smoky's barn

[rowanmoon]

Smoky stifled an endeared chuckle as Winter fell into him, wrapping a paw around the white cat to hold him in place and keep him from hitting the ground. He leaned down to nuzzle Winter's face affectionately, endlessly entertained by his antics, like always. His snowflake was so cute.

"Are you ready to follow orders yet?" he asked, sincere despite the teasing tone of his voice.

@zozelen

[zozelen]

Winter's nose scrunched up as Smoky rubbed his face against Winter's own. His ear twitched with annoyance, and he tried his best to pull back a little. He couldn't get distracted.

Winter didn't know how to refute Smoky, so he just glared up at him, giving his best displeased look. "No," he meowed, simply. Smoky was being ridiculous. Winter didn't need to listen to him- he was only a few moons older, and they were of an equal standing. It's wasn't like Winter was still an apprentice and Smoky was a warrior. "I don't need to listen to you." It was a little blunt, but he felt like it needed to be said. Smoky barely even won their fight, anyways. Winter fell.

He was self aware enough to realize he wasn't usually this... disagreeable, and sounded slightly like a difficult youngling. But he wasn't the type of cat to just be pushed around. If he decided to listen to someone, it was because he agreed with their judgement, or because he respected them. Smoky was like a friend to Winter. He respected him in that way, but knew that Smoky could be a little foolish at times.

Winter was tempted to wriggle free of his grasp and stalk off, but that'd likely cause more trouble. For now, he stayed where Smoky held him, giving him an expectant and miffed stare. Like he was (naively) waiting for Smoky to just let him free, so he could go on that hunting trip.

@rowanmoon

[rowanmoon]

Smoky narrowed his eyes at Winter's words, his tail lashing back and forth. It was like he was trying to provoke him. I don't need to listen to you, yeah right. Winter always needed to listen to him.

And either way, Smoky won their fight. It was nonnegotiable.

"Oh really?" he purred, tightening his grasp on Winter, to show that he wasn't planning on letting go of him any time soon. If he thought that Smoky was going to let him go while he was still being so disobedient. he was gravely mistaken.

@zozelen

[zozelen]

Winter didn't answer the question, since he had the slight feeling it was rhetorical. The paw wrapped around him slowly tightened, and he could feel a low rumble start next to his ear. Smoky was purring. For someone reason.

Winter quietly sighed, exasperated but also fond. Smoky really was so weird.

"If you're tired," he meowed, "you can just go back to sleep." He hadn't actually said that yet, Winter realized. Maybe now that he did, Smoky would take his offer and go.

Winter didn't know why else Smoky would be purring and getting so... tactile. He tended to do this when they were sleeping, so that was the only connection he could make. Winter gently nudged Smoky's shoulder with his head- he wasn't a touchy cat, exactly, but he felt a little bad doing nothing while Smoky nuzzled him and purred. He understood it was Smoky's way of expressing he cared. In Windclan, he didn't see many friends acting that way with eachother, but Smoky was different than the other cats he met. And Winter... didn't mind the closeness.

He slowly blinked his yellow eyes. Huh. Winter didn't feel this tired earlier. He leaned against Smoky further, trying to wake himself up. There was nothing to help him- everything was dark, and Smoky's purring was... so...

Winter muffled his yawn with dark gray fur.

@rowanmoon

[rowanmoon]

Smoky couldn't help but smirk as he felt Winter relaxing into him, gently kneading white fur with his paw.

"Mmm, I don't know if I'm the tired one here," Smoky murmured affectionately, laughing a little. Winter got so cute when he was sleepy; he let Smoky get away with so much more.

He felt Winter yawn against his fur. Perfect timing.

He leaned down to try and nudge his head against Winter in an attempt to help him walk (ideally towards the barn). If Winter was tired enough, he'd let Smoky help him. When he wouldn't let him, then it was no longer Winter's choice. Smoky just wanted to take care of him after all, and even though he would never admit it, Winter liked it when he did.

@zozelen

[zozelen]

Cinder
5 moons
Loner

Brrr. It was so cold out! Cinder trotted out of the barn, away from her warm bed in the hay to explore outside. When she woke up, Uncle Smoky and Uncle Winter were missing! She had to go find them!

Cinder wasn't scared of the dark, and her nearly black fur helped her blend right in anyways. The few white spots on her stood out though. Where could her uncles have gone? It felt like they never let her or her brother out of their sights, so it was weird that they weren't there. And Uncle Smoky said it was dangerous out at night! Hopefully she wouldn't get eaten.

"Hem-hem... UNCLE SMOKY! UNCLE WINTER! WHERE ARE YOUUUU- oh. Hi!!!" She could see them now! Uncle Winter's fur was really bright in the dark. He was so white! Even more than her brother! When she looked closer, she could see that her uncles were right together, like usual. Uncle Winter looked sleepy. Was Uncle Smoky bothering him? Keeping him awake?! She ran over as fast as her little legs could take her.

"Stop pestering Uncle Winter!" She squeak-growled. She loved her Uncle Smoky, but he was a bit of a meanie sometimes. He was alwaaays teasing them. He was just too silly! Maybe if her and Snow and Uncle Winter all teamed up, they could take him down and show him who's boss!

If Snow had followed her, she hadn't realized it. From what she had seen he was still sleeping, but maybe she woke him up. Cinder wasn't very good at being sneaky.

@rowanmoon

[rowanmoon]

Smoky's ears perked up at the sound of the kit's voice. He smiled at her endearing high-pitched growl. She could be quite protective of Winter, and Smoky had to admit that it may have been slightly because of the example he set. It was a good thing, because what if something happened when Smoky was out hunting? Or if they got separated again?

It was simply reassuring to know that someone would be looking out for his snowflake.

Cinder's white spots shown like headlights against the dark backdrop, and a cat could almost miss her if she was completely grey, like Ash. Smoky was good at spotting white fur in any situation, so he had yet to lose either of the kits.

He turned to meet Cinder's indignant face.

"Aw, don't worry about him," he said. "He likes it, he just pretends not to. Your Uncle Winter and I were only messing around, just like you and your brother!"

@zozelen