Black Rose [Solo]

Pawstep after pawstep. Starlingflare dragged himself through the cold snow, freezing his paws almost to the point of not being able to feel them. He had been out here for a while now. Lost in his own thoughts, he would claim that he was just hunting but after not finding things for a while.. Well this.. This wasn't exactly hunting. It seemed Thunderclan's luck was starting to run out. He would normally find something by now, but it seemed that this winter was constantly taking from them. They probably would have more food if it wasn't for those Fishface riverclanners..

The tom let out a growl.. a billow of breath escape his mouth. He couldn't believe Minkstar did that. More mouths to feed when the clan was already starving.. Besides, they already had their own clan, why did they come to Thunderclan for help? Was it to kill more cats, like they did at Sunning Rocks? He wouldn't put it past them.. Maybe.. Hopefully the apprentices could be broken out of their old Riverclan mind set, and turned into fine warriors.. Their mother though.. She had no hope. She needed to be chased out at the soonest possible moment. Hopefully the rest would see just how useless this Riverclan warrior was rather soon. The dilute tom's ears flicked in annoyance. He had hoped with the transition of leadership, Stoatstar would have done something about the dead weight, but it seemed he intended to keep the weak leader's promise.

Another sigh, another cloud of warm breath. His body hurt, he noted. All this walking wasn't good for him. Day after day of training, hunting.. Thorns the training had even entered his dreams. Seemingly so real.. It left his body exhausted upon waking.. He didn't quite understand it, but he seemed to be growing stronger as the days went on, even with his weakened, and starving state. The moves he had seen.. The battles. Thorns was he excited to try some of the new stuff he learned out on his enemies.. A riverclan cat would be a good target to try his training on. A wide unsettling grin split the tom's face. Swanmist would be an even better target. Riverclan and a massive dead weight on Thunderclan? The tom almost shuddered with excitement thinking about the sounds of pain she would make as he dug his sharp claws into her slender frame. Maybe one day.. One day he would be able to do it.

Tree after tree continued to pass the tom, as he continued his walk in the span of Thunderclan's territory. The sun had started to set, bringing an even worse chill to the tom. He would need to go back to camp soon. If he didn't he would probably lose his paws. Despite his body's protests, he pushed himself to turn around, well at least set himself in a new direction, to take himself back to camp.

As he began his walk back, something caught his eye.. scurrying among the routes. A squirrel of all things. He stood there, single yellow eye widened in surprise. He had been searching all day for food, and when he was giving up, now it decided to show up? He was frustrated, but relieved at the same time. The clan would have a little bit more to eat!

...

Maybe he could have something to eat..

He knew he shouldn't.. but he had already missed out on so many meals.. All the while Riverclan cats stuff their faces. He didn't want them to eat his catch. They didn't deserve it! He could feel frustration building in his gut. Even as he crouched, his claws dug into the soft snow, trying to stay focused on the piece of prey in front of him. He leapt, he could feel the satisfying sink of his claws into the squirrel. The cry of pain it released, as it was gravely wounded, it couldn't escape his claws. His claws dug in deeper, the frustration melting from his body as it released more cries of pain that were steadily growing weaker, before they stopped all together.

The kill was messy, blood soaked his paws, but thorns was it satisfying. It was like a big weight off of his shoulders. He stepped back, the warmth from his paws disappearing as he stepped back into the snow, sending a shiver up his spine. Despite how cold it was, he pushed his paws further into the snow, trying to use the cold substance to help get rid of the red that stained his paws.

His yellow eye focused down at the squirrel. His rumbling stomach reminding him just how hungry he was. His mouth watered at the thought of digging into the squirrel, enjoying the fresh kill. Thorns he wanted it so badly, but he forced the thought away.. He would get his food in his own time. He just needed to warm up then he could come hunt again. For now he would make sure to personally deliver the squirrel to someone like Dustcloud, or Stoatstar. Someone who needed it more, and certainly not to those dead weight Riverclan cats.

Another cloud of mist escape the tom, before he picked up the squirrel. He did his best to ignore the flavorful scent of the prey as he began his long march back to camp.