Dim Light (Stormwind)

The stranger’s eyes widened as she realized she was not alone, and she nearly stepped off of the beach she was standing on before she realized where she was and calmed down. “Passing through,” Came the reply, the She-cat’s face and body crisscrossed with scratches both old and new.

“Those two are insatiable,” mewed the second tom in agreement, pressing his cheek against his partner’s as they walked right past the clan cats.

Graycloud startled with surprise and narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the she-cat. “Who are you?”

Swiftstream watched with narrowed eyes.

“...bring something back for Jewel and Coffee.” One of the pair of walking cats mewed, the two seemingly both Toms, and a little closer than just friends, the pair rubbing all over one another.

Before the two foxes could react a blur of brown fur rocketed up the same tree Glaciertail and Graycloud were occupying. When it slowed down it became identifiable as a She-cat with amber eyes, which were open wide with fear. A smaller fox joined the other two at the foot of the tree, each glaring up at the cat’s and swiping their tongues around their canines.

Swiftstream stayed perfectly still, keeping her breaths as shallow and quiet as they could.

Graycloud watched the foxes with narrowed eyes.

The walk was going peacefully enough when, suddenly, Riverflight perked his ears, conforming the unmistakable sounds of chatter from a pair of cats up ahead. The Tom pinned his ears and shoved his mate off of the path as well, ducking into hiding beside her just in Time.

A while later, the two foxes perked their ears in a seemingly random direction, as if they detected something.

Swiftstream kept up a steady pace st a trot, wanting to spend as little time as possible where they were in danger of being caught.

Riverflight followed not far behind, working to make sure they cut a wide enough angle to avoid the old camp but not so wide they would get lost on their way to meet with Starclan.

Swiftstream rasped her tongue over his ear before trotting ahead.

Graycloud rolled her eyes and looked back down at the foxes.

Riverflight dipped his head, conceding that what she said was right. “On the way back home, though, you and I️ are coming right back here.” He leapt down off of the rock, a smile on his face as he rejoined Swiftstream.

Glaciertail glowered between his paws. “At least I’m trying something.” Despite the Tom’s angry growl he looked back up at Graycloud with a snicker, more typical of him. “Even if it was the most harebrained idea I’ve ever had.”

Swiftstream sighed, though there was a faint smile on her muzzle. “Riverflight, we cant afford to stop.”

Graycloud sent him a scathing look. “You can’t have expected that to actually work.”

Riverflight looked down at his mate from atop the rock, which seemed much higher now than it had in his memory, probably because there wasn’t several taillengths of snow on the ground now. He puffed out his chest and mewed in a deep voice “I️, as Riverstar, hereby declare that Swiftstream is the most beautiful she-cat to ever have lived.”

Glaciertail snarled down at the foxes in hope of scaring them off, but it was to no avail.

“Oh,” Swiftstream said softly, staring at the rock in mild surprise.

Graycloud frowned down at the foxes, wishing they would just go away.

“Don’t you remember this!?”  Mewled Riverflight excitedly, bunching up his muscles before leaping atop the rock.  “We came here once in leafbare as apprentices, and sat on this exact rock!  We watched the sun rise, and you promised to be my mate!” They were in the old territory again!

“I️ guess we have some time to pass then,” Glaciertail murmured, sitting down and flicking his tail irritably as he glanced down at the foxes.

Swiftstream stopped beside him. “Riverflight?” She murmured.

Graycloud twitched her nose. “I don’t think there is.”

Glaciertail thought for a moment, then shook his head, realizing she was right. “There’s got to be some way out of this…”

Riverflight froze suddenly in front of a flat rock.

Graycloud frowned at him. “That would be incredibly dangerous. And they’d be able to follow the scent anyway.”

Glaciertail glanced around. “One of us could try and make a break for Camp while the other distracts.”

Graycloud lashes her tail in frustration, glaring at the too-large gap.

Glaciertail watched the younger she-cat warily, his eyes narrowed as he also tried to judge the distance.

Graycloud eyed the closest tree, calculating the distance. She wondered if she could make it.

Glaciertail nodded, looking wistfully at the less-isolated trees.

“I’m fine,” Graycloud said, slightly breathlessly but seemingly truthful.

Glaciertail flinched as well, looking over at Graycloud to make sure she was alright after seeing the She-cat jump out of the corner of his eye. “You alright?” He mewed quickly, tending his muscles to jump to her aid if needed.

Graycloud twitched when one of the foxes started barking, digging her claws into the branch. She just barely managed to keep herself from jumping in surprise.

Glaciertail sighed, settling down as best he could on the tree branch he had chosen. He glared down at the foxes beneath, willing them to just go away. There was noting remotely entertaining to do up here. Graycloud wouldn’t even talk to him.