you'll lose, win, rest days - frozen river

[Bounceheart]

bounceheart ✧ she/her ✧ riverclan warrior (=˃ᆺ˂=)

Fog had settled on the ground that morning. It was so thick, they could have sworn it was smoke choking them when they woke. That was when the chill gripped their bones. Time was ticking on the river. It was so chilly, and she could have sworn she saw ice over it, but maybe she was mistaken. It was still running where she hunted. Business as normal.. it must be, for as long as possible. At least the warrior's den was warm enough to get a good night's rest in, for now. Not that she had been in here that long..
Trying to avoid sleeping bodies as they escaped the den was most difficult during this season. Everyone crept closer together during the night, some even rolling out of their nests in an attempt to steal a bit of another's warmth. One was unfortunate enough to get their tail stepped on. Bounceheart squeaked out a quiet apology, and would practically stumble out of the den into the frigid morning.
"It could be worse," they mused. If they were more superstitious, they would not utter something that could be seen as a jinx. For her, it was more of an expression of gratitude. Being able to go to the river and catch a minnow was a blessing, no matter how small.
The river was exactly where they went. No surprise. She could practically hear it singing each morning. Something felt different today, but they brushed it off. Don't let a bit of fog spook you.

After going on a dawn patrol to the WindClan border (more frequent these days) they decided to give a try at catching some fish.
A trail of pawprints in the snow led south from the camp, continuing on after the other side of the river. It was still running there, earning a relieved sigh from her as she continued on her usual path. Some days, one could spot her fishing in other spots; that was only after she noticed she had scared the fish away in her usual spot.

They had all been talking about how cold it was that morning. 'I thought I was going to freeze in the night!' someone announced. "Well, maybe you shouldn't go out in the night." Leaf-bare was too cruel for that, some nights. Bounceheart worried about the kits and queens in the nurseries, and the elders..
Well, that was another story. That night, she had crawled into the elders' den to lay beside them. No sleep was brought to them for hours.. they only rested their eyes, in between watching each of their chests rise and fall. Just when they felt they would sleep, they crawled off into the warrior's den for an hour of rest before dawn patrols.
It was serene, and terrifying to hear some of them rasp. She almost ran to get Ravensong in the night - until she realized that some of the elders just.. breathed noisily.

On the opposite side of the Sunningrocks, gray coat dappled with snow and ice from crossing the river near camp, the warrior stopped dead in her tracks a few rabbit-hops before RiverClan's side of the border.
"Are.. you.. KIDDING ME?!" No sleep, and their spot looking at the Sunningrocks was gone. "I can't get up the Sunningrocks, and I can't even fish here. NO FISH?!" Their eyes were practically sunken in, and now her hackles were rising as well. "Stupid frozen river. AND THUNDERCLAN! MOUSE-BRAINS!" Whether it be lack of sleep or everything else, she almost felt upset enough to break down in tears right there!
Even in her moment of disarray, someone's approaching steps brought her eyes right at them. "Oh- sorry!"

ooc- winter prompt​

 

[reedbite.]

the brown warrior jolted awake as her tail was stepped on, a grumble of grogginess ran through her, obviously displeased. but that was easy for reedbite. she'd hear the other mumble an apology, and say 'it could be worse'. which, quite honestly, it could. a part of her didn't even care.she didn't even know why she bothered to follow the other through thick fog. she guessed it had something to do with just boredom and knowing she would not be able to fall back to sleep.

"you're fine." reedbite understood the anger about the sunningrocks. she understood the anger about the river being frozen. she knew she felt the same, and wanted to see thunderclanners run with tail between their legs as they reclaimed their special place on what was riverclans.

the chocolate silver warrior would pad beside bounce heart. but she would not touch her, her fur bristling at the thought. this was enough comfort for the other in one day. she'd pull away before flicking her tail. her muddy green eyes would look back to her.

"would you like to ice fish with me?" she offered in hopes it would calm the other molly down. unless they decided to piss her off, shed deal with it.

​

 

[otterbite]

The chilling grasp of leafbare had quickly made its coarse of muttering complaints across the apprentices den already and by the sound of it had even spread to the warriors. It wasn't just the cold this morning that kept their heads low and paws carefully placed, but rather the thick clouds of fog that engulfed the territory as well.

It hung heavy over the river especially, and the apprentice had spent most of his morning peering through cracked, cloudy ice. Tracking the movement of fish below and imitating the swipes and curves into the freezing waters. His ears pinned flat to his skull at Bounceheart's screams, practically echoing over the empty space over the river. He grimaced and turned to @coyotecreek with teeth exposed.

"Can you tell her to shut up." He growled through clenched teeth. "If she scares these fish away you should make her catch them for me." It would only be fair, he thought. At least he wasn't the one screeching like a hawk without its feathers. ​

RIVERCLAN APPRENTICE ✦ BLUE-BLACK CHIMERA ✦ 8 MOONS ✦ TAGS​

 

[coyotecreek]

( ★ ) otterpaw has been slowly improving at his hunting, but it's gotten to a point where coyotecreek is worried he might be at the highest level he can reach. the boy is talented in other fields- his battle skills rival coyote's own, but fishing has not proved a source of strength. in the moments coyote has attempted to teach the tom land hunting, he has been scoffed at, so they're back to the water for now. their days are spent crouched under a pale sun, dampening their paws at every attempted catch.

today isn't even a pleasant day to train. thick fog blankets the land, and icy air claws at the skin of the two toms as they go about their business. the dark apprentice huddles close to the ice, head tracking the movement of the fish. coyotecreek crouches next to him, more relaxed in his posture, although his odd eyes gleam with interest. at the sudden noise his ears flatten, a jolt of adrenaline striking him as he glances around for trouble. realizing it's just his upset clanmate, his hackles lower, although displeasure is shown in the tapping of his tail. otterpaw gives up his position at the water's edge and turns to coyote with annoyance sparking in his eyes. "i'll handle it, you just concentrate," he tells the boy, flicking his flank with his tail. getting to his feet, the ginger and white warrior sighs quietly. heavy paws plod towards the scene, where reedbite has already attempted to soothe the icy burn. "heya bounceheart, reedbite," he greets, fur fluffing as the cold burrows further into his bones. "could we help ya find a different spot to do some fishin? the ice ain't too thick, otterpaw n i have been tryin' to break some holes to hunt." ​