The elders padded wearily over frozen earth to the river. Their paws were thick with mud from burying the RiverClan medicine cat, setting him to lie beneath the reeds by the river where his Clanmates had been buried for generations. For all they knew, he could be the last RiverClan cat ever buried there.
When they reached the water Frostfur dipped her paws in, gritting her teeth as the freezing water swirled around her. The other cats did the same, though she noticed the RiverClan cats were watching the water sharply. Though the Twolegs had caused the river to grow far shallower, perhaps the two were hoping to find an easy fish to catch for breakfast.
Almost on cue, Shadepelt's paw shot out and a silver fish arched through the air. Loudbelly raised up on his back paws to snatch it out of the air, dropping back to all fours with it held firmly in his jaws. Frostfur couldn't help but be impressed by how cleanly the two had worked together to catch the fish. Though on further inspection, it was much smaller than the fish she had seen RiverClan catch before. It would hardly be a few bites for the two cats to share.
Loudbelly padded over to Frostfur and Speckletail, dropping the fish at their feet. "There you go," he grunted, and started back towards Shadepelt.
"You caught it, it's yours," Frostfur nudged the fish back towards him. Even now, her pride wouldn't let her accept handouts from another Clan. "We can't take RiverClan's prey."
Shadepelt fixed her with an exasperated look. "RiverClan is gone." She pointed out. "And so is ThunderClan. We can't let Clan boundaries keep us apart now."
"She's right, Frostfur," Speckletail murmured. "We'll never survive this leaf-bare if we don't work together."
"Besides," Loudbelly went on. "We haven't gone hungry quite as long as you. You can have that to get your strength up for hunting today. Shadepelt and I will see what else we can catch as well."
Frostfur wrinkled her nose, but she knew they were right. Her mouth was already watering from the scent of the fish, but she turned and nodded to Speckletail, offering the first bite. She blinked graciously and leaned down to eat.
The fish wasn't terribly filling, but it did take the edge of Frostfur's hunger. She swiped her tongue around her muzzle to get the last morsels, looking up to see that Shadepelt and Loudbelly had moved further upriver. They were poised again over the water, readying to strike out at their prey.
"We should do some hunting as well, while the sun is strong," Frostfur suggested, scenting the air carefully. The Twoleg monsters hadn't come this far yet, but their destruction had still scared off much of the prey across all the territories. She couldn't smell anything this close to the river.
She led the way deeper into the territory, feeling somewhat nervous in the unfamiliar area. This was RiverClan's land, and she didn't know the best spots to find land prey yet. She longed for the taste of squirrel or mouse, or even rabbit. But she knew better than to catch any rabbit they spotted, now that the Twolegs had poisoned them. There was no way she would risk it, not after how Dappletail had died…
It was slow going, but by the time the sun was high in the sky Frostfur and Speckletail had managed to catch a vole and an old squirrel between them. When they returned to camp they saw Shadepelt and Loudbelly already there, gulping down two more small fish that they had managed.
Shadepelt looked up when the former-ThunderClan cats joined them. "It's much easier to find enough food for just the four of us." She mewed. "Though the trade-off is we don't have apprentices to bring it to us."
Frostfur settled down across from her with her squirrel while Speckletail dug into the vole. "My hunting skills haven't abandoned me yet," she said curtly. Despite what Speckletail had said earlier, it took time to earn Frostfur's trust.
Loudbelly had finished his fish and was staring out at the treetops, towards what had once been ThunderClan's territory. "What will we do when the Twolegs get here?" he growled in a low voice, sinking his blunt claws into the ground.
Frostfur and Speckletail exchanged a glance. They had seen firsthand what the monsters had done to their territory. RiverClan's territory was the last safe refuge against the terrible destruction.
"They wouldn't cross the river, would they?" Shadepelt said hopefully.
Loudbelly shook his head. "Soon there won't be a river. Then they can plow right through."
He was right, Frostfur realized as her heart sank. The river had been lower today than she'd ever seen it. Though the RiverClan cats had managed to catch a few measly fish still, soon it would dry up completely. That is, if it didn't freeze first.
"Where can we go if the Twolegs come here?" Speckletail asked, her eyes wide with dismay. "We'll have nowhere left in the forest!"
Frostfur moved closer so she could press her fur up against the older queen's. "We'll figure something out if they get here," she purred soothingly. Her warmth seemed to comfort Speckletail, and she twisted her head to groom her snowy white fur.
In the moons since Frostfur had joined the elders, she had grown very close to Speckletail. Of course she had considered Dappletail and Longtail close friends as well, but there was a special bond between her and Speckletail. It was hard to say why exactly; maybe it was because of the way Speckletail had cared for Brightheart after the dogs had injured her. Maybe it was because the two were so alike in personality, both proud and fiercely protective of their kin.
Or maybe it was something more.
Whatever the reason, Frostfur found Speckletail's presence just as comforting. They shared tongues like that while the sun drifted slowly across the sky, soaking in what little warmth it had to give for the day. Though she started to get hungry again by sundown, Frostfur didn't feel she had the energy to go out hunting again. Especially not as the day was getting still colder. She was used to going hungry anyway.
"We should sleep in the nursery," Shadepelt suggested as the day began to grow darker. "It's the most insulated den, and… Well, there's no kits in there anymore."
Frostfur nodded and followed her into the tangle of reeds that made up the nursery. Large feathers were woven into the roof to keep it sheltered, and the walls were thick and well kept. Shiny stones and shells glittered at the edge of the nests, and the stream that surrounded the island camp bubbled happily just outside the shelter of the walls. The soft scents of milk and young kittens still lingered, though the kits and queens were gone.
Despite the sound of the river nearby, Frostfur did feel at home in a nursery. Though she had always considered herself a formidable warrior, she was most proud of the kits she had mothered. Being back in a nursery now… It made her feel like a young first-time queen again.
As she curled up in a nest of feathers and moss next to Speckletail, her thoughts were full of the kits she had raised into great young warriors. Even Cinderpelt, who she was so afraid to lose after her accident, had become a wise and talented medicine cat.
The Clan will be safe with my kits watching over them. She thought as she drifted off to sleep. I'm sure of it.
The next morning was gray and overcast, and a chilly wind blew through the reeds of RiverClan's camp. Once again the elders had split into two groups to hunt, but this time Speckletail went with Loudbelly while Frostfur and Shadepelt headed towards ThunderClan territory. Though Frostfur was anxious about letting Speckletail out of her sight, she had to concede that they'd hunt better each with a RiverClan cat to show them where to go.
Shadepelt padded briskly through the fronds of bracken and reeds, as though she was falling back into her old warrior's habits. She led the way towards the river that bordered ThunderClan territory, though she wouldn't say why they were going that way.
As they drew closer, Frostfur started to pick up the stench of the Twoleg monsters that raged through ThunderClan's territory. The distant rumbling told her they had not yet reached the river, but it was only a matter of time.
"Won't most of the prey have been scared off this way?" the white queen asked her guide, watching the darker she-cat suspiciously. "The monsters are much closer this way."
Shadepelt flicked her tail apprehensively. "I thought it might help calm you down if we hunted near ThunderClan's territory," she admitted after a moment's silence.
"I am perfectly calm!" Frostfur protested, but Shadepelt silenced her with a look.
She had dropped into a hunter's crouch, and scenting the air Frostfur pinpointed the mouse up ahead. It was a small thing, hardly a mouthful, but better than nothing. She sat still as a stone while Shadepelt prowled forward, finally pouncing and dispatching of the mouse with a skillful bite.
"There you are," Shadepelt dropped the mouse at Frostfur's paws, looking pleased with herself. "You can have that to keep your strength up. We've got a lot more hunting to do."
Frostfur wanted to protest, but her stomach growled at just that moment and she looked away in embarrassment. Since they weren't hunting for their Clans, it should be okay to eat before heading back… In the end hunger won out over her pride and she swiftly gulped down the mouse in a few quick bites.
While she ate Shadepelt had padded ahead and was scenting the air diligently. Frostfur had to admit she was impressed with the younger elder's drive. I wonder why she chose to be an elder so early, Frostfur thought to herself. She looks to be around the same age as Brackenfur and Cinderpelt.
"Let's keep moving," the dark she-cat called from up ahead. "There might be a few voles down by the river."
Frostfur heaved herself to her paws and hurried after the RiverClan cat. She thanked StarClan that her strength had not failed her yet, even in this unforgiving cold.
As the two slipped out of the reeds onto the riverbank, they were met with a shining white stillness. Frostfur realized to her dismay that what was left of the river had frozen overnight. It had shrunk so much in the last moon that it was hardly more than a frozen stream cutting through the wide track it had once filled.
"Fox-dung!" Shadepelt swore angrily. "There won't be any prey around here now…"
Frostfur grunted, though she was thinking of something else. Without the river in the way, nothing stood between the Twoleg monsters and the RiverClan camp. Though Sunningrocks still sat undisturbed on the other side of the river, the roaring sound of the monsters was louder than ever here.
Shadepelt's fur brushed against hers as the dark queen turned to leave. "Come on, let's head deeper into the territory," she suggested. "We won't find anything here."
Reluctantly Frostfur turned away from the familiar view of Sunningrocks to follow Shadepelt back into RiverClan territory.
By the time the two returned to camp with their mouths laden with prey, a light snow had begun to fall. Cold dread gripped Frostfur's belly at the thought of trying to find prey in the snow, but perhaps it would delay the twoleg monsters.
Speckletail and Loudbelly were already in the camp, huddled close outside the nursery for warmth. Frostfur felt an unexpected pang of jealousy seeing them so close together, but as soon as Speckletail spotted the returning she-cats she got to her feet and padded over to touch noses with Frostfur.
"You look like you had better luck than us," the dappled queen rasped, looking over Frostfur's catch. She had managed to snag a squirrel as it ran up a tree, and another mouse not long after. Shadepelt had caught a vole scrabbling at the ice of a stream and a blackbird as well.
Frostfur dropped her catch for Speckletail to share while Shadepelt offered her vole to Loudbelly. "If you're still hungry, you can have the squirrel." She said as she settled down with her mouse.
Speckletail dipped her head to one side. "Are you sure? That mouse is hardly more than a mouthful."
"Of course," Frostfur was reluctant to admit she had eaten while they were out. Though they were no longer part of the Clans, she wasn't sure if Speckletail would be angry with her for breaking the warrior's code.
The snow grew heavier while they ate, and soon the four retreated into the nursery to keep warm. Frostfur rasped her tongue over Speckletail's ears while the older she-cat dozed off, curled comfortably against Frostfur's snowy pelt. Shadepelt and Loudbelly were sleeping as well, a little separated from the ThunderClan cats.
Outside of the nursery, the forest seemed unearthly still. The snowfall muffled the sounds of rustling reeds, and with the river frozen there was no soft mumble of rushing water. From here, Frostfur couldn't even hear the rumbling of the monsters, no matter how much she strained her ears.
How long can we keep living here? She thought, burying her nose in Speckletail's sweet-smelling fur. So far the hunting had been decent and they had a warm place to sleep, but how long could it last?