[ti]Private[/ti]Just Keep Swimming

[Fireflake]

Pebbleshade dragged his paws to the medicine cat's den as if in defeat, wrestling back a cough that growled in his throat. The illness had come right after MistClan's home had flooded. Whether it was the water he'd swallowed, or being soaking wet in Leaf-bare, or simply coincidental timing, he didn't know. He had assumed it wouldn't last long. The short stay in the barn had been a stressful one for him, so he hadn't expected to recover then, but now the water had washed out of the clan's home and his illness stubbornly remained. It would be a shame for him to die now after surviving the fatal flood.

He had come to this conclusion after nearly losing prey to a sneeze. The mouse that now hung from his jaws had scratch-marks across one hind leg where he had been forced to claw it back to him. The tom stared into the den, took a deep breath that only irritated his throat, then stepped inside and sat out of the way against one of the walls. "Hello," he greeted after placing the fresh-kill down. He quickly saw that one of the medicine cats was there and no other patients were waiting. "I-" His cough interrupted him. It sounded more like him clearing his throat that anything else, but was clearly uncomfortable. He offered something like a strained smile. "I brought you prey. And I'm sick, as you can probably tell... I was wondering if you could help me."

[gingersnapsdacat]

Daisypetals was sat in the medicine den, quietly sorting through the many piles of leaves that had piled up waiting for him to have even one single moment of peace to move them. Of course, getting a moment of peace had become quite the rarity as of late, with sickness spreading like a juicy secret. 
"Hello,"
Daisypetals looked up from his herbs, realizing that a cat had come into the den without his knowledge. It seemed that he would never learn how to pay attention to both the herbs and the sounds of cats approaching.  
"I-I brought you prey. And I'm sick, as you can probably tell... I was wondering if you could help me."
The soft-furred tom was immediately on his paws, only half-listening to what Pebbleshade was telling him. He could hear the struggle in the grey warrior's voice, even if Pebbleshade had thought he could mask it. Daisypetals pulled out two tansy leaves from a pile, pushing them towards his patient. 
"How long have you been trying to avoid this?" 

[Fireflake]

Pebbleshade shuffled his paws as the look of a kit caught sneaking out of camp fell over him. "I'm not sure I'd say I was 'trying to avoid' it..." he protested weakly. "I thought my body might fight it off on its own. Apparently not."
He swallowed hard, then dipped his head to lick up one of the tansy leaves. "It's been on and off since the... the flood."

He leaned back, distractedly leaving the other tansy leaf on the ground. "It sounds mouse-brained now, but I knew it wasn't Greencough and I didn't think it was Whitecough, and those are the ones everyone frets over. You were both busy helping other cats."
The tom's eyes wandered to the ground, where he saw the tansy leaf still sitting there and tapped it with his paw. "What is this?"

[gingersnapsdacat]

Daisypetals tried, and failed, to hide his amusement. It was not every day he got to chide a warrior like his own kit. 
I can see why Frostfall enjoys this, he thought to himself. It is quite satisfying.
He sat down in front of the warrior, listening closely to what Pebbleshade had to say for himself. 
"It sounds mouse-brained now, but I knew it wasn't Greencough and I didn't think it was Whitecough, and those are the ones everyone frets over. You were both busy helping other cats."
Daisypetals shook his head slightly. It was no surprise that the the warrior had tried to help, but in the process, he had put himself, and possibly other clanmates at risk of catching his cold. 
"I know you thought it would be better to deal with things on your own, and I admire that. But if all cats' bodies could just deal with themselves, then Frostfall and I would be out of a job. So next time, let one of us decide what you can and cannot handle."
He turned away, looking around for a some of the honey soaked moss that he kept on paw for sore throats and midnight snacks. 
"What is this?"
Daisypetals turned, moss ball clutched in his mouth.
"Ish trnsyr," he said unintelligibly. He set down the moss in front of Pebbleshade, licking excess honey from his lips. "It's tansy. It eases coughs, and soothes sore throats. And there is honey on that moss. It should help ease any soreness."

[Fireflake]

Pebbleshade nodded as if Daisypetals had said something more insightful than 'listen to your medicine cats'. His eyes kept on the leaf. He only looked up, a confused look falling over his face, when the other tom tried to answer his question through a soaked ball of moss. "Er, thank you."
The warrior dragged the leaf slowly toward himself, stared at it for a moment, then licked it up.

"Right, you're right." Pebbleshade nodded again. He shuffled to the moss ball and lapped at it just twice before he paused to speak again. "I can't deal with things on my own. You have an important job."
At this point it was hard to miss that something was bothering the tom, and it wasn't the way his fur kept getting caught on the honey. His ear had flicked down and his eyes still hadn't returned to Daisypetals.

Pebbleshade tried to quietly lick up the honey, and swallow it despite his sore throat, until he was interrupted by a cough. He turned his head away and flicked down the other ear. "But it's not just herbs, is it?"
The warrior fixed his pale green gaze on the medicine cat apprentice. He gently shook out his fur. "You and Frostfall look after the clan by speaking to StarClan too? But only when StarClan wants to speak?"

[gingersnapsdacat]

As Daisypetals listened to the warrior's apology, he felt his whole pelt begin to prickle with unease. Had he been too harsh on Pebbleshade? After all, the warrior had only been trying to help. Daisypetals watched Pebbleshade lap at the moss for a heartbeat, then continued to lick at the honey on his own fur, losing himself in the sweet taste of the nectar. 
"But it's not just herbs, is it?"
He placed his paw down, slowly turning to look at Pebbleshade in confusion. 
"You and Frostfall look after the clan by speaking to StarClan too? But only when StarClan wants to speak?"
Daisypetals glanced down to his paws, trying to hide his discomfort. He did not know how much of the secrets of StarClan he should share with a warrior. Yet, he did not want to leave Pebbleshade's questions unanswered...
"Yes...Frostfall and I do communicate with StarClan...when we can. Although there are times that StarClan's words are unclear...or they stay silent." 

[Fireflake]

Pebbleshade stiffened slightly in the few moments between his question and Daisypetals' answer. The reply didn't seem to bring him any relief. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry," he meowed, gently shaking his head. "I just- I'm finding it hard to understand... why StarClan would do that. Do they not know? Or do they not..?"
The tom shook his head again. "I suppose it's not my place to question our warrior ancestors."
He faltered a little at the end as he realized those cats were neither his ancestors nor Daisypetals'.

Pebbleshade looked away again, distracting himself with a few dead-looking flowers to his side. He coughed-- or maybe cleared his throat-- and sat up straight. "This is the first time we've met properly, isn't it? Apart from the time-? Ah, if I'd realized that I would have made sure to make a better first impression."

He purred softly, trying to drive away the vaguely lost tone in his voice, and dipped his head the same way he had upon entering the den. "I suppose you know this by now, but my name's Pebbleshade. How, er, how are you today?"

[gingersnapsdacat]

    Even before he had finished speaking, the medicine cat could tell that Pebbleshade was not quite satisfied. 
"I don't mind the questions...I just wish I had better answers," he mewed, shaking his head slightly. "They are not always the best at giving clear signs."
    As soon as these words were out of his mouth, he wished he could have kept them in. He had just insulted StarClan...out loud. 
Way to make people confident in your abilities genius...

"This is the first time we've met properly, isn't it?"
    Daisypetals tilted his head, thinking for just a moment. He had seen the grey-furred tomcat around camp, and they knew each other in name and face, but other than that, Daisypetals was rather clueless. 
"Oh yes...I suppose it is."
    It was like a switch. The conversation was still a bit shaky and awkward, but it was quickly switching to a type of awkward that Daisypetals knew. It was a comfortable sort of awkwardness, if there was such a thing. 
"How, er, how are you today?"
    The medicine cat chuckled slightly, but played along, dipping his head in the same manner. 
"I am fairly well. I'm sure you already know, but I am Daisypetals; medicine cat apprentice and speaker of...words."