Trouble's Been Doggin' My Soul{Wolfie}

[Foxpaw]

Winterfrost padded forward, heading straight to his mate's den. He should probably head to his sister's den, but he just had to see Pinestar first. It was night, and the moon hung beautifully in the sky. Usually it would make the tom's pelt glow, but today, his usually clean, neat white pelt was matted in spots. In others, sticky red made his pelt seem black in some places.

He had been worried that Pinestar hadn't been eating properly, so he had decided to go for a little night hunting. He wasn't stupid. He hadn't gone far, just far enough where the scent of sleeping cats wouldn't scare away the prey. The rogue had been black as the shadows that he hid in, and he never saw him coming. If it wasn't for his thick fur, he'd have more than a few shallow scratches. He shuddered at the thought of what could of happened if he hadn't decided to go hunting. The rogue was alone, but for all he knew he could of been coming to steal kits or some of their sparse prey.

He paused outside the den, stopping to lick the worst wound on his neck, though he could hardly reach it. That cat sure was sneaky, but at least most of the blood on him wasn't his. He sighed as he padded in as softly as he could. He hated to wake her, but he knew it was best. "Love?" he murmured softly, closing the distance between them to softly touch his nose to her ear.

[theassasindinosaur]

Pinestar was laying down comfortably in her den on a soft bed of moss, sound asleep. Her dreams weren't filled with horrible images or even hunting a delicious bird but about lying down with her handsome mate in a tall pine tree. Not talking or even purring but just gazing at a beautiful lake together with their tails entwined.

Suddenly, the she-cat's wonderful dream was shaken as she slowly woke up to the sound of a tom's voice and breath on her ear. If it had been any other cat the leader would have been angry at the sudden intrusion of a nice dream (something she rarely had nowadays) but the cat waking her just wasn't any cat. It was her mate, Winterfrost.

"Hey..." Pinestar murmured back drowsily, slowly turning her head to greet her mate with a lick but withdrew a bit in shock as she saw and smelled blood on Winterfrost's pelt. Some his and some another cat's who was a stranger to her. "Winterfrost? Where have you been? Are you hurt? What've you done this time you mousebrained fool?"

Pinestar's voice was filled with worry and concern for her love. She struggled to get up on her paws and sniff at the white tom, gently licking any wounds that she found as she searched his fur.

[Foxpaw]

Winterfrost's eyes softened in a way that they only did for a few cats-particularly Autumnleaf and Pinestar. He hated that he'd worried her. She had enough to worry about after all. "Pinestar, Pinestar, I'm fine," he soothed, pressing close to her and giving her head a few comforting licks. "I just got a few scratches. I was barely outside of camp, hunting, and a rogue attacked me. Hardly even saw the sneaky mange-pelt coming. But its a good thing I did. He was heading straight for the camp." He stroked her spine with his tail.

[theassasindinosaur]

Pinestar immediately relaxed under Winterfrost's comforting touch and reassuring words. There was only one cat that could calm the leader with only a small touch or word and that cat was Winterfrost.

"Are you sure you're all right? You have a pretty bad scratch on your neck..." Pinestar purred and sat down, nuzzling her mate's neck gently with care "Wait. A rogue coming here? To the camp!? Great Starclan... Thanks Winterfrost..."

[Foxpaw]

Winterfrost allowed his mate to nuzzle him, a deep purr rumbling in his chest. Afterwards though, he slunk to the bottom on the den tiredly, motioning with his tail for her to lay beside him. His blue eyes were troubled. "They're getting awfully bold, Pinestar..." he mewed with a weary sigh. "He could of been going for the kits, for all we know." The usually fearless tom couldn't suppress a shudder. His mind went back to two small kits, barely more than furballs, out with their mother in the forest for the first time. He closed his eyes and gave his head a shake. This wasn't the time to take an unpleasant trip down memory lane.

[theassasindinosaur]

Pinestar relaxed under her mate's comforting touch, feeling her worries and fears starting to melt away if only by just a little bit. There was only one cat who could calm down the leader of Skyclan and that cat was Winterfrost. She scooted a bit and let her mate get comfy on the moss and, instead of just simply lying down next to him, draped herself on top of Winterfrost's broad back, carefully resting her head on his shoulder.

"The kits?" Pinestar raised her eyes, yellow eyes full of shock and worry "Oh dear Starclan... You know, I was out hunting earlier and I saw more twolegs. They were closer to the camp than ever. Oh, Winterfrost... I don't want to force my clan to move! I- I'm really scared..."

A scared, pitiful mew escaped the leader's maw after she spoke, burying her chocolate brown head in her mate's fluffy fur. No one had ever seen Pinestar this scared and weak. Ever. Not even Winterfrost had seen her like this.

[Foxpaw]

Winterfrost wrapped his tail around his mate's blue eyes filled with gentle concern. Inside he was anxious, but he pushed any stormy thoughts down, determined to be there for his mate. He was really worried about her, eyes widening slightly at her breakdown. He had never seen her so distraught. Gently, he began covering Pinestar's brown pelt in licks. "Then don't. It'll all be ok..." he mewed, voice strong. "If anyone can bring them through this, you can. I'm sure Autumnleaf will have a dream soon." He paused thoughtfully. "And if things do get bad, we'll all follow you wherever you lead us. And I'll be right by your side. Always."

[theassasindinosaur]

"Why do you always have to be so perfect?" Pinestar asked sadly yet lovingly, yellow eyes locking with blue ones "I can never love you the same way you love me Winterfrost... Here you are, willing to give up the world, just for me! I hate to say it, but here I am, not willing to do the same. Anyway, thanks love..."

It was true. Pinestar would give up her mate for her clan if it was necessary, though she did hate to admit it.

"Hey, Winterfrost? Umm..." Pinestar licked her pelt a few times, trying to hide her embarrassment "Uhh.... Do you want to have kits?"

[Foxpaw]

The large tom fought down a sigh, turning his face so she could not see the turmoil there. It was true, and he known it, had known it before she voiced it moons ago. He had first heard it from Autumnleaf one newleaf day when he was blinded and sickened by love. He laid on a cool rock, his sister looking through herbs with a worried expression on her face. It had taken him a while to wrap his head around it, and he had avoided Pinestar for a couple days until he had convinced himself it was worth it, loving this cat with every fiber of his being when she was unable to do the same. In all his selflessness, he still couldn't stop the sharp pang that sliced through his heart whenever she voiced it out loud. He had promised himself that he'd never ask her to change or to give up this for him. She did love him, and that was all that mattered, all he needed.

He was arubtly brought out of his thoughts by her next words. He whirled to look at her, bright blue eyes astonished. His mouth opened and closed as he tried to wrap his head around what she was saying. It had always been something he had put off. He held all kinds of fears in that concern. Winterfrost was nothing if not practical, and could having kits at a time like this really be a good idea? However, one look at her eased his fears. He wouldn't let anything bad happen to their kits. "Yes," he finally purred, nuzzling her cheek with his.

[theassasindinosaur]

Honestly, the leader of Skyclan was shocked when her mate said yes without saying anything else though she knew they shared the same doubts. They both knew that they may have to move so extremely soon and it would dangerous to have kits but she knew that Winterfrost would protect their kits with his soul. Pinestar would protect them to the best of her ability but once the clan got involved she knew that she wouldn't be able to give the clan up for her kits. She would never give up her clan for anybody or anything.

"Thank you Winterfrost." she whispered softly, barely audible, as she purred and nuzzled the white tom "What would I be without you?"

[Foxpaw]

Winterfrost felt as excited as a kit about to be apprenticed. Kits. Him, a Father. He certainly wasn't going to walk out on them like his Father did. Not to mention that he would be raising them with this amazing cat. He twined his white tail around her brown one, licking her ear gently and affectionately before fixing her with a slightly stern gaze. "From the looks of it, you'd be withering away to nothing. I know we're low on prey, but you have to take some prey." He looked slightly exasperated, but there was still a soft glint to his eyes that never faded around her. She had him wrapped around her paw, that was for sure.

[theassasindinosaur]

Pinestar forgot about everything outside of her den as Winterfrost entwined his tail with hers and gave her ear an affectionate lick. Literally everything. She forgot about her clan, her duties, her status. All she knew was Winterfrost and their love.

"Fine but only for you and the kits my dearest Winterfrost." she replied, gently headbutting him playfully "Only because I love you..."

In the midst of the affections of the two cats, what Winterfrost said was true. The leader was becoming thinner and thinner thanks to the shortage of prey and her, knowing this, not wanting to eat much so the clan could have more. Her once extremely glossy coat was dulling and her bold eyes were gradually becoming softer in color due to the lack of nutrients her body was getting.