Post by Taxx on Dec 1, 2018 19:47:39 GMT -5
Prompt: First Snow
Involved: Smokestorm and Palepaw of StoneClan
Smokestorm’s thoughts, as she watched the snow fall, were not on the beauty of it. Snow would make everything harder, and she wished she could stop it, instill an eternal greenleaf over the forest so that it never got cold again, never snowed, never meant hungry moons where StoneClan scoured every inch of their territory to find enough to eat, to last the cold moons. Hunger meant sickness, sickness meant death…
The StoneClan deputy didn’t notice Palepaw until she was right beside her and the older cat jumped, looking down at her kin, who whispered an apology for startling her. Both gazes turned back to the sky, but in a moment Palepaw revealed her own youthful joy, her inexperience with what leafbare meant. “Isn’t it pretty?” the apprentice asked; she shook a paw, sending bits of snow flying. “And cold! My pads are going numb. Feel!” Reaching out, she pressed her cold paw to Smokestorm’s nose and the older pulled her head back with a snort- even as her heart warmed at Palepaw’s laugh.
“Will it snow every day?” Palepaw asked, settling back quietly at Smokestorm’s side, her gaze turning to her aunt now.
“Maybe. I don’t know. It may snow some days, it may not- or it could storm, with heavy snow and wind that keeps every cat curled in their den until it clears.” And go hungry, that pessimistic little voice sounded again, but she tried to keep the scowl off her face- for Palepaw’s sake.
“Snow fights,” she heard Palepaw mutter, voice quivering with amusement, and glanced down at her kin again.
“What?” Smokestorm asked, and Palepaw’s demeanor abruptly changed, not meeting her gaze as her tail flicked nervously.
“Nothing!” she replied as she stood. “I should go back to my nest, it’s cold. And you should too, Smokestorm. Okay?” She didn’t wait for an answer, though, simply darted toward the apprentices’ den and disappearing inside, leaving the deputy staring after her niece in bewilderment.
Involved: Smokestorm and Palepaw of StoneClan
Smokestorm’s thoughts, as she watched the snow fall, were not on the beauty of it. Snow would make everything harder, and she wished she could stop it, instill an eternal greenleaf over the forest so that it never got cold again, never snowed, never meant hungry moons where StoneClan scoured every inch of their territory to find enough to eat, to last the cold moons. Hunger meant sickness, sickness meant death…
The StoneClan deputy didn’t notice Palepaw until she was right beside her and the older cat jumped, looking down at her kin, who whispered an apology for startling her. Both gazes turned back to the sky, but in a moment Palepaw revealed her own youthful joy, her inexperience with what leafbare meant. “Isn’t it pretty?” the apprentice asked; she shook a paw, sending bits of snow flying. “And cold! My pads are going numb. Feel!” Reaching out, she pressed her cold paw to Smokestorm’s nose and the older pulled her head back with a snort- even as her heart warmed at Palepaw’s laugh.
“Will it snow every day?” Palepaw asked, settling back quietly at Smokestorm’s side, her gaze turning to her aunt now.
“Maybe. I don’t know. It may snow some days, it may not- or it could storm, with heavy snow and wind that keeps every cat curled in their den until it clears.” And go hungry, that pessimistic little voice sounded again, but she tried to keep the scowl off her face- for Palepaw’s sake.
“Snow fights,” she heard Palepaw mutter, voice quivering with amusement, and glanced down at her kin again.
“What?” Smokestorm asked, and Palepaw’s demeanor abruptly changed, not meeting her gaze as her tail flicked nervously.
“Nothing!” she replied as she stood. “I should go back to my nest, it’s cold. And you should too, Smokestorm. Okay?” She didn’t wait for an answer, though, simply darted toward the apprentices’ den and disappearing inside, leaving the deputy staring after her niece in bewilderment.