A Winter's Night - (Ravenpaw x Barley)

Why is Starclan's name is it so cold? Ravenpaw thought to himself, shaking out the snow from his pelt. Barley was still in the comfort of the barn, sleeping off something that didn't make him feel awful the previous night. Ravenpaw thought fondly of the tom, his heart swelling at just the thought of him. He loved the tom, he really truly did, but some of the things he did made Ravenpaw feel like he should claw his own throat out. Somethings were pretty funny, like one night where he fell off one of the branches in the barn into the haystack, or what Barley called them, 'beams.'

Ravenpaw let his tail brush against the snow while he tasted the air for prey. Yes, there usually was prey in the barn, but for some reason most the mice had left. Barley and Ravenpaw couldn't understand it, but they would rather find themselves hunting than to go hungry. That was mostly Barley's thought though, as Ravenpaw didn't care much about prey. As long as if he was with Barley, his belly would never go hungry.

Something caught Ravenpaw's attention. He dropped into a hunter's crouch and started slowly moving towards the scent. A creature was scuttering around in the distance. A fluffy, curled tail lifted itself above the snow and twitched. Ravenpaw's heart lurched towards his paws, excitement filling his heart with a spark. It was the first squirrel he'd seen since the end of Leaf-fall. He couldn't celebrate yet though, as he hadn't even caught the squirrel yet. The snow that was falling was slowly getting worse, nearly knocking Ravenpaw off his paws when a sudden gust came.

Keeping his tail low to the snow, he kept going forward. His black fur wasn't going to help him at all during this, but he could feel the cold bite of snow on his pelt. If he was truly lucky, it would help disguise him. The squirrel suddenly jerked its head up in Ravenpaw's direction. Ravenpaw stopped immediately in his tracks, hoping that it wouldn't see him. It slowly looked around, then went back to its business of finding its own food. He kept going further until he was a few tail lengths away from it.

When he found his best opportunity, he pounced at the unexpecting squirrel. It squealed, and attempted to get away. Ravenpaw was too quick however, as his claws snagged the soft tail. He made its suffering painless with a quick nip to the neck. It fell limp in his paws, and he felt elated that he was able to catch it. Thank you Starclan for providing me with prey. Ravenpaw spoke a simple prayer and he looked up to where the stars were supposed to be. The storm was getting worse by the second.

He picked up the squirrel and turned towards the barn, or where it's supposed to be. Great Starclan, please don't tell me I'm lost! He groaned internally, and attempted to use his scent that he left behind to trace himself all the way to the barn. He made it halfway but his scent has been covered up by piles of snow. He tried for landmarks next, thinking of what surrounded the barn.

Trees? No that's too broad. Thunderpath? That's too far away since I never passed the Thunderpath. Ravenpaw kept on wracking his brain to find a landmark that would work. Then he thought of it. The fences! Those lead to the opening of the barn! He realised with glee, and he was off on his pursuit of the twoleg-made posts. In the distance and over the little hill, he saw the enchanted looking life-savers.

Lengthening his strides, he made it over to the fences in no time. Yet was a little out of breath, and great Starclan may Barley see how out of shape his little Thunderclan cat was. He was one to talk sometimes, but Ravenpaw feared if Barley wasn't happy with how he looked that Barley would abandon him.

Ravenpaw slowly padded with the fences, grateful for his luck that he didn't wander out too far. His whiskers twitched, the blood from the squirrel was starting to run cold. If he didn't get there soon, the prey would go to ruin. All of his effort to make Barley better would be all in vain. Thinking of this, he started running all the way to the barn. He couldn't make Barley suffer over his stupid little mistakes.

Around the corner, Ravenpaw saw the warm glow of the light hanging from the barn. Oh home sweet home! Ravenpaw thought, attempting not to pant as he might drop the squirrel from his mouth. Putting everything he had in the last tail-lengths, he arrived into the barn's blasting hot air. Ravenpaw felt the air wrap itself around him, welcoming its gentle embrace. He shook off the snow that blanketed his pelt, padding towards Barley's bedding.

Barley's splotchy black and white pelt stood out against the hay, making it easy for Ravenpaw to find him. Ravenpaw clambered up the pile, using his tail for balance. If he fell now, it would make his fur turn red from embarrassment. He dropped the squirrel at Barley's paws, nosing it towards him. "Hey, Barley? Wake up. I brought you some prey." Ravenpaw saw gently to the tom. Barley's eyes slowly opened, his blue-eyed gaze cloudier than the day before.

Barley's eyes slowly focused as much as they could, looking at the prey that Ravenpaw caught. His gaze softened even more than it already was, looking up towards him, "Ravenpaw, you know you don't have to do these sort of things for me. I'm just an old tom that got a bad cough, that's all." He rasped out, his meow sounding horrible. Ravenpaw shook his head, pressing it to Barley's, "I'd climb the tallest tree in the forest and jump if you'd tell me to. You know I love you so much I'd do that, right?" He purred, settling down next to Barley.

Barley lifted his head off his paws, affection pouring from his cloudy gaze. "Share this prey with me at least. I don't think I could finish it all if I tried." Ravenpaw felt his heart swell, and joined Barley in their meal. After they finished, Ravenpaw let out a long yawn. The prey had long since cooled down, but was warming up once again after he got in the barn.

Barley let out a mrrow of amusement, "Is the little kit tired after his long day's journey?" He coughed after he spoke it. Ravenpaw's sleek pelt fluffed up and he turned his head away from Barley. "Now, come on Ravenpaw. Don't be a pouty kit! Come here." Ravenpaw looked at him, and shuffled so he was closer to Barley.

Ravenpaw let his head rest on top of Barley's paws so he could listen to the reassuring thumping of his heart."Sleep well. You deserved it after today." Barley spoke quietly, a purr slowly rising from his chest. He bent down to lick Ravenpaw's neck fur, calming him into the wonders of his dreams. Before he drifted off however, Ravenpaw could've sworn he heard Barley meow 'I love you too' back to him.