[KARAZHAL]

Two big brown shapes moved one after the other. Their heavy paws crunched on the fresh top layer of snow, but the ground was so hard and frigid that even their huge bodies didn't punch through. The snow's sound-absorbing effects did nothing to dampen the volume of the tabby toms, Moosejaw and Elkheart, brothers that were practically twins save for the white bib worn by the former. The toms were greatly enjoying themselves on this leafbare day. Their thick pelts kept them immune to the cold weather. Even their paws were insulated by fur sprouting between their toes. Where many cats lamented this season, especially RainClan cats for the freezing cold river, Moosejaw adored it. This was his fifth winter, but so far it wasn't as impressive as the time a blizzard coated the whole valley.

Even so, Moosejaw happily enjoyed himself in these conditions. He and Elkheart had spent much of the morning sweeping the entire terrain for prey. Unlike their clanmates, they were just as good as hunting on land as they were at fishing, and there was no competition for their fresh-kill. Of course, they honored the Warrior Code by bringing back all of their hunting rewards, but their clanmates reinforced their preferences when their fish selections were chosen first and the muskrats were left there to freeze. Rather than let them go to waste, the duo ate the muskrats themselves and gave the pelts to Willowbreeze and Lilygleam in the nursery, since the fur kept things warm.

With duties done, Moosejaw decided to head out to the big river. On his way out, Falconheart stopped in front of him, looking worried. "Moosejaw, did you and Elkheart happen to see Yarrowtail while y'all were hunting?" the tom asked.

Moosejaw glanced quickly at his brother, who shook his head, and he looked back at Falconheart with the same response. "No. Where should she be?" he rumbled in his deep baritone.

"Her apprentice said they were going to meet up for training. Yarrowtail told him to go to the Sand Bar, but when he went over there, she wasn't waiting for him and I haven't seen her in camp yet." Falconheart frowned deeply. "I'm going to tell Silverstar." With that, the brown tom bounded past Moosejaw and Elkheart into camp.

"Let's go upriver," Elkheart grunted. "We'll split up and check out the ice."

Moosejaw took the lead with a serious expression on his face. His brow muscles clenched, and his bottlebrush tail stood at attention as the big tom took off in a run, Elkheart trailing after him to keep snow from being kicked in his face. He followed the stream out of RainClan's camp until it joined the great river that formed the wide border with NightClan.

Crunching and grinding sounds cracked into the air. Plates of ice had formed on the water's surface, bobbing and swaying as they floated downstream. Whenever they hit something--the shore, the shoals, or even each other--the ice hissed at every crash. It was going to be difficult to find Yarrowtail, a silver and white she-cat, amidst all the snow and ice. Elkheart took to calling for her; Moosejaw's brother had a knack for bugling, and his yowls could be heard echoing across the open air. Moosejaw braced himself and then broke into a sprint. He leapt off the riverbank onto a chunk of ice that bowed as he landed. Water surged over the rim, turning the floe colorless, and he backed up as the chunk thrust forward, caught by the current. As the chunk moved toward others in the meandering river, Moosejaw traveled from one to the other, carefully but still quite daring. His hawk-like eyes roved across the river in his search for Yarrowtail.

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this thread opening is more exposition than really getting into my character. i made moosejaw and yet... i know nothing about him or what to do with him. anyway... yarrowtail (npc) is slated to be culled so i am looking for some rainclanners to help falconheart (npc), elkheart (npc), and moosejaw search for her body. (spoiler: while traveling to the sandbar, she was dragged under a shelf of ice by the river current and drowned. her body is on one of the river islands.) elk. moose.

[Abyss]

Waterstep

Rainclan Warrioress

Leaf-bare. The coldest season of the year. The season that brought with it both beauty and many challenges. White snow falling from the sky, the last of the fallen tree leaves fading away, and the brightness of the land seen no matter where you looked, even during the night. Despite these pleasing sights, with them came the difficult combination of hunger and sickness. Those things brought many to hate Leaf-bare, and it was understandable. Though, in some cases, there were cats who hated Leaf-bare for more than just those reasons.

Swimming was a natural skill that Rainclan cats used and had been doing for generations. Some were good at it, others weren’t. Other cats lived for swimming and hated when the ability to swim was taken from them. Waterstep was one of these cats.

Walking through the snowy terrain, there was a sadness in the she-cat’s chest as she examined the different bodies of water that made up the Rainclan territory. When she wasn’t sleeping, eating, or doing her Warrior duties, the uniquely-colored calico was swimming. Water called to her like the moon called to a wolf; it was an inseparable bond. So seeing the waters of the territory freezing over caused her to feel almost lonely. Water itself was not a living being. It had no heart, no feelings. It didn’t come with the same warmth as the presence of another cat did. Yet, in her mind, the water was like another clanmate, or another piece of herself. And Leaf-bare caused the two to be separated.

The calico shook her head, emerging from some mostly dead bushes next to the main river that ran through the territory. This water was, as to be expected, freezing over, though it wasn’t quite the same as the other streams and small ponds. Those were smaller, thinner, and had less to freeze. But this was a running river. A layer of ice could cover it, but that didn’t mean that the ice was thick or safe enough to cross on. In some areas, water still lapped up against the ice. But, even though her love of swimming was hard to overcome, even Waterstep knew better than to swim in that water. Cold water didn’t bother her, but freezing Leaf-bare water wasn’t something to mess with.

What caught her off-guard was the call that she heard from up the river. Upon turning her head, bright blue eyes saw nothing at first. But then there was movement. Confusing was that the movement came from on top of the river rather than along its shore. Curious, she stayed where she was as the large figure came closer. When they finally came into view, she was surprised to find Moosejaw, one of the larger Rainclan toms, jumping from one sheet of ice to another, floating down the river. Her head tilted at this, curious as to what exactly he was doing. Was this what bigger cats with longer fur did for fun rather than swim?

“Moosejaw?” She called as he came closer. The very quick glance of expression she saw on his face suggested that this wasn’t a ride meant for fun, causing her normal tone of seriousness to return, ears perked and alert.

KARAZHAL || 537 || Notes

[KARAZHAL]

Moosejaw's ears swiveled at the sound of his name, and the leonine tom looked to shore as he floated on by. His golden eyes glittered at the sight of his clanmate Waterstep. Standing gracefully on the snowy shore, she was as beautiful as a doe. He hoped she wasn't seriously considering taking a dive from there.

"YO!" he thundered over the sound of ice crashing forcefully together.

The wobbly chunk he floated on bashed against another larger sheet, this one anchored to land. Moosejaw lunged with claws digging in and kicking off. He landed in the thick slush and high-stepped onto the sandbar. Normally it was a shallow swim from shore to sand--a big tom like him could walk along the river bottom--but he saw that it was frozen in every place but the middle. The river's current funneled through this part, and ice chunks that passed through snagged on the river stones and upended. Moosejaw didn't see any pawprints except for his on the sand bar. This wasn't good.

Shaking himself, he lifted up his tail to let his clanmate know not to fear for his wellbeing. "Good to see you, Waterstep. Have you seen Yarrowtail?" he called. "She didn't meet up here with her apprentice like she was supposed to, and Falconheart's lookin' for her." Another bugle from Elkheart resounded not too far away. "That's Elkheart callin' for her too. It's a bad time to be caught in the water." Moosejaw looked somewhat pointedly at Waterstep, hoping the river-loving she-cat wasn't here to swim.

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tag for Abyss elk. moose.

[Abyss]

Waterstep

Rainclan Warrioress

As the large tom’s eyes landed on her, her tail flicked behind her, vibrant eyes watching as the tom floated on. The sound of ice crunching together and colliding with the motion of the waves filled her ears, a slight hint of worry creeping into her conscience. The slab of ice that the Warrior rode upon was able to hold him, but each time that the frozen water let out a loud crack as it slammed into one of its own, she wondered how long the strength of the ice would hold.

Her body tensed as the brown tabby suddenly leaped off of his little island, landing luckily near the shore. She would have expected him to be cold and attempting to rid himself of the excess water that likely weighed down his paws, yet this was proved to be wrong. When he reached the shore, he didn’t look back to the ice, nor did he look to her. It seemed as though he was searching for something. His eyes returning to her, his tail lifted behind him in a show of confidence, which she assumed was either him displaying that he was ok or was a show of his ability to ride ice without falling to his freezing death.

He began with a greeting, but it was quickly replaced by a question. He asked of Yarrowtail, a Rainclan Warrioress that the calico had seen a few times, though she had never really interacted with her. Curiosity caught as to why he was asking, but he answered this for her at the mention of the she-cat being missing.

“No, I don’t believe I’ve seen her.” A distant voice caught in her ears, but she was reassured that it was Moosejaw’s brother, Elkheart, also seeking Yarrowtail’s presence. Her gaze shifted towards the frozen water, ears rotating slowly in either direction of the water’s current. She hadn’t scented anything on her venture to the river, nor had she caught sight of anyone else wandering the territory. If the other Warrioress had been coming to the river to meet with her Apprentice, there were only really two general options.

“If she was only traveling from camp to the river, then she must be here somewhere or between here and camp, ” she stated, eyes flicking back to the large tom. “Shall I accompany you in your search?”

KARAZHAL || 393 || Notes

[KARAZHAL]

Mouse-dung, Moosejaw swore inwardly. His tail snapped side to side at Waterstep's answer. His pawpads prickled both from cold and tension. Where the heck was Yarrowtail? A clanmate didn't just disappear. Well, maybe the Purists would, but that was behind them now. No sensible cat would try to travel on the river when the high water was so cold. Moosejaw was known for his overprotectiveness and even he would have left the river patrol for last. The border between NightClan and RainClan was more secure than ever in this season, all because of its danger. By StarClan, he hoped Yarrowtail wasn't some dumb she-cat.

"Hrm!" the big tom grunted his acceptance. "Please do! I'd be a fool tellin' a beauty to leave off." He tilted his head jauntily at Waterstep and grinned. "Maybe there's scent on your side of the bank." Moosejaw looked away, that toothy smile turning serious again as he sniffed around the snow-covered sandy shoal. "I don't smell clan anywhere here." The tom's huge bushy tail waved aloft to test his balance. When the next big ice chunk floated by, he planned on leaping on and hitching a ride so he could surf to shore.

"Yarrowtail!" he boomed. "You 'round here?"

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tag for Abyss elk. moose. time to flirt even when i think my clanmate is gonna be dead when i find them. #tomlife

[Abyss]

Waterstep

Rainclan Warrioress

In response to her question, she first received a grunt, of which she assumed was a yes. It was followed by a strange notion, his head tilting to the side, a toothy grin forming on his face, and a compliment that, admittedly, she had heard something similar to in the past. With a calico coat that wasn’t the traditional black, orange, and white, as well as her eyes and the way she presented herself, Waterstep had been complimented in this way a couple times. She typically ignored them, truthfully, and the same could be said for this moment. She took brief acknowledgement of his flirty nature, but pushed it aside just as quickly to focus on the task at hand.

Her gaze went back to the waters they stood alongside, a bad feeling creeping into her mind at the thought of the missing Warrioress. With the river being at the height that it was, paired with the ever-growing ice that covered the edges of the surface, this was a bad spot to be taking an Apprentice, much less getting lost.

Her eyes glanced back in the fluffy tom’s direction, watching as he turned back towards the river and seemed to prepare himself. It seemed he intended on riding on the ice once more, as strange as it appeared to onlookers. In addition, it was dangerous to test one’s luck when it came to a flowing river covered in ice. Granted, she had done this exact thing in the past, but she was a cat who enjoyed new experiences, despite their dangers. It was this that made her remain silent at his desire to ride the ice once more.

“Do be careful. I don’t wish to be on a search for two missing cats rather than just one, ” she meowed, flicking her tail before turning, beginning a trot down the bank of the river. Her eyes scanned over each of her sides many times, checking for any signs of life both in the surrounding trees and along the shore. Her mouth remained slightly agape in case she happened to catch the scent of the missing she-cat, though she didn’t find anything right away.

It was when she did catch a scent that her ears perked and eyes grew slightly wider. She slowly looked over the area, taking only a single pawstep at a time as to not disturb whatever she might find. At first she only had the slightest scent of another Rainclan cat, but she soon found more clues. Pawprints. A set of smaller pawprints came from the nearby dead bushes, stopping at the edge of the shore. She leaned her head down, black nose breathing in the scent that she was sure was Yarrowtail. The problem was that the pawprints ended right at the edge of the river. Her eyes widened more when she looked over, spotting a patch in the ice not too far from the edge where there was a break. It wasn’t a very large hole, but it was jagged around the edges and was not natural. That meant…

“Moosejaw!” She called out for the tom, unsure if he would be able to hear her. She would wait. If he had heard her, she would get a response. If not, she would wait until he came closer on a floating island of ice before calling out again.

KARAZHAL || 561 || Notes

[KARAZHAL]

Moosejaw's hindlegs tightened, and he sprang with the mobility of a frog, furry paws splayed so that he could brace himself for the landing. He chuckled heartily at Waterstep's remark just as he landed on the ice shelf. "Never fear!" He strode quicker than it floated. It wobbled underneath him, and he felt the ice-cold water seeping over the edge as his heavy frame approached it. He sprang again further along the riverbank, this time crossing over the frozen reed stalks decapitated by the bitter winter wind. However the ice was much stronger here. He high-stepped up the bank.

His ears pricked at Waterstep's sudden cry. "Here I come!" he thundered. His tail bushed out, and he ran upstream in her direction, kicking up snow. Practically exploding through the brush, the huge tom sent snow spraying everywhere as he charged through low-hanging branches. Sharp twigs snagged tufts of his long pelt, but he didn't seem to feel it. He powered through the bushes until he came through to the other side. His pelt was as wild as his expression; his whiskers and eyebrows spread like butterfly wings from his face. Tiny sticks snarled in Moosejaw's chest fur.

Those wild eyes flashed side to side, trying to find Yarrowtail. At first he saw nothing, and then he noticed what Waterstep was standing near. Moosejaw's ears pinned back and he had to restrain himself from hurling his body right into the hole. The brute used his paw to test it; under his heavy hand, the pale ice fractured and fell in. There was no way he could stick his face into the river without falling in himself. "No, no, no, damn it all," he growled. He used his wide bottlebrush tail to fan snow off the ice's clear crystalline surface. He shoved to and fro, ignoring the clumps forming on his chest and underbelly.

Anemically pink pawpads suddenly appeared, pressed against the frozen layer. Moosejaw yowled in alarm at the curled up silver and white body trapped between ice, shore, and river. "Here! She's here!" he boomed, whirling on Waterstep. "We need a branch. Gotta break through!" Moosejaw was starting to pant from exertion but he started looking for something he and his clanmate could roll off the riverbank and punch through the ice.

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tag for Abyss elk. moose. moosejaw gives off wild lumberjack or barbarian vibes lol

[Abyss]

Waterstep

Rainclan Warrioress

Bright blue eyes turned as the tom came barreling towards her at her call, twigs and dead branches sticking every which way out of his large pelt. As amusing as this sight was, it was more important to focus on the task at hand. When he came near, it took a moment for him to notice what she had found, but when he did, he got right to work. He tested the stability of the ice, which very clearly wasn’t enough to hold a cat. He then began to brush away the snow from the surrounding ice. For a few moments, the calico began to wonder if they would be able to find Yarrowtail or if it was far too late.

Just as she thought this, a face and paws suddenly appeared beneath the ice, causing the she-cat to visibly jump backwards, a very quick moment of fear flashing through her typically emotionless eyes. It was a scary sight, to say the least. Seeing one of your own clanmates suddenly appear under a sheet of ice, body curled and pale even through the blurriness of the ice. She could only hope that they weren’t too late, though, judging by the look of the she-cat that was trapped, they may already be.

At Moosejaw’s shouted statement, the calico looked around them quickly, trying to find anything that they could use. What really was there for them to do? They could try to break the ice, but they had to make sure they didn’t hit Yarrowtail in the process. Maybe they could try and lift the ice? Just maybe?

She didn’t have too much hope with this plan, but it was worth the try. Anything to get their freezing clanmate out of that water. She hurried back into the nearby brush and around a few trees, looking for anything she could find. Snow covered the ground, preventing her from seeing any branches that may be hidden underneath.

Luckily, as she took a few steps forward, she nearly tripped over something hidden beneath the snow. She brushed away the snow as quickly as she could with her paw, realizing that it was a somewhat bulky tree branch. She considered it momentarily, wondering how in the world this could help him. But then she remembered: Moosejaw was a large cat who was equally as strong. Even if she couldn’t do much with this, perhaps he could.

“Moosejaw, here!” She leaned down and gripped her jaws around a smaller piece of the branch, pulling as hard as she could. She was able to dislodge the branch from the snow, but it would take more effort to get it back to the icy shoreline. It appeared to be thicker on one side than the other, so perhaps they really could get it underneath the ice?

KARAZHAL || 469 || Notes

[KARAZHAL]

Everything seemed in slow motion. His pounding heartbeat dulled out the crunching of snow and cracking of sticks under their paws. He knew she wasn't going to still be alive by the time they got to her, but her body needed to be returned home where she belonged, especially to give closure to those closest to his clanmate.

Moosejaw pawed around looking for branches or even rocks to dislodge off the river bank. The cold made it hard to dig, and he was grateful for a reprieve when Waterstep's lovely voice called out his name. Tail fluttering, the bear-like tom rumbled in her direction. His expression brightened at the sight, and he took a second to blink in softened awe at Waterstep biting the wood. Ah... so strong--Idiot, grab it for her! He lunged forward to get on the other side of the branch.

"Allow me!" he offered loudly and chivalrously.

Bowing his head and thrusting all claws into the wood, Moosejaw let out a boisterous yowl, and he heard his brother echo it rather closely, as if the two were a pair of wolves. He used all of his strength to tug, tug, tug the thing across the snow and mud of the shoreline. He grunted with the effort. Pebbles ground down into the frigid sand under the bracing power of his hindlegs. "Are you okay? Didn't break a tooth?" he asked.

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tag for Abyss elk. moose. look, moosey, waterstep isn't going to break just because she's a ladycat pulling a stick!

[Abyss]

Waterstep

Rainclan Warrioress

With jaws clamped around the wood and legs pulling against the slushy ground and snow, the calico spotted movement of her coming partner out of the corner of her eye. Momentarily, he seemed to stop where he was, but quickly came over to help her. Just as he grabbed the branch and pulled, the piece of wood was much easier to pull along. His size and strength gave him a better chance of maneuvering the branch than she did, but this did not stop her from assisting him, pulling her own portion of the weight at the opposite side of the branch than he.

Just as they reached the shoreline, her ears twitched as Moosejaw spoke, asking her a series of brief and short questions about her well-being. Though, these questions caused those typically blank or inquisitive blue eyes to glare towards the large tom, her jaws parting from the branch.

“I am not a fragile Apprentice.” Her statement was straightforward and held the slightest hint of indignation in her voice, blue eyes returning back to the ice. She considered for a moment, eyes looking back and forth quickly between the ice where Yarrowtail was trapped and the branch.

What was the likelihood that they could break through the ice with the branch? Moosejaw was strong, as was she, but neither cat really knew how thick the ice was. Plus, there was a chance that they would hit Yarrowtail underneath, which was the last thing they wanted. They couldn’t break the ice, and it would be too dangerous to try and get in there to get her out. So perhaps…

“We must lift the ice. Drive the branch beneath the edge, between the ice and the shore, and bring this end down with your body weight.” Her eyes went back to the tabby tom, authority in her voice as she ordered, or more so suggested in a very absolute way, what the tom should do.

They didn’t have time to stop and talk or think for very long. There was a high chance that Yarrowtail was already dead. But that didn’t mean that they should leave her there. She likely had family back at camp, and probably quite a few friends who deserved to know what had come of her. Plus, there was also her Apprentice. They needed to get her out and bring her home.

KARAZHAL Katara || 397 || Notes

[Katara]

THE
HEART

AND THE HEART IS HARD TO TRANSLATE

L

ooking for a missing Clanmate wasn't how Elkheart had anticipated his day to go, but he'd never be one to turn a blind eye to a Clanmate in need either. If he and his brother could do what a search party would do, then it made sense for them to begin the search; RainClan may not need to waste the resource to send out a search party if they managed to track her down. With leaf-bare presenting dangerous conditions, he was becoming increasingly more worried that Yarrowtail wouldn't be found alive if they did find her at all. 

He'd split off from Moosejaw initially to cover as much territory as possible, yowling all the while and pausing after each to listen intently for anything in return. But he heard nothing except the chilling quiet of the effect snow had on their surroundings, like it swallowed all sound. He padded forward again, his ears twitching. It swallowed all sound except the crunch of the snow. 

When he heard a yowl that he knew instantly came from Moosejaw, he immediately whisked around and charged toward him, not before releasing a bugle in return. Had he found Yarrowtail? He was burning with curiosity, and the adrenaline rushed him on until he spotted Moosejaw on the shore with another cat, a warrior he recognized as Waterstep. He slowed as he approached, digging his claws into the ice-covered snow to slow himself. "Waterstep," he greeted the she-cat simply, dipping his head, before assessing the situation. Keen eyes caught a flash of something trapped between the ice and they widened in shock at the sight. "She's not... beneath there, is she?" 

Now he understood what was going on--Waterstep and Moosejaw were trying to dig the thick branch they'd found under the ice to try to lift it. "Let me help," he offered quickly, joining his brother at the other end of the branch, and placing his front paws on it, ready to launch his body weight down on it. 

---

TAGGED: Abyss & KARAZHAL
NOTES: <3

IT HAS A LANGUAGE OF ITS OWN.

[KARAZHAL]

At her glare, Moosejaw's fuzzy-whiskered eyes lifted up somewhat defensively, and he would've made to protest if it weren't for exertion weakening his throat. Sure, she wasn't an apprentice, but she wasn't immune to breaking a tooth either. He didn't get women sometimes. With a shaky exhale, he dropped the branch, spitting bark off his tongue. "Hrm..." The muscled tom couldn't have been more relieved to see Elkheart appear. Moosejaw lifted his tail in silent greeting. "I'm afraid so, brother," he grunted.

He didn't expect such a powerful relay of orders to come from Waterstep. For a second, she seemed to channel Silverstar or Emberlight's masculine energy, and the beauty's eyes burned into him. Moosejaw's tail whipped side to side. "Alright," he replied, sounding reluctant despite the severity of the situation. He strode to one end of the branch and lowered his head, pushing it until the narrow edge ground into the snow and ice. His claws clenched into the cold muddy riverbank. "Together." He joined his front paws with Elkheart's. Taking a deep breath, he leapt and forced his weight down, growling with exertion. The branch suddenly flung a clump of snow backward, and the toms were forced down abruptly. "Again!" he boomed. The branch was thrusted further so that it wouldn't dislodge again. "ArrrghhH!" Moosejaw heaved with all his might in combination with Elkheart. His ears pinned back as he heard the ice groan and slurp as they forced it to detach from the cold river mud.

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tag for Abyss Katara moose. sorry for the small post

[Abyss]

Waterstep

Rainclan Warrioress

At the sound of approaching loud thumps in the snow, brilliant blue eyes glanced to the side to find Moosejaw’s brother, Elkheart, coming to assist them. The fluffy tom spoke her name in a brief greeting, which she returned with a quick nod, before her eyes turned back to the ice. She dismissively heard the tom’s question, but there was no time. They had to hurry.

Thankfully, the two large toms quickly, though reluctantly in the case of some, did as she said, readying themselves to press their body weight onto the branch. As they got into position, the pretty calico also shifted, paws gently pressed against the ground and eyes focused on the blurred silhouette of Yarrowtail.

The first time that the two jumped down on the branch, Waterstep almost leaped forward, but quickly brought herself to a stop as she watched the other end of the branch break free from under the ice, sending a loose ball of snow and shards of ice over the felines’ heads. Her eyes once more went to the two toms, watching as they shoved the branch back in, digging it further to solidify the hold that the ice had on it.

As soon as the two once more threw themselves atop the branch, squelching sounds of the water and ice separating filling her ears, the calico threw herself forward. The she-cat dove underneath the branch, lowering herself as much as she could to the ground. She felt a slight sting against her chest as the snow weaved through her fur, touching the skin below. There was also a visible shiver that ran quickly from her paws to her tail as her front legs went into the freezing water, nearly-liquid mud quickly engulfing her paws. To top it all off, the Warrioress’s face collided with the water, pushing through the surface of the water with her eyes closed. As soon as she felt something nearly as cold as the ice touch her nose, she opened her mouth and clamped down, her jaws closing on the frozen she-cat’s scruff. She pulled as hard as she could, her back paws clawing against the shore as she tried to get leverage.

Moosejaw and Elkheart were strong toms, that much was true. But no cat was perfect. Despite the combined efforts of them both, the brothers would not be able to keep the ice lifted for very long. Their muscles would strain and they would grow tired, and if that were to happen before she got Yarrowtail out, there was a chance that she would be crushed between the ice and the shore.

With these thoughts in her mind, a surge of determination flowed through her. As her face began to lift from the water, she released a mixture of a groan and a snarl, her back legs slamming down against the shore and her front pushing as hard as they could against the less-than-solid shallow floor of the river.

Her inner encouragement fueling her strength, the she-cat flung herself backwards from the river, her jaws clamped tight around Yarrowtail’s scruff as the other she-cat also emerged quickly from the river, colliding with Waterstep’s own body as they both landed on the snow-covered shore. The calico managed to prevent herself from falling into the snow, but as soon as her jaws opened, the other she-cat’s body fell to the ground with a thump, snow crunching beneath her.

Waterstep breathed somewhat heavily, her head lowered and eyes closed as she caught her breath. Momentarily, she heard nothing, her own heartbeat drumming in her ears. Hoping to quicken the process, she took in a deep breath, releasing it slowly and opening her eyes. Her gaze fell on the limp she-cat next to her, and the adrenaline quickly left her. Her head leaned down, black nose and muzzle lightly nudging the she-cat a few times. Yarrowtail’s fur and skin were completely frozen, and there was no rise or fall of her sides.

The calico lifted her pools, regretful sights landing on the two brothers.

KARAZHAL Katara || 674 || Notes

[Katara]

THE
HEART

AND THE HEART IS HARD TO TRANSLATE

E

lkheart nodded at his brother, knowing their combined weight should be able to do the trick to lift the ice just long enough to get their Clanmate out. He didn't have a good feeling about what kind of shape the she-cat would be in, but it was their duty to recover her body regardless. No Clan cat should die unburied or unmourned. As if it were second nature, the huge tom reflected the actions of Moosejaw, rising and forcing his weight down with him onto the end of the branch. His ears twitched as snow sprayed, the branch briefly dislodging from its place. They had to shove it back under till it was secure again, and this time when they jumped and pushed launched themselves down on the branch, they heard the strange, echoey groan and crack and sucking of the ice as it was pried painstakingly away from the mud.

At this point, he did not envy Waterstep, whose job it was to brave the space beneath the ice they'd made to drag out Yarrowtail. Even as they were shoving down on the branch with all their might to keep the ice aloft, he thought he had the better end of the deal than the she-cat. His fur crawled at the idea of willingly plunging into a narrow space, even at someone's rescue. He wasn't sure he'd be able to do it. "A little longer," he growled, both for himself and Moosejaw as he watched Waterstep leapt from the clutches of the frozen river. As soon as the two she-cats were clear, Elkheart stumbled off the branch, his muscles sore and his jaws open in a light pant. Waterstep was catching her breath too, but he couldn't say the same for the warrior she'd just rescued from the ice; Yarrowtail's sides weren't moving, and he knew before Waterstep looked up at the two brothers that she was gone.

"We knew there was a chance we wouldn't find her alive," he said heavily, his tail lowered. "But it was the right thing to do to find her." And now they'd have to deal with taking her back to camp.

---

TAGGED: KARAZHAL & Abyss
NOTES: --

IT HAS A LANGUAGE OF ITS OWN.

[KARAZHAL]

Pain clawed into his chest, spiraling out from his muscular forelegs and digging into his ribcage. Not for the first time was he grateful for Elkheart's stalwart figure beside him. However, he wished that he could've been the one to dive into the water and haul Yarrowtail to the riverbank. His fur was thick where hers was not, and while RainClan cats seemed to have a high degree of water tolerance, cold tolerance was something else entirely. His whole body wanted to abandon the branch to throw himself beside her, to sacrifice his own body to hold the ice up just to save his comrades.

Water splashed onto the bank, seeping dark as blood into the tree bark and mud. Soon, their clanmate was clear of the ice shelf, dragging a skinny silver tabby beside her. Yarrowtail hadn't moved, even to save herself. Moosejaw released the branch and rested on his hind end. He looked away, tightly squeezing his eyes shut and sighing as Elkheart spoke heavy words. He'd known it too.

Moosejaw's white stockings muddied as he slowly lifted himself onto all-fours again and slogged to Yarrowtail. After a couple seconds of looking her over with ears mournfully pressed backward, he grunted, "Let's get her out of the mud and back to camp." He looked over at Waterstep; the dilute calico was soaked to the skin. "Run ahead and warm yourself, Waterstep. You're excellent at fishing... as always." He smiled, showing a snaggletooth that caused the expression to look like a grimace from the way it hooked his muzzle. It was a promise that they could talk later... if she wanted. "Elkheart and I can take care of this." He flicked his tail to the big tom behind him.

He glanced over his shoulder to make sure his brother had heard. Since they were of equal build, Yarrowtail's body wouldn't lie unevenly across their backs. Moosejaw chewed the inside of his cheek, remembering the times they had to carry their dead home from the battles. "Just like the war again...," he muttered to Elkheart as he scruffed Yarrowtail roughly and hauled her upright. She was so cold in his mouth, and wet as a fish. Her skin gave easily under the tom's teeth, and he gagged at the foul taste of the water draining off her. Better him than his brother though.

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comments

tag for Abyss Katara moose. would yall like a joint training session with our apprentices? moosejaw has stormpaw, the youngest and most unruly, so I don't mind having a group that starts but gets ruined (since they're definitely gonna clash).