WALKING ON BROKEN GLASS -- needlepaw

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    ➤➣➤ Owlpaw could barely believe that he'd been training under Pipitpetal for almost an entire moon now. What had at first seemed to him like an insurmountable list of herbs and remedies to memorize now felt like an open world to explore, a gift rather than a duty to take care of his Clanmates when they were feeling their worst. Perhaps it was silly, but it made him happy to feel like he had a real usefulness to his Clan. Caring for the broken and hurting had always been where he'd felt himself drawn, and it was in his nature to try and bring out the best parts of everyone. The path of a healer could not have been more well-suited to him, and he knew this, and it made him cheerful and hard-working in ways he'd never felt before.


    On this fine greenleaf morning, when the sun was warm and tickled the skin, Owlpaw made himself busy by sorting through some of the stacks of herbs that were still yet to be put away post-journey. The medicine cats' den was new and strange to him, but living amongst the willow tree's exposed roots was beautiful and inspiring. He found the morning's calm, peaceful aura invigorating him in his work, and he cheerfully hummed and waggled his tail in a tiny dance as he kept putting things away. Pipitpetal and Seedpaw were both out, presumably training or collecting more herbs from this strange place, so he had the den to himself. He'd never felt like the path of the medicine cat was more right for him than on this morning, this beautiful day where everything felt like it had finally fallen into place.



    // .:Needlepaw:. <3 Let's see how they interact!! Best case scenario Owlpaw falls head over heels and then realizes he can't do anything because medicine cat and then angst will ensue :D Other best case scenario crush turns into friendship and they be friends!!!


    AFTER THE GLITTER FADES —

                "Hey Seedpaw! I cut my paw on a rock again, think you could-OH!" Needlepaw had been limping into the medicine cat den for about the third time since joining the clan a few days ago, limping slightly as she held her front left paw close to her chest. Bold green eyes would widen slightly in surprise as it wasn't Seedpaws' form that greeted her, but rather a new tom she hadn't met yet. Well wasn't that exciting! Her expression lit up instantly as she smiled and purred, "Well hello! Sorry to barge in on you like that, I thought Seedpaw would have been in here." She limped forward further so that she was completely in the den before sitting down and blinking at the new face in a friendly manner, "I don't believe we've met yet! The names Needle, just joined a few days ago. Are you a medicine cat apprentice like Seedpaw?" Her tail would lash behind her in excitement with each word that tumbled from her mouth and she leaned forward slightly as she continued, "That must mean you're super smart! Have you been doing this long? Or have you just started? Is it hard to remember all the herbs and stuff?"

               

    ➤➣➤ Owlpaw had not been prepared for Needlepaw to walk through the door, and when she did it was like his whole world stopped. He noticed her holding her paw up near her chest, limping a little, and also noticed the way she looked at him. No one had ever looked at him like that, with so much attentiveness and that glint of playful something in her eyes. It totally distracted him, and it took him a full second to comprehend her words before he was capable of responding. "Uh, um, Seed... Seedpaw's not here right now, it's just... I'm... just me," he stumbled. StarClan, Owlpaw, get it together!


    "Sorry, are you here for some medicine?" he asked, trying to focus on something he did understand instead of just staring at her face. He gestured toward her injured paw with his tail, waiting until he could examine it. "And my name's Owlpaw, by the way, welcome to RiverClan. I'm a medicine cat apprentice, yes, but I don't know all the herbs yet, so..." he shrugged a little, unwilling to comment on her assessment of his intelligence. "I tried to memorize them all really fast and it... it didn't work out, so I'm trying the whole slow n' steady approach." A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, a real one. He tried to relax his shoulders a little bit as he spoke. She's just a patient, you don't even know her, what's your deal?


    AFTER THE GLITTER FADES —

    Needle would nod her silver head in what appeared to be understanding, "Hey most cats give up after not getting something the first time! So I think it's awesome that you're trying it again." As he motioned to her paw, she blinked in surprise as if she had forgotten all about her injury and then a light sheepish blush would touch her cheeks, "Oh yea! I guess its' a good thing Seedpaw isn't here, I reopened this cut on my paw while I was trying to fish. It's surprising how many sharp rocks there are around here. Do you mind taking a look at it? Consider me practice!" A purr of laughter would bubble from her chest and as she waited for him to look her wound over she would seem to study him before bluntly proclaiming, "I like your name. Owlpaw. I think it suits you."