|:| the snow fell, and there it melted |:| [closed for zako]

Poplarpaw, being the curious, little troublemaker he was had slipped out of camp. Apprentices weren't allowed out of camp without a warrior, he knew that, every other apprentice did, yet he ignored the rules, and carved out his own pathway. The young tom was enjoying the surroundings, the leafbare snows coating the land around him and making everything look almost magical.

Then, the serenity of it all stopped. He noticed a little mass of red coloring against the pure white powder. It was across the river, resting on a motionless lump in the snow. Poplarpaw cocked his head, slight worry coursing through him as he quickly shuffled across the mostly frozen over river to approach the suspect.

Snowpaw struggled to her paws. She wanted to run—how could she trust this tom? Heavypaw wasn't around—

The thought of her brother brought a fresh wave of agony over her and she shook where she stood, staring at Poplarpaw. Her golden and green eyes, transfixed on his face, were wide with a kind of neverending fear and horror.

"I—di—I—I—"

She couldn't speak. Her mouth wouldn't obey her. What if he's like the rogue? Her heart rate sped up as she nervously kneaded her claws into the ground. She couldn't feel her paws anymore.

Poplarpaw stopped, looming over the smaller she-cat, a worried expression crossing over his muzzle. "Are you okay?" He mewed, obviously she wasn't, she was bleeding for StarClan's sake! But what else was he to say? The tom then quickly realized she was freezing to death.

"Hold on," he said softly, then readjusted his paws, and leaned his head over to to be able to reach her. The young tom gripped her scruff with his teeth and pulled her free from the snow. I have to get her warm, should I take her back to camp? The cool air made it hard to distinguish her scent, along with the tang of blood.

ooc;; sorry for late reply! >.< I'll make a topic back in camp after this.

ic;;

Snowpaw didn't reply. 

Yet as he reached for her, caught hold of her scruff and pulled her closer, closer to his body warmth, she didn't fight or even try to pull away. And it wasn't because she couldn't feel her paws, or she was frozen in fear—well, that might've partially been it—but there was something in the tom's eyes, something that reminded her of Heavypaw. The brother that had always been right next to her, her littermate who never left her side.
Blinking mildly up at Poplarpaw, she saw the same softness. And so, with no other words, she followed him through the snow, his scent, fishy yet so close to her brother's, comforting her.

((OOC~ Ah it's all good, I took a little too long myself c'x))

<<>>

Poplarpaw huffed, "let's get you somewhere safe." He mewed through a mouthful of her fur, and with little ease, carried her back to the RiverClan camp. Hopefully I won't get in too much trouble for leaving camp on my own... He thought, slightly worried now.