the nights are dark and cold here [coalfoot]

[Coldsnap]

IM SCARED TO GET CLOSE AND I HATE BEING ALONE
I LONG FOR THE FEELING TO NOT FEEL AT ALL
THE HIGHER I GET, THE LOWER I SINK
I CAN'T DROWN MY DEMONS, THEY KNOW HOW TO SWIM

---

Coldsnap was no stranger to the darkness. His mentor had always preferred to train during the nighttime hours and after earning his warrior name he'd kept to that tradition. While the land was growing noticeably colder -especially during the dark hours- it hadn't yet discouraged the tom from keeping to his nightly routine.

By now the camp had grown quiet as the majority of his clanmates began settling into their nests for the night, the only sounds those of the soft chatter of the remaining groups who were curled up and sharing tongues as they finished late dinners. The large tabby spared a brief nod toward Hyacinthbreath -who seemed to be waiting for her current apprentice so they could go out as well- before heading toward the exit.


OOC- I apologize for how short it is but I'm super tired and wanted to get this up before I crash for the night <3

@coalfoot ​

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windclan warrior - male - 10 months - a large, dark grey tabby with yellow eyes

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[coalfoot]

———————————————【 coalfoot | windclan | male 】——————————————

【◈】While a sound night's sleep was a rather foreign concept to him, he still had his own personal definition of a 'good night's sleep' and a 'bad night's sleep.' From the position of the moon, as he woke up for the umpteenth time that night, he was going to have to say it was leaning toward the latter, despite the exhaustion that dragged at his eyelids and pulled at his limbs as he finally gave up. If he was so tired, then why couldn't he sleep, no matter how hard he tried? It filled him with a resentment directed nowhere but inward, questioning what was wrong with himself and letting out a soft sigh that was outlined in the faint light of the moon.

From the corner of his eye he spotted someone, soon recognized as the dark figure of Coldsnap, striding with purpose to the entrance of camp. It wasn't unusual for Coalfoot to spot the tom on his way out, frequently awake to see him go. It sometimes made him wonder if it was by choice, or if he, too, had trouble sleeping at night. The thought sent a twinge of guilt through him. If they truly had similar problems, was he just that poor at handling it, himself? It was embarrassing to think about, and he shook his head to clear it.

Before he knew it, the marbled warrior had clambered to his paws, carefully making his way over so as not to wake any others before he called out softly. "Coldsnap!" he breathed, soon catching up until he was just behind his shoulder. "Can't sleep?" Coalfoot offered a small smile. He knew Coldsnap wasn't the most openly friendly, but he wouldn't consider him to be mean, and soon continued in his quiet voice. "Are you going out for some late night hunting? Mind if I tag along?"

To be truthful, if he had to be awake, he would rather be doing something - anything. Laying still for hours with fitful bouts of sleep wasn't high on his list of favored activities. Although now that he was up and out of the huddled mass of sleeping cats, left with the night chill to seep into his short coat, he briefly wondered if it was such a good idea after all before he shoved it down.

[penned by its_oliverr].

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[Coldsnap]

IM SCARED TO GET CLOSE AND I HATE BEING ALONE
I LONG FOR THE FEELING TO NOT FEEL AT ALL
THE HIGHER I GET, THE LOWER I SINK
I CAN'T DROWN MY DEMONS, THEY KNOW HOW TO SWIM

---

Coldsnap could understand the sentiment of wondering just what was wrong with yourself. While he didn't have any physical ailments that slowed him down or gave him cause for worry, one could argue that mentally he wasn't quite as sound. He was a product of trauma and loss, a boy who, when he was just a kit, had lost his parents in a war that never should have happened only to see his home fracture into pieces immediately afterward as the Marsh Group was willingly splintered by their leader. The night of the great battle, when Starclan came down and split the forest into five, that was the day Coldsnaps heart had been crushed.

The pieces were left sharp and jagged in the wake of that tragedy, and rather than let himself feel the hurt he'd gathered up the bleeding shards and taken them to a place deep within him where it was always winter, where the ice and snow and freezing winds kept it nice and numb. And that chill had swept throughout him as the months ticked by, warping what was once an outgoing, affectionate, headstrong young kit into a cynical, guarded, isolated young warrior.

And now, even if he'd wanted to thaw out his heart, he wouldn't know how. There wasn't enough warmth left in him, and what little he could muster he was actively trying to direct toward the clan. But there was a saying for it, wasn't there? Can't love someone else if you don't love yourself- and Coldsnap wasn't sure he loved who he was. He wasn't sure his parents would be proud of the cat he'd become. Knew that his siblings wouldn't recognize him anymore. Talks with Dandelionwish and Hyacinthbreath, the loss of his friend Rosepaw - he could admit to that now, that Rosepaw had been his friend even if Cold had never acted like one in return- and he was no longer sure of who he was or what path he was meant to follow. At first his lack of faith in those around him had caused the tabby to define 'loyalty' by something simple, like obeying Sootstar. But now? He wasn't sure if that could be the standard anymore, not when so many obviously good cats were standing in opposition to her.

And he didn't want to stand opposed to Dandelionwish, or Hyacinthbreath, or any of the others.

So, conflicted would be an accurate word to describe Coldsnap. Everytime he thought he was able to put thing back into black and white he found himself faced with an insurmountable amount of gray to suddenly address, and it was there that the tom always found himself lost. Why couldn't he just know what to do or who to follow? Why couldn't he muster any thoughts or opinions of his own? What was wrong with him?

Coldsnap!"

He wasn't sure weather to be relieved or annoyed when his name was suddenly called, yellow eyes shifting to land on the patchy coat of Coalfoot and finding they didn't mind the toms presence as they came to walk alongside him. He wondered, vaguely, if this was his brains way of trying to make it easier on him. He didn't feel the need to bristle anywhere near as often when he was approached by his clanmates these days, which in turn made it more likely that they'd continue interacting with him. And for Coldsnap, who hadn't practiced initiating anything outside of training drills and work patrols, it was always better when the other Windclanners came to him. He was too stubborn to just go back on everything he was, wouldn't have been able to even if he'd tried.

"Hunting, training, patrolling." the tom corrected with an easy swish of his tail. If he was only out here to hunt then he'd be back long before the sun rose, and since he typically didn't walk his ass back into camp until sunrise it was safe to say he had more on the agenda than just chasing some birds tonight. "You can come though, if you want." he confirmed as he led the way out onto the moors. He hadn't company on his nightly routine very often since Hyacinth had taken on an apprentice. Now and then they'd cross paths or he'd help her demonstrate a particular move to the younger shecat, but for the most part he found himself on his own more often than not now.

"The cold doesn't bother you? Most cats prefer the warmth of their nest this late at night." he asked, gaze shifting back to observe them briefly. Coldsnaps fur was short, but it had grown in plush and thick as the seasons turned and he now found himself well equipped for the winds he often faced on the moors at this hour.
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windclan warrior - male - 10 months - a large, dark grey tabby with yellow eyes

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[coalfoot]

———————————————【 coalfoot | windclan | male 】——————————————

【◈】It came as somewhat of a relief to not be driven away, more than content to match the larger tom's stride as the two departed the sandy hollow of camp. Coalfoot's smile grew somewhat sheepish when corrected, eyes betraying his surprise. "That's an awful lot. You don't intend to stay up all night, do you?" Even some sleep was better than none. All the more reason for him to accompany, then, he decided silently. "Two's company," he murmured aloud, nearly to himself. Although not quite a correct saying, it seemed right to him at the moment.

On they walked, Coalfoot's chin lifting to take another look at the sky. He had only just considered how it would only get colder as the night went on when Coldsnap made his comment, the smaller tom letting out a small, somewhat dry laugh. "I'm fairly sure my ears and tail will fall off by the time we get back, but that's alright." He was by no means built for the cold, his pelt too short and hardly thick enough to defend him from the chill. His jaws parted in a partially-suppressed yawn. "If I can't sleep, then I'd rather be doing something useful instead of laying around."

The marbled tom fell silent, not quite sure where they were headed but keeping watch for any sign of prey. They weren't too far from camp, but nothing was impossible. Who knew? Maybe they could get lucky. An abrupt giggle escaped him at a thought. "Maybe hunting will be easier if they're just as frozen as we are." For a moment he hopped from paw to paw, grin returning. "Better stay warmed up so that they don't know what's coming."

[penned by its_oliverr].

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[Coldsnap]

IM SCARED TO GET CLOSE AND I HATE BEING ALONE
I LONG FOR THE FEELING TO NOT FEEL AT ALL
THE HIGHER I GET, THE LOWER I SINK
I CAN'T DROWN MY DEMONS, THEY KNOW HOW TO SWIM

---

"Just til dawn,maybe a bit before if I manage to get things done fast enough." he replied, knowing the routine was seen as a bit much for some, but it kept Coldsnap busy and that's what was important. "After that I'll sleep until sunhigh, so it's not so bad."

It wasn't like he never slept, he just did it in smaller intervals than others.

Two's company." mumbled the other tom, and Cold would allow for a soft huff of amusement. "Yeah, and three's a crowd. Your lucky you got here before someone else." he replied, gruff words tinted with humor. Truth be told, he didn't mind Coalfoots presence. They had a kindness to them that reminded him of Dandelion, Bunny, or Rose, and it was becoming increasingly clear to Coldsnap that he had a weakness for cats like them.

When the other tom went on to reveal that, nope, he had zero fucking tolerance for the cold, Coldsnap could have facepalmed. "Dandelions gonna skin me alive if you end up catching a cold because I had you out all night. " he informed the other, shooting them a half-hearted glare as he considered sending them back, "So you better not get sick." he added after a moment, seemingly having decided against it.

"Maybe hunting will be easier if they're just as frozen as we are. Better stay warmed up so that they don't know what's coming."

While Coldsnap wasn't about to start bouncing around like the rabbits they were hunting, the other toms antics succeeded in pulling a smirk onto pale lips. "If the jumping doesn't warm you up it might at least convince the rabbits your one of them." he mused. Still, Coalfoot had a good point. Keeping on the move would help to keep the other tom from freezing their whiskers off.

"You look like you can run, too. Want to race to the Rockpile?" he asked, figuring it would get their blood pumping a little and wake them up. Once they got there they could snag a few mice or something.
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windclan warrior - male - 10 months - a large, dark grey tabby with yellow eyes

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[coalfoot]

———————————————【 coalfoot | windclan | male 】——————————————

【◈】He couldn't help the look he gave Coldsnap at that, somewhere between shock and apprehension and awe all the same. Taking a moment to shake himself, Coalfoot let out a small laugh. "Until sunhigh? Wow, check out this lazy bum," he hummed, ensuring the other tom saw his grin to drive home the fact that it was all in jest. Looking out into the night again, it faltered a little as he lost himself to his thoughts. Was that enough sleep? Not likely, but who was he to command or chastise others on their sleeping habits?

When Coldsnap drew him out of his mind, he laughed again. "Don't worry, don't worry. I won't get sick. Getting cold and getting a cold are fortunately two different things." The stars above would really have it in for him if he managed to land himself in Dandelionwish's paws for an entirely different reason. "Besides, nobody is forcing me to be here, so it would be my fault anyway," he added in an attempt to be reassuring.

Convince them that he's one of them? Coalfoot seemed to genuinely consider it for a moment, if not for the playful glint in his eye. "Only one way to find out, right?" He bounced forward a few more steps before dropping it in favor of walking normally again. If that didn't work, the embarrassment heating up his ears would certainly do the trick.

Coldsnap was challenging him to a race. A low chuckle emanated from his throat at that, giving the dark tabby a sidelong glance. "Yeah? You know, I'm nothing if not fast. You're challenging the wrong cat." Slowing to a stop, Coalfoot lowered himself in preparation, head tilting up to the sky. "When that cloud touches the moon, we go, okay?"

Seconds ticked by, the marbled warrior's heart fluttering with anticipation. Closer... closer... There! Without another word he took off, a dark streak into the night and paws pounding on the coarse grassy ground. Even for as cold as it was, it felt amazing for the wind to be in his fur, reminding him of the pride he felt in being WindClan. He couldn't help but let out a sharp giggle, head momentarily turning to locate Coldsnap before focusing on himself again, pushing himself to go faster. Faster!

Across the moor he went, blood roaring in his ears and breaths billowing behind him. Coalfoot nearly flung himself at the Rockpile when he reached it, stooping over to catch his breath. "There's no way... I didn't win! I left you in... my dust!" he panted once he straightened, still grinning wide with the exhilaration of it all.

[penned by its_oliverr].

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[Coldsnap]

IM SCARED TO GET CLOSE AND I HATE BEING ALONE
I LONG FOR THE FEELING TO NOT FEEL AT ALL
THE HIGHER I GET, THE LOWER I SINK
I CAN'T DROWN MY DEMONS, THEY KNOW HOW TO SWIM

---

"Yeah? You know, I'm nothing if not fast. You're challenging the wrong cat."

The confidence in his clanmates words was enough to tug a small grin into place as the yellow-eyed warrior realized he was willing. And maybe it was the fact that he'd seen Coalfoot in action before, or maybe he just knew his own limitations, but to be perfectly honest, the tabby believed him. Coldsnap had a lot going for him; he was a skilled hunter and could track down anything that moved, fought like a fucking tiger and could pick up new skills like it was nothing. And he wasn't slow, either. He was a tall cat with long, strong legs and broad shoulders, and strides like that covered a lot of ground fast. But, he was also a heavier cat compared to Coalfoot, fast on his feet and sharp in reflex, but lacking the agile touch a true runner was in need of.

"When that cloud touches the moon, we go, okay?"

"Your on. Better run like hell if you want to win." he replied, because even if he knew the odds were against him he wasn't about to back down from a challenge. Still, the good natured flick of his tail and upward turn in the corner of his lips were both tell-tale signs it was all fun and games.

He tried not to dwell too much on that word, though. It had been a long time since Coldsnap had done something just for the fun of it. Racing, playing games, rough-housing; he hadn't taken part in any of it in a long time. Instead, he'd learned to take satisfaction in his success as a Windclanner. Every spar won, every piece of prey dropped on the kill pile, every iteration of his name from paw to snap, he'd learned to take pride in them, chasing the feeling it gave him to know he was among the best. That had been his fun[/i], and very seldom did it involve another cat.

Though, he couldn't say he hated this interaction yet. Other cats weren't always a bad thing, they were just.. difficult. He didn't have much practice these days when it came to turning off the business side of things, and it made navigating the more casual encounters like this one harder for Coldsnap.

Pulling himself from his thoughts, Coldsnap set his eyes on the cloud and readied himself. He'd always been a competitive one, and even now he intended to give Coalfoot a run for their money. Any second now..

The toms lunged forward in unison as the cloud touched the moon, the cold air around them filled with the sound of paws thudding against frozen earth, the crunch of frosted over grass barely muffling their steps as they tore across the moors.

The last time Coldnsap had sprinted across the territory like this was back when Rosepaw had died. His anger and his grief had forced him to run until his lungs were on fire and his muscles burnings from the strain, and he'd ruined his claws tearing up the tree roots he ended up tripping over. But the memory of that night didn't surface as he raced along, Coalfoot slowly pulling ahead and looking back to see Coldsnap still close behind them. And maybe, if he was lucky, he could rewrite this happier memory over the sadder one.

He wasn't even all that mad when the other cat began to pull ahead. Coldsnap urged his steps to come faster as he tried to keep pace, but in the end Coalfoot kept their lead over him and continued to take more, the black and white tomcat reaching the rocks a full three strides ahead of him.

"There's no way... I didn't win! I left you in... my dust!"

The dark tabby was panting as he slid to a halt beside his clanmate, paws touching the stones shortly after Coalfoots.

"No way.. I was like... two inches behind you!" he argued half-heartedly through gulps of air, too prideful to admit that he'd lost that badly. And surprisingly enough, he was still grinning, too.

"Can see why they named you 'foot'." he added after a moment of catching his breath.

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windclan warrior - male - 12 months - a large, dark grey tabby with yellow eyes​

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[coalfoot]

———————————————【 coalfoot | windclan | male 】——————————————

【◈】The cold air stung his throat with each panting breath, but Coalfoot steadily recovered himself, shaking out his pelt and letting out a lighthearted whew. By the time he met Coldsnap's gaze, taking in the grin that had settled there, his only grew all the wider. Although he made no comment on it, it was nice to see. It was something unlike his Clanmate's typical reserved attitude.

Caught up in the moment, he shook his head vehemently. "No way! I left you all the way back at camp!" His laughter was giggly, almost giddy. It was fun, being able to play with friends in such a way again. Even more so to be able to ignore the looming threat of Leafbare and what it would bring, if only for a while. Following another giggle, Coalfoot continued. "Good race! That was fun."

Coldsnap's compliment earned a breathy laugh, the other tom ducking his head as his ears warmed. "Thank you," he replied sheepishly. If there were to be one thing for him to uphold and pride in, it would be his name. "I'm sure I'm not the fastest in the Clan, though."

Straightening himself, Coalfoot gazed out into the dark. "Well, I suppose we just scared off any prey around here with that little stunt. That and the rest are probably sleeping like anything normal should be right about now." It wouldn't hurt to look anyway, would it? They had an ample warm-up for their legs.

"Maybe we could go look. Who knows, we may get lucky?" he ventured, giving the tabby a glance. "Imagine a whole family of fat rabbits." Far-fetched, but he grinned anyway.

[penned by its_oliverr].

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