Warm hearts, cold noses (open)

Laying a few pawsteps away from the freshkill pile, the largely built Lightningstar gulped down a vole. Though it was Leaf-bare and the camp clearing was covered in a thin blanket of snow, the thick-furred leader enjoyed anytime that wasn’t spent cooped up in his den. So, he decided that he’d might as well hang out in the clearing, which would hopefully be some sort of an invitation to his clanmates to join him. Although the fluffy leader could be seen as not the most welcoming of cats, he still took an effort to make time in his day to spend with his clanmates and hoped that they could see that.

Trotting into camp with two vole tails dangling from her maw, Cloudbreeze just about completely blended in with her surroundings. The white in her fur allowed her to blend into the snow, with the tabby mixing in well with the brush that had gone bare with the frigid air. It made for quite a successful hunt, allowing her to ambush the pieces of prey easily. Quickly spotting her father within the midst of the rather sleepy clan, her paws swiftly carried her to drop off her two prizes before giving a quick dip of her head out of respect. Taking a spot somewhat nearby, Cloudbreeze took to sitting rather than completely laying within the snow. "I see you've finally emerged from your den for the day." The she-cat joked, a somewhat monotone voice prodding the leader. It was customary to how she spoke - it took a good ear to understand her inflections. A good ear like that of her father. Having her spot in the snow slowly being made larger by her swishing tail, Cloudbreeze took to grooming herself light-heartedly. Hunting didn't leave a cat spotless, that's for sure.

Logleap was hardly in the mood for snow. To clarify - he was never in the mood for the dreadfully cold substance that covered him every time that leafbare came around. He was certain that everyone was bound to be frozen alive under such conditions, and worse, that he was the only one who saw the true evil behind the mask of leafbare. His herb stores were incredibly pitiful, but he could hardly muster up the courage to step paw outside of his own den. Icicles were deceptifully deadly at this time of year.

But hunger was a gnawing factor that kept him acutely aware that he needed to get food. Sure, he could call out to those outside the den, but that would only hurt his (already damaged) reputation. So Logleap, on quaking paws and with green eyes that flitted wildly about, padded into the camp uneasily. His gaze fell to the fresh-kill pile, but it seemed his worst nightmare was set to become true. Social interaction. And, with his luck, with the leader and - how wonderful - deputy as companions. The tom tried to fix his gait as he approached them, but his green eyes continued their mad scan of his surroundings subconsciously.

"Lightningstar, Cloudbreeze." at least he managed those words without dissolving into nervous laughter, or worse, being left unable to speak at all. "Hm. The prey pii-" he shook out his pelt. "pile. It looks as scarce as my, um, herb stores." Logleap was proud of himself for such an observation. And a potentially humorous comment! He was positively thriving.

Great StarClan, he knew he should've stayed in his den and ate there. Not even a few minutes after he began his meal, one of his daughters graced him with her presence and then the clan's medicine cat, Logleap. Not moving his head, the tom's gaze turned to the she-cat and then to the obviously nervous tom. "Hmm... I suppose I did..." the husky voiced leader mewed, his voice somewhat straight and bland, per usual. Turning his focus to Logleap, Lightningstar raised a non-existent brow at the medicine cat's attempt at telling a joke. "If only the scarcity of prey was something to joke about..." he huffed, meeting Logleap's gaze before taking another bite of his meal.

The deputy's tail flickered warmly in greeting towards the medicine cat, a huff and a roll of her eyes directing towards her father. It was glaringly obvious their medicine cat had social issues, and it wasn't anything to scold him about. To Cloudbreeze, it was a shock that he had come to socialize at all. As much as she wished to have inherited her father's size and build, she much more closely resembled her mother. Much more small, pointed. "I think you're just upset you can't maintain your gargantuan appetite, father." More jokes being passed around. It all was in affection, and she really couldn't help herself. It was a much lighter turn from her typical demeanor. "Are you in need of any helpers for herb collection, Logleap? I could easily get a few apprentices to help you." With cold did come shorter prey, which also meant sickness. Keeping the herbs stocked up was almost as important as keeping prey in the fresh-kill pile.

"I suppose I am," Lightningstar mewed in reply to his daughter and deputy. Licking the blood from his broad maw, the leader began to groom himself, keeping an ear perked as his listened in on the conversation that happened next to him. Being a medicine cat was no easy feat, especially in such a cruel and merciless season, and he was glad to see that even through Logleap's many... social trials, to say the least, he seemed to be managing as a medicine cat.