Growing old together [c]

The first snows of leaf-bare had come and gone, and now the seconds were starting. It wasn't settling on the floor yet, and was only carried on the breeze, melting and disappearing as soon as it landed on the ground. Still, it was freezing outside, so Dappleleaf was huddled at the entrance of the elders' den. She was eyeing the camp mostly in interest, in a way glad that she no longer needed to patrol in the cold. However, every now and again, she would spot Asylum eyes in the bushes, and be filled with fear. One of their members had made Eaglekit bleed when he was only playing, and if they were that willing to hurt a kit, no wonder they had killed Pinefrost at the sign of an uprising.

"Hiya," She said as Ivydream joined her. They had been friends for a while now, and when Dappleleaf had retired to the elders' den, it wasn't long before one of her oldest friends had joined her. "How are you Ivydream? We're certainly heading quickly into leaf-bare, aren't we? I wonder how bad the ice will be..." The elderly she-cat had enough trouble walking as it was, with her stiffened bones and twisted paw, and adding ice to the equation often made her struggle. "These are definitely unusual times as well." She said. Never in her life had she seen anything quite like this - she had been through floods and the Righteous Few, but Asylum was from far off, unknown lands, and their occupation was unlike anything she had seen before.

Ivydream awoke to a breeze ruffling her fur, it wasnt that cold because of the moss bed but as her fur wasnt that long it still made her shiver slightly. As Ivydream stretched out her tired legs, she noticed her friend dappleleaf by the entrance. They have been friends since apprentices so it wasnt shocking that they became elders around the same time also. She slowly walked towards her old friend, enjoying the light that streamed through. As ivydream got older she also started getting more tired so it was known that if you needed her she would be sleeping.

As Ivydream sat down next to her friend on the wet ground she looked up at the sky noticing it was a beatiful day out. Ivydream had heard a kit bled because of an asylum cat which made her question her own thoughts. She wanted everyone to be friendly and have peace but also she understood the anger of them trying to destroy their life styles. As another breeze came by, Dappleleaf started talking to her. She smiled at her friend and nodded. "Im doing alright, how about you. Yes, walking around would be hard with the snow and ice, hope we will be okay." She mewed hoping a stupid slip wouldn't be the end of her.

The Asylum cats do make it hard to do our normal clan life but they also help bring order, Without them apprentices would leave camp alone, kits would find a way to sneak out, and warriors would become more laid back. Thats just my opinion but some days i do wish we went back to the normal life we had of being just clan cats." She mewed remembering the days of her young age.

"I'm fine I guess, same old, same old." Dappleleaf said at Ivydream's inquiry. She wasn't doing great, to be honest, but it was better than she had felt in Greenleaf. At least the elderly she-cat had finally accepted that Doeskip was in a better place. Her lost mate was happy there, and would wait for her until it was the right time. Not only that, but her and Fernskip were now on speaking terms. Their relationship would never be what she had wanted it to be, but at least she had made the effort to repair.

Dappleleaf bit her lip slightly as her friend shared some opinions that she didn't entirely agree with. She took a gentle approach when contradicting her, however, as she didn't want to cause an argument about this with an old friend. In her youth, she probably would've been more outspoken and abrasive, but time had brought wisdom to her. If she spoke out against Asylum openly, she knew she no longer had the skills required to defend herself. "Kits and apprentices will always try and leave camp alone, it's part of their nature as clan cats." She and Doeskip had attempted an escape from camp as kits, which, of course, didn't work - they were caught by Alderpatch and Doeskip's mother long before they got up to any real mischief. As an apprentice, she had often left camp alone, or with only company of another apprentice. Dappleleaf may've been a rule-follower now, but that hadn't always been so.

"As for warriors becoming relaxing without them..." She pause, thinking of her words, "I believe that having to bring an escort along makes warriors less willing to leave camp,  and Asylum only contribute fresh-kill for oldies like us now and again." Not only that, but she couldn't believe that Ivydream was trying to make it seem not too bad. After all, there was a reason Pinefrost wasn't with them anymore.

Ivydream knew dappleleaf didn't agree with her opinions but ivydream barely believed them herself. She just really wanted to see the good in others. Some asylum cats were very nice while others weren't. She was very curious as to why. What happened to them to make them the way they were. Ivydream sighed as she watched the clan life. "Some days I wish I was young again, when we had so much fun." she mewed watching apprentices leave to go on patrol.

Dappleleaf made a small sound of agreement as Ivydream reminisced of the old days. What it would be to not have to worry about stiff bones again. But her days of playing in the snow as a kit were far behind her. "Me too, but I guess we have to give the youngins' their chance to enjoy themselves. Even if it is a little harder for them now, with everything happening." She said.

"It's certainly been a while since I left camp as well." As she had no need to, the elderly she-cat hadn't been into the forest for any days. Solitary walks were practically impossible, and anywhere she went within the territory required an Asylum guard. She hated how on-edge it made her feel, as if she was going to be attacked any moment. But maybe that was just Dappleleaf being jumpy in her old age. 

Ivydream agreed, what if when she went out to the forest, it completely changed? "What if we did go out. I know a couple asylum cats would would love to get out of the camp for a while." she mewed knowing going out of camp would be tricky with their old bones. Maybe the asylum cats wouldn't mind their slowness? Probably not. As ivydream got swept away in her thoughts she didn't hear dappleleaf's reply.

"Why don't we go out, then?" Dappleleaf offered. It would be nice to get out, that was for sure, and maybe if she wasn't alone with Asylum cats she wouldn't feel so vulnerable. She slowly got to her feet, and slowly flexed and stretched her injured paw, which had been at an odd angle for almost as long as she could remember. Shaking out her short pelt slightly, she flicked her tail to invite Ivydream with her. A small wave of kit-like enthusiasm overcame her as she headed towards the camp entrance. Suddenly the prospect of leaving camp was a happy one instead.

Ivydream smiled at her friend and got to her paws, following after dappleleaf. She didnt know what adventures they would encouter but for a moment she imagined herself being young again going out into the unknown.