Dim Light (Stormwind)

Swiftstream eyed the frozen creek. The ice most likely wouldn’t be thick enough for them to walk across it and the distance was too great for them to jump it. They would have to find a crossing.

Graycloud shrugged. “Not really.”

Riverflight let the issue drop with a sigh after a few heartbeats, turning his eyes from his mate to the path ahead.

Eventually, the pair of mates came across a frozen creek, not more than a few foxlengths wide but still an obstacle nonetheless.


Glaciertail nodded, understanding. “Don’t you wish you could relax a bit though?”

Swiftstream stubbornly ignored his clear concern and just quickened her pace slightly.

Graycloud glanced at Glaciertail. “There aren’t that many of us; I’m just doing what I can to help keep the Clan going.”

While they were by no means close to the old territory yet, Riverflight still felt better about the reassurance that they were on the right path. Then, however, he noticed Swiftstream’s frown. “Swiftstream...” He mewed softly, not sure what else to say.

“It seems like you’ve gone on almost every single patrol lately,” Glaciertail mewed eventually to break the silence between him and Graycloud.

Swiftstream examined the clearing with a slight frown.

While curious about the smirk, Graycloud didn’t say anything and they walked in silence.

Glaciertail let himself relax as he padded out into the territory, his easygoing demeanor coming back after the awkward exchange with Shadowleaf. He padded silently alongside Graycloud, though there was a slight smirk on his muzzle the whole walk.

Riverflight gazed out through a small clearing, surrounded by pine forest on all four sides. “This seems familiar,” The tom mewed to Swiftstream, encouraged by the sight.

Graycloud blinked at him. “Okay.” She got to her paws.

Glaciertail nodded, turning around without ceremony and getting Graycloud’s attention. “Shadowleaf wants us to hunt.”

Shadowleaf tilted her head to the side. “Go on a hunting patrol with Graycloud.”

“It’s just like what Riverflight used to do,” Spottedpelt mewed, nodding when it seemed none of the kits were going to come forward.

“Just waiting to see what you need done.” Glaciertail mewed quickly, awkwardly grooming his chest.

Pebblekit looked around at her siblings before shaking her head.

Shadowleaf turned a cool gaze on Glaciertail and arched a kittybrow in question.

Glaciertail eventually sighed and mustered up the nerve to walk over to Shadowleaf, awaiting orders from the She-cat.

“...Do you guys have any questions about what your mom does now?” Spottedpelt asked the kits, hoping to help them understand.

Shadowleaf hid her anxiety fairly well, she thought, as she directed some cats around.

(Fixed it!)

Glaciertail nodded, understanding, before looking up at the sky himself, the tuxedo having to think for a moment.

Spottedpelt was busy telling the kits a story about Lionclan so that Shadowleaf could focus on her duties for a moment, the queen having to run the clan by herself with Riverflight gone.

(Shadowleaf*)

Rainstorm grimaced slightly, glancing up at the sky.

Glaciertail pinned his ears back slightly before he could answer Rainstorm’s question.  “Shadowleaf,” he finally sighed, giving a guilty glance off to the side as he remembered the relationship the three of them had once shared.

“Who is the new deputy?” Rainstorm asked after a moment.

Riverflight was grateful for the changing of the seasons as they trekked onwards. This would have been miserable to do if there was as much snow on the ground as there was the first time they crossed this ground.

Glaciertail flocked his ears at his friend. “They left early this morning”

That actually got Rainstorm to pause in surprise, turning to look at the other tom.

Glaciertail pinned his ears back, the good-natured tom taken aback by Rainstorm’s cold reply. The Tom began to walk alongside his friend. “Did you see the stranger then? Spottedpelt and Graycloud And Riverflight went on patrol and drove him back here because they thought he might know about you.”

It took the sleepy tom a few heartbeats to realize that there was news that might be even more important to the returning male.

“Oh, and Snowstar is dead. Riverflight And Swiftstream are returning to the old territory to recover his nine lives.

Rainstorm eyed Glaciertail coolly for a moment. “In the territory.” He padded past him and towards the fresh-kill pile.

Glaciertail’s eyes widened as he spotted Rainstorm, and the tuxedo tom pounded across the clearing to him. “Rainstorm! Where have you been!?” The tom had been anxious about what happened to his friend and occasional gay fling.

Rainstorm finally padded back into the camp after two days, looking slightly bedraggled from doing StarClan-knows-what.

“Right,” Riverflight replied quickly, turning from her to focus on the path ahead.

Back in camp, Glaciertail finally awoke, stretching out in the warrior’s den. The Tom padded into the clearing, waiting for Riverflight without realizing yet that that was stupid.

“I don’t think anyone’s ever ready,” she answered. “But you should always try your best.”