i'll be your escort (c)

Flutterpetal was trying his best to pretend that everything was okay. Sure, they were far from home... and trapped in the middle of nowhere... and food was scarce... and leaf-bare was here... and Whisperear was-- was gone.... but that didn't mean that everything was horrible, he tried to convince himself. At least they could huddle together for warmth in makeshift nests of twigs and snow. At least he still had Adderdawn. And at least if they had to be here, they weren't alone. ShadowClan was here too. And with them, one of Flutterpetal's friends.

He hadn't had much of a chance to talk with Honeylight. Everyone had been busy trying to make the area livable, since they didn't know exactly how temporary their stay here would be. Flutterpetal spent a lot of time trying to help make nests, catch prey, and even help Batsong and the other medicine cats look for a few herbs. Staying busy was a good way to try and outrun the hollow feeling inside him, he reasoned. However, fortunately, there was a point in the middle of the day when he was able to sit and rest. The sun was high in the sky, offering only minimal support against the cold chill of snow, but it was just enough of a shadow of warmth that Flutterpetal found himself sitting with his back to it, letting it warm his fur slightly. It looked like he wasn't the only one who'd had that idea. A familiar large, golden-brown tom was a few paces away from him, looking lost in thought. I wish I had some flowers to give him... flowers would cheer anyone up, wouldn't they? But they're hard to find around here, and the cold killed so many of them... Nevertheless, he found himself approaching his friend. "Hey," he said, his smile soft and small, but sincere. "How have you been? Are you holding up okay?"

It felt odd to interact with someone in this way. Flutterpetal had been spending so much time by himself--so much more than usual, and in such an unfamiliar place--that speaking to someone with the small smile on his face felt unusual. It clashed with the past two moons' worth of suffering that the forest had been going through. And yet, a small spark of warmth alighted in his chest at the sound of his friend's voice. Seeing the large golden-brown tom stretch out in an expression of relaxation, and gesture for him to do the same, reminded him briefly of better times. Greenleaf days spent lying in the long moor grasses and watching clouds roll across the sky. His smile growing slightly wider, Flutterpetal joined his friend on the ground, lying down on the slightly warmed rock. It was no sun-heated patch of field smelling of flowers and wind and home, but it was the next-best thing.

Momentarily, his luminous green eyes slipped closed, remembering WindClan. It felt like a dream. Had he ever truly lived somewhere so wonderful? Had greenleaf ever been real? Had life always just been this long and bitter leaf-bare, and he'd always been deluding himself? Opening his eyes dashed that thought immediately. Life had been good before, and it would be good again. There was no point in thinking otherwise.

Flutterpetal glanced at his friend, noticing the brief shiver that made his broad shoulders shudder. Though the black tom was noticeably smaller, he huddled closer, trying to share the slight body warmth that came with having such a fluffy pelt of fur. "I think we're all just doing our best," he admitted in response. "This certainly isn't ideal for anyone. I'm just glad that so many of us managed to make it out of Fourtrees." For a moment he looked down at the ground, considering his small paws. "It was so shocking... I almost didn't. If my brother hadn't been there, I may have been taken. I panicked. But, I'm here--and so are you. I'm glad you made it safely, Honeylight." He returned his gaze to his friend's wide amber eyes and smiled. The world had seemed darker and darker lately as nights lengthened and temperatures dropped, but there were a few bright lights to focus on, after all.