Amber woke up to see Coal curled up beside her. They'd shared a nest because the night had been cold. His presence comforted her, and he made her feel safe. He woke up soon after her, yawning.
"Morning, sleepyhead." She purred, standing up.
"Good morning, Amber." Coal meowed. "How'd you sleep?"
"Well, thank you. How 'bout you?" Amber moved out of the way as Coal stood up.
"Like a rock. Wanna head back to the barn and get something to eat?"
"Yes please! I'm starving!"
"I would say 'race ya there', but it's too cold for that." He shivered as they stepped out from under the treeroot den. It had snowed more, and now the sparkling white substance was up to Amber's belly.
"I bet Catnip's mad." She laughed.
"Eh, who cares. Tell him to keep his anger to himself. We've got each other. We're alright."

Amber and Coal padded home through the snow. It froze Amber's feet and gave her shivers when it touched her belly.
"I am so cold, Coal." Amber flicked her tail.
"We're almost back to the barn. You can see it, way over there!" Coal replied.
"That doesn't change the fact that my feet are freezing off." She muttered.

Back at the barn, Smokey greeted them at the door.
"Is Catnip mad?" Coal asked him when they padded up to the barn.
"I don't even know if he noticed you guys were gone."
"He is kinda old, but really? He didn't notice it was so much quieter without me?" Amber said in mock surprise.
"He basically just slept the whole time. Getting in the sleeping hours while he could, I guess." Smokey said. "Come to think of it, where were you two-"
"Well, I'm cold!" Amber said as she shoved through the doors.
Smokey looked at her, confused.
"Well, I'm chilly too." Coal said as he walked into the barn after Amber, followed by Smokey.

Four days later Catnip's health had suddenly decreased drastically.
"He's going to be alright, right Smokey?" Amber asked, extremely concerned, as the three younger cats crowded the small shaky lump of fur that was Catnip.
"I honestly don't know. I might need to get the Twolegs to take him to the vet."
"It's that bad?" Coal mewed, his voice drenched in worry.
"I don't know! He won't eat, he is burning up, he doesn't move; it sounds serious." Smokey dropped Coal's gaze.
"He's not going to, you know...." Amber whispered.
"I can't tell if he's going to live or die. I don't have enough experience. That's why we need the vet." He looked at Amber. "I'll be back. I'm going to get the Twolegs." Smokey jumped down from the hay bale they were on and skirted out of the barn into the freezing cold blizzard.
"Amber?" Catnip's creaky old voice sounded. Coal went away, dipping his head respectfully.
"Yes, I'm here!" Amber moved closer to the sick tom.
"I might not live." He struggled for breath. "So you have to promise me that you'll make a life more interesting than barn life."
"No, no, no! Don't say that!" She dug her claws into the hay.
"Go find the Clans!" He choked out before his shallow breath got shallower, and then stopped.