Hawkfrost X Reader (Female biased)

Thought you knew

          The blinding sun shone through the pines on this side of the lake, in ShadowClan territory. There was a thick layer of snow on the ground, your paws seeping into the cold every step. Honestly, you wanted to turn back, but you needed to figure out what was going on, so you gathered up all your strength and kept pushing on.

          You smelled the faint scent of squirrel, your belly rumbling. Mothwing looked over at you. "Have you not eaten today?" Her eyes shone with concern. You shook your head bluntly. "No. I went hunting and came straight to you." Before Mothwing could reply, you added, "I'm fine. I shared a small shrew with Troutstream yesterday and—" You were cut off by Mothwing's tail flicking you across the mouth in a signal for you to stay quiet.

Sniffing the air, you realized you had missed the scent of a ShadowClan patrol. You trudged onward silently, trying to judge how close the lake's edge was from where you walked. Everything was covered in snow, making it difficult to separate lake from shore.

Then, you heard ice crunching beneath paws and you realized you'd been found. It's fine, you reassured yourself. We're closer than two tail-lengths to the lake. . . I think. . .

The patrol was lead by Russetfur, a few of her clanmates—unknown to you— flanking her. She glared at you and Mothwing, her eyes full of hostility. She took a step forward, letting her reddish pelt bristle.

"What are you doing on ShadowClan land," she mewed coldly, "and how soon can you leave?" She put all the authority she could into her voice, but you noticed how thin she looked, and how she was shaking with weakness. She's not in the state to fight, you realized. Dipping your head, you replied.

"We're on our way to ThunderClan, and we just needed to pass through to get there." With a nervous glance towards the lake, you added, "We're trying to stay close to the edge of the lake, wherever that is." You looked back over at Russetfur, who nodded decisively.

"Fine," she mewed. "Just know, that we will find out if you do anything wrong. So don't try and pull anything." With a wave of her tail, she gathered her patrol and continued onwards.

You shot a look at Mothwing, who returned it with a look that reflected how you felt inside. All the Clans are suffering through this sudden harsh leaf-bare. Nobody's in a fit state to fight. You glanced down guiltily. Except for those of us who train in the Dark Forest. You shook your head, clearing it, and trudged forward, the snow deep enough here for a cat to swim in.

Once you arrived in ThunderClan territory, you didn't need to wait long to be spotted by another patrol consisting of Dustpelt, Brackenfur, and the gray flecked tom and the pretty tortoiseshell she-cat from your dream. You racked your brain, trying to remember what her name was, but you couldn't think of it at the moment.

You dipped your head to the patrol as they approached, Mothwing speaking this time when they asked why you were there. You noted that the gray tom's eyes seemed hostile, but Brackenfur, who seemed to lead the patrol, had a friendly note in his voice, as if he were trying to keep from seeming rude. That's one thing you can count on ThunderClan for. If you need any kindness out-of-Clan, they'll never send you away. Some Clans thought it made ThunderClan weak, but personally, and you'd never tell any cat this, you thought that it made them stronger, in a sense. Their trustworthy attitude showed that they believed they could take on any trouble they faced, as long as they were together as a Clan.

You were drawn out of your thoughts when you realized that the patrol was leading you and Mothwing back to camp. You bounded forwards, nearing the point where you would be soon out of energy. You pictured your nice, warm nest back in RiverClan, and conceded that you would be back soon, as long as you kept moving.