one foot on the ground [solo]

One step at a time. One paw in front of the other. Round as the river-pebbles tucked into his nest, the moon cast its silvery glow over him and the plains alike. He continued on, moving faster as RiverClan’s camp dipped out of sight. No one had noticed his absence. With any luck, no one would. A chunk of his heart ached to pour itself out, to at the very least sit in silence with someone, but who could he possibly ask, especially at this hour? Addershade would only worry, Nightwolf wouldn’t worry enough, and Spiderquill was… To put it as bluntly as he could bear, Snowflight wasn’t the sort of cat who talked to stars.

When they’d buried Applefang, he had sunk into a haze. He knew he must’ve hunted and fought and talked during that time, simply because that was what warriors did, but whenever he looked back, those moons were little more than a smear of sound and faces. He didn’t remember how he’d broken himself out of it. Maybe he hadn’t.

This time would be different. For one thing, Willowbreeze was alive, and not—he let out a sharp huff, claws scraping against the dirt, then marched onward at twice his previous pace—not worth wallowing about. For another, having to feed SkyClan without any help from the river had left them woefully underprepared for leaf-bare. Once the ice got too thick to break, Snowflight would be near-useless; he wasn’t sure his pride could take another season of land hunting. So, until a better idea came to him, he would channel the jumble of emotions in his chest into fishing while he still could.

The land began its gentle slope downward, guiding Snowflight toward the water. He followed it without question. The river’s babbling grew louder. With every forward step, he felt a little bit of tension slough off his shoulders, light as dust. This, he understood. This, he could handle on his own. Since Stormbringer had taught him how to fish, it’d been one of the few things that always made sense, no matter what. Snow and sand crushed softly under his paws. He was here. Sunningrocks, the best place in the forest. Of course, there wasn’t any sun to bathe in, and he’d probably freeze solid if he tried crossing the river; still, he gazed at the angular mound of stone on the far bank with something like longing before addressing what he’d come here for.

Stars, was it good to have his paws in the water again.

After a matter of seconds, the chill crept too far up his foreleg for his liking. He pulled it out, shook it off, and made his way further down the river, stopping when he saw a relatively unfrozen patch—and a tiny silhouette beneath the ripples. A minnow. Unimpressive by RiverClan's standards, yet he found his mouth watering at the thought of any fish at all. StarClan willing, he'd never have to eat feathers again. Eyes locked on his target, he leaned closer. A blindingly white paw flashed out. In the blink of an eye, the minnow was flipping desperately on the riverbank. With a hint of a satisfied smile hanging at the corners of his mouth, Snowflight put it out of its misery before it could get too close to the water.

For a heartbeat, nothing else mattered. Then everything came flooding back. SkyClan, Willowbreeze, missing kits, Spiderquill. Snowflight grit his teeth and forced his gaze back to the river.

Snowflight attempted to catch Fish, using 3 stamina. The attempt was successful!

Snowflight
55/55 HP
167/170 SP (-3)

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 4

Fishing. He had to think about fishing. Holding back a growl, Snowflight leaned over the river again. Not too far—though the sun was gone, it hadn’t taken all the shadows with it—but far enough to see another silhouette drifting nearer. He soon realized it was much, much larger than a minnow. As it closed in, cutting through the water with an air of utter nonchalance, Snowflight could see the speckles lining its back and sides. It was a catch Stormbringer would be proud of…assuming he could land it.

At the first brush of scales against his pawpads, he scooped the fish up and flung it toward the riverbank with all the strength he could muster. Nearly as fast as a WindClanner, he whirled around to face it. Pinning it down took four paws and most of his concentration. They wrestled furiously for a moment, Snowflight hissing so loudly he had to wonder what other fish he was scaring off, until he at last managed to sink his teeth into it. The thrashing continued for several seconds, but the trout had already lost, and it seemed to know as much. Once it stilled—and stayed still—Snowflight dropped it on top of the minnow. Finally, he’d caught something worth coming home with. His insides felt as knotted as they’d been at the start.

Snowflight attempted to catch Fish, using 3 stamina. The attempt was successful!

Snowflight
55/55 HP
164/170 SP (-3)

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 2

Fine, then. If this wasn’t helping, he had to stay until it somehow did. It wasn’t as if he had any other options. Besides, he reminded himself as he looked toward his growing pile of fish, this was the most luck he’d had hunting since the drought. No point in calling it quits before that luck ran out. Snowflight hunched his shoulders and resumed staring into the river, half paying attention to the shadows flitting by upstream, half getting lost in its babbling. Through the clear, gentle waves, he saw plain scales, lacking a minnow’s stripes or a trout’s speckles. A chub. Not nearly as impressive as a trout, but fish was fish, and if it would help feed RiverClan, it was worth a shot.

Oblivious, the chub drifted toward him. The second it entered swiping range, Snowflight darted into action. Like its fellows, it landed on the riverbank, where it continued to flop weakly as Snowflight approached it, his tail waving high behind him. He bent down and dispatched it with a single bite. There. A third fish for RiverClan. Of course, now a few of his Clanmates might wonder how the fresh-kill pile had gotten fuller overnight, but he could deal with that later.

Snowflight attempted to catch Fish, using 3 stamina. The attempt was successful!

Snowflight
55/55 HP
161/170 SP (-3)

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 5

Snowflight was nearly at the water’s edge when he heard it. Crunch. Paws moving through dried leaves somewhere to his right. The moonlight revealed a lumbering silhouette, looking more like a boulder come to life than an animal. Immediately, an idea slotted into place, so clear in retrospect it should’ve been the first thing he’d thought to look for. Though he couldn’t confide in his family or Clanmates, there was someone else…someone he’d dearly missed talking to. His ears rose. It’d be strange for Beecloud to be out so late at night, but Snowflight’s presence here wasn’t exactly normal, either. Maybe his good hunting had been a sign of better things.

…Or maybe not. The shape was all wrong, the gait was too hurried. Rising to his paws with the grace RiverClan was known for, Snowflight squinted at the shadow. Its not-quite-catlike eyes glinted back. The silhouette wasn’t Beecloud at all, but a snarling raccoon in its prime, lured to the riverbank by the promise of fresh fish.

It lurched toward him fangs-first. By now, Snowflight knew better than to let any part of himself get stuck between its jaws; he ducked away from the first snap and swung around to deliver a blow of his own. But this raccoon was as fierce as the one he’d faced with Beecloud. It let out a snarl a whisker’s length from his nose and struck again too quick to dodge. Pain spiked down the left side of his face as the beast pulled its paw back, taking a chunk of his ear with it. Snowflight cried out, somewhere between shock and shame, reeling back as the first trickle of blood ran down his forehead. Apparently satisfied with its opening blow, the raccoon trundled off toward the pile of fish.

In different circumstances, it wouldn’t have been worth finishing a fight even a predator didn’t care about. But he’d worked hard for those fish, RiverClan needed those fish—and anything that thought it could take off part of his ear and get away unscathed needed to be corrected. Snowflight sprang forward, slamming against the raccoon’s side. They rolled together, clawing blindly, until he managed to get a hold on its back and pin it to the ground.

Raccoon appeared! Raccoon used Quick Swipe, dealing 20 damage and using 10 stamina.
Snowflight used Leap-and-Hold, dealing 11 damage and using 10 stamina. Raccoon is pinned for 2 turns.

Snowflight
35/55 HP (-20)
151/170 (-10)

Raccoon [pinned]
19/30 HP (-11)
290/300 SP (-10)

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

---

'Effect Dice' : 5

The raccoon’s claws scrabbled at the earth. Whether it was hoping to fight back or flee, Snowflight couldn’t tell; he had no intention of letting it get its way regardless. Squinting down at its grimy fur through one furious orange eye, he raked his claws down his back and earned a series of pained yowls in response. At least now some of the blood on his pelt wasn’t his own. The raccoon’s thrashing resumed. He dug his claws in tighter, but the beast had found its grip. It surged upward and almost immediately launched into a roll, forcing Snowflight to jump free to avoid being squashed. Rather than flee, it rounded on him, having realized it wouldn’t get to the fish without going through the cat who’d caught them.

Snowflight continued to use Leap-and-Hold, dealing 11 damage. Raccoon is pinned for 1 turn.
Raccoon is no longer pinned.

Snowflight
35/55 HP
151/170

Raccoon
8/30 HP (-11)
290/300 SP

Letting out a screech that made Snowflight’s pelt spike like a porcupine, the raccoon reared. Again, it snapped out with its yellowed teeth, aiming to rip off whatever bits of his muzzle it could reach—but Snowflight went low, tore into its stomach, and pulled down. The raccoon stumbled back, bewilderment clear on its masked face. A fog had already begun to plaster itself over its eyes. As it reeled, he caught a glimpse of the gashes he’d opened, and knew in an instant he’d more than made up for what it’d done to his ear.

With a parting yowl that sounded like a kitten trying to teach itself how to hiss, the beast made its escape. It staggered one, two, two and a half tail-lengths away from the river; then its trembling legs gave way. It didn’t move again. Icy silence settled over the bank, broken only by the gentle, ever-present rush of water.

Snowflight used Rear-up to Slash, dealing 13 damage and using 15 stamina. Raccoon can no longer fight.

Snowflight
35/55 HP
136/170 SP (-15)

Raccoon
0/30 HP (-13)
290/300 SP

---

“In that case, I think I’ll want your help throwing that thing in the river!”

A snort pushed its way out of his mouth as he turned to the pile of fish, mercifully untouched. His heart plummeted into his stomach as he remembered how it’d soared only minutes before. Of course the silhouette had been a raccoon. Wishful thinking. He wasn’t sure why he’d imagined it could be Beecloud in the first place…except he was sure. Carrying the weight alone had worked for the Righteous Few, had even worked for Applefang, at least for a little while, but as the seasons marched on, it loomed heavier and heavier over him. One cat could only hold so much. But Beecloud had helped. Despite being a ThunderClanner—or maybe because he was a ThunderClanner, so far removed from the troubles Snowflight faced back home—he made it easier to bear, made time pass faster with his awkward-yet-engaging conversations, made the day brighter with his oversized paws and warm, nonjudgmental smile.

It wouldn’t have been the first time Snowflight had thought of a cat as handsome. While he claimed no pelt could be as pretty as a RiverClanner’s, he’d seen plenty of exceptions under the Great Oaks, lit up by the full moon. But before, it had always been a statement of fact, no different from “she’s got gray fur” or “his eyes don’t match.” Something observed more than felt. Something objective.

So, yes, Beecloud was handsome. He was also kind and easy to talk to and uncertain in a way that Snowflight, across the border, could only see as endearing. And he was Snowflight’s friend. Someone willing to accept his stumbling apologies, to hear out his anger and grief, to sit on his right side without him ever having to ask. Someone he looked for in the middle of the night when nothing, not even fishing, made sense. There, in that fact, lay the danger.

“It felt,” murmured Willowbreeze, somewhere on the wrong side of the forest, “like our lives connected.”

With an eerie calm that belied the white-hot panic rising inside him like the tide, clogging his ears and nose, Snowflight gathered up his fish and set his shaking paws toward home. The raccoon remained where it had fallen. For all he cared, the birds could have it.