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Post by shy on Apr 10, 2024 17:21:27 GMT -6
#s://i~pinimg~com/236x/df/30/e5/df30e5aac66aed052a7f7db565f25f3d~jpg rainstorm, Time ticked by relentlessly. Despite how much she'd dreaded taking on her first leaf-bare without Sootwhisker, it had almost entirely slipped away. Each day had been an eternity, but the sum of it all had disappeared from under her paws before she had time to think. Distressing really. But there was too much to do, and no time for an existential crisis. Cats needed healing and preventative measures. Especially the elders. The cold was always harder on them. And just because the season was warming didn't mean they'd be fully safe just yet. Gingerfang was next on her list of elder cats to check on. Her grandmother hadn't retired, yet, much to her annoyance. After a certain point it was just plain risky to send someone out into the territory. Especially a guardian. Thankfully while many in camp shared Gingerfang's distinctive orange pelt, the elder was both taller and grayer than most. The medicine cat weaved her way through the camp until she stood in front of the guardian. " Gingerfang." Rainstorm's voice was cold and formal. This was business. And she wasn't close to most of her family anyway. " I am doing a precautionary checkup for all the elders. It's your turn. If you don't have any patrols right now then please go to my den." |
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Post by tor on Apr 11, 2024 10:50:33 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/q7QHG4z/ginger~jpg The arrival of any medicine cat was preceded by the scent of herbs, so long as the wind was mostly in your favor, as well as the hushed sound of other cats nearby quieting themselves to listen in. Matters of medicine could hardly be private when you lived in such close quarters, after all. Catching both the scent of herbs and the sound of silence before seeing Rainstorm, Gingerfang knew she was due for a visit. One that was rapidly approaching. Her granddaughter spoke so formally. She would expect nothing less from a medicine cat, bound to their duties, sworn not to favor one clanmate over another. But - they all knew that was rat shit, didn't they? Medicine cats were just cats. It was in their name. Rainstorm had a soft spot for her brother and there was nothing wrong with that. "I am doing a precautionary checkup for all the elders. It's your turn."Gingerfang's whiskers twitched in annoyance. "Ain't no elder, Rainstorm," she corrected, daring the medicine cat to name any elder who took as many patrols as Gingerfang did. She was just coming back from one, actually, and had a few dried burrs in her pelt to prove it. "But I'll go to your den."She was old. Stubborn. Easily irritated. But not stupid. Letting medicine cats check on her as they pleased was what kept her so spry, she thought. Once the two were plunged into the gloom of the medicine cat den, Gingerfang dropped into whichever open nest seemed closest to Rainstorm's supplies, and got to lounging while she waited for instructions. "You doing okay, baby?" She asked, watching her granddaughter for a moment. "Big thing, to handle a season all alone like this. I guess you got little Frostpaw." |
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Post by shy on Apr 15, 2024 16:20:50 GMT -6
#s://i~pinimg~com/236x/df/30/e5/df30e5aac66aed052a7f7db565f25f3d~jpg rainstorm, " Ain't no elder, Rainstorm." The medicine cat frowned at that response. If the choice of who was able to leave camp were solely up to Rainstorm, she'd have forced her grandmother into retirement by now. And yet with so many lost to the Kingdom, her experience was useful. " A lack of retirement does not mean a lack of age or age related issues. It might, in fact, indicate an increase in risk of said issues." Rainstorm flicked her ear, and lead the way to her den. Exercise was useful for elders, but too much strain lead to its own set of problems. The two entered the den, its usual state of disarray eased by the lack of herbs available in the cold moons. It wasn't perfect, but it was somewhat better. Gingerfang's words reminded her of how difficult this had been without Sootwhisker. " I'm fine. It's almost over. I've handled these duties for almost a full turn of the seasons." She didn't need her clanmates concerned about her skill as a medicine cat. She also didn't need them to know how stressful the season had been between the Kingdom splitting off and Mushroomstar's lost life. Rainstorm took in a deep breath, trying to ground herself. Right now she needed to focus on Gingergang's exam. Carefully and thoroughly Rainstorm inspected her grandmother's coat, plucking out burrs. " Please be proactive in removing these, if left they can become embedded in the skin. Embedded burrs also bring a risk of infection. If you need assistance either come here or find an apprentice." |
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Post by tor on Apr 19, 2024 13:21:14 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/q7QHG4z/ginger~jpg A full turn of the seasons - oh, how time flew. Gingerfang could hardly fathom it. Her memories were still sharp, leaving every moment of last leaf-bare seared into her thoughts as clearly as the day they happened. She could still see the proud line of Wolfstar's back as he descended on MistClan's camp. She could see the limp shape of his form as he was dragged back home. "You're doing a good job," she said, deciding not to press where she could tell Rainstorm didn't want to be pressed. For a moment, she wished she knew her granddaughter a little better, so she would feel comfortable pressing. Being a medicine cat altered you. Some cats thought the oath meant they had to be distant from everyone, so they could treat their clanmates equally. Gingerfang wished she knew if Rainstorm had always been so stoic, or if that was something she was forced to become. "I usually make an apprentice do it," she grumbled. "Sometimes I'll get one of your uncles or aunts to do it, if I can find them. But don't scold me, baby. I just got back from patrol." No time to find some poor sap to help her. "What else do you need to do to me? Poke my teeth? Check my belly? Honestly, I feel fine. Better than any cat my age has the right to feel." |
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Post by shy on Apr 22, 2024 18:54:52 GMT -6
#s://i~pinimg~com/236x/df/30/e5/df30e5aac66aed052a7f7db565f25f3d~jpg rainstorm, " You're doing a good job." It was oddly nice, hearing her say that. Though she wondered if some of that praise was solely due to their blood relation. Rainstorm kept her expression calm, determined to stay on task. " Good, keep ensuring no burrs exist in your fur any longer than absolutely necessary." As Gingerfang had mentioned there were many cats willing and able to assist her grandmother. " I will need to view your teeth, poking them does no good." Teeth were tricky things, there was little she could do for injuries to them other than removal, which held its own risks. " You say you feel fine, are you certain? Cats of your age often experience an increase pains in their joints especially, often in addition to a decrease in range of motion. I'll need you to show off your full range of motion for your legs, no more movement than what hurts." Gingerfang was tough, no doubt, but she wondered if her grandmother would truly let her or anyone know if she was beginning to slow down and experience the harsher effects of aging. |
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Post by tor on Apr 27, 2024 14:53:37 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/q7QHG4z/ginger~jpg Jokingly, Gingerfang lifted her lips in a harmless snarl, giving Rainstorm a brief view of her teeth she knew wouldn't be enough for her to examine them. Admittedly, one of her teeth had been bothering her lately. It was like an itch she couldn't scratch, one that was starting to hurt. She'd just assumed the tooth would fall out on its own, but maybe Rainstorm had something to help it along. "Cats of your age-" Gingerfang rolled her eyes "-often experience an increase pains in their joints especially." She hadn't, though she knew Rainstorm was right. Most of her siblings complained about joint pains. Patiently, she waited for Rainstorm to finish describing the exam before responding. "No joint pain. Some stiffness in the morning, but a good patrol takes care of it." To prove her point, she began moving each leg one by one, stretching it to the full range of motion as Rainstorm requested. The only one she struggled with was her back left - that wasn't age, though. "Don't fret over that one," she said, settling back down. "Doesn't hurt. I got injured fighting a lynx, ages before you were born." It felt like another life. Almost enough to make her nostalgic. "I'll fess up, though. My tooth's been hurting a bit, in the back. Think some poppy might be enough to dull it till it falls out?" |
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Post by shy on May 4, 2024 18:46:41 GMT -6
#s://i~pinimg~com/236x/df/30/e5/df30e5aac66aed052a7f7db565f25f3d~jpg rainstorm, Rainstorm nodded along attentively to Gingerfang's words. It made sense that after resting and laying still for an extended period that the older cat might experience stiffness. As the ginger she-cat showed off her range of motion Rainstorm noted the old injury and tucked it away in the back of her mind. When Gingerfang mentioned tooth pain Rainstorm frowned for a heartbeat before pulling her expression back to a neutral one. When the warrior bared her fangs earlier she hadn't seen any inflammation, a good sign. " Poppy seeds can be addictive, if possible let's try just taking them at night to help with rest. If that isn't enough we can discuss this again.. We'll need to monitor this to ensure it doesn't get infected or break before falling out. If you notice dramatically worsening pain return here immediately." It was concerning, but the fact that Gingerfang was honest about it was reassuring. There was only so much she could notice if not told. She couldn't crawl into a cat's mind and read their woes or pains, as much as she wanted to. " Until it's out, try to focus on prey with softer flesh. Avoid accidentally biting bones or anything hard as best you can." With newleaf that should grow easier, right now tough and grizzled prey was sometimes the only option. " Thank you for being honest about this. We'll get this resolved. Don't hesitate to inform me of any other concerns." |
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Post by tor on May 7, 2024 13:00:41 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/q7QHG4z/ginger~jpg Oh, boy. Maybe Rainstorm's neutrality was a little annoying, actually. Gingerfang didn't remember past medicine cats being so stoic - no, this went being stoicism, really. Maybe it wasn't her place to think that. She didn't know what lengths Rainstorm had to go to after her former mentor stepped down. The stoicism might've been protective; like she was shielding herself from anyone who wanted to claim she wasn't wise enough, wasn't experienced enough to be medicine. It was a shame. Plenty of time had passed since Wolfstar's arrogance. Rainstorm should be allowed to smile, or frown, or make whatever other expression the situation called for. "It don't hurt that bad," she said with a scoff. "Infection sounds unlikely. But you're the medicine cat, I guess." She shrugged. "M'just getting old, is all. Don't worry about the poppy." It wouldn't be the first tooth she lost. It certainly wouldn't be the first tooth she'd seen an elder lose. "Aye, aye, I'll eat the soft stuff, when I can find it. I'll let you know if it's feeling worse later. Now, it's my turn to baby you. You sleeping alright? Eating? I never see you sitting around with the rest of us. Socializing is good for your health, y'know." |
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Post by shy on May 10, 2024 19:25:46 GMT -6
#s://i~pinimg~com/236x/df/30/e5/df30e5aac66aed052a7f7db565f25f3d~jpg rainstorm, Hmm... Gingerfang's comment about not needing the poppy seeds bothered Rainstorm. It would be helpful, just in smaller doses. And yet while in warmer moons she would've insisted Gingerfang take it occasionally, the flowers had no yet bloomed. Their supply was limited. Gingerfang continued to speak, and Rainstorm frowned. " Now, it's my turn to baby you." She hadn't been babying anyone, she'd been fulfilling her duties as medicine cat. " I'm fine." She responded bluntly. Was was Gingerfang trying to tell her what was good for her health? Even if she was her grandmother, Rainstorm was still the medicine cat. She could take care of herself. " The season is harsh, that's all. I socialize plenty. I am eating. I don't need you looking after me. It's my job to look after you." After seeing Mushroomstar starve to death in front of her she'd been careful to eat enough and make sure no one else was trying to play martyr. With a clan full of cats still recovering from old war wounds and a culture that often praised the stubborn as strong, it took a dedicated eye to keep the clan safe. So what if that meant she didn't have much free time? There would be time to rest when she was dead and in Starclan. Until then it was her job to keep her clanmates from joining their ancestors prematurely. |
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Post by tor on May 12, 2024 9:56:41 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/q7QHG4z/ginger~jpg I'm fine - Gingerfang knew Rainstorm would say that, because it was the exact sort of thing she would say, were she in her granddaughter's position. She didn't want to press Rainstorm. That felt like the easiest way to make someone pop or, worse, make them close off from her. And that was the last thing Rainstorm needed - to find an excuse to close off from someone.
"I don't need you looking after me. It's my job to look after you."Still, that was annoying. Gingerfang fixed Rainstorm with a stern, almost demanding look, willing her granddaughter to not be stubborn for once and just listen. "I get why you're saying that, darling," she said, teeth slightly gritted with the effort of being sweet before making her point. "But for all your learning, you seem to be missing a real important lesson."It wasn't Rainstorm's fault. It wasn't even her mentor's. It was the situation RidgeClan found itself in last leaf-bare, when everything fell apart, that made Rainstorm think she had to be the perfect, objective medicine cat. Gingerfang kept reminding herself that - she didn't fail, Rainstorm didn't fail, no one failed. The world was just working against them. "You're my grandbaby. It will always be my job to look after you, even when I'm dead and gone. You got that?" |
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Post by shy on May 21, 2024 19:27:12 GMT -6
#s://i~pinimg~com/236x/df/30/e5/df30e5aac66aed052a7f7db565f25f3d~jpg rainstorm, " You're my grandbaby. It will always be my job to look after you, even when I'm dead and gone. You got that?" Rainstorm sighed deeply at her grandmother's words. The last she wanted was to be pitied or cared for like she was still a kit. After Sootwhisker retired it became her job to care for the clan. And that was best done with some distance, space for reason and logic rather than emotion. She wasn't perfect at it, Stormleap was dear to her. But she'd always been distant with the rest of her family, and intended to keep it that way. All she needed was her brother, it had always been the two of them against the world. " I understand that you are my grandmother. But you are a patient and a clanmate first. I appreciate your work as a guardian and member of this clan, but I do not need coddling or looking after." The gray cat flicked her ear in annoyance. " If that is all I have others to check on." |
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Post by tor on May 31, 2024 7:39:04 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/q7QHG4z/ginger~jpg "Oh, Rainstorm, don't go angerin' your grandmother," Gingerfang grumbled as soon as Rainstorm finished speaking. "I'm gonna let you go, 'cause you're right, you've got important work to do. I won't keep you with my prattling. But I will give you something to chew on."Maybe this was her fault, not being more present with Rainstorm and her brother as they grew up. She knew her daughter wasn't the best mother. Not every cat in her family had a strong parental instinct - even she didn't, half the time, especially when all the kits were young. What she did have was wisdom. Understanding. Things far beyond Rainstorm's few moons, even if she was medicine cat. "I am your grandmother first. Always."
She gave Rainstorm only a second to hear that before continuing. "But that don't mean anything special - you don't have to do anything, just 'cause I'm your grandmother. It just means I'm gonna love you and watch out for you, okay? Don't you try to take that away from me. I've served this clan long and hard. I get to spoil myself now with grandkids, you hear?" There was nothing more rewarding than seeing her family succeed. To see them be happy. Healthy. "I won't coddle you. StarClan knows I don't like to be coddled, either - you probably get that from me. But I will love you. And I will look after you. Nothing you can do will stop me from doing that."Deciding that was enough of a lecture, Gingerfang rose to her feet and flicked her tail in the direction of Rainstorm's supplies. "You get back to your good work now, baby. I'll come check on you another time." |
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Post by shy on Jun 29, 2024 15:55:57 GMT -6
#s://i~pinimg~com/236x/df/30/e5/df30e5aac66aed052a7f7db565f25f3d~jpg rainstorm, " I'm gonna let you go, 'cause you're right, you've got important work to do. I won't keep you with my prattling. But I will give you something to chew on." Rainstorm did her best to focus on the first part of her grandmother's words as the older cat spoke. She was right. She was the medicine cat and she had far too much to do spend time bickering with family. Various retorts sat in Rainstorm's throat, all on the brim of escaping. Gingerfang had probably a dozen other grandkits and even great-grandkits in need of spoiling. She didn't need looking after. Gingerfang was her biological family, yes, but as medicine cat she couldn't let blood ties hold her down or disrupt her judgement. Thankfully before urge to bicker got too strong, Gingerfang relented and left. As that familiar orange pelt left the den Rainstorm called out after her, " Come back if the tooth gets worse." |
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