Chervil Root [Continued]

[Songmorning]

Songpaw softly entered the elders' den, Purestar behind her. "Songmorning?" she called, "I have the chervil root for you."

"Oh, thank you," Songmorning groaned, standing up with some difficulty and padding over to Songpaw. She took one of the chervil roots and started gnawing on it. "I'll only need one," she told Songpaw, "You can take the rest back to the Medecine Cat's den to store for later."

Turning her attention to Purestar, she mewed, "Hello, Purestar. It's good to see you. I hope Songpaw hasn't been causing you any trouble." She smiled slightly, amused at the thought of the meek, quiet Songpaw causing trouble.

[Pureyy]

Purestar padded into the elder's den behind Songpaw. He began to wonder why it had been so long since he had visited and he swiftly made a mental note to come see Songmorning more often. He sat down behind Songpaw as she gave Songmorning the chervil root.

Turning her attention to Purestar, she mewed, "Hello, Purestar. It's good to see you. I hope Songpaw hasn't been causing you any trouble." She smiled slightly, amused at the thought of the meek, quiet Songpaw causing trouble.

"Songpaw, causing me trouble, never in a million moons," chuckled Purestar. "I was just showing her where that big Chervil Bush is, by the tree, I guess I was kind of mentoring her on my own. After she's done here in camp I'm taking her out to practice some hunting techniques, she seems to have learned the ways of the medicine cat quite quickly so it should be no different," he praised the apprentice casting her a glance. Then he turned back to Songmorning, "It's great to see you too Songmorning, I hear your stomach has been troubling you. What seems to be wrong?" he asked.

[Songmorning]

"Oh, it must've been something in that rabbit I ate last night," Songmorning guessed with a slight smile, "Maybe it had eaten some Death Berries or something, but there wouldn't've been enough in it to do me any real harm. If the rabbit itself was sick, I might be in trouble, but then..." She sat down stiffly, wrapping her tail around her feet, "The chervil root seems to be helping already." She turned to Songpaw, "Thank you for bringing it."

Looking back at Purestar, she continued, "It is very good of you to teach Songpaw to hunt. When I was a medecine cat, no one taught me such practical skills because they thought I wouldn't need them. They also never taught me how to fight, but I can remember a war we once had with a rogue clan in which I was captured and nearly killed simply because I knew so little about fighting. That was a long time ago, but you were Clan leader then, so I expect you remember it. Anyway, what I mean to say is, will you teach Songpaw some fighting skills for her to use in battle? She may need them someday."

[Pureyy]

Purestar didn't believe that the words coming out of Songmorning were genuine and he knew she didn't even believe her own words. He just hoped nothing too serious was wrong with Songmorning. However, he sat and listened to her explanation for why she was feeling ill, nodding when she was finished. "If you say you're alright, I must believe it, you were the Medicine Cat at one time and you know a great deal about these things!" he purred.

Looking back at Purestar, she continued, "It is very good of you to teach Songpaw to hunt. When I was a medicine cat, no one taught me such practical skills because they thought I wouldn't need them. They also never taught me how to fight, but I can remember a war we once had with a rogue clan in which I was captured and nearly killed simply because I knew so little about fighting. That was a long time ago, but you were Clan leader then, so I expect you remember it. Anyway, what I mean to say is, will you teach Songpaw some fighting skills for her to use in battle? She may need them someday."

"That is a great idea, it never crossed my mind to teach her to fight, but you're story has reminded me of the hardships that all clans go through. Fighting is a very important skill to learn, however, I will only teach Songpaw how to fight if she wished to learn." He turned to Songpaw and continued, "Do you wish to learn how to fight, as well as hunt for yourself? I must warn you, it can get very intense sometimes and I hope you won't have to actually be fighting in the future!" Purestar sat down and waited for her answer.

[Songmorning]

Songpaw tensed at Purestar's offer. She felt herself shaking, and suddenly she looked away from the Clan leader's gaze. You're a coward...You're such a coward, she thought accusingly to herself. Quite truthfully, she had always been afraid of battling and even play-fighting or even sparring.

Glancing over at Songmorning out of the corners of her eyes, she saw such a look of understanding in the medecine cat's face that she let otu a quiet gasp. Songmorning never learned to fight, she thought, Is it possible she was afraid too? Yet now she wishes she had learned to fight.

And so she made her decision. Mustering up all her courage, she looked Purestar in the eyes and mumbled, "Well, yes, I suppose I would like to learn to fight--I mean, it might save my life sometime." The reply had not turnedout as eloquently as she would have liked, perhaps, but it was what she had decided.

[Pureyy]

Purestar watched Songpaw closely. He noticed when Songpaw started to shake and then look away from him. He knew she must be afraid of something, perhaps getting hurt? Well then he would just have to reassure her that in training nothing would happen and neither of them would be hurt. As he was about to speak she looked over to Songmorning and he held his tongue. It seemed as if she was fighting herself in her own head. After a few moments she turned her head back toward him and spoke.

And so she made her decision. Mustering up all her courage, she looked Purestar in the eyes and mumbled, "Well, yes, I suppose I would like to learn to fight--I mean, it might save my life sometime." The reply had not turned out as eloquently as she would have liked, perhaps, but it was what she had decided.

"It seems to me that you've just made a tough decision, but I swear that I will teach you to the best of my ability," Purestar paused, "When you are finished you'll be able take on a wildcat single-pawed!" he joked. "It will be a great thing to learn, but we are starting out with hunting, fighting will come later, after the gathering perhaps. You need to learn how to hunt before you learn how to fight. What would happen if you could fight but not hunt, you wouldn't be able to feed yourself and then you wouldn't have enough strength to fight anyways." he said.

He turned to Songmorning, "I'll be back once our hunting session is finished, it'll be good to visit with you again, like old times..." He got up and began to walk out of the elder's den and paused to wait for Songpaw, "Coming?" he asked.

[Songmorning]

Songpaw laughed a little at Purestar's joke. She felt somehow reassured at his confident response. She stood up and padded over to Purestar, "Okay, I'm coming," she mewed, "I'm looking forward to hunting lessons."

"I hope you enjoy yourselves," Songmorning told them with a smile.