Sedgestorm actually return his weary old tail back to the Clan's like he'd claimed he would. He wouldn't share his finding with her, which made imparting this knowledge of his experiments most difficult.
He better share that knowledge before he died. Who knows how hard it will be to track his sorry hide down again once he was in the afterlife.

 

Once Springpaw showed that she was ready to move on, Coldamber breathed heavily and from her exhale, the leaves scattered and an expansive and vine-like plant covered the ground between the two. The leaves were almond shaped, and sparsely dotted with small white flowers.
"This is chickweed. The leaves can be eaten to lessen the symptoms of white cough, occasionally curing them, but is not a replacement for catmint and other such herbs to cure the disease itself.
They thrive in cool, moist, and shaded areas, usually under trees or shrubs.
You will only find it in the colder moons, from late leaf fall and into early newleaf."
She did not have as much information about this herb as she did about some of the others, as Elmshadow had only just begun to experiment with its properties when they'd last spoken before his untimely death. And she had not seen him since, either among the numbers of StarClan's own or, since the weakening and subsequent collapse of the barrier, among the Dark Forest members that had made it over. Nor was he among those that had started to gather near the barrier, even if they hadn't crossed.
And she was not the kind of cat who could just traipse in without expecting some sort of resistance, and she wasn't skilled enough in battle to expect to be able to fend off any attacks.
"I've not much more knowledge about this plant. It was not one I discovered the use of myself, and my informant has... Passed on, and I have reason to believe he is not among StarClan's number, else I might have found him by now."
Springpaw didn't need to know who this not so mysterious benefactor was. If she asked, Coldamber had no problem telling her, but she hoped it wouldn't make her less trusting of the information she had to give.
She would never intentionally mislead any of her Medicine Cats.

 

The chickweed began to shift, vining tendrils curling upwards and twining on themselves, morphing to take on a green, leafy-stalk appearance of a bushel-like shrub, thin sprigs of aromatic leaves reaching for the star strewn sky.
"This pungent little plant is rosemary and one of the few herbs that the patient chews rather than you. They're excellent for many conditions concerning the mouth. Chewing on any part of the plant will help the body fight off against viral and bacterial infections of the mouth, and is especially effective against other conditions such mouth sores, ulcers, and scratches. It can be safely eaten, and it does have benefits in and of itself, but unless you're tight on available herbs, I'd recommend using your usual to help with headaches and fevers, as it is significantly weaker in potency.
They like to grow along hills and prefer sunny, sheltered spots, in well-drained soil."
The good part was, at least once a shrub was found, as much of it could be picked as necessary for an individual trip, as these bushes grew to be quite large compared to other shrubs that might be found.
"Rosemary grows year round, but the freshest and most potent clippings will be found in green leaf, but can be used regardless of season.....
On the topic of mouth ailments....
Something another Medicine Cat encountered was .... Thorns, in a kit's mouth. Rather than try to pick the thorns out, he came up with a rather brilliant fix.
To start, he had the kit chew the root of a burdock plant. This numbed the kit's mouth, and softened the palette, covered a bundle of cobwebs in honey and had the kit chew on it. This extracted the worst of the thorns.
In similar cases, rosemary would be essential to apply to such cases."
A wicked looking plant, it's flower covering in hairs that almost looked like those that graced the stinging nettle, the yellow flower within safely tucked away, nestled in its wirey bedding and protected by the protrusions that surrounded it. The leaves were wavey, rippled, frilly, and made up the majority of the plants mass.

 

[B]"This is blessed thistle. It has many uses, and is a wonderful addition to any Medicine Cats stock. The flower, when eaten, can stimulate milk production in heavily pregnant or nursing queens and can also increase productivity of the liver, helping with indigestion and loss of appetite by stimulating the production of bile and saliva. The leaves can be eaten to help with coughs, fatigue, brain fog, and internal infections.
The leaves can be applied topically in a poultice to decrease swelling and for open wounds. The flower should only be used on the skin for boils or to draw out poison in an abscess, as it tends to sting due to the strength.
It is also incredibly bitter and might need to be paired with honey to go down easier.
This plant loves full sunlight and prefers soil that will drain rather than hold water. As for soil type, it's not very picky and will even grow in poor quality or even rocky soil."[B]

 

It wasn't a very showy plant, Lady's Mantle, and could almost be mistaken for a common fern or other foliage, but the brighter green of its secretive folded flowers was a clear give away for those that knew how and what to look for. The unassuming plant bloomed in the place of the daisy patch.
[B]"The twolegs call this Lady's Mantle. I've heard a warrior call it starstem. I suppose whichever you find to be easier to remember will work."
She found both names to be rather silly.
"All parts of the plant can be eaten for the same effect and when taken long term, it can mend torn tissue at a faster rate, especially if this torn issue a burst eardrum or an overworked muscle."
She paused, remembering a question that Elmshadow once asked that she'd never gotten the chance to answer and decided to clear the confusion now.
"It does not need to be taken preemptively for it to assist the healing of the torn muscle. However, I do think keeping a small supply so you don't have to immediately leave to search when you have a case of torn muscle.
It can also be chewed into a poultice to apply topically, and helps best with pain from a lost tooth or limb."
Clearing her throat, Coldamber pressed on.
"Well, I suppose you'll also need to know how to diagnose a torn muscle, huh?
It doesn't always present the same way in everyone, especially depending on severity, but some signs to look for and ask after are: sudden, intense pains, visible swelling and bruising, limited range of motion in the limb, audible popping or snapping sensations, and muscle spasms.
In addition to using this plant, it's a good idea to keep the affected limb elevated if possible. While you'll usually see torn ligaments in the case of accidents, fatigue and improper posture when hunting or doing strenuous activities can also cause this."
Her tail tapped the ground as she realized she was rambling, and opted to move on. There was plenty to get around to.
"Despite growing anywhere moist soil, they aren't exactly the easiest to find since they look similar to many other, non-herb plants. You'll need to be on the lookout for the paler green atop, which is the easiest way to identify this plant.
They will begin growth in late newleaf, and can be found until mid leaf-fall."

 

Before even beginning to describe their uses, Coldamber willed two different, but quite similarly looking plants to grow from the dreamscapes starry not quite soil. The clusters of boneset off to one side, and the companion flower to the other.
She knew nothing about this second flower other than it could be paired with the boneset, and the only reason she knew they had a different effect together after mistaking it for the Herb she'd been looking for.
"This is boneset."
She gestured to the small, white clusters of flowers.
"The leaves and flowers can be used interchangeably for the common cold, minor and early forms of green and white cough, as well as general lung infections. It likes to grow in wet soil with significant amounts of organic matter growing around it. Bogs and marshes, mostly, especially the ones with algae."
The nebelung looked to the other plant.
"This is an elder flower. When paired with boneset, it alleviates congestion, fever, soothes aches, and can stimulate weak appetites."
The flowers were small and white, the only difference were the five petals it had rather than the strangely textured little clusters, each petal separated by a strange shaped leaf that almost looked like a petal of its own. Nor did she know what the berries did.
"I don't know where these grow. I only know they can be used with boneset after mistaking the two. I'd had two individuals offer to test its uses, but neither are in places where I can contact them anymore. The only other thing I know for certain is that the leaves are the only parts of the plant that are safe to eat. The berries are poisonous." She murmured.

 

Coldamber clicked her tongue as she remembered one of the last things Elmshadow shared with her. She hadn't had time for anyone to better the craft, or think up of better alternatives or how to best make the technique work.
"I've not had the chance to share this technique in particular, nor do I know which herbs in particular that work with it. I've come to call it sun-soaking, and it strengthens the potency of certain herbs.
To start, you'd crush up the herb or herbs you're wanting to increase the potency of and add them to a water-soaked moss, usually with honey for the flavour and benefits, then wrap it in a large leaf to make into a beneficial drink. Leaving it out in the sun for a time strengthens the flavor, and presumably, the efficiency of the herbs used."
Hopefully, Springpaw or Drizzlecloud could report back on the truth of this after some trial runs.

 

[B]"Before I forget, I've been doing some brainstorming to find better ways to treat slit throats and disembowelment. Your survival rates should increase, hopefully. I've only seen it come of use a pawful of times, so there is always room to improve the technique."
If you have reason to believe their windpipe has been opened, you'll need something sticky to help you hold the wound close to prevent their death.
It is not a foolproof method, but you can use the egg sacs from a spiders web or tree sap to hold the skin together before wrapping it up.
Spider sacs aren't nearly as strong as tree sap, but is much easier to find and carry than the sap, and easier to remove when the time comes.
Tree sap will need replacing less often, but cannot be removed from the skin by peeling it off when it needs to be removed and must instead be washed off gently in a river."[B]

[ @eris ]