Chapter Text
Clouds covered the leaf-bare sky, thick and gray like the thoughts clouding Frostpaw's mind as she pushed herself out of her den.
The grief of losing her mother still lingered heavily over the young cat's heart, making the dreary day look even grayer to her sad gaze.
"Frostpaw, I've been looking for you."
Her ears flicked up at her clanmate's smooth mew. "Yes, Splashtail?"
"Are you up for a patrol?"
The question surprised her. "But.. I'm a medicine cat."
"I know," the tabby tom mewed briskly, "But I know spending some time with your littermates might help you. Mothwing said it would too. Why don't you go patrol the far side of the lake, just the three of you, and see if you can find some fish? How does that sound?"
It sounds cold and exhausting. Frostpaw bit back the remark. She wasn't about to snub her friend whom she respected. She glanced at the horizon.
"Don't worry about telling the clan, I'll take care of that." Splashtail's mew was gentle as he stared down at her expectantly. "I'm sure Duskfur won't mind, and it'll do you good."
"Okay," Frostpaw conceded, giving him a thankful nod. Splashtail clearly seemed concerned about her, and she doubted he'd give up quickly, seeming so set on sending her to take her mind off RiverClan's problems.
Her paws crunched slowly across the icy floor of the clearing. She didn't particularly look forward to trudging through the cold terrain when she wanted nothing more than to curl up in her nest and attempt again to sleep away her problems.
But Splashtail's so thoughtful. She felt a flutter of gratitude. It warms my heart to know he arranged this just to help me find joy in this rough season.
Her littermates were waiting for Frostpaw at the camp entrance.
Mistpaw's teal eyes shone with clear and contagious delight at the chance of spending time with her beloved littermates.
The tortoiseshell's tail was fluffed out to twice its size, her ears flattened eagerly as she dashed ahead, catching sparse snowflakes on her tongue.
Graypaw looked less certain than his sisters. "Are you sure going so far in this weather is a good idea? It's starting to snow..." -he cast a sidelong glance at the clouds- "And it might get worse."
Frostpaw frowned, stifling a pang of doubt as she thought of the brewing storm that loomed close with each passing foggy breath. Just when I'd started to look forward to this.
"Well, Splashtail is a warrior," she pointed out finally, trying to reassure him as well as herself, "I doubt he'd be unaware if this were dangerous."
Her ears pricked with a flicker of relief at the memory. "Besides, remember that one time, when we were kits? Splashpaw smelled a rainstorm a whole morning before it came!"
"I do remember that," Graypaw muttered, and Frostpaw purred, giving her brother a reassuring nudge.
"We'll be okay." And we should be quick, she added to herself.
"I guess," Graypaw conceded, nudging her back before sprinting across the barren ground, "Let's catch up to Mistpaw!"
A sprinkling of snow brushed her flank, and Frostpaw scooped her own pawful to fling back at her laughing sister.
But Mistpaw's purrs trailed away into a soft mew as she studied Frostpaw's face with a glance. "Are you okay?"
Forstpaw blinked. "It's just snow." I'm not that fragile. I may be a medicine cat but I can still play-
"I meant.. with missing mother, and with everything going on in the clan and stuff," Mistpaw's voice held genuine concern and Frostpaw's fur lay flat. "Are you doing okay?"
Frostpaw blinked thankfully but her gaze fell, studying her snow-dusted paws. "As okay as I can probably ever be," she replied with a shrug, not wanting to shift the lightening mood.
Mistpaw touched her paw to her sister's, Graypaw nodded sympathetically before glancing away with sad eyes.
The three found themselves walking on in silence, the bleakness and the cold suddenly noticeable against the fresh wind.