[Hellion]

Wandering away from his patrol wasn't his greatest moment. In fact he couldn't even claim that it was by accident. Aspenfire had told his hunting party that he wanted to wander closer to StarClan's Claws in hopes a few mice would burrow down there. They warned him before dismissing the tom-cat, unwilling to follow after a cat so willing to get himself lost. Snow covered the ground and weighed heavy on the tree limbs, everyone had been warned to be mindful of the limbs snapping and crushing an unlucky cat caught below. Aspenfire was perhaps a little more wary then most. The fear of being able to breath had been instilled in him almost painfully recently. His adopted sister Amberwing had personally inflicted that fear upon him, the simple idea of not being able to breath was enough to quicken his heart beat.

So the further he ventured from the threatening limbs, the easier it was to relax. Hyperware of the water that divided the territory, he picked along the water's edge until he found a safe place to cross. Away from the towering trees and the shelter they provided, Aspenfire was quickly becoming weighed down with snow. It clung to his fur and made his skin ache from the cold. Even his toe pads were protesting each step as gradually the feeling in them started to fade.

Regretting the choice to try and hunt away from the trees, Aspenfire forced himself to think past it and carry on. No point returning back without something to claim and prove his attempt fruitful. Scenting the air, the simple intake of breath made his nose twitch and eyes water. Cold air was never fun to scent, but he was in luck. The warm smell of mouse caught his attention and quickly Aspenfire was on its trail. He wasted no time looking for it and almost purred with delight the moment he caught sight of the small animal. It was busy pulling old leaves and fallen feathers into its nest. Crouching low, Aspenfire sprang for it and caught the mouse in his forepaws. Biting down and killing the creature in a heartbeat, he picked it up proudly.

A second scent caught him off guard, having been almost entirely smothered by the scent of the mouse. RainClan?. Curious why that scent had drifted such a distance, Aspenfire carried the mouse with him to follow the RainClan smell. He didn't know many cats from RainClan but it wouldn't surprise him if one of their medicine cats had made an attempt to make it to TreeClan. Falconstorm had often made deals for herbs. Deciding that finding them was the right thing to do, Aspenfire called out.

He ventured closer to the claws and broke through the barrier to the meeting place. There he saw her, it wasn't a medicine cat her scent didn't have a tang of herbs. Instead, it was the same she-cat who saved him from the water a few moons ago. Ferngaze, he remembered.

"Ferngaze? Are you okay?" He questioned, placing the mouse at his paws to avoid trying to talk around it. Snow was starting to build, moving faster and creating an almost blurry image of Ferngaze. The panic of not being able to breath caught up with him again and forced Aspenfire to push away any idea that she could be a threat and headed closer to her, mouse awkwardly back in his jaw.

24 Moons TreeClan Tom

Aspenfire

Honesty has a power very few people can handle

580~ Taxx Notes:

[Taxx]

Ferngaze

of RainClan

Ferngaze wasn't lost- she knew her territory too well for that- but she was cold. She'd got separated from her Clanmates on a border patrol when the snow had picked up, and rather than stumble through the storm back to the camp, she'd decided it'd be better to make her own shelter in the thick bushes of StarClan's Claws. Snow had piled up around her, cold to the touch though she was shielded from the worst of it by the bush arching over her, and she'd hardly expected to have anyone aside from her own Clan stop by- let alone one that recognized her.

"A-Aspenfire?" she replied, the memory of the ginger tom with amber eyes refreshed by the sight of him, and he was carrying prey in his mouth. The smell made her stomach rumble; she hadn't eaten since that morning, and only a small meal. She'd intended to get something once she'd returned to the camp, but now that wouldn't be until morning. "What are you doing here, you fish-brain? You should be in your camp." Like she should. Maybe he'd been caught out too? "Beautiful weather we're having, isn't it?" she attempted a joke before another shiver wracked her as a gust of freezing wind swept over her.

STEADY AS THE RIVER RUNS

Made By Fawn || Hellion

[Hellion]

His ears flicked against the rushing of the wind and snow. A chill shooting up his spine like a lightning strike. He hurried closer to her, nodding sheepishly along when she mentioned that he was fish-brained. Her poor attempt of a joke didn't go unnoticed and he chuckled around the mouse.

As the chill held tight to the back of his neck, Aspenfire felt his teeth ache to start chattering and did everything in his power not to ruin his bit of prey. Crowding into her bubble and the makeshift shelter she had found, he felt only a little awkward. The warmth provided by the small space for the two of them was enough to stop him from worrying.

Again dropping the mouse at his paws, he tucked in a little closer. "I think we are stuck here until the snow stops," He spoke, looking outward to the snow that swirled around. He had no intention of heading back out again. "At least we have something to eat," He added, gesturing with his forepaw to the small mouse. It wouldn't be much if shared between them and while he knew he shouldn't, Aspenfire felt inclined to offer her the entire meal. It wasn't fair that he devour it in front of her and sharing felt almost too intimate, not that he'd say no.


This will scroll.

24 Moons TreeClan Tom

Aspenfire

Honesty has a power very few people can handle

## Taxx Notes:

[Taxx]

Ferngaze

of RainClan

It seemed she wasn’t the only cat feeling the chill, despite Aspenfire’s thicker pelt. Ferngaze managed a stuttering purr as he stepped into the space beneath the bush, shifting a bit to let him get comfortable; his fur pressed against hers was a source of warmth she couldn’t help but lean back against, and she sighed at his words. “I hope it stops soon; my family will be worried when I don’t return with the rest of the patrol. It just started snowing, and I thought it’d be better to find shelter than struggle back to camp.”

Her gaze dropped to the mouse and she blinked at it; she ate land prey, when she had to, but she didn’t care for it much. And this one wouldn’t be much more than a mouthful for them both, leafbare-thin as it was. “I suppose…” she replied. “But you get the tail-side.” She didn’t think she could stomach that. Gently pushing it away, into the snow, Ferngaze buried it for the moment; she wasn’t that hungry yet and it’d be a waste to eat it now, when she didn’t know when they’d get another chance to eat. With any luck, the snow would ease soon, long enough for them both to return to their Clans.

“How have you been doing? I haven’t seen you on any patrols, but- I didn’t think anyone would care to answer if I asked after you. It’s good to see you again, though.”

STEADY AS THE RIVER RUNS

Made By Fawn || Hellion

[Hellion]

He chuckled that gradually turned into a deep sort of rumble. The mention of him eating the tail end was funny but he could see her reasoning, at least he guessed it. The unmistakable fish-smell made it easy to assume she preferred the scale-covered meals. Aspenfire wasn't sure if he could picture himself eating a fish. Their eyes were creepy and too large for their bodies. Not to mention they never seemed to close. Guilt twirled in the back of his head at the thought of having his meal look back at him.

Dismissing the thought by shifting closer to Ferngaze, for warm of course, he tried to ignore the feeling of rightness with her at his side. Which wasn't helped with her questions.

'She was looking for me,' The purr that rumbled after he realized that couldn't go unnoticed and Aspenfire lacked the finesse to play it cool. Instead, he shifted his forepaws awkwardly before answering.

"I've been good, just trying to avoid drowning in the river," His weak attempt at a joke only made his cheeks flush and his ears shift in embarrassment. "it's nice to see you too," He muttered after a moment, looking away from her and toward the snow that swirled outside their little shelter.

24 Moons TreeClan Tom

Aspenfire

Honesty has a power very few people can handle

## Taxx Notes:

[Taxx]

Ferngaze

of RainClan

The purr that vibrated through her roused the young she-cat, and she blinked, her gaze briefly watching the snow as it continued to fall, building higher to cover the bush she and Aspenfire were sheltering under. She purred, too, at his reply, and then rolled over to face him. It was easier than craning her head back to try to look up him upside-down; tucking her paws between her body and his, Ferngaze reached out to nuzzle his cheek.

“It’s good that you’ve been staying clear of the water; if you ever want… I can teach you? It’s not hard- although your fur might not be as waterproof as mine. And it’s okay if you don’t want to, I’d understand.” After his near-drowning, it might be nerve-wracking for him to think about willingly submerging himself.

It was nice being here with him, despite the cold and the storm. He was warm and friendly, and it was all too easy for her to forget that he was from a different Clan, even with the scent of TreeClan so strong- as she supposed the scent of her Clan was. But it felt like being with a Clanmate. And how could she think badly of TreeClan when her own brothers were part of it?

“We should see more of each other,” she continued, blinking up at him a moment longer before shifting and tucking her head against his chest. “I think I could get used to this.”

STEADY AS THE RIVER RUNS

Made By Fawn || Hellion

[Hellion]

A smile grew when she rolled he wasted little time in settling in closer to her. Black and white fur joining with her silver and black coat. The nuzzle to his cheek felt intimate, encouraging him to purr louder. Safety provided by their shelter made it easy to forget the world around. They were no longer rival clan-cats, instead they had a connection. Ignoring how fragile it truly was. Aspenfire returned the nuzzle, this time rubbing a little at her neck. Scenting the she-cat in an attempt to live a lasting impression. A quiet promise that he'd be with her even if he wasn't physically.

Offering him the chance to learn to swim had him replying with an awkward chuckle. He had no desire to get his paws wet but the idea of spending more time with her was cause enough. "I'd like to learn the basics. Enough to get out of the water if I slip in again," He answered, shifting slightly to lay beside her. Encouraging her to tuck in close, if she'd ask his motivation he'd reply it was because of the cold. But he knew it was because he simply wanted her closer to him. To cling to the idea that this area was their safe space together. Dig his claws into the hope that she felt the same.

His faithless prayer was answered when she suggested they see more of each other. Fiery eyes lighting up, he quickly tucked his head back into the space where her neck met her shoulder and gave a rumbling purr. "I'd like that," Cheerful in his words, Aspenfire basked in all the possibilities. "I already am, what will I do without you to keep me warm," Cheesy, yet romantic was the intention of his words, as he uncovered his head from her neck and gave a few careful licks to her cheek.

24 Moons TreeClan Tom

Aspenfire

Honesty has a power very few people can handle

## Taxx Notes:

[Taxx]

Ferngaze

of RainClan

"It's not hard," Ferngaze replied, barely biting back a yawn as she snuggled closer, eyes closed and focused on his purr, her own softer but just as obvious. "It's just like running, really. But you have to keep your paws moving or you'll sink." The thought of water closing over her head didn't bother her; she was just as comfortable in the water- above or below the surface- as on land. But Aspenfire's near-drowning was certainly something to consider. "We'll start small, promise. I'm not just gonna shove you into the deep part and let you figure it out on your own."

Her purr eased at the thought of leaving, suddenly reminded again that Aspenfire was not her Clanmate- realizing that she was going to return to camp with his scent all over her pelt unless she managed to find something to mask it. Part of her didn't care, but the rest? How would Silverstar, Echoshade, or Dewfrost react to it? Would Ashflight or Rushwhisker be happy for her, or upset? She knew that not everyone in her Clan would be okay with the fact that she'd waited out the storm in the close company of a TreeClan cat? And... how could she go back and pretend that it had meant nothing?

"I don't know," she replied in a quiet whisper. "But I wish we didn't have to. Is that wrong? I'm still loyal to RainClan, of course... but it feels right, being here with you. And I don't know if anyone else will really understand that."

STEADY AS THE RIVER RUNS

Made By Fawn || Hellion