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fallenclan · 6 months

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"There's a mouse hiding beneath that pine," Yellowjay whispered, ears pricked to detect any other sounds of movement. Antbite nodded, motioning for Yellowjay to move in for the kill.

Crowflame watched the younger warriors intently, feeling a pang of pride at how well his clanmates worked together. As Yellowjay crept forward, the mouse scent was suddenly overtaken by a far more pungent odor, causing the fur along Crowflame's spine to raise in alarm.

The tom barely had time to issue a warning when a massive red fox burst through the trees. Its teeth snapped together in a horrible click, its gaze cold and unfeeling. Crowflame's heart was racing. The leafbare snow seemed to melt beneath Crowflame's paws, instead being replaced with burning stone, the smell of decay swirling through the air.

"Antbite, look out!" Yellowjay yowled. The fox had turned its vicious fangs upon Antbite, and in one feral chomp it tore a chunk from Antbite's pelt. The tom shrieked in pain, staggering back, but the fox wasn't finished. It lunged for Antbite again, jaws a moment from snapping down around Antbite's throat. Crowflame was frozen, he couldn't move, he couldn't do anything, his son--

"Crowflame! Wake up, blossom, you're having a nightmare." Awakening with a start, Crowflame practically flew to his paws.

"Blizzardfang? Where's Antbite? What's going on?" The tom hissed, gaze sweeping across the warriors' den. A couple ears twitched irritably, but most cats remained asleep. Mossfrog was blinking at him groggily while Sweetclover was eyeing him with open concern. Finally, Crowflame's gaze landed on Antbite. The tom's chest was rising and falling gently, tail twitching occasionally in sleep.

"Why don't we go get some fresh air?" Blizzardfang murmured, her bushy tail running along Crowflame's flank.

"Yeah, some fresh air. . . okay." Crowflame took a deep breath, shooting Sweetclover an irritable scowl for good measure. He didn't need the young warrior fussing over him because of this.

Blizzardfang trotted ahead, occasionally glancing behind her to make sure Crowflame was following. The two eventually stop to sit in a secluded corner of camp, not wanting to bother Brambletuft or Myrtleclaw, the cats who had been saddled with tonight's camp guard duty.

As he sat, Crowflame buried himself in Blizzardfang's fur, hiding his scarred face against her warmth. "This time it was Antbite," Crowflame mumbled.

"Have you talked to Silverbelly about this yet?"

"No."

"You said you would," Blizzardfang scolded lightly, shaking her head. "If these nightmares don't stop, you won't get any sleep."

"Last time I visited the medicine den, I was told my vision isn't going to get better," Crowflame grumbled, shifting so that he could see Blizzardfang's face. What had once been the most beautiful face he had ever seen, eyes gleaming enchantingly like twin lightning bugs, fur soft yet wild like a windstorm, was now little more than a grey blur.

"We don't know that for sure, blossom."

"We do, though," Crowflame replied bitterly. "I walked right into a wall yesterday. Snailpaw laughed at me!" She had quickly stopped laughing when Crowflame whirled on her, spitting furiously.

"You don't need your vision to be a great warrior. A great deputy," Blizzardfang purred. "This is your dream, Crowflame. Live it!"

"I can't," he huffed. "Not when half the clan pities me. It's a wonder why Cherrystar chose me at all."

"Crowflame," Blizzardfang chided. "No one pities you. No one doubts you except for you."

"Maybe you're right."

"I'm always right!"

"I know." Crowflame sighed, flicking a pebble across camp with his tail. "I want to be a good deputy. I've been doing a good job, but I can't shake this feeling that something is going to go horribly wrong and I won't be able to stop it."

"It doesn't all have to be on you. If anything goes wrong, I'll be right by your side. Nothing gets past me," Blizzardfang grinned in a manner so goofy that Crowflame had to fight to keep a grin of his own off his face.

"Okay, fangs, I believe you."

"You better!" Blizzardfang used a paw to ruffle Crowflame's fur. If any other cat tried that, they surely would get their paw bitten. With Blizzardfang, Crowflame only chuckled.

"I don't envy Cherrystar, but sometimes I wish I could have been made leader instead of Maplestar. I feel like the time has slipped right out of my paws. I'm practically an elder now."

"Being an elder isn't so bad. You'll get to boss everyone around a ton."

"I already do that as deputy."

"You'll get to do it even more!"

"I suppose," Crowflame relented. "At least I'd be leaving the clan in capable paws. There's no shortage of young warriors to take my place."

"Is there anyone in particular you're looking at?"

"Biased, I'd have to say Antbite. He's a good kid. I think he'd make a great deputy. Unbiased? Probably Poppyfeather. I'd trust her to lead the clan well."

"I'm not sure Antbite would even want to be deputy." Blizzardfang tilted her head consideringly. "Poppyfeather's probably a good choice. She's a bit hard to read, though."

"She and I see eye-to-eye about a lot of things." Crowflame shrugged. "I'm starting to feel a lot better, actually."

"Do you want to try and get some more sleep?"

"I'd rather stay out here for a bit longer, if that's okay."

"Of course." Blizzardfang rubbed her head against Crowflame's cheek, a deep purr rumbling in her chest. "Just don't stay out here brooding for too long, okay? Our nest gets cold without you."

Crowflame seriously doubted that last statement, but murmured an agreement nonetheless.

By the time Crowflame returned to their nest, it was almost morning. He found he didn't mind, the night having given him a strange sense of clarity. As he snuggled against Blizzardfang, she immediately wrapped her paws around him, smooshing him against her chest. (Blizzardfang did this quite often, nearly crushing Crowflame in her sleep. He didn't mind.)

As Crowflame drifted to sleep again, he was certain no more foxes would haunt his dreams.

-🐉(tempted to do a "collection of moments" piece for blizzardcrow... would you be interested in that or are there other characters you'd like to see?

also felt the need to add yellowjay as tribute.)

SCREAMING AND CRYING... dragon i love your fics so much i cannot even express it properly. him comparing Blizzard's eyes to lightningbugs. calling her Fangs. sobs and wails DRAGONNN my heart. god i love this sm

#HITS EXTRA HARD BC HE JUST GOT HIS ELDER SPRITE #HES OLD :(((#and blizzard is gonna get hers in another 2 moons #fallenasks #fallenfic #dragon anon #if i had to suggest a cat . id say feathersight #or rustmoss. i love them together. holding them gently

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