Frost felt as though the weight of her fear for Ice's safety was pushing her down. Threatening to drown her.
"Ice!" she cried frantically searching every nook and cranny around that area. Any place that Ice could be. His scent was fairly stale. The sun was up which made Frost realize she had been asleep longer than she should have. Frost felt guiltier than ever
"Ice!" Frost was getting desperate. She feared the worst. Death.
Why did we have to argue, yesterday Ice? Why do you have to disappear? Why does anything bad, happen at all?
If Ice was dead she would be all alone. Yet another she had failed.
Please don't be dead Ice. I love you like a son.
This realisation made Frost feel an awful pang. She had known him for three days, yet she thought of him as her son. She knew she couldn't bear to lose him.
"ICE! ICE!"
She called his name louder and louder. She found bits of stale scent, but lost the trail where it had rained. She really was panicking now.
I can't bear it if he's dead! It's no use. He's gone. I just know it.
Frost was choking. The world was caving in.
She threw herself on the ground in despair.
"Why did you have to go too, Ice? Why am I so bad at taking care of my loved ones? Why does this all happen to me? WHY IS THIS WORLD SO CRUEL! ANSWER ME! YOU, WHO IS LAUGHING AT MY MISFOR-"
"Are you alright?" mewed an unfamiliar voice.
Frost immediately stopped, feeling pretty embarrassed that someone had seen her breakdown.
The stranger was a beautiful ginger and white she-cat.
Frost tried to act as composed as possible.
She probably thinks I'm absolutely insane.
"It's just my son… well, adopted son Ice has gone missing. It's … a long story."
"I see" mewed the ginger and white she-cat. "I'm Rose. Who are you?"
"Frost"
"Is he a kit?"
"Yes"
"Then I think we can rule out the possibility of him running off with some she-cat" mewed Rose.
"I… I had an argument with him and I'm scared that he's run away and something's happened to him"
"Well Frost if I gave a little helping paw, perhaps we can find him. Two pairs of eyes and ears are better than one, after all."
Frost just nodded. She still presumed Ice to be dead. But was grateful for the ginger-she cat's offer.
At least not all rogue cats are hostile.
"Uh…thanks for helping me" Frost mewed as they padded along.
"No problem. I know what it is to lose a son" Rose said shrugging, though Frost had a suspicion it bothered her more than she let on.
Frost was curious as to what happened to Rose's son, but didn't want to seem nosy by prying and asking unwanted questions.
"I'm sorry… about your son, Rose" she mewed instead.
"It's alright, what's past is past. I still have my daughters and- Oh never mind. Let's just focus on finding your son."
"The rain will have washed away his scent" Frost pointed out.
"Then we will just to have to rely on our sight and hearing and call out"
"Ice! Ice!" they called out. They looked for a long time. Searching for a long time under every bush, tree hollow, even rabbit holes.
They eventually came to a very familiar field. It hadn't rained there.
And Frost could smell that Ice had been here.
"No! what was he thinking! That fierce tom will have torn him into shreds." she cried in dismay.
"Fierce tom?" Rose asked looking interested. "Was he a large brown tabby with green eyes?"
"You mean you know him?" Frost asked astonished.
"In a manner of speaking" shrugged Rose.
"How do-?" Frost began.
"Let's just find Ice quickly! And let's try to be silent"
Rose cut her off.
Frost was now very curious. Why did Rose seem so interested in the fierce tabby tom, yet at the same time seem to dread seeing him again? The two she cats silently followed Ice's scent.
"Maybe it would be best if I left and you do the rest. That brown tabby won't be pleased to see me"
"We've come this far. You cant just back out! Don't be such a coward!"
Frost was so angry at being left alone yet again, that she forgot to keep her voice down.
"Shut up!" Rose hissed.
But it was too late.
"Who goes there!" snarled a familiar voice as the fierce brown tabby leapt through the undergrowth.
"You again!" he growled spotting Frost. When he saw Rose, something strange happened.
"Rose, is that you?" he said his features softening for a moment.
"Tiger" she said daring to breathe out for a moment
But then his expression hardened. Tiger padded forward.
"Where have you been for the past half- moon? We have been worrying about you. Even Thorn. We thought you had abandoned us!"
It seemed that Frost had become invisible. Tiger and Rose seemed to be encased in their own private bubble.
"Well… I… I have come back. I just needed time to clear my head. It was such a shock. And it was very upsetting." Rose said staring at the ground as if she wished it would engulf her there and then. Frost was becoming more and more concerned as to the whereabouts of Ice.
"Thorn can't walk anymore, but never mind him. You're the one who's shocked and upset."
"Listen Tiger I…"
"Can you two save your argy bargy for later! I still need to find my son"
Frost's mouth seemed to say of it's own accord. Even Frost was surprised at what she had said. Bramble and Rose both stared at her as if she had arrived from a different world altogether.
"Oh… right" Rose mewed apologetically.
"I know you're upset with me right now Tiger, but have you seen a small white kit?"
Frost dreaded the answer. She was so sure he would not take kindly to seeing Ice on his territory again.
"Yes. He was hunting on our territory. So we took him back to our camp" Tiger growled.
Ice how could you be so stupid?
A/N Phew! That was quite an involved chapter and turned out differently than I first imagined it. As always hope you enjoyed please comment or review so that I can know if it was any good or where I could improve etc, etc.
On a side note chapter five might not come out until early December due to my busy schedule until then.