i would catch a grenade for you. [privite, Kiba]

Paradisefalls padded into the medicine cat den. His white fur freshly groomed with not a hint of dirt in it. His ears pricked up as he realized how unusually quiet it was in here today. Usually the two apprentices and their mentors were hear but lack of noise seemed to indicate they were not here. Maybe they had left to gather herbs or something. He sat down in the middle of the den for a moment. Only two injured cats were in the den. Something about an accident in a tree climbing contest that went wrong.

He closed his eyes for a second and the silence in the den seemed to welcome back memories of when he and Peri had been kits, the horrid tragedy that lead to Tigerlily's suicide, Aquairuspaw's execution and the last medicine cat to leave the clan forever. He'd gotten pretty close to Peri during that time. She was his best friend now, but now he rarely got to see her. He kept telling himself it was just because she was busy with her apprentice but he couldn't help but have a sinking feeling that she was avoiding him. It was probably not that but having to much time to himself had let him explore that as an option. Why was he missing Peri so much lately anyways to even consider that? Well he had always had a crush on her, even as kits.

Opening his eyes he shook off the thought. It didn't matter. Peri and he were friends and that was all. If he didn't see Peri around much not it was probably just because she was busy. Why was he over thinking this? Oh well. There was always work to do in the medicine cat den. That was the reason he'd come here, to help out not to see Peri.

His demotion had followed soon after his mother's death. It was probably for the best though as it had taken him a while to learn to cope with that. He'd been a warrior for, oh what had it been a little less than a moon? It still was strange though, he just felt he wasn't meant to be a warrior. How could he inflict injury on others when he had been trained to heal? He supposed it was just something he would have to learn to live with. He'd moved out of the medicine cat den to the warriors den the day of his demotion. However, when he wasn't on patrols he spent most of his time in here. Helping out where he could.

He noticed a small pile of herbs near the herb storage. Padding closer to investigate it he realized they were freshly gathered herbs that hadn't been put away yet. He started sorting out the herbs and soon was putting them where they belonged. There wasn't much to do in here today it seemed. He didn't want to leave the medicine den but it seemed there wasn't anything else to do right now.

[ One problem with that. Peri=medicine cat and Paradisefalls knows the medicine cat code about not taking mates. He wouldn't violate that at least not easily. So they maybe could but Paradise would have to be persuaded. ]

Paradisefalls couldn't help but smile when Periwinkle walked into him. "Sorry," he meowed and moved out of her way. "Let me help you with that. I just dropped by to see if there was something I could help with. Where is Wintersolstice and the apprentices?" He moved to help push the herbs from behind. She had brought back a lot of herbs! He wondered if there was even room to store all of it in the den. Had spring really come so early? Apparently so at least for the herbs that had been gathered.

He was very happy to see Periwinkle and was even glad to see her alone. It wasn't often that he got to be with her alone any more. It seemed like the apprentices always were around. Not that he didn't like them that was, just he enjoyed spending time with his best friend.

[ I can't see Paradisefalls ever doing that to Peri, high on catnip or not. He's not that kind of tom. (plus I don't like rape plots.) But...oh how about this! Catmint does cloud Paradise's judgement. What if he was high enough he 'forgets' Peri is a medicine cat. xP Though of course he'd only do so if Peri wanted it. ]

Paradisefalls froze after he realized what Periwinkle had brought back. The smell was very enticing. He should've known this was catmint. It was one of the only herbs growing really well right now. His thoughts had been pre-occupied about Periwinkle though. "I see," he said. "Um I'd help you put this away but..." he trailed off.

He knew Periwinkle knew of his catmint addiction. She was one of only two besides himself who knew about it. Ever since his apprenticeship when he'd eaten catmint during training he'd grown addicted to the stuff. He'd come in the medicine cat den a few times just to fill his need for the catmint. Recently he had been trying to break his addition but the sudden overwhelming scent of the catmint threatened make him revert. He didn't want Peri to see him like that. What would she think of him then if he just suddenly ruined the herbs she'd brought in by eating the catmint.

Paradisefalls looked like he wanted to accept the offer but hesitated. There was plenty of catmint, surely it wouldn't hurt if he had a little. He chuckled at Peri's comment. "I never thought of it that way. I never have caught Greencough," he said. He wondered if his addiction was part of the reason he hadn't ever gotten it. It was the cure for it after all, but at what price was he paying for it? He rarely went a single day without eating catmint.

"You probably have to restock more than normal on this because of me, huh," he said. He was sure Peri had seen him taking catmint for his own use from the herb store before. He cautiously padded closer to the herb pile and started pulling out some of the catmint for himself. He licked his paw after to taste the slight residue the catmint left behind from him using his paw to pullout the catmint. He savored the slight taste for a moment before allowing himself to indulge in the pile he'd allotted for himself. His eyes were wide but he seemed not as effected by the catmint as you'd think. After all he did have an addiction and by now he had to eat quite a bit of catmint to have the same effect on him. He looked longingly at the rest of the catmint and then stole one more piece of it.

Paradisefalls had given into the catmint and had stopped trying to resist it. He had pulled a LOT more out now and was rolling in it, stopping occasionally only to eat it. He'd taken a good portion of what Peri had brought back. "It's it. It's just so good, once you start there is no way to stop wanting more," he said with a slight purr in his voice. "Remember when Starkreality first introduced us to catmint?"

Paradisefalls laughed. "I suppose I'm repeating myself now then...don't make me eat yarrow this time though," he said, the last part more serious. [b]"That stuff is really gross. Though Starkreality did have a good reason to give it to me...sometimes I wish it would've prevented my addiction."[b] He reached for yet more catmint.

Paradisefalls glanced up at Peri. He didn't seem quite as loopy as her yet even though he'd had quite a bit more. "Peri?" he meowed a bit concerned for her. He stopped eating catmint and sat up. Peri was probably the only reason he'd ever stop eating catmint when he had the opportunity to eat it. He licked his lips and watched her. "I'm lonely," he said. "I've missed you too." He hadn't realized Peri had missed him before now. Well that was if under the influence of catmint you could believe what she said. He padded forward and sat down near her but not before taking some more catmint to eat. "Are we jusst friends? Cuz I thinnk mooore of you than jusst friends." he said starting to slur his words now.

Paradisefalls looked like someone had hit him over the head with a frying pan. She loved him? He was already purring from the catmint but when she spoke his purr grew even louder. He never thought he'd hear her say that. All this time he'd thought she was indifferent to him and his feelings for her would never be returned. Her pawing at him seemed to snap him out of it. "And your my bestestss friend too," he said. "I love you too, but we can only be friends. We-er you are a medicine cat."

Paradisefalls shook his head trying to clear his thoughts but to no avail. He'd had to much catmint to really think clearly. "Kitss? they probably would look like uss," he chuckled.

Paradisefalls leaned into Peri as she snuggled into him. He hesitated answering though. He felt like there was something wrong about that. It was probably the same thing that had stopped him from telling Peri how he felt about her before. Was it medcat? what was a medcat? It was too hard to think clearly with the catmint and his feelings for Peri weren't helping. "Kitss huh? Wait," he meowed. Maybe this was what was bothering him. "Only matess can haves kits," he said. That was an easy enough problem to solve though.