The 'Newt' Kid on the Block {Closed Patrol}

(For clarification, this takes place before TC knows about the battle)

Leopardclaw slipped out of the warrior's den, his paws padding through the wet snow as the golden tom headed towards the fresh-kill pile, his belly rumbling.  It had been a while since he had eaten; the tom had taken to the habit of being one of the very last cats to pick from the pile.  Prey was scarce, and there were plenty of cats who needed food more than he did.  As usual, the offerings were scant, just a few scrawny mice on the verge of becoming crow-food.  Wrinkling his nose, the muscular tom looked around the clearing, seeing if any cat was free to go hunting.  He had already sent out the day's patrols...but the more prey they could find the better.

Newtpaw was checking part of the camp wall. He had begun little experiments with the snow and was starting to find that he could pack the snow and once a bit melted and re-froze, it would be extremely solid. He had a few large chunks if it piled in thin spots of the camp wall now and wondered if there was some way to mix it into the brambles... He might need cobwebs after trying that out. His little scheme was interrupted by a flash of a bright pelt. Giving the packed snow a push with his paws to test how sturdy it was, he nodded and walked back into the clearing. He had seen the way patrols normally formed and knew his father must be searching for cats now from the way he looked around. If he hadn't seen the freshkill pile, it still would have been obvious. The tom's ear flicked as snowflakes gathered on it and he trotted up to Leopardclaw. "Let me guess, you want to go trudge through more snow?" He said with an amused smile. "I suppose it's worth it if-" he waved his tail to what was left of the freshkill pile, "-that won't be the only thing left to eat." He meowed. His black pelt was dusted in snow and his paws were nearly white by now.

Leopardclaw's ears swiveled when he heard a voice coming from very close by, and turned with a happy - but slightly startled - smile to see his adopted son Newtpaw approaching.  The young black and ginger tom-cat had very recently received his apprentice name; to his pride, and slight amusement, the mentor Blizzardstar had chosen for him was Reedheart, his other son who had also mentored Heatherpetal, the family's adopted sister.  His whiskers twitching, Leopardclaw bent his head to nuzzle Newtpaw's ear for a moment before purring; "Hey, I don't like the snow much either, but it must be done."  To patrol with his son would make this honestly bleak task much brighter, but he didn't want to undermine any plans his mentor may have laid already...  "Is Reedheart taking you out today?"

"Don't think so," he meowed. He didn't really remember honestly. Reedheart's lessons were a blur in his mind. He learned much better in the moment and not through some lecture. "Is Blizzardstar taking you out today?" Newtpaw asked with amusement, whiskers twitching. They were covered in snow now. He ran his paw over his ear. There was no need to lap at it first with all the snow he was covered in thanks to his experiment.

Leopardclaw smirked, amused by Newtpaw's cheeky remark, and reached out a paw to cuff him softly on the ear.  "No, not today.  Come on then, let's go while the sun's still high."  The golden spotted tom pushed his way through the snow and out the camp entrance, making sure his adopted son wasn't far behind.

Newtpaw followed and scented the air. The forest was filled with so many things but, it was all covered up by snow. "What does Greenleaf look like, Leopardclaw?" he meowed looking at the barren branches, many of them still stained black. He looked over some of the shrubs, a few were healthy and full while most had a dismal amount of leaves or none.

The usual sharp pang of sorrow pricked his chest once again as Leopardclaw caught sight of the barren trees and undergrowth of their once beautiful territory, decimated by the suffocating whiteness of the snow, that could only barely manage to hide the scorch-marks that covered everything in sight.  The tom's greenish-hazel eyes narrowed mournfully; ThunderClan could only pray that, when the sun finally broke again and warmth flooded over the land, their regal forest of broad oaks and tall elms would resurrect from the ashes, and spring to life once again.  Glancing down at Newtpaw, the spotted tom smiled wistfully, and purred; "Green-leaf looks...beautiful.  Everything is bright and colorful, and the trees are covered with healthy green leaves.  The sun shines down through the branches, and leave dappled shadows on the forest floor.  The streams run fresh and cool, the ferns and flowering bushes uncurl and blossom...everything feels alive, safe, and warm."  Like home.

With a soft sigh that released a foggy cloud into the breeze, Leopardclaw glanced up at the overcast sky, his eyes narrowing.  "That's not coming anytime soon though.  Come on, it might snow, and we need to catch something before the prey goes to ground again."  Padding forward deeper into the skeleton-like trees, the golden spotted deputy began scenting the air intently.