tree sap [windfluffy]

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It was an unseasonably warm morning in the mountains. Maplefrost let out a huge yawn, stretched stiffly, and padded out of the den - there wasn't much on the fresh-kill pile but some poor dawn patrol had apparently gone fishing. He grabbed a big trout and went back inside.

"Rise and shine, smell the fish," purred the calico elder as placed the fish near his mate's nest.

[Windflurry]

Windflurry yawned and rose her head when she heard the word fish come out of Maplefrost's mouth. Also the scent was pretty alluring too. "Did someone say fish? How'd you know that was my favorite" She attempted to play dumb but it only seemed to stifle a laugh from herself. "Morning!" She chimed.

She was usually a little grumpier around anyone else but around Maplefrost she was much different. Usually quite happy and in high spirits. "Looks good enough to eat." She managed a slight sound of laughter before taking a bite. "Well of course you need to have some too." She glanced over at him with a smile.

[Deleted]

"Just a lucky guess," he replied with a sly grin. The fluffy Maine Coon flopped down close by muzzle practically brushing the fish - it smelled delicious but he'd always let Windflurry have the first taste.

His whiskers twitched slightly and he took a bite when prompted. "I'll never get tired of fish," Maplefrost replied with his mouth half-full. "But we should do something together today, it's been a while. Wanna go for a walk after breakfast?"

[Windflurry]

"A very lucky guess!" She purred. The tabby nodded in agreement. Fish was probably one of the tastiest prey in the Clan. It would be a shame if the weather were to get worse and to have the river freeze. Her primary diet was fish after all. "I don't understand cats in this Clan who don't like fish. How do they survive here?"

It was an honest and baffling question. "It has. I'm up for one, I haven't gotten out of the den for quite a while. I feel like I'll start to wither away if I don't see daylight soon." She took another bite of the fish.

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Maple snorted in amusement. "I bet they starve. Or survive on birds, but who wants to deal with feathers every time they have a meal? Too annoying," he commented. It was common knowledge amongst most IceClanners that anyone visiting the elders' den should bring fish. Nothing could cancel out the wrath of a grumpy Maplefrost like a fresh fish.

Quickly wolfing down a few more bites, he licked his lips (do cats really have lips?) and sat up. "Aah, same for me… I get out of the den but only for a while, and I haven't left camp in forever. Where do you think we should go?"

[Windflurry]

(omf well everyone on here says it :'DDD so I guess sorta in their own way LOL.)

"Birds are not my favorite. I'd rather eat a mouse. The feathers are as you said, troublesome." She agreed once again, nodding her head. She too could be won over with a fish. Anything else and you'd probably get a small thanks but not much appreciation for a small rodent or a feathery pest.

Finishing up the fish she sat up as well. "I almost forget what camp looks like." She joked but in all honesty it was sort of a harsh reality that she hardly got out anymore. "This is probably the suggestion you've received a thousand times, but the river?"

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"The river?" he mused, ears perking up. "Doesn't matter how much I go there, it's a good spot. We can definitely hang out there for a bit."

Maplefrost got to his paws, gave Windflurry's forehead a quick lick, then moved to stand by the den entrance. "We can go whenever you're set."

[Windflurry]

"Wasn't sure if you were tired of the same old place." She laughed lightly. She purred and followed him to the entrance. "I'm ready now. Let's go!" She was excited to finally get out of the den, especially with Maplefrost.

"I don't think I'm as good at fishing as I used to be." She said honestly, padding out of the den.

[Deleted]

Following the tabby closely, he purred. "That makes two of us! It's alright, we don't need to catch anything - isn't that what the younger cats are for? It'll just be a nice change of scenery."

[Windflurry]

"True, they can handle that." She was used to having the river be a place to source food for so many years that it was almost imprinted in her to feel like she had to hunt when there. But that was just the after affect of having been a warrior.

"It's nice to just get some fresh air."

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"You can say that again," Maple agreed with a smile.

A breeze tickled his nose and he sneezed abruptly, tripping over his own paws in the process. He stumbled forward and the tip of his mate's tail brushed his muzzle, which only caused him to sneeze more.

Wow he was graceful.

[Windflurry]

"I love the mountains." She watched as he tripped over his own paws and sneezed a few times. Windflurry tried to contain her built up laughter but couldn't help herself. "Gosh you're clumsy." Stifling a few more laughs she turned her head to look over at him.

"Be careful. Next thing I know you'll go flying into the river when we get there and catch a cold!" She teased.

[Deleted]

It took a minute for the elder tom to regain his bearings - all that sneezing had disoriented him, and that was always tricky for a blind cat. But he grinned as soon as he knew where everything was again.

"Me, clumsy?" he gasped in mock indignation. "Never! And the great Maplefrost never gets sick either. You must be thinking of RockClanners." Stepping forward, he leaned against Windflurry's flank and gave her ear a quick gentle nibble.

"Gotta have some faith in me," he teased.