{ Right Outta the Sky } Wind x Quail

The Sharp Claw mountain range was coated with frost, their summits blanketed in a thick layer of snow. Mount Talon was one of the highest peaks, and it had not been spared from Leaf-Bare's icy grasp. But farther down, on the slopes of the dormant volcano, some of the snow and frozen water had been cleared away. A neat little pathway wound between the rocks and jagged cliffs, leading up to the mouth of a massive cave, where the ice and cold disappeared. Warm air floated through the cavern, keeping its inhabitants safe and cozy.

In the warriors den, cats lay on their backs and sides, fast asleep in the wee hours of the morning. But one shape was beginning to stir. Opening her yellow eyes, Windchill blinked the sleep from her gaze, rustling slightly before getting to her paws. She stretched out her tired muscles, yawning lazily and flicking her tail in an attempt to rouse herself. Dawn patrols were not her favourite thing, but Windchill wasn't complaining. Brambleleaf was in dire need of Catmint, and Quailstar himself had requested that she join him on a dawn patrol to the base of Mount Talon. A Catmint plant grew beneath an overhang around the side of the mountain, protected from the harsh weather and cold. It was there that RaggedClan's medicine cat tended the plant so that the Clan would have plenty to spare, even in Leaf-bare. Shaking out her pelt, and giving her chest a few quick licks, Windchill padded out of the warriors den. She headed past the fresh-kill pile, ignoring the rumbling in her stomach. She would have time to eat later. Right now, her mind was on the mission at hand.

It was still dark outside, but Windchill's eyes were accustomed to the low light, so she quickly spotted Quailstar's form waiting by the old tree outside of camp, his fur fluffed up in the cold. "Good morning," Windchill meowed, padding up to her leader. "Sorry for the delay; I'm not really a morning cat."

Quailstar turned to look at her, a smile on his face as he spoke. Windchill grinned back at him, ears twitching. "Now that we're out in the snow, energy won't be a problem!" She replied with a wink, her tail waving back and forth.

It was common knowledge to most cats in RaggedClan that Windchill was very fond of Leaf-bare. Many of her Clanmates found it bizarre, but the fluffy grey she-cat loved the chill in the air, and the crunch of snow beneath her paws. Even the lack of prey did not quell her delight. She'd jumped at the opportunity to patrol out their frozen territory. And the fact that she was making the trip with Quailstar was an added bonus. There were not many cats in RaggedClan Windchill was truly close to; yes, she was pleasant with everyone and fond of all her Clanmates, but she did not have many firm friends. Luckily, Quailstar happened to be one of them.

They'd become friends a few moons earlier, when Windchill had approached him about her younger sister, Mudpaw. After the death of her parents, Windchill had become very protective of her younger sibling, and had requested that her friend Singewhisker mentor Mudpaw when she reached the age of 6 moons. Quailstar had surprisingly agreed. Since then, they'd spent more time together and had quickly become close. Windchill was not intimidated by Quailstar as many other cats were; when it was just the two of them, she treated him like any other cat she called friend. "Alrighty!" Windchill said happily, bouncing on her paws, ready to be off. "Shall we head out then, brave leader of mine?"

Windchill snorted, falling in line behind her friend (as there was only room for one on the narrow cliffside). "Please, I could walk this trail in my sleep!" She meowed confidently, her whiskers twitching. It was true, the pathway leading down to the small glade that protected their supply of Catmint was treacherous. But Windchill had been a warrior for many moons now, and had made the journey before. Her love of the cold and her broad, tough paws made it easy for her to grip the ledge below, even when it was coated in ice. She did not mind the trip and often volunteered to go.

Windchill carefully picked her way down the slope, trailing behind Quailstar. "I hope so," she replied, when the tom queried about the weather. "Though, we'd have to clear the walkways again." Which was not a bad job at all, in Windchill's opinion. Any excuse to get out into the snow was good enough for her. "Hailfeather wouldn't be too happy about it though. It'd mess up her patrol schedule; again."

RaggedClan's deputy was very young, and she strived to make herself look better in the eyes of the older warriors. Her patrols were always organized and efficient, so most cats knew better than to mess with Hailfeather's plans. Snow, however, was a completely different matter...

They were about halfway down the path now, and the wind was picking up slightly. Windchill loved Leaf-bare, but even she knew better than to mess about on the cliffs during bad weather. "We should probably pick up the pace." She suggested, looking at Quailstar expectantly.

The pair made their way down the mountain path, fighting the wind that had picked up during their travels. Both cats were gifted with thick fur, and Windchill was grateful for it, but even she was beginning to feel the cold. Thankfully, their destination was just up ahead.

A large wall of rock loomed up in front of them, the entrance to the hidden glade invisible to any cat who wasn't of RaggedClan. As they approached, the rocks that had looked like a solid wall from far away now revealed themselves. They were layered, two slabs of rock staggered against each other, a small opening hidden unless a cat got close. Windchill glanced at Quailstar before squeezing through the gap, the darkness of the tunnel engulfing her.

She walked in darkness for a few moments before rounding a bend, the tunnel growing brighter until Windchill emerged into a vast cavern. Only a hole at the top of the cave allowed light to shine through, and it was the only other way into the cave, though any cat who tried would quickly plummet to their death. Down near the centre of the gave, a few plants grew atop a thick layer of moss, and it was there that Brambleleaf had planted the catmint.

Windchill jumped from boulder to boulder, quickly reaching the plant and biting off a few leaves. When she had a decent mouth full, Windchill backed up to allow Quailstar to grab some as well. Her mouth was watering from the scent of the leaves but Windchill swallowed her saliva, ignoring the tempting taste. Her Clan needed this more.

Windchill stood off to the side as Quailstar approached, following her path to the catmint plant. She waited until her leader had gathered a sufficient amount of the herb before turning to leave. With Quailstar in the lead, the two cats returned to the tunnel, leaving the eerie calm of the Hidden Glade behind them. Windchill glanced back only once before the darkness of the cave engulfed her, silently bidding farewell to the the small paradise inside the mountain.

Squeezing herself through the gap and out of the dark, Windchill emerged behind Quailstar, squinting as she readjusted to the light. She immediately hunched her shoulders, eyes still half-shut to protect them from the weather that had appeared while they were in the glade. The wind had picked up, sending flurries of snow into the air and practically blinding the two cats. Windchill was wary of the storm, but seemed as though Quailsatr wanted to press on so she followed behind him, double checking to make sure she had a good grip on the catmint leaves before padding after him.

The wind howled in her ears as Windchill climbed up the mountainside, and with her eyes shut, she could only use her paws to figure out where she was going, following Quailstar's faint scent through the blizzard. An eerie shrieking cut through the sky above them, and at first, Windchill thought it was just the wind. But when the noise came again, closer, Windchill froze. That screech was unmistakable to her now.

Windchill looked up into the snowy sky just as a large shadow swooped down towards them, massive wings blotting out the faint light from the sky.