Safe in the Steep Cliffs

[amunet]

Snowstep had always been able to find solace in the tree next to the waterfall. From her perch in its fork, she could see all the tiny movements of the prey below and above. No other tree would do.

She often came here when she didn't want to be found, though she was sure her Clanmates knew where to find her and could at any point anyway if they wanted to, but she liked the silence. Being alone with herself and trying to come to peace with her thoughts.

With her father's absence.

Three moons had passed since. She still didn't know how to cope.

She slowly shook herself out of her reverie. Her Clanmates might start looking for her if she was gone too long.

[Snivellus]

Clawstar picked his way doiwn from camp and out towards the fork where the river split, one end travelling down to SnowClan, the other to Moonpool before travelling up their AshClan border. He almost didn't notice the she-cat but as he was pacing under the tree he caught her scent, unlike FogClan's territorie the air was usually crisp, and scents were easy to find. "Snowstep, I didn't expect to find any cat out here." He said flicking his ears towards her. "Well since you're here why don't we go and take a quick look at the SnowClan border." He said trotting off, flicking his tail for her to follow. His warriors deserved rest but he didn't like the find them laying about, perhaps that's why so many of them went to such great trouble to find hidden spots. "Leafbare always brings out the worst in cats, Eveningstar is a noble leader but I can't speak for all her warriors, doesn't do any harm to mark our borders fresh just to send a message." He meowed. If they were going to steal prey though, AshClan was a far more likely target. Their cats didn't tend to be as big as StoneClan cats, and prey was better, besides they wouldn't even have to climb an inch.

[amunet]

Snowstep growled to herself in frustration. Could she not get a little peace and quiet around here to reflect on her thoughts? She rose and shook out her pelt.

"Yes, Clawstar, coming," she mewed. She jumped down from her perch and joined her leader as he navigated through their territory. She looked around at the environment as she walked, watching the familiar scenery pass by as she had so many times since her apprenticeship had begun.

"Why are you alone, Clawstar? One cat isn't a very safe border control, no matter how many lives you have," Snowstep commented quietly. It was a dangerous question, but Clawstar was not a wrathful leader. The young she-cat didn't fear any punishment he might give.

[Snivellus]

He flicked his long white tail dismissively. "I was planning to catch a few fish by the fork in the river, but I saw that you weren't busy and thought that we may as well check the border while we're out here." He explained, giving a careful sniff at the air. Most of his warriors were busy trying to keep the clan fed, two cats wasn't really a good enough number for a border patrol, but StoneClan territory was tiring to cross and he couldn't waste so many warriors marking borders that hadn't seen problems in moons. Finally reaching the border he sniffed around, setting a few new scent markings. "Doesnt seem like SnowClan has been up here in a while."

[amunet]

"I see," the young she-cat replied. She followed suit and sniffed the air carefully. "You're right. The prey is always scarce on this border, though."

Absently, she wondered how SnowClan was keeping. Prey was scarce anyway, but there were no mice, birds, or other prey in sight. Only fish in the river, and StarClan knows SnowClan couldn't fish for the life of them.

[Snivellus]

Clawstar gave one last sniff before turning away, "I expect if anyone has trouble with SnowClan this season it'll be AshClan." He meowed. StoneClan was fine with all the fish, but SnowClan was used to their prey on solid ground, and as much as he loathed thinking poorly of another clan he expected that they also ate those fat lazy birds the twolegs kept. "Do you think we could catch something on the way back to camp?" He meowed glancing at Snowstep, "the clan could always use more prey." He veered his course towards the river.

[amunet]

"Of course," Snowstep agreed. "AshClan and SnowClan have always had trouble with one another. If it wasn't SnowClan stealing prey, it was AshClan accusing them of doing so."

She followed her leader to the river, where she crouched at the bank. She stared intently into the water and waited, still, as the fish slowly calmed down, accepting her presence above the water. Then she struck. The small she-cat swiped one up out of the water, then killed it with a swift bite to the spine before it could flop back into the water.

[Snivellus]

Carefully the tom hooked a fish with his claw and threw it onto the rocks, it flopped around quite a bit before he embarrassingly managed to give it a messy nip and end it's life. He swiped a paw over his face. "If you ask me they should give up that ridiculous argument. SnowClan should find something to do and AshClan should protect their borders, it's as much their fault if SnowClan is stealing prey as anyone's." He commented sourly.

[amunet]

"Sometimes I feel like AshClan accuses SnowClan of it more often than it actually happens to give SnowClan a bad name," Snowstep mewed in agreement. "I'm sure Eveningstar would deliver swift punishment if she found any of her warriors stealing from another Clan, even if Gorsestar has some personal vendetta towards her."

For a moment, the small she-cat's thoughts fell to Eveningstar. She was a cat to be admired, surely--but the tiny warrior had to wonder if she had any conviction behind what had just come out of her mouth. Was Eveningstar really that honest? She supposed only cats in SnowClan would truly know, but she liked to think so.

[Snivellus]

He nodded slowly, "you may be right Snowstep, but what happens between AshClan and SnowClan is none of our concern, as long as they don't cross our borders SnowClan is no enemy of ours." All clans were enemies of course, but Clawstar preferred to stay friendly with the other clans as long as all cats were sticking to the warrior code. "Eveningstar is a good leader, Ducktail seems honest as well, but in the past SnowClan has caused quite some trouble for AshClan and some scars never heal." He leaned down to pick up his fish before pausing. "Gorsestar may accuse her, but Eveningstar ought to hope he lives for many moons to come, Bramblefur..." He flicked his tail, "she's never disobeyed the code, and her loyalty is fierce but she seems dangerous to me, sometimes the code isn't the end of what's right." He spoke carefully.

[amunet]

"Of course, Clawstar."

Snowstep stopped fishing for a few seconds to contemplate the leader's words. "I think there's cause for concern in Bramblefur's behavior sometimes," she mewed. "It seems as though it might sometime incite war." She flicked her tail and added under her breath, "soon."

[Snivellus]

Clawstar shrugged and flicked his tail, "whatever it does it's none of our concern, we will defend our borders but not be petty about it." He meowed. He sniffed at the border a couple more times, marked it and then turned to head back to camp, "could you find another cat and take a hunting patrol?" He asked, "I know it s late but somehow I feel like the worst of leafbare is still to come."

[amunet]

"True," she replied, and that was the end of that. The small she-cat pricked her ears at Clawstar's request. "Of course, Clawstar. I'll fetch someone and we'll see what we can find."

Snowstep turned and padded away from Clawstar, heading towards the camp. The sun was beginning to set already. She needed to find someone quickly if she wanted to have a chance at catching any prey before sundown.

[Sagepaw]

Sagepaw flicked her tail, her green eyes to the sky as she sat outside the apprentice's den. She shivered slightly, wishing her coat was thicker as a chill crept up her spine. She wasn't truly paying attention to what was going on in camp as she stared at the sky, but her ears pricked to the sound of someone approaching. She stood up and padded over to the entrance, poking her head out curiously.
"Snowstep!" She called, a little excited. Perhaps the older she-cat had some tasks for her?

[Snivellus]

The white cat stalked forward,"Sagepaw, just the cat I was looking for, why don't you help Snowstep out on a quick hunting patrol?" He meowed affectionately as he headed into the camp. He felt guilty that he hardly ever had time to train his own apprentice and that the other warriors took Sagepaw out perhaps more often than he did. She was nearly a warrior now. "I promise to take you out for battle training as soon as I can, but I've got to check on the other cats and see how things are going in camp just now." Leafbare was cold and harsh and he wanted to make sure there was no coughing in the camp and that everyone was comfortable. "Snowstep I think you two should be fine on your own try to bring back a fish or two." He waved his tail and headed deeper into camp. -EXIT-