Quote:
Originally Posted by Charmer
Fun? Not exactly how most cats would describe walking around the territory just to collect herbs, he thought to himself as he walked along the leaf-strewn forest floor. Shinefang wondered briefly if the tom had some kind of agenda in joining him for his herb gathering. After all, Auroraflame clearly didn't trust him in the medicine cat position and he'd lost his first patient mere days ago. Acornpaw had wandered into his den with a head injury and bleeding scalp. He'd treated the bleeding, made the apprentice comfortable, and told him he'd be up and about in a couple of days once his wounds were healed and his head was feeling better. Instead, he'd died in his sleep that night. The walk to the center of the clearing for the vigil had been been rife with shame. He'd failed that apprentice. The humiliation had been worsened by the Shadowclan and Riverclan medicine cat arriving just in time to see his little tantrum when he discovered the apprentice was dead. Did Grousestar also wonder if he was fit for this? Surely the deputy and leader wouldn't necessarily agree on everything, but he'd clearly demonstrated an impressive failure recently. "Good, good," he answered hollowly to Grousestar's report regarding his wounds. "Don't hesitate to come see me if it gets worse." When Grousestar asked about his enjoyment of his new position as a medicine cat, the old tom gave a small chuckle. "Let me tell you, Grousestar, it is not as easy as it looks. I'm doing the best I can with what I know, and if a cat comes in with a bleeding wound, I can help, no problem. The trouble is that I'm trying to help a cat who's sick, and they don't have greencough, I don't always know how to help, and I know a lot of the herbs but not all of them." There was no point in lying to the leader, and if he already had negative opinions of his abilities, there was nothing he could say to change that. Well, perhaps there was one thing... "But the good news is that I've made my trip to the Starcave. The twinkly foxhearts have said I'm legit. And Daydream has agreed to teach me some of the things I don't know yet. Oh yeah, the Shadowclan medicine cat has their new name now, so that's exciting."
|
Acornpaw's death hadn't gone unnoticed by the leader, in fact, he was there at the vigil, though had chosen not to bring it up to the medicine cat. It was bound to happen, to have a cat die in your care; even the best of medicine cats can't save every patient. There was no reason to bring it up to Shinefang, it wouldn't solve anything nor would it bring the apprentice back. The tom had did his best given the circumstances and his own knowledge, and that's all Grousestar could ask for of him. And he had also heard of two other medicine cats visiting the clan, though he hadn't known from which clans. He would have stopped in and said hello, but he believed it best to let them do their business with each other, whatever that might be.
"Of course." The leader meowed with a reaffirming nod; he was one cat that Shinefang wouldn't have to worry about in terms of not coming to see him if he had any sort of injury or worsening of symptoms. As much as he despised some of the bitter herbs that he might have to eat, he knew that it would help him in the end, and it meant that he could stay strong for his clan.
The brown tabby's ears perked up when he heard the medicine cat respond to his question, his emerald gaze looking over at him as he answered. "That's all I can ask for Shinefang, that you do your best. You don't have to be perfect or know everything, so long as you're able to deal with it to the best of your ability and don't give up, then I'm happy." Of course he preferred to have a cat with full knowledge in the position, he was just glad that they had a medicine cat and weren't left completely without one. Though the leader did seem to brighten upon hearing that he had made the journey to the Starcave, and that the Shadowclan medicine cat agreed to teach him some things as well. "That's great news to hear! I will have to personally thank Daydream myself then. And I knew you would be a fine choice, even if you aren't too fond of Starclan. Perhaps it will change one day, perhaps not, but I believe you were a good choice."