It's Cold Outside

The nights were harsh and frigid, the days following suit. The sun, having reached it's peak in the sky, brightly reflected off of the fresh snow. It was blinding but promised some warmth for the day... Or so Mossbloom had thought as she stepped into the main clearing of ThunderClan's camp. Her breath came out in short bursts, appearing in the air in front of her muzzle like tiny clouds. Blinking against the harsh sunlight, she surveyed the camp with tired eyes. She wished she could just return to her warm nest, and return to sleep, but there were herbs that needed gathered.... And she was very confused regarding the three prophecies that had yet to come to any fruition. The most she could do at this point was make sure that her herbs were as stockpiled as leafbare would allow. It had been awhile since she had checked Snakerocks - and with the cold weather the snakes shouldn't be much issue. Still, though, just in case.... A familiar pelt caught her eye and she chirped as she approached, tail held high in greeting.

"Hi, mom! How are you today?" Mossbloom purred as she approached and touched her nose to Falconwing's shoulder. "I have to go gather some herbs, would you like to come with me? I think we'll head to Snakerocks, the cold should keep the snakes away and there should be some herbs still sheltered from the snow. What do you think?" She smiled brightly as she gazed at the she-cat who took her in as her own, perhaps not quite her only living family, she thought with a twinge as she considered Duskpaw, but pretty close. The only one of her adopted immediate family, perhaps. Her ear flicked at her thoughts self-consciously, not sure why her mind was falling to those thoughts.

---

For the Herb Hunt Patrol:

Falconwing smiled, turning to face her daughter. “Of course, Mossbloom! I’d love to.” Flicking her tail, she rose, remnants of a mouse still around her jaws as she licked them clean. Mossbloom had grown so much since the she-cat had rescued her from the woods as a kit, a full medicine cat now.

Even just looking at her daughter’s sleek calico pelt reminded her of a happier time, a younger time, before Blizzardshine, Flintfang, Beepaw, Lilypaw had died. Before Leopardstar had died. Before those she loved slowly disappeared around her. Mossbloom and Oakstar. The only cats she felt she had left. She wasn’t going to lie, she wasn’t a young cat, and yet those around her passed before they could grow old.

“Shall we get going?” She pushed those thoughts out of her head, purring as she nudged her medicine cat.

Falconwing's smile brightened Mossbloom's features as she purred. Her mother's smile... Something she hadn't been able to see for a long time as her mother had fallen ill. Today would be a good day - the two of them would enjoy a walk through the chilly forest, and gather plenty of herbs. Nudging the other she-cat's chest with her nose, she nodded. "Yes, let's get going!"

Mossbloom lead the way towards Snakerocks, tail held high as she searched the area, walking at her mother's side. Falconwing still stood taller than her, Mossbloom having remained a smaller she-cat. Looking over to her mother, she smiled up at her. "How have you been feeling, mom? Still no cough or anything, right?" A whiff of something caught her nose, and she paused to seek it out among the crevices and cracks in the rocks. There it was, Wintergreen! Chirping at the sight, she carefully plucked the herbs from their location, turning back to her mother with an excited expression on her face, she trotted to her side. "Wintergreen! This will be really helpful!"

The member 'Mossletoe' has done the following action : Dices roll

---

'Effect Dice' : 3

The tabby she-cat nodded, grinning. ”I’m over that, Mossbloom. I know I scared you, but there’s no need to worry anymore. I’ll be sure to come to you if I start coughing again!” As her daughter unearthed a leafy plant, Falconwing flicked her tail, purring. “Great, sweetie! What’s it used for?”

"Good! I'm happy to hear it, mom. Thank you." Mossbloom smiled as she gazed at Falconwing, feeling lighter than she had in moons. As long as Falconwing was there, no matter what happened, she would be okay. Her mother would always be there. At her question, Mossbloom set the wintergreen at her paws and sat down, her tail curling over her paws. "It can be used to heal some wounds, and it's really good for getting rid of poisons! We chew the leaves into a pulp and place it on the wounds, and it does the rest!" Mossbloom almost felt like an apprentice again, reciting the use of the herbs to her mother. Nothing could go wrong today.

As she looked past Falconwing, another familiar bush caught her eye. "Oh, raspberry! That's perfect, we just had some kittings and I feel more are on the way. Raspberry will be really good to have on hand for them. It helps soothe pain and stop bleeding!" Excitedly, she made her way over to the bush and plucked the soft, jagged leaves from the plant and rejoined her mother, setting the herbs next to the wintergreen.

The member 'Mossletoe' has done the following action : Dices roll

---

'Effect Dice' : 3

Falconwing flicked her tail, gazing at her daughter. She was so proud, immensely proud of Mossbloom for what she had achieved. The calling of a medicine cat was no ordinary one, she knew. It required dedication and skill, and medicine cat apprentices spent several moons longer in training than warriors.

A crack sounded nearby, resonating through the forest, followed by an annoyed yip as a fox burst through the bracken, red pelt gleaming in the sun. Falconwing leaped back in surprise, claws unsheathed nearly instantly. It had been stalking them, she was sure, and she hadn’t been paying enough attention. Had it not made a false step, it could have easily killed her or her daughter before either knew what was going on. “Mossbloom, get behind me. Far behind me.”

She bared her teeth, preparing to spring. This canine wouldn’t get past her, wouldn’t get to Mossbloom. She had always been a family-oriented cat, and today that would be put to the test. But there was no hesitation as she positioned herself between her daughter and the red-furred beast, bent on protecting till her last breath. The fury of a mother, against the hunger of a predator.

_____________________

The fox had been annoyed that it had missed an easy catch, but it’s prey didn’t run. Clearly the spotted one was weaker, with how the brown one defended it instead of fleeing. So the fox continued forward, teeth at the ready.

(I won’t be using the Battle System for this one, as Falconwing would at most only drive it away, and this isn’t for any requirements.)

The crack that resounded through the otherwise silent forest, something Mossbloom noted now with unease, forced her head to swing in the direction it originated. Her pelt rose on end as the annoyed yip followed, and a fox burst into the clearing they were in. Cold dread seized her as she stared at it, so similar to the fox that had killed Pricklebush. A whimper of fear escaped her as she stood at Falconwing's side, slightly behind her until Falconwing pushed herself in front of her. "No, mom. I'm going to help. I can't... I can't lose you too. Please, let me help. I'll be ready to heal you after the battle."

Falconwing flicked her tail, hearing Mossbloom, but having no time to respond at first, as she rushed the fox, sailing up towards it’s back, landing and sinking in her claws. Once she was atop, she called out hurriedly, “Don’t you dare. ThunderClan will suffer much more if it loses you.” And I can’t handle any more survivor’s guilt. The fox bucked her off before long, and she narrowly avoided a ripped ear. She sprang in and out, clawing a leg or a flank, then retreating, as she and the predator shared a dance of death. In the middle of leaf-bare, the fox was hungry, desperate. It clearly hadn’t fed well before the cold set in. This was a battle that only one would walk away alive from.
_________________________

The fox sprang, but the cat was quicker. Wherever he snapped, the brown prey was there to dodge then counter. Only a few times had he managed to land a bite, and even those were only glancing snaps. He was getting tired, though not particularly badly injured, he was getting more desperate. So he stopped trying to dodge, stopped trying to chase. He stood still and waited for the cat’s next attack. He dimly sensed the spotted one was still near, though it didn’t matter now. He had his prey, and had to focus on it.
_________________________

The fox had appeared to pause for a moment. Falconwing sprang at the opportunity, leaping for it’s throat from the height of a stone she had worked herself onto. Her jaws made contact, ripping away skin and flesh. But the canine gripped her as well, jaws clamped around her neck. She winced, waiting for her neck to snap. But it didn’t come. The fox pulled her away from itself, throwing her onto the ground and flaying her own throat open before it collapsed, making odd gurgling yips.

She fought to stay awake, stay alive, but slowly, her world was fading to black. “Mossbloom, I love you. I’ve always loved you. And we’ll see each other again, I-I’m sure of it, sweetheart.”

In an instant, Falconwing had disappeared from in front of her, lunging for the fox. Mossbloom watched in horror as their dance began, a strike here, a return nip there. After a heartbeat she started searching for her opening, but the chance never came. The fox paused for but a moment, and as she prepared herself to jump in she caught sight of Falconwing leaping from the rock she had used to gain the advantage, and time seemed to slow down. No, she had experienced this before. She watched the fox prepare, and she yowled out a warning far too late. The damage had already been done. The two caught each other's throats, and Mossbloom's ears sought to hear the cracking of a neck that never came. Instead, she merely watched in horror as both creatures fell, blood dripping from their respective necks.

"No...." Mossbloom whispered, scampering to her mother's side to look down on the injury in terror. "No, mom, please, don't leave me too... You can't.... I won't let you... Just... Hang in there, okay? There's cobwebs nearby, I'll be right back, don't close your eyes, I'll take care of you, you'll be fine, just hang on..." Straightening, she sought out the cobwebs she had seen before. There they were, just a few tail lengths away. Quickly gathering them, she pressed them to her mother's throat, where they quickly soaked through with blood. It wasn't working. She knew that, nothing could work now. She was already on her way to StarClan.

"Mom...." The medicine cat pleaded, her voice only a whimper over the gurgling of the downed fox. "I love you too, mom.... Please don't leave me...."

Beepaw. Flintfang. Pricklebush. Lilypaw. Blizzardshine. Leopardclaw. Darkness pressed on the edges of her vision, as Falconwing bled out, there on the rocks. She tried to speak, tried to get last words in, but there was no power in her to meow. No power in her to move. Slowly, slowly, the darkness expanded, and she managed to twitch her jaws into a faint smile. She was dying defending what she loved. She was dying with honor. The fox laid dead beside her, and her life, and memories, passed before her eyes.

Growing up in the nursery, an orphan. Meeting Beekit, growing to love his gruff demeanor. Becoming an apprentice shortly after him, and training with Blizzardshine, one of the cleverest and bravest cats she had grown to know. Her horror as he was dragged into camp, drowned. Her fight with Orchidpaw, her recovery from her grief. Meeting Flintfang, and adopting Mossbloom and Lilypaw aginst his will. Oh, the look he had on his face when she told him he was a father. Flintfang running away, Lilypaw disappearing after him. And now, now she was going out, but the had defended the last of her kin, till the end.

The flame flickered, and died out, her last, shallow breath freezing on the cold, winter air. When Falconwing next opened her eyes, she was in a starry plain, alone for the moment, but she didn't inted to stay that way for long. She was healed of her wounds, healed of old scars and aching bruises. She was young again, free again. And she swore she'd visit Mossbloom again, as soon as she could.

But first, she would find those she had lost.

There was nothing she could do. Falconwing's last moments were slipping through her paws like water through the river's current, and before she knew it, before any more could be done, it was over. As Falconwing's last breath dissipated into the cold air with the fox's, Mossbloom could have sworn that she stopped breathing too. Her ears searched for anything more than the deafening silence around them, her paws still pressed against the cobwebs at her mother's throat. There was no movement, and the blood soaking the cobwebs finally seemed to slow, having been spilled out into the red-stained snow.

Her mother was dead. The last of Mossbloom's adopted family, was gone. The only family she had left was Duskpaw... And the apprentice probably didn't even know they were related. She was alone. Her mentors were both dead, her father and mother, her sister.... They had all abandoned her. Left her, to face her responsibilities alone. Why did StarClan always seem to put her at their sides as they drew their final breaths? She had been there just as Emberheart had died, she watched Flintfang, Pricklebush, and Falconwing face their final moments. Was she doomed o see her loved ones be killed one by one? Was this her punishment, for not being born in ThunderClan?

The sun was starting to set now, the air growing cold around them. Mossbloom was pulled from her grief by the song of a lone bird returning to the area after the commotion, signaling the forest moving on from the deaths that it had witnessed. If only the cats within could move past it so quickly too. Shakily, eyes wide in shock and grief, the small she-cat rose to her paws and lifted her mother's body onto her shoulders. The blood that trickled onto her back stained her calico pelt, but she didn't care much. Why wasn't she crying? She should have been crying. Had she cried when Flintfang died?

Slowly, carefully, she began to make the long walk home, bringing more death with her. Was she cursed to doom the lives of those she loved? Perhaps this was why Dewpaw had done what he did, as a warning to her regarding getting close to other cats... Even if it wasn't, it wasn't worth the risk. No more. She wouldn't endanger another cat. Never again.