A tremor ran down Frostfern's spine as the slim, white she-cat slipped through the forest like a whisper. Her lithe form brushed through the undergrowth with barely a sound, but the cold air invading her thin pelt made it seem like she was treading through water. She stumbled several times over roots, rocks, and the like; and one of her claws was torn and bleeding from where she had snagged it on some of the aforementioned debris. It didn't sting as much as she had expected, but her cold paws where probably to thank for that.

As she neared the edge of the forest, Frostfern's gaze flicked up to the high canopy above her. The sky could be seen clearly here at Tallpines. Some of the sun's light glistened off of the muddy puddles in the tracks of the twoleg monsters that slumbered in this part of the forest. The white ThunderClanner wrinkled her nose and curled her tail at the acrid stench they gave off. Why had she come here to hunt? Shrugging off the question, she padded gently forward. The ground was warmer here since the sun was shining down on it, and Frostfern's paws were quite so numb. the pain from her torn claw was beginning to return.

The tiny trickle of blood stained the fur around her pad a dark crimson as Frostfern limped through Tallpines. The scent of mouse drifted past her nose, causing the she-cat's mouth to water. Forcing the pain from her mind, she crouched down to the forest floor and turned toward the scent. The white cat kept a watchful eye out for any movement and stalked in the direction of her target. Before long she potted her prey, a plump mouse foraging in the leaves. Frostfern bunched the muscle in her hindquarters, waiting to spring; but as she sprang forward another cat leaped from the bushes near her, causing her to stumble and catch her injured paw on a rock. The she-cat screeched in pain, and rolled forward into the clearing with the mouse.

Frostfern hit the ground with a grunt and laid there for a few moments, stunned. When she was finally able to pull herself together, the white she-cat lifted her head up slowly to see another cat with large frame and dark ginger fur scooping dirt over the mouse she had been after only moments earlier. Giving her injured head a moment to register what had happened, Frostfern quickly realized who the ginger tom in front of her was. She sat up hastily, attempting to compose herself as her the skin under her pelt grew hot with embarrassment.

"Oh! Er, hi Redshadow. I didn't see you stalking that mouse." The flustered she-cat attempt to pull herself into a formal sitting position, but she cringed as her injured paw made contact with the ground. She let out a pained his, "Ah! Fox-dung!"

"You really should get back to camp, you don't want that to get infected." Redshadow said.

Frostfern grimaced at the thought of having to return to camp with no fresh kill, but she knew the dark ginger tom was right. She sighed inwardly and tested her paw again, her face twisting in pain as fire shot through her leg. Looking back up at Redshadow's worried expression she felt even more embarrassed. the clam-natured she-cat never did anything this clumsy, and this calm, wise tom was one of the last of Frostfern's Clan she wanted to witness her slip up. Shaking these selfish thoughts from her snow-white head, she caught the last of Redshadow's statement.

"I'll help you, if you'd like."

Frostfern gave her paw an experimental lick as she thought about his offer. The gentle rasp of her tongue soothed the burning wound, and she pressed it to the ground gently again. This time the fiery pain had subsided, replaced by a dull throb. Satisfied, she took a few steps forward, her lithe, white frame hobbling toward Redshadow. When she had come within a few tail-lengths of the ginger tom, Frostfern looked up at him and blinked her sapphire eyes gratefully. "Thanks, Redshadow." Then she added embarrassedly, "I think I could use the help."

Frostfern's eyes glittered at the dark ginger tom's kindness. She nodded thankfully as Redshadow turned to get his prey, testing her paw again. It still stung too much for her to support herself, but she tried not to let the tom see how much pain she was in. Staring into the tom's wise, amber eyes, she felt a shudder run down her spine as he rested his ginger tail against her white fur. What was that? Her knees suddenly felt weak, and she leaned onto her rescuer's shoulder without even meaning to. Her fur flushed with warmth at the contact.

"Erm.. Thanks, Redshadow. It was stupid of me, snagging my claw like that." She sighed as she leaned farther into Redshadow's shoulder. She had always been friends with the wise tom, but she had never really thought about him in any other way. Was she possibly falling for him? "We can head back if you want. I don't want to waste your time." she whispered shyly. she hissed inwardly at how awkward she felt now. It had never been like this before.

Frostfern's heart swelled at how understanding Redshadow was. She gazed up into his amber eyes, her own purr mingling with his. What was that strange glint she saw their...? The white she-cat's purr grew even louder as her clanmates tongue rasped over her ear. The pain in Frostfern's paw was completely forgotten now. Narrowing her eyes affectionately, she ran her fluffy gray tail across his flank.

"OK, Redshadow. Let's go home."

Frostfern leaned her injured arm against his strong shoulder again, the pain returning. Every step hurt. She put more and more weight on her companion, but he didn't seem to care. The white she-cat purred again at how he never complained once, taking the burden valiantly. Frostfern pressed her noes into his warm fur. Could she have feelings for this tom? Only time would tell.