A start of a new friendship:

Birdflight had a nice squirrel in her jaws as she began to walk over to a familiar tom. He had suffered so much these past lengthy moons. Specklefang had been executed by death berries, Thistlepaw had died during the Thunderclan and Riverclan war. His life seemed tragic. Her own life wasn't any better. Her mother had been maimed by a rogue and due to her injuries had to retire to the elder's den early. Her sister Orchidfeather had died giving birth to a litter of kits but three were Stillborn and only one survived. Her father was stressed beyond relief. She could see him breaking piece by piece as the clan began to waver. Honeyspark, her older sister and the former medicine cat, was dead. Birdflight wasn't okay on the inside. She had Toadleap and was expecting his kits. She kept it as a little secret. She didn't want to be stuck in the boring old nursery so this was the only way to get out and breathe in the fresh air. Although, she did feel guilty for not telling her remaining family or her mate anything. She knew her father would worry over her recalling what had occurred to her dear sister. The queen sighed and kept on walking and before she knew it, she was right in front of the older tom. She looked down and gave him a goofy smile with the squirrel in her jaws. The calico she-cat placed it down before greeting him. "Hey Leafstorm. Thought you might be hungry since it's early in the morning. Mind if I talk with you for a while? I'd like to chat with my clan-mates from time to time."

Leafstorm barely felt anymore. The family that he had lived for was falling apart, yet there was nothing he could do to prevent it. Disaster after disaster washed over the young tom until his fur was streaked with gray and his eyes held a deeper look. He was a laughing young warrior no longer, weathered by the worst and starving for the best. His once-lustrous pelt hung ragged and tangled off of his skinny frame. His elbows and ribs stuck out. Leafstorm, once so strong and optimistic, was breaking apart.
Now the battered warrior was lying on his side in a patch of sunlight, eyes closed. He was so still he almost looked dead, but his flanks were rising and falling slowly with every breath he took. The only way someone could tell that he was awake was his torn ear, which twitched as Birdflight padded closer. With a quiet, tired sigh Leafstorm opened his eyes and smiled painfully, pushing himself into a sitting position. He seemed to be painfully aware of his appearance, and he hurriedly tried to groom himself before Birdflight set the squirrel down. His stomach growled- he had been eating very little, nothing more than half a mouse every day so the queens could still live comfortably -and his poorly-groomed fur fluffed up slightly to show his embarrassment. "Hi Birdflight." His voice was rough and scratchy, but he managed to force it into a cheerful tune. His whiskers twitched as the younger she-cat spoke. "Of course- we haven't spoken in a while, now that I think about it. I'm usually on both the afternoon and the dusk patrol, and Blizzardstar has me guard the camp at night occasionally, which is probably why you don't see me around so much." His smile became more genuine when she offered to share the squirrel, but he pushed it away with one paw. Queens came first. "You should eat it all- you certainly deserve it more than I do. You've started staying in the nursery, right?" He mewed, trying to change the topic smoothly. He didn't want her worrying any more than she already was; her entire family looked exhausted. The sad passing of Orchidfeather had been enough to send the whole clan into yet another state of mourning.

Birdflight's eyes widened. "N-No. Not yet at least. I haven't told my father, mother, or even Toadleap yet. I have hinted it at Dawnpetal and Newttongue. I assume one of the queens had told you? I-I just don't want to be stuck in the nursery counting the days as they go by. I want to walk around and feel the breeze through my pelt." The queen sat beside him and pushed the squirrel back. "Y-You need it. I already ate earlier." she said with a gentle smile. She knew he was suffering with the deaths in his family. The calico subconsciously pressed her side against his and gave him a supportive smile. "I really don't want my father to worry about me while in this state. He has the entire clan to look after and I don't want him to fret over me. I know I will be okay. But speaking of being okay, how are you holding up Leafstorm?" she asked the tom.

Leafstorm grinned genuinely at Birdflight's obvious shock, a knowing gleam in his eye. His mate and most of his daughters were mothers, and he was rather adept at recognizing the signs. "Specklefang's had eough litters for me to be able to tell, Birdflight." Leafstorm said gently. "You just have a certain look about you, if that makes sense... but nevermind." The fluffy tom's smile faded with a pang when he spoke of Specklefang, and he stiffed when Birdflight sat beside him. He'd never see her again. She was buried now, sleeping beneath the earth. Leafstorm swallowed and pushed thoughts of Specklefang aside, grateful that Birdflight was still talking. "If you insist... I'll share it." He mewed reluctantly, bending down and taking a small bite of the squirrel. He took his time straightening up, blinking away the tears that had appeared against his will. "Leopardclaw's a strong tom." His voice was firm- it wouldn't do Birdflight any good to worry about another cat. She had enough on her plate already. "He's been through a lot in these past few moons. I can see why Blizzardstar chose to make him her deputy."
"How are you holding up, Leafstorm?" Leafstorm's notched ear twitched and he felt a tightness in his chest. "I'm... fine." He spoke slowly, but kept his voice light. "I worry too much about my family these days, but I'm fine." Coyotefang, Thistlepaw, Cherryfang, Shrewheart, Specklefang.