TW: art and story feature animal death.
This is my little short story for how Foamflake got their name! Foamflake’s design was made by @cheerclaw! I dont usually post writing but its a story i really wanted to tell :3
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Foampaw’s Plan
The wind howled through the trees, sending a wave of snowflakes down onto the cats huddled below. This leafbare was the coldest and harshest that most cats had ever known. The clan was under strict orders to stay in camp, but their food stores were growing thin.
Foampaw, a broad, determined young cat with blue-gray and white fur, paced around in restless circles, ears pricked for any cat sharing news of the territory.
It had been multiple sunrises since any cat had been full fed, and the voices of the elders were growing weaker..
‘Someone has to DO something!’
The thought had been on Foampaw’s mind since the order was given. How could everyone stay huddled and hide from their own territory? Stay and starve while there might be prey to catch? Foampaw was not one to sit around, and decided to take matters into their own paws.
Late that night, as the flakes continued to fall, Foampaw’s pelt was pricked with adrenaline. Senior warriors had completely neglected the large, difficult prey that lived in the mountainous parts of streamclans territory. They said “The creatures are too fast, too big! It is a dangerous task!”
Foampaw agreed that it was a a reckless idea, but they didn’t have any others.
That night while the clan slept, Foampaw crept out into the blizzard, the cold wind hitting them like an icy claw. But they shook their fur out, and looked on, determined to enact their plan.
The warriors had mentioned seeing a herd of deer out beyond their borders, and they seemed to be travelling along the frozen river, towards StreamClan’s land. Foampaw continued, spitting out flakes as they trudged through the snow. The plan was to isolate one young member of the herd, and kill it before any other members of the herd noticed.
They followed the trail of the deer for a while, climbing into trees and watching their paths. They observed how the youngest one lagged behind, and the herd seemed to be struggling through a snowbank.
‘That’s the one’, Foampaw thought. ‘I just need to cut them off from the rest. I can do this. For the clan!’
Foampaws heart pounded in their fluffy white chest as they flew through the snow, the cold mist biting at their whiskers, the wet ground soaking through their paws.
The deer were incredibly large, especially up close. Their long, stick-like legs were paired with hard muscles, and the males had great weapons growing out of their heads! Hopefully, Foampaw thought, they wouldn’t have to see one of those ones any closer.
Foampaw dashed through the snow, circling around the herd with careful efficiency. Each step sent a biting pain through their paws, but Foampaw set their jaw and thought about the kits in the nursery. How one of these, even just a baby, could feed the whole clan. This plan had to work.
Foampaw was close now, smelling their strong, unusual scent all around them. The fawn had slipped behind a snowdrift, unable to climb the icy surface, and out of view from any grown deer. That’s the one.
‘For StreamClan!’
Foampaw suddenly burst out of the snow, lunging for the front of the fawn’s neck.
The creature bucked once, sending Foampaw flying away, but it was too late. Foampaw leapt up quickly, determined to finish the kill as quickly as possible.
Finally the fawn was still, and the blizzard fierce as ever, but Foampaw’s heart flooded with warmth. I did it.
Heaving with effort, Foampaw dragged the doe back to camp, leaving a thin trail of blood in the snow. Their muscles screamed, their throat was hoarse from breathing the cold air, but they continued on.
Finally, the camp came into view. The scent of prey had lured a few cats out into the clearing, and they sat astonished at what they saw. Foampaw lay panting, as their friends and clanmates gathered to help groom and warm them.
“Foampaw! You could’ve died! That was so reckless!” One of their friends mewed.
"But.. You did make it back, and now everyone will eat! You were so brave!” Another retorted.
The Clan’s leader, Silverstar, looked down at the apprentice with wide eyes. "Foampaw, your bravery has saved my entire clan. And though I wish you had told me about your plan, I’m proud of you for risking your safety for the sake of others. You have earned your warrior name tonight!”
Foampaw stood tall, beaming with pride as they nodded their acceptance.
“From this day forward, you shall be known as Foamflake,” Silverstar declared, their voice carrying in the night air. “For your selflessness, and your ability to rise above the storm.”
The clan cheered, and Foamflake’s heart soared as the clan called their new name. They had achieved the impossible, they had saved the day, they were a hero!
They had saved their clan, and had earned a warrior name that would be known throughout StreamClan history! Foamflake, the warrior who killed a deer.