Open Territory the kids of tomorrow don't need today ] herb patrol

This thread takes place outside the clan's camp in its territory.
90
7
Freshkill
405
Pronouns
they/them
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CICADABUZZ, 27 moons / shc + med. cat
a SH cinnamon tabby/chocolate tortie chimera w/ black eyes
parent to deathberrykit, hemlockkit, mistletoekit
a reserved, pragmatic healer driven by duty rather than sentiment
Cicadabuzz moves through the undergrowth with the ease of one who belongs to it, their steps light and deliberate, their ears attuned to the rustling of leaves and the distant calls of birds. The forest is alive with the quiet hum of insects, the soft whisper of wind through the trees, and beneath it all, the steady pulse of their own breath. Sunlight filters through the canopy in shifting dapples, warming patches of earth and casting deep shadows elsewhere. They pause near a patch of ragwort, the bright yellow flowers standing in stark contrast to the greens and browns of the woodland floor. The plant is healthy, its leaves full and unwilted, a promising find. Without hesitation, Cicadabuzz lowers their muzzle and inspects it with a careful eye. They graze their nose along the leaves, checking for any signs of disease or insect damage. Satisfied, they reach forward with a practiced motion, grasping a stem gently between their teeth and stripping away several leaves.

The taste is bitter, familiar, and clings to their tongue as they pull away. They set the leaves down at their paws for a moment, flicking their tail once as they glance over their shoulder. The young ones are nearby, their voices a distant murmur against the forest's backdrop. Cicadabuzz does not call out to them; they expect attentiveness, not constant instruction. Instead, they return their focus to the ragwort, gathering a few more leaves with the same quiet efficiency. With the small pile collected, they curl their tail around. Carefully, they tuck the ragwort leaves between short strands of fur, weaving them in with precise, practiced movements. Their tail serves as both a storage place and a reminder—every shift of weight, every swish through the air lets them feel the presence of the herbs, ensuring they do not lose track of their gathering.

Once satisfied that the leaves are secure, Cicadabuzz straightens, giving their tail a slight shake to test the hold. The ragwort remains in place. Good. They take a slow breath, their gaze drifting over the forest once more, assessing the land with the quiet intensity that always lingers in their expression. The air smells of damp earth and greenery, of moss and wood, layered with the faint, sharp scent of the herbs they now carry. A rustling in the undergrowth signals movement, but Cicadabuzz does not immediately turn. Instead, they listen—measuring the sound, its weight, the way it presses against the hush of the wild. It is light, quick. Not a predator. Likely one of the kits, or perhaps Tickpaw. Their whiskers twitch, though they do not react further.

Instead, they turn their focus inward, running through a mental list of what else is needed. The ragwort will help keep warriors strong, easing aching joints. But there are other plants yet to find, and the forest holds no shortage of secrets for those who know how to look. Cicadabuzz steps forward, their tail sweeping behind them as they move deeper into the trees. The task is not yet done. "Come along," they remind the young ones as they move forth.

@Stoatkit @hemlock-kit @Tickpaw

 
——————————————— Together, we'll make our way home ✦


Restless paws had padded the camp, so of course, she leapt at the opportunity to go along with Cicadabuzz out into the territory for herb gathering. It wasn't her go-to, but it was a chance to see more of the territory with leafbare finally starting to fade. Maybe, though, she could learn some with herbs out here; she was all too aware of the tension between Fleapaw and Cicadabuzz; she wanted to help her friend even though - Stoatkit hated to admit it - the punishment was probably deserved; she'd seen the meticulously stacked herbs before, and she could only imagine how much of Cicada's time was lost from her friend's antics. However, it didn't stop her from wanting to lend a paw.

She tailed the older cat, with Tickpaw and Hemlockkit not too far behind; she fretted a little about Hemlockkit, the other kittens in the nursery never seemed the kindest to them, and they were small to be out here. But she would be hypocritical if she argued with them being out here, so instead, she tried to hype up the smallest of the three as they followed Cicadabuzz in suit. "Have you ever been this far outta camp, Hemlock? It's a lotta fun to get to explore out here." She hummed. She kept a quick pace, trying not to lose site of the medicine cat, she couldn't hear what they said so keeping close would be important for her, so she took shortcuts through the undergrowth to let all of them keep up.

Stoatkit tried to be measured with when to speak, enough to keep Hemlockkit comforted but not enough to risk alerting anything to their presence - so she glanced back to the kit and apprentice and flicked her tail towards the undergrowth before ducking under herself. It was just some shrubbery; some green clung to some of the shrubs, evergreen if she remembered the name, and others had bare twigs and sticks. It was one of these that caught her eyes as she emerged from beneath the bushes.

Glistening from the morning dew, like tiny stars, was a spider's web. She trotted up towards it, inspecting it closely. From what Stoatkit could tell the spider wasn't home, she could make plenty more web so sweeping this up for Cicadabuzz should be okay! She didn't know plants but knew cobweb was useful for cuts and bleeding. Stoatkit had seen the medicine cat holding herbs with their tail, and she accidentally got stuff caught in her tail all the time; so with a careful bush against the shrubs, Stoatkit swept up the cobweb with her tail, curled carefully around the circumference and tangling a little with her fur.

Looking back to the bush, she bowed her head and whispered a thank you to the spider before quickly trotting off to catch up with Tickpaw, Hemlockkit, and hopefully all three could catch back up with Cicadabuzz properly!

  • Rolls (from Scarlet's roller)
    Coin flip: Heads - Success
    1d7 roll: 3 - Broken bones
    Herb found: Cobwebs
  • Stoatkit
    ✦—Shadowclan kit | 6 Moons
    ✦—She/Her
    ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
    ✦—A slender white cat with faint lilac markings and blue eyes.
    #96d5f1
    ⤷ Written by Phoenix ☀️
 
When Cicadabuzz says they have a job for them, Hemlock obeys dutifully, feeling a little bit better about the medicine cat even if they hadn't met their crying with comfort. Its odd, in a way, but its left them seeking... Something, something that they're not sure of, but they're eager to please and thats why they're out there besides their parent and a few others, eyes wide in terror as they walk through the marsh. A rustle in the distance has them whipping their head towards it, but nothing comes from it.

Stoatkit tries to keep them company, and they're appreciative of that... Stoatkit was kind, far kinder than the group of kits that would pick on them, and so just for that, they'd happily relish in their company for a little bit. She asks if shes ever been this far from camp, and truthfully... Hemlock doesn't think shes ever been out of camp at all. "N-No..." Hemlock dips their head and turns away shyly as if Stoat would make fun of them for the lack of adventure in their life... Yet nothing comes. She continues to talk about how fun it was to explore, and Hemlocks shoulders untense in relief. However, they're not having a lot of fun right now... Everything smells so much different than the camp does and its overwhelming her senses, nose all scrunched up as she sticks to Cicada like a burr to their ankles. Wide eyes watch Stoatkits eyes dart around, then back to her, and then... Stoatkit disappears all by herself and Hemlock parts their lips to say something only for a terrified, almost inaudible squeak to come out. Now its their turn, and oh... Their heart races, but they have a duty to do... A duty expected of them. That much they know, that much is their purpose.

You will grow stronger if you focus, they hear their parents voice so clearly in their head, teeth gritting. Focus, focus, focus, why can't I focus...?

Deep breath, think of what you know... And the herb that they know the most at the moment is feverfew. Hemlock tries their very best to pick through the big smells around her but theres so much... She dips her head low to the ground, hoping this would dissipate some of the more prominent scents... And it does, for a moment, until it bleeds in to an earth soil, making her wrinkle her nose again. They venture forth on hesitant paws, fear seizing their heart but determination to make Cicadabuzz proud of them overriding it. They hardly realize they've strayed from the group at first until the oddly familiar scent of aromatic herb hits her nose. Blue eyes flick upwards to see a few stalks of feverfew sprouting from the earth below. They're quick to hurry towards it, giving it a sniff and confirming that yep, that is definitely the herb that they helped with. She leans closer, inspecting the plant for rot. The stem, the flowers, the leaves... Nothing. They let out a breath that they're not quite sure when they started holding, carefully harvesting the one or two sprigs that they could.

Come along, they hear Cicadabuzz's voice not too far away and they use that as a lifeline to where theyre going, keeping their nose down even if the petals are ticking their nose. They return to the group with newfound pride, their tail fur bushed out as they fall in line. I can't be too useless...

"meow"
 
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TICK

You summon storms, you play with nature


Tick kept a close eye on the peculiar medicine cat, his gaze narrowing every so often as he tracked Cicadabuzz's every move. There was something about them, always watching, always expecting. He hadn't quite figured them out yet, but he knew one thing: if you weren't paying attention, you'd miss something important. And he wasn't about to let that happen. He and Flea had been searching for herbs together for a while now, and he was starting to understand that some plants had their uses while others… didn't. But if someone asked him what did what? Yeah, not a clue. He just tried to spot things he remembered seeing in the medicine den when he'd been stuck there.

His gaze flickered toward Stoatkit, who was chatting with Hemlock-kit, and a small smile tugged at his maw. It was good to see her at ease. But before he could dwell on that, something familiar caught his eye. His ears perked. Oh… He was pretty sure he'd seen that before in the den.

Cicadabuzz's voice snapped him back to the moment, calling them along. Tick hesitated only for a second before dashing over, grabbing the herb ( or weed? ) between his teeth, and hurrying after the others. " I think this is something I saw in your den. " he said finally, his voice slightly muffled around the plant. His gaze shifted to Stoatkit and Hemlock-kit, watching them carefully. Hemlock-kit, especially, didn't seem used to being out of camp. He hoped they didn't feel too pressured to keep up.

His eyes landed on what Stoatkit had found, cobwebs. Always handy.

═════════════⊹⊱ ⟡ ⊰⊹═════════════
 
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CICADABUZZ, 28 moons / shc + med. cat
a SH cinnamon tabby/chocolate tortie chimera w/ black eyes
parent to deathberrykit, hemlockkit, mistletoekit ; mentor to magpiepaw
a reserved, pragmatic healer driven by duty rather than sentiment
Cicadabuzz moves with quiet certainty, the rustling of reeds and shifting marshland beneath their paws a familiar melody. Their ears twitch as the younger ones shuffle and whisper behind them, but they do not turn, only flick their tail in a subtle acknowledgment. The clan's youth are more than an obligation to Cicadabuzz—they are an investment, roots stretching toward an uncertain future. It is their duty to prepare them, to teach them something beyond the shallow comforts of warm nests and idle talk. When Stoatkit catches up, her tail laced with cobwebs, Cicadabuzz's sharp gaze flicks to the delicate strands caught in the mess of fur. A low hum escapes them—approval, or perhaps simple acknowledgment. They step closer, inspecting the web carefully, noting its clean, silken threads. "A resourceful find," they murmur, giving a barely-there nod.

A shift in the air pulls their attention, and they glance toward Hemlockkit as the small figure returns to the group. Cicadabuzz does not praise easily, nor do they coddle, but they see the way Hemlockkit's tail fluffs with something akin to pride, the feverfew clutched carefully in their jaws. A long, assessing look lingers before they dip their head in silent approval. "Good," they say, the praise more than they might usually give. The task has been done well. Tickpaw speaks next, muffled around the stem of whatever he has grabbed. Cicadabuzz takes the offered plant with a swift, practiced motion, eyes narrowing slightly as they inspect it. Ragweed. Not particularly useful—at least, not in the way the apprentice likely hoped—but not completely without use. They do not praise nor scold, merely flick an ear in thought. "Ragweed," they remark, voice even. "For strength in travel."

They sweep their tail once, signaling for the group to continue moving. The air is thick with the scent of damp earth, and the fading chill of leafbare still clings to the morning mist. Cicadabuzz leads them onward, their mind half in the present, half in the rhythms of the land itself. The young ones are learning—perhaps not yet with the efficiency they expect, but learning nonetheless. That, at least, is something worth noting. The silence stretches between them as they press deeper into the territory. Cicadabuzz does not fill it. Let them sit with their thoughts. Let them feel the weight of the world pressing in, the vastness of it all. That is a lesson, too.

 
——————————————— Together, we'll make our way home ✦


Stoatkit trotted along, a smile knit across her face. It was a change of pace being around Cicadabuzz; they were... Scary sometimes, but they had a job to do and it was important to the clan and Stoatkit felt proud to help, especially with how they didn't talk down to her or the other younger cats. They treated them all more like mini warriors than kittens or apprentices, she'd be fine dealing with the more flat reactions of Cicadabuzz if it mean not being coddled all the time. She smiled at her two smaller companions, who managed to find some plants.

Though, she noticed Hemlockkit seemed... Skittish almost? As they walked, she realised her question was kind of silly, Hemlock was far younger than her or Tick, of course they hadn't been outside camp. That probably explained why the kitten seemed so nervous. "Good find." She purred, smiling at the other. She didn't know enough about herbs to know what it was, but from Cicada's reaction, it must've been something good. "For your first time out of camp, you're doing great!" Stoatkit added; Hemlock was a nervous thing; she hoped cheering them on like this would help them a little. She knew it wouldn't be long until she left the nursery and she fretted a little how the other kittens might treat them, part of her regretted not spending more time with them.

She watched as Cicadabuzz regarded Tick next, 'Ragweed...' She repeated to herself. She hoped she'd never be alone to need to know herbs herself, but there was always a fear that she and Timberfrost would need to leave again someday - especially if they brought Monsterkit with them... But what about Fleapaw... Stoatkit bit her tongue. Now wasn't the time; she had to focus and help. Instead, she continued after Cicadabuzz, sniffing the air around them. The scent of the pocosin wasn't something foreign to her, she'd experienced a lot of places in her short life but nothing so familiar as the damp of the mud and then- She paused for a moment, that wasn't just damp of the mud. While she wasn't the most attuned even now to this kind of water, that indistinguishable scent of a pond caught her attention.

Probably an unwise decision, but despite it, she padded a little ways from the trail Cicadabuzz was taking them down, and lo and behold, a small pond obfuscated by reeds and some other long, bulb-tipped plants. The slightest sweet scent from them caught her attention even more. 'Flowers!' She grinned to herself. Ever since leafbare froze over the territory, flowers were so difficult to find, and she had to admit that just having moss in her nest wasn't any fun. She saw how Fleapaw decorated hers with trinkets, and well, she could gather those in her own patrols, but flowers would make her nests her own, too! And, well, it smells nice. She'd grown to find familiarity and comfort in the earthy dampness of the pocosin, but a change would be nice.

Wary of the water - she wouldn't drown if she fell in, but Cicadabuzz would have her pelt if she did, and honestly, that'd be worse than drowning - she planted her paws and latched jaws at the base of the plants. It took some heft, little teeth-piercing stems as a couple of lengths of the plant were felled. Stoatkit was surprised by the sweet taste of the plant; it'd be even better to weave into the nest if the medicine cat let her keep some if it was useful. Or if not, she could get more, new leaf had only just come around and plenty more plants would grow. Dragging the lengths away from the water, she curled and folded the stems into a coiled bundle she could hold in her mouth. She hadn't really considered how she would have carried it otherwise, but having watched Cicadabuzz before; she knew this would probably be the best way to gather these long flowers.

Pattering her way back to catch up with the patrol, a smile tugged at her lips behind the bundle, with the sweet smell of the first flowers she'd found of her first new leaf filling her every breath.

  • Rolls (from Scarlet's roller)
    𖧧 Coin Flip: Heads - Success
    𖧧 1d7 Roll: 3 - Broken Bones
    𖧧 Herb Found - Rush
  • Stoatkit
    ✦—Shadowclan kit | 6 Moons
    ✦—She/Her
    ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
    ✦—A slender white cat with faint lilac markings and blue eyes.
    #96d5f1
    ⤷ Written by Phoenix ☀️