The Royals (Join for Cat Politics)

(Need a Heimlich there, sixthstudioalbumbyAmericansingerandsongwriterBeyoncé*?

*All credits to sentence goes to Wikipedia, that most holy and trustworthy of sources.

And never fear, I got my computer plugged in soon enough!)

Oak blinked his eyes opened, and nodded to Fox, rolling up to get onto four paws.

"Sounds great!" He mewed, squeezing his eyes shut before opening them again. "What about you, Red? Coming down?"
--
Sunpetal yawned and stretched as she awoke in the nursery. She'd headed back soon after eating, and now she thought she'd take a nice walk in the courtyard and soothe her soul. She'd been wanting to discuss kit names with Hailstrike--they'd casually chatted about them before, but hadn't landed on any they liked in particular--and she supposed he'd be in the courtyard or she'd at least run into him in the halls. A little groggily, she pulled herself up and out of the nursery, still feeling a little tired.
--
Petalheart awoke, instantly ready for the day, and shook out her claws. Sleepiness clung to her fur and she shook it off, repeatedly blinking her eyes to chase away the last of the light, dreamy world she'd been in for the night.

She'd wanted to swing by all the halls and see if anything interesting happened, because the last few days--beside the fox fight--had been boring as dead grass, so she started out for the halls of the castle.

"Can I come with," Flint meowed. She had been woken up by the other apprentices and couldn't help but want to know what they were going to do as it must be more interested than just lying in her nest

'I hurt my paw yesterday.' Fox explained, before trotting beside Oak towards the Garden to see the herbalists, purring quietly.

((Whoops--just felt that Flint should do something considering I'm on at this ungodly hour))
Flint rolled over into standing position and followed Oak. Despite being the only two hunter apprentices in the group they had never really talked beyond denmate stuff.

(This is getting good . . .

Everyone listen to I'll Make a Man Out of You aggressively with me to pump ourselves up)

Oak found himself at the head of all the apprentices and felt almost like he was leading a patrol.  A patrol of all apprentices, but a patrol nonetheless.  Who knew?  After they'd all become hunters and guards they'd probably be able to go out and hunt like this.  Oak looked around and narrowed his eyes happily, knowing he trusted these cats to support him.  They were his friends, after all.

(Oh artemis we were thinking of Sunpetal being a royal guard when she wasn't, you know, occupied with kits in her stomach.  That good?)

()I shall jam out to that with you!! MR IIIIIIIILLLL
MAKE A MAAAAAAN
OUT OF YOUUUUUUUU))

((THIS GUYS GOT US SCARED TO DEATH
hope he doesn't see right through me!!!
Now I really wish that I knew how to SWIM!!!!!

(To be a maaaaan))

Flint scurried alongside the other free apprentices. Due to her short legs she had to take several steps to match the other older taller apprentices but she refused to ask them to slow down as she didn't want to look like the little kit who was tagging along even though she had been an apprentice for other a moon now.

'It feels better now red, thanks for asking!' Fox chirruped, smiling happily back at him and flicking her tail. 'It just needs the cobwebs changing just in case and then I should be good!'
She trotted happily into the garden and looked around. 'Sandstripe?' She called hopefully, wondering if she was nearby.

(I might have to leave soon-ish so)

As the Fox called for Sandstripe Flint sidled out of view whilst remaining in earshot. She hated to admit it but the herbalist gave her the creeps with her round yellow eyes which seemed to stare into you. Flint had only been to see her once as a kit but after that she had sworn never again and now she visited the other medicine cats. She waited ears pricked for something to happen. If it sounded interesting she'd round the corner otherwise she'd stay were she was until they finished

(I have a feeling that Red is going to end up sort of like a third wheel.

Should we have the priests involved too? )

Oak noticed Flint sidling away but didn't mention it. He'd never really been close to the other hunter apprentice, and maybe Flint wasn't really into crowds of herbalists or whatever. He, however, stayed as Fox kept up her calls, hoping Sandstripe would come more quickly.

"Hey, Red," he murmured anyway. "Can you check Flint out and see if she's okay?"
--
Maplefall came into the garden, blinking away sleep, and noticed Fox yowling for Sandstripe. She padded over, tail swinging.

"Do you need something, Fox? Is it about your paw?" She squinted at the paw she'd patched up yesterday. "You've been keeping the cobwebs on, right?"

(Maplefall was the one who first bandaged it so I sent her in)

((tournesol, yes, I'll add that to the character page,, somehow))

((Scartail and I agreed we wanted to get to the Good Part fast so this is going to be one long post sorry, but also, you're welcome))

- - Thunderheart

Thunderheart had gone for a walk around the castle to escape the oppressive atmosphere of the royal tower and to get the argument he had overheard out of his mind. It hadn't really worked, especially since he had known the whole time that at the end of it he would be right back here, in front of the royal tower. He sighed and nodded to Archclaw as he went inside.

Earlier that morning Dewfern had given him the herbs meant for Stoneheart--he didn't ask how she got them. Convincing Stoneheart to take them had been a chore; his brother had already been in a bad mood after last night and he hated admitting he needed anything form anyone. But once Thunderheart had pointed out that he had never fought with Dewfern before last night and perhaps that was evidence that there was something unbalanced in his system, Stoneheart had given in--better to blame his temper on something out of his control than something that was his own fault.

Now Thunderheart was climbing up the stairs, and he saw Dewfern pacing in the hall. "Hey," he said softly. "Have you and Stoneheart talked yet?" When the young she-cat shook her head, he flicked his ear and said, "Don't worry. He's probably just tired from those herbs. Tell you what, let's go in together and talk to him. I'll be your buffer, okay?" He winked at her and went into his brother's resting chamber.

But something was wrong. Stonheart was motionless on the ground. The fur on his jaw was crusted with vomit and he was smacking his lips, panting, and his pupils were wide pools of black. Thunderheart's stomach dropped. "No. No! Stoneheart! Stoneheart, are you okay?" He ran to his brother's side and looked him frantically up and down, trying to find the source of whatever was killing the old king.

"Herbs . . ." Stoneheart rasped. Thunderheart froze. He lifted his head slowly. He looked at the empty leaf bundle on the floor. He understood. His eyes slowly began to narrow into slits, and something dangerous came over his face that had never been there before--and in that moment he resembled his brother more than he ever had.

"Lighttail and Maplefall . . ." His voice was a low, rumbling growl. "They're the ones who made this. They were even talking to me about those rumors yesterday! How could I have been so stupid!" He looked up at Dewfern. "Come with me," he snapped, "We're going to the garden. I need you to ask Sandstripe for Yarrow, then come back and force him to eat it. We have to try to get the poison out of his stomach. And get him moss soaked with water. I'm going to deal with the cats who did this."

Without waiting for an answer, he stormed past the princess without a single word of reassurance and down the tower stairs. Once outside, he shouted at the royal guards, "Tell everyone to come to the garden immediately," and kept walking without waiting for a response. Once he got to the garden, he shouted for Lighttail and Maplefall to come to the center of it and he jumped onto a tree stump, so that he would be elevated above them. He waited while cats began to gather, and then he spoke, his fur bristling and his voice edged with rage.

"Stoneheart has been poisoned," he spat. "I found him near death after consuming the herbs that you prescribed to him! I will give you two one chance to confess to what you've done, and then I'll decide just how gruesome your punishment will be!"