Meadowclaw smiled before looking onwards dramatically, a trait she'd inherited from their mother. Her fur ruffled in a slight breeze. Tentatively, war and peace incarnate stood side by side and said it was time to fight. "May StarClan bless our claws." (Sc-Ecc- Meadowclaw's already been busy!)

Valleystorm gave a small smile, "Let's do it" she said, standing up next to her sister. She was grateful that her words had some effect on Meadowclaw. It warmed her heart to know that she could help in any way. She was grateful that the outcome of this emotional mess was that the two were closer now, than they ever were before. Possibly the closest relationship that Valleystorm had had with any cat, and that thought made her happy.

Meadowclaw's mind was a fuming chimney of ideas about herself, but the fire was quelled to a manageable volume by Valleystorm's concerned words. The she-cat was pacified and turned towards her sister, clarity startling. The world snapped into focus.

Starclan, she thought, I thought I was the one that had a way with words.

"Valleystorm," she said, the moment touching and soft, "thank you so much- I-I think I know what I need to do." she looked to the west, towards Raven's Fortress. "I-I just have this awful feeling that I need to go and help. If-if you'd like, I'd love it if you would come with me," she said, spur of the moment. She realized after the words left her mouth what she was asking and snapped her jaw shut.

Startled by her sister's sudden outbreak, Valleystorm almost flinched. It felt as if her heart broke a little seeing Meadowclaw in such pain, she had never seen this side of her before. Her whole life she had seen her sister as being a strong, intimidating cat. And while she could be rude at times, Valleystorm had always looked up to her confidence and power. She put her head down and rest her tail on her sister's shoulder. "Whats done is done, we all make mistakes" comforting others was never something she was good at but she was going to try really hard this time to help. "No matter what happens not, its all in the past, we cant change that. All we can do is look ahead and see where we can try to change that. Some things may not be fixable, and that's just the way of the world, but you have to work with that you've got. While others may not be, I'll always stand by you. I forgive you for anything you think needs my forgiveness. Worrying about the past is pointless, its much better to focus on the present and future" her voice was shaking slightly by the end, but she hoped her words could reach Meadowclaw and comfort her, even if it was only a little.

Meadowclaw's teeth ground together at the answer- circumstance, essentially, was what Valleystorm and Meadowclaw both knew to be the response. "I have so many regrets about those days," she said softly, "From one day to another, the way I treated my own brothers and sisters. . . " Meadowclaw's paws became cold with realization, her ears hot. The way she'd yelled and ignored Valleykit, Plateaukit, Mountainkit, Beachkit, Tundrakit, and Pricklekit was the same way she'd just subjected her entire family to her will within the camp. It was a reach, but to Meadowclaw, the parallels were suddenly shocking.

"Oh StarClan, what've I done!" she cried out suddenly, claws digging into moist earth, "Valleystorm- I'm so sorry-"

The question was quite a shock, and left Valleystorm speechless for a few moments. It took her another few moments to think of an answer, "I think, that while she might not have showed it very much, she liked you a lot. When you left with Pricklegaze, she was pretty sad, and you coming back made her very happy. She didn't realize what she had until she lost it" she tried her best to explain. "And you having kits with Pricklegaze made her so happy as well, because she was seeing her two favorite cats together." she smiled, leaning against her sister a little, "And the logical reason is that she choose you because you could continue her legacy, and I couldn't, because I never found a mate, but i think there is a lot more reasons behind why she choose what she did, more than we could ever imagine" she finished

Meadowclaw sighed, deciding to be outright, "Why do you think mom chose me to take her place- rather than you? You're so much kinder. Prettier, too- I've always wondered why you never found a mate," she said, doubt filling the cat's eyes as she looked into Valleystorm's. All of her self-doubt was stemming from her decision to keep her family home from a battle- a decision that two had ignored.

Her smile faded a bit as she sat down next to Meadowclaw. She glanced at the mouse, before looking back up at her sister, "Of course, what'g going on?" she asked, the sudden change of mood worrying her slightly. She pushed it to the back of her mind, focusing once again on Meadowclaw's yellow eyes.

Meadowclaw followed and congratulated Valleystorm on her catch.

"I could never move that quick," she said, quite solemn in her tone. She sighed as she sat down right where she was, looking down at the mouse's corpse. "Valleystorm, could I ask you a question? There's a lot on my mind lately and its as good a time as any," she said.

Valleystorm nodded, "It seems so" she agreed, following Meadowclaw through the territory, looking up in the trees for any prey, occasionally seeing a bird fly across the sky. She took in the beauty of the scene, the new life sprouting up from the dirt and in between the roots of the trees. A flicker of movement caught her eye in the root of a tree, and she instinctively crouched down, smelling the mouse as she crept closer. She pounced on it, catching it within her paws and killing it, before picking it up and turning back to her sister, smiling proudly.

Meadowclaw had lost part of her stealth when she'd lost her forelimb; her lunging gait in its staccato rhythm ensured that birds moved away before the two had even a chance to set chase- a fact Meadowclaw was oblivious to.

"Must be a quiet day," she said, frowning, "Maybe we need to go further?"

Grousethorn stuck close on Slushgaze's heels as they made the journey back to the camp, his teeth clamped firmly around the stick.

"Alright," Slushgaze quickly bounded off into the direction that they had come, straight to camp. A quick jolt of lightning told him that he was going the right way. He began to plot the fastest way back to camp, and after a ways of running, they made their way back to the camp. (MC Camp?)

"Alright, we should head back." Grousethorn decided after a while. His stick was draped with cobwebs, but even so, he worried that they'd tear off in the journey back. He carefully respositioned it in his mouth and started back.

"Lead the way?" He requested.

"Good idea," Slushgaze dove around, looking for a long thin stick. Starting from the other side of the enormous tree, he started to prod the roots. Soon, it was covered in a thin layer of cobwebs.

"I don't know, but we need to hurry. They'll want it regardless and it's better to be early or not needed at all, than to make them wait." Grousethorn replied, picking up a stick in his teeth and pushing it down into a knot in the roots of a tree. When he pulled it back out, it was coated in a few strands of cobwebs and he tried again in another spot.

Slushgaze started to search for the drier areas where rain couldn't reach. "How much time do you think we have?" He pawed at the mud, "Before they run out back at camp?"

"StarClan light our paths..." Grousethorn muttered under his breath as the old, bleached-white tree came into view through the gloom of the stormy forest. He started to nose his way through the underbrush, searching for still-standing cobwebs through the puddles.

As they got closer, every dip, every hill- everything started to become familiar. There it was, the majestic tree, illuminated by the light of the moon. He started to crawl through the forestry, there had to some dry cobwebs somewhere!

"Alright," Grousethorn nodded and stepped back, letting the younger cat take lead of the patrol with a slight dip of his head.

"I think so, when I was younger, the time that Buckstar ruled the clan. I frequently came here to explore." He ran faster, every breath was a challenge. "We should almost be there," every step made them closer to their goal.

"Do you know where we are?" Grousethorn panted, looking around them with his ears pricked forward. They were clearly in the northern portion of their territory -the dense conifers revealed as much- but he couldn't pinpoint their spot.

As Slushgaze ran, he closed his eyes and reoriented his view, no he wasn't on the ground. Right now Slsuhgaze had a birds eye view of the territory. Adjusting the course of his paws, he kept on as Grousethorn stopped, quietly hoping the his sense of direction was correct.

"It is rather far..." Grousethorn considered, glancing back toward the camp in worry. They'll use whatever's in the camp first, but when that runs out, we'll need to go far. He considered. "Alright, let's go."

He started off northwest, toward the tree, but the heavy storm blocked so much of the light and smells that he soon found himself disoriented and confused. He paused, opening his mouth to try and get a scent, but couldn't find anything beyond the rain and mud.

"Maybe..." Slushgaze racked his mind for an answer. "Maybe the lightning tree is dry, there's tons of growth there." The tom unsheathed his claws. There had to be some there!

"No idea," Grousethorn admitted in a rare shore of humility as another bolt of lighting cracked agove them. "The only places I can think of must be soaked. Do you know?"

Slushgaze leaped through the dense bushes, just barely tailing Grousethorn. Just a bit farther out, where it wasn't so wet, maybe they would be able to find something that would help. Just a bit farther. "Where do you think would be a good place to start?"

Grousethorn dove out into the territory, expecting the rest of his patrol to follow along with him. Lightning flashed across the sky, momentarily silhouetting the trees against the bright sky, before they were plunged into darkness again.

Rattlepaw strode alongside her new mentor, the image of reckless youth. Dark circles were formed under her golden eyes from insomnia and her curled fur was trapping dirt and leaves with every step as she walked behind her new mentor. The entire clan seemed to be concerned for her once the dead had been brought back from battle, Juniperspring among them. Her mentor's death had not effected her the way the clan thought it had- they mistook her aloof personality as denial. They mistook her unkept pelt as depression. They mistook her insomnia as grief.

She felt them all, in very small amounts, but it was not separate from her role as a teenager. She was filled with angst. Her white paws padded on the floor with conviction as she strode by her new mentor, just as aloof and almost uncaring as ever. Her head was high and her eyes were lidded, her tail high as the sun highlighted the splotches covering her coat.

She looked up at the tom next to her, "How long are we going to keep walking for? We're going to reach the loner territories soon," she said, refusing to make eye contact.

Feelings were a troublesome thing to deal with, especially if they threatened peace within the clan. Blossomstar had never thought he'd ever become infatuated with anyone. He'd been heartbroken before and that had just been a relationship between himself and another warrior, but now he was leader who admittedly had feelings for his medicine cat. What good would that do him? Not only is it breaking the warrior code, but having a family with the she-cat was unthinkable.

They dug in silence for a while until their grave was deep enough to fit all three kits. He placed his two in the small dip and sat back to watch as Endlessdream did the same. At first, he wasn't sure what to say to her. It had been easier when he hadn't realized his feelings towards her. Pantherfrost was the only other cat who knew, but Meadowclaw seemed to be catching on as well. When did everything get so complicated. They continued to work in silence until the kittens were buried properly.

"Sometimes I question what I'm doing," Even now, as the words flowed from his mouth, he wasn't sure where he was going with this, "It seems like every time I make a decision, someone finds a flaw. And then I wonder if Starclan is the reason. Especially now, these kittens didn't get a chance to make mistakes. Was it not the right time?" The large dark grey Maine Coon frowned down at the lifeless bundles at his paws. Part of him wished Starclan could've take him instead, giving the kits a chance at life. "The clan appreciates your work... I'm grateful for everything you've done. Not just your job as a healer, but listening to me rant about what's been bothering me." Blossomstar shifted his golden gaze on the she-cat again. "I want to make sure you know I'll be by your side no matter what. Any problems you have, I'm here to listen. I don't care how absurd. You're important to me." He realized he might've over stepped his boundaries, but he convinced himself he was only saying this as friend.

Endlessdream silently carried one of the kits gently in her jaws through the territory, glad that her mouth was full so she couldn't speak. Recently she had felt an uncomfortable tension with Blossomstar since he had become increasingly busy with his duties just as she had been. The she-cat wasn't sure why she felt this way after all the attempts to get the leader alone. As medicine cat, the dilute calico could notice much more than an average warrior and she would be lying if she didn't notice how the tom's eyes lingered on her. She soaked up that attention selfishly but was steadfast in keeping an indifferent expression. The MoonClan medicine cat of all cats should know better than to let this fester into something it shouldn't be but it was a guilty pleasure. The kit was placed on the ground as they stopped and without a word she began digging, turning her white paws brown as she hoped the large black tom would be the one to break the unsettling silence.

Blazingpaw smiled at her brother, but then turned her attention toward the the Moonclan-Eclipseclan border. She knew that place well, after all, that's where she had seen her mother murder a cat who hadn't been much bigger than herself. She knew her mother was currently on a patrol headed in that direction, a slight sense of foreboding overcame her. Something was wrong, she could feel it in her bones. The young Cornish Rex turned back to her brother who was already staring at her. She wondered if he felt it too.

----

Blossomstar was grateful for an escape from camp, even if the reason he left wasn't a happy one. He was sympathetic toward the queen for having lost her kits. It was sad the little ones hadn't even lived long enough to experience the wonders of clan life. His golden eyes were trained on the ground, mind cluttered with clan matters and politics. He stopped once he thought they were far enough away from camp. He glanced sideways at Endlessdream, his heart fluttering at the sight of the she-cat. Starclan forgive me.

(Repost for Midnight and Storm :) )

"How far can you follow it?" Cedarclaw asked Burningpaw, openly impressed by how knowledgeable the cats here. "Meadowclaw's taught you well."

"He'll realize it one day," Meadowclaw said with an unreadable look towards Juniperspring as she obediently followed. (Mc-Ecc border)

"I told you to be quiet so that you wouldn't alert enemy patrols, you fox brain! Now be quiet!" He hissed, rounding on her, pure fire in his eyes. "Disobey me again, and maybe you'll find yourself Clanless." His tail lashed as he spun around once more, rolling his eyes at Meadowclaw's words. "I'm perfectly fine. Don't waste your breath. Focus on the task at hand, we're nearly at the border." [MC-EcC Border]

"And if you keep this up, you're going to go the way of Buckstar. I'm not saying that to be insubordinate, I'm saying it because it's true. You serve your clan, not the other way around. If you want to be treated like royalty, you'd be better off trying your claws in the city," Juniperspring snorted, taking an entirely different tact that Meadowclaw. "This clan can't take more instability, the last thing we need is a deputy who lashes out at whoever is close by because he's upset about something else entirely."

"I would say i'm probably better at hunting. While I have practiced some fighting, its harder to do when your alone, whereas hunting is something you can do alone. And I cant exactly measure my fighting skills, because I have never actually fought someone. I have caught a few pieces of prey though, so that at least says I am learning something" she explained to Stormblaze, trying her hardest not to be confusing.

Meadowclaw's matronly instincts kicked in as Midnightstorm scolded them. "We weren't bickering," she said softly, though she did lower her voice so as to not alert any enemy patrols- it was a hissy whisper. "Midnightstorm, nobody expects you to be able to function so quickly after all that's happened. You know that, don't you?" That one, she said only to him. Meadowclaw was a respected warrior in MoonClan; though without a lot of control on her temper. Motherhood had tempered her, though, and the even-keeled warrior was known for her wisdom as one of the oldest warriors of MoonClan- pending Juniperspring, who was irrevocably always going to be an old hag in Meadowclaw's memory.

Stormblaze nodded in approval as he listened to his apprentice speak. He was glad she'd gotten out and trained on her own, that's how he'd learned when he was younger. Well, with the exception of battle training and hunting with his father. "Which one do you think you're better at?" He inquired, catching Midnightstorm's eyes as he glanced back at the two of them. He shot the deputy a questioning look, but received no answers when the dark tom turned about around. His bad mood can't just be about Fadewhisker. He seemed different after his search for Cottontail. Maybe he found something?

Midnightstorm growled, shooting an icy glare at the to quarreling she-cats. "Stop bickering. We're almost at the border, focus on that instead. If you want to hunt, do it when you aren't on a border patrol." He snarled, claws digging deep into the ground before he turned away again, stalking towards the border. He hated the incessant chatter, it was annoying and would alert enemies of their whereabouts, but at least some work was being done by Stormblaze, with teaching his apprentice some things. At least this patrol wasn't a total waste.

"Hey, you don't seem to be having any trouble keeping up with us," Juniperspring raised her eyebrows into an incredulous look as Meadowclaw made a show of her stump. As Meadowclaw turned and became a sudden model of devotion, she snorted, glancing over to Yellowthorn to give him an entertained look.

Yellowthorn gave only a silent reply before leaving hte camp with the patrol. His tim would come, and he would show MoonClan what true, strong leaders were made of. Even if it wasn't him leading. There was a cat out there somewhere ready and able to lead MoonClan to greatness. He need only be patient and try not to raise too much suspicion until the right time. The tom hung back trailing the patrol, grumbling as the warriors squabbled with each other rather than get their duties done. He could easily overtake the deputy right now. Midnightstorm's heart had been sitting on a silver platter in front of the clan and Yellowthorn could easily pluck it up.. Something had shaken the black deputy to the core. Perhaps it was the fact his not-so-secret love for Fadewhisker was trumped by his own success in getting to the she-cat first. Probably; he's sad he wasn't the first for her. he thought with his ego as he continued to follow the line of cats, looking rather sinister as he stuck to the shadows in the path.

Meadowclaw shot Juniperspring a glare, having never liked the she-cat. She screamed bad apple- Meadowclaw's relation to Forestsong caused her lots of protectiveness towards medicine cats, and Juniperspring had slain one. What kind of monster . . .

"Very helpful, Juniperspring, I'll just do that," the she-cat said, doing a three point turn to look at the tabby, a broad show made of her stump for an elbow. Some cats, she thought. She spotted her daughter, Stormpaw interacting with Stormblaze, and realized her daughter would model her behavior one day. She blinked twice and turned to catch back up to the front of the patrol, a change overcoming her. Her ear still twitched.

Stormpaw nodded to her mentor, "yes, I've been out a few times, to practice hunting and fighting" she told him. She didn't like sitting in camp and doing nothing when she could go out and practice. She had her heart set on being the best warrior she could be, and she was going to work hard to achieve her goal.

At least he can keep things going... Juniperspring reflected as they headed out of the camp for Midnightstorm's border patrol.

"If you're quick about it," She whistled, staring up at the tree to try and catch sight of the sparrow that was bothering Meadowclaw so much. "We don't have that much daylight left."

The grey and white warrior stayed at the back of the patrol, mostly because he was distracted by the scenery. He hadn't been able to slip out of camp and enjoy Moonclan's territory in a long time. Stormblaze felt like he knew it like the back of his paw. He played with the dirt as he walked, clawing at the ground and even pulling out grass along the way.

Sometimes he acted more like a kitten than a warrior, Hiddenstrike had always been on his tail about that. The thought of his brother almost pulled a frown out of him. He had learned of his brother's disappearance from Tidebreaker soon after they new Fadewhisker was stable and would live to see another moon. At first, he'd been angry. Why had he left and not said goodbye? Was his family just not that important? But as Stormblaze continued to fret over his brother, he started to realize that Hiddenstrike hadn't been happy in Moonclan. The long-legged tom-cat would never no why, unfortunately, Hiddenstrike seemed to dislike talking about his feelings.

Stormblaze huffed, shaking himself in order to get rid of the sad memories. He needed to focus on the hear and now. His ocean blue eyes focused on Midnightstorm and Meadowclaw, following their gaze upward and landing on the small body of a sparrow. His signature toothy grin spread across his face. He loved the sound of the bird's call and made a game out of locating where the birds were when they sang.

"Have you been outside camp before?" He questioned Stormpaw, but his eyes remained on the trail ahead. He might as well get a few lessons in while they check borders.

At some point during the patrol, Meadowclaw found herself near the front. It was an interesting phenomena whereas the cats assumed her to be the slowest of the warriors and therefore walked behind her- jokes on them, she could go as fast as she wanted, she just preferred to mosey on her three legs just the same as the rest of the cats did with four.

She twitched an ear at a sparrow's call and looked up to Midnightstorm, whom she'd found herself next to. "Annoying ****," she said, with another alarm call following, "StarClan, I want to climb the tree and kill it! I miss leaf-bare."

She stood and apologized and watched him leave. Once he was out of sight she turned and went back to hunting. She caught scent of an eastern cottontail. She quickly tracked it down and killed it, taking the scruff into her jaws, padding back to camp [MC Camp] thinking about Midnightstorm and his dead kits.

The dark deputy paused, scenting the new scent of Jayflower, and turned to her, his icy blue eyes narrowing slightly. "I hope you're out here hunting. The fresh-kill pile needs to be restocked. Don't come back to camp empty-pawed." He growled softly, before turning away and padding back in the direction of camp. [MC Camp]

Jayflower wondered the territory, searching for prey. She lowered her nose to the ground taking in a breath. She recoiled from the sudden smell of death and sadness. She lowered herself and followed the scent, keeping her eyes and ears focused on her surroundings. Jayflower caught the sight of a cat and crouched, sneaking closer. She stopped once she saw who it was. (Midnightstorm?) She watched helplessly as the tom sodded as he buried his kits. Her heart broke into a thousand pieces. Though she didn't know what it felt like to lose kits she had seen the aftermath of dead kits. She sat half hidden behind a tree.

Midnightstorm followed the faint scent trail that was left of her, alarmed when he caught the scent of dried blood as well. His pawsteps quickened, and soon, he was running through the trees, worry ripping through him. Mouse brain, why did you let her come out here on her own?! He yowled at himself, beating himself up about letting himself get distracted. The scent led him to a tree, and he could see the red blood on the forest floor before he got there, but no Cottontail. His worry spiked, and he slowed to a walk, turning his head in every direction to look for her before spotting them - motionless in the middle of the blood. Three kits, all still covered in red, but very clearly bear resemblance to both Cottontail and himself, and he rushed towards them.

The scent of death hit him like a monster, and he knew before he reached them that there wouldn't be any saving them. They'd been gone for a while. He looked around, making sure he was alone before letting his anguish out, the tears streaming from his eyes as he crouched beside them, gently tugging them together and curling around them for a few minutes, as if to keep them warm. He gently cleaned the blood from their fur, not caring how long it took him, until their beautiful coats were revealed. He only wished he could see what their eyes would have looked like. Wished they could have lived so he could have seen them grow up into strong warriors, or whatever they wanted to be.

He let himself sob, the tears falling into his kits' now clean fur as he nuzzled them. then got up and started digging with his claws. He had just dug a hole big enough and deep enough for all three of them when another couple stale scents hit his nose: one was Hiddenstrike (What was he doing here?) and the other was EarthClan. He knew immediately who belonged to that scent - it must be the warrior Blacknose, and it broke his heart even more..had she snuck out of camp to be with the EarthClanner..? Why..? Had he done something wrong..? He shook his head slightly, sniffling and trying to focus on burying his kits, gently picking them up by their scruffs and lowering them into the hole, placing them sort of in a circle and posing them as if they were sleeping so that they'd be comfortable. He gave each one one last lick on the head, lovingly whispering goodnight to them before starting to push the dirt back to cover them gently.

Midnightstorm packed the dirt in, not wanting any predators to scent them and dig them up to prey on them, and glanced around, finding three nicely shaped stones that he picked up, eyes still streaming, and placed in a circle in the middle of the grave, marking them so that he would know where to come back if he wanted to visit them. The constant scent of Blacknose and Cottontail mixing together around him just made his grief worse, and when he was finished, he threw his head back and yowled at the sky, letting his grief and anguish out, collapsing to the ground and letting himself cry until there were no tears left and he was dry heaving. Only then did he put himself back together, slowly, and start heading back to camp, icy walls forming around his heart and blocking out all other emotions except indifference and authority. His heart was protected now, and he wouldn't let someone in as easily anymore. He couldn't.

The large black and white tom-cat smiled at Cottontail, relieved she was actually going to come home with him. He was afraid of her rejection, especially because he'd been rejected once before by her. "Earthclan will welcome you with open paws." He nodded at Hiddenstrike, beginnging to walk while the she-cat leaned on his side.

Hiddenstrike held the small kit in his mouth, his mind cluttered with thoughts of Moonclan. He felt bad for leaving. He knew Fadewhisker would rip him a new one for leaving without saying a goodbye. He followed after his father, making their way to Earthclan's territory.

Cottontail smiled at the tom, grateful for his help. He owed er nothing especially after she stopped seeing him. Yet here he was, while Midnightstorm sat back at camp. Her eyes stayed constantly glued to her only kit afraid that she would lose it at any moment. Blacknose's question caught her off guard. As far as MoonClan knew, she had just disappeared. She could return if she wished but her heart begged her not to. This was her chance to escape from the regret of choosing Midnightstorm. The queen took a moment to consider even though StarClan themselves already knew her answer. Why would this tom, that she hurt, want her to go back with him? Did the EarthClanner truly care for her that much? Before her mind had the chance to convince her not to, Cottontail blurted out, "Yes!" Embarrassed in front of the other tom she quickly rubbed her head against Blacknose's cheek. "Thank you, both of you."

"How far can you follow it?" Cedarclaw asked Burningpaw, openly impressed by how knowledgeable the cats here. "Meadowclaw's taught you well."

Burningpaw stayed near his sister, not too close, but close enough so that he could also take in his surroundings. He loved the smell of the snow on the ground and the wind in the trees, not even minding the cold that surrounded them. He also smelled the mouse scent, looking up at the warrior slightly. He decided to join in. "It's coming from ahead of us, to the right. It smells like it scurried past here not long ago, but didn't go too far either."

"You're right about the mud, but you should try and ignore that. Only pay attention to scents that you don't recognize or which could signify danger or prey. MoonClanner and mud? You'll always smell those out here, especially this close to the camp," Cedarclaw explained. "You're right about the mouse, though. It's stale-- good job for picking up on it. Can you tell which direction it's coming from?"

Blazingpaw trotted along, a little behind the patrol. She knew she'd probably be yelled at for not keeping up, but she was so absorbed in her surroundings to think of the repercussions. It was beautiful. The trees towered over her, covered in the sparkling white powder her mother told her was snow. She couldn't wait to see what it looked like in the spring. She wanted to know what flowers looked like.

The young Cornish Rex gulped in the air greedily, so many scents filled her nose. It was different and similar. "It smells..... earthy?" She was dissatisfied with her description. Blazingpaw was unsure of what Cedarclaw wanted from her, but she breathed in again. "Moonclan, mouse.... " She trailed, a scent hitting her that she knew all too well. Starclan, she lived in the nursery for crying out loud. "It smells like blood and new life?" She was questioning her own nose at this point, amber gaze glancing toward her mentor. Confusion was written all of her face.

Cedarclaw lead his patrol out into the territory, heading roughly northeast a gentle pace so the young apprentices wouldn't have any trouble keeping up.

"What do you smell?" He asked them, modeling taking a scent by opening his mouth and raising his face to the wind.

Blacknose slide in beside the white she-cat, letting her lean most of her weight on him. He didn't want her to strain herself, especially after just giving birth. He'd helped Ripplestream deliver his kits and what a sight it had been to behold. It also looked extremely painful. The look on his previous mate's face afterwards had made it all worth it though. His golden eyes watched the kitten as she struggled and wiggled her way to his paws, more than likely seeking the warmth she had lost. "She'll be a tough one." A toothy grin almost identical to his son's Stormblaze, spread across his face.

A question popped into his head then, his gaze shifted to look at Cottontail. "Are you coming home with me?" Black nose didn't want to pressure the queen, but in his heart he hoped she said yes.

Hiddenstrike chose this has his chance to check out the white kitten at their paws. He was thankful Cottontail had agreed to let him carry her. Blacknose would be to invested in the queen's health to really pay attention to the kit. He nudged the little one with his nose, smiling when she mewled in protest. She was so tiny. That's when he started to wonder about his sister. He'd left so fast, he'd had to learn through Tidebreaker that Fadewhisker was expecting. The black furred tom-cat felt guilty, of course, who wouldn't? Especially when she'd been trying to tell him about it for ages.

"Dad," He waited a moment until Blacknose looked at him, "I'll take you guys a little past Earthclan's borders, but that's as far as I can go." Hiddenstrike said, fully planning on leaving the territories for good tonight.

After hours of laying alone in the night, ready to meet StarClan, the black and white tom breathed life back into her and the spark returned to her eyes. She hesitated with a reply; wondering if the warrior was upset that she hadn't met with him. It wasn't that she didn't want to, but she had to choose between loyalty to her clan or him. Regret filled Cottontail from head to paw now. "Yes I can," she nodded and she stood and shook the dirt from her fur.The queen's eyes fell on her 3 dead kits and she stared blankly at them. The sound of her stomach grumbling urged her to turn away and look to the other tom. She didn't recognize him and yet if he was here with Blacknose, he could be trusted. "Please be gentle, she's so small," Cottontail couldn't help but warn him with a pleading tone. Snowkit squirmed on the cold floor as her mother's body heat left her. Tiny paws scrabbled at the ground searching for the warmth again but instead finding the legs of a different cat. He smelled like the earth and definitely not the promise of milk. She let out a squeak in protest, rubbing her head in Blacknose's long furred belly. The white queen had taken a moment to try and wash herself, but the blood had caked on which meant she would need a bath in freezing cold water. Shrugging it off, the she-cat leaned herself against the EarthClan tom and smiled as her daughter found her voice. "She likes you," Cottontail murmured as she pressed her frail frame against his.

POST BY STORMBLAZE

---

The excitement Cottontail greeted him with warmed his chilled heart. Of course, the pain he felt still lingered but right now this queen needed him. It didn't matter what happened between them, he forgave her for the sake of her safety and the kits. "Sweetheart, are you able to move?" He let a small smile grace his dark lips. It was hard to see her like this, his heart ached for her. Funny, he still thought she was beautiful. Hiddenstrike watched the interaction, happy his father had found someone after Ripplestream. Although the circumstances could have been better. "I can carry the little one, make sure she's safe." He said, making sure to keep his distance until the queen gave him permission to get closer to her kit.

---

Rustling in the snow outside woke Cottontail from a sleep she never wanted to wake from. Her eyes opened slowly, revealing nothing but anguish and despair. She could smell the stranger; a tom nearby. It was too difficult to make out the clan he was from but for a moment thought she had a whiff of MoonClan. Had Midnightstorm managed to find her? Her stomach lurched at the thought of explaining everything to him. How she just left the camp for fresh air, how sharing the queen's den with Fadewhisker was too overwhelming to bear. She suspected the queen had also delivered her kits, jealous that she was back in camp healthy with Midnightstorm. Her fears washed away as an unfamiliar pair of eyes made contact with hers and she curled tighter around her kit protectively. Just as he appeared, he was gone, and the white queen relaxed and looked down to Snowkit sleeping. The little she-cat was so thin and fragile but StarClan had spared her another loss as the sun had risen above the forest and the first crucial night passed.

Before the sounds of the forest could lull her back to sleep, Cottontail could hear the tom returning with another. She lay helpless, peering up out of the hollow. A gasp escaped her as the face from her dreams came down. Her mouth opened to speak but no words came out. Suddenly she remembered she was covered in blood that had now dried and clung to her fur, and her ears grew hot at the mess she knew she looked like. Emotions flooded from her now in the form of tears falling from her eyes again. They hadn't seen each other in moons and it was her fault. She drug herself up to a sitting position, careful not to squish the tiny life buried in her fur.

"Blacknose?" her voice wavered, unsure if this was real or just another dream. She passed her gaze between the two toms. "I... i'm so glad you're here." the words stumbled from her as she tried to restrain herself from rushing to him. All thoughts of the black deputy of MoonClan left her now.

Blacknose approached Moonclan’s border with hesitation, golden eyes washing over the snowy landscape. His breath fanned out in front of him, disappearing into the cool night air. He’d visited this border more than he should, always a small sliver of hope in is heart that he’d get to see Cottontail again. The large feline knew he had been used to get arise out of Midnightstorm, it hurt, but such is life.

He’d been heartbroken when he heard of Ripplestream’s death. The love of his life was gone and he hadn’t even gotten the chance to really tell her he loved her. Sure, they had kits together, but Blacknose was never the type of cat to talk about his feelings. He showered her in love in his own way. And now, he’d lost another cat he loved. A cat he barely even got to know before she was gone. His kits ignored him too. Hiddenstrike was the only one who continued to visit him anymore. Blacknose wasn’t able to dwell on this fact for too long because his son came crashing through the underbrush. His yellow eyes filled with urgency.

“You need to come with me now!” He was off like a rocket, not waiting but knowing his father would be right behind him. While lurking in Moonclan’s territory, he’d come across Cottontail sitting in a pool of her own blood. Hiddenstrike knew of his father’s affections toward the she-cat, so it was no surprise that Blacknose had been waiting by the border.

Blacknose and Hiddenstrike approached the small hollow Cottontail was wedged into. The scent of blood slapped him in the face, the sight of her was even worse. Three kits were dead and frozen to the ground, Cottontail's usually snow white fur was stained red.

"My dear." He murmured, stepped into the makeshift den to sniff at the kitten by her belly. She was alive, barely breathing, but alive. Strong, just like her mother. The white and black furred tom-cat glanced back to Hiddenstrike, a silent question passing between father and son.

Ocelotstride's eyes seemed to dim in a way when the words slipped out of Hiddenstrike's mouth. She looked to Tidebreaker and knew that instantly would make him upset. Families always seemed to split apart just like hers from the beginning. Nothing ever seemed perfect. Her voice fell silent as the brothers spoke. 'He had a choice...Just like my father. I hope that Hiddenstrike won't regret it,' she thought with a frown tugging on her muzzle. Something inside of her screamed that he wouldn't be coming back anytime soon. Ocelotstride touched her nose to Tidebreaker's shoulder comfortingly then stared towards the way they had come, not certain if she was ready to face Fadewhisker's sadness or the flaming anger that was bound to show on Stormblaze. They were all like family to her, she couldn't deny it. "A-alright." Was all that Ocelotstride stifled as they began to head to the camp. (MC camp :3)

The thick-furred tom-cat dipped his head toward Ocelotstride, he never really was one for long drawn out conversations. He knew his brother had deep feelings for the she-cat and he was glad Tidebreaker had found someone. Always such a romantic.

Hiddenstrike was pulled from his thoughts at his former clan-mates questions, his lips finally falling into a frown. He'd hope to disappear without talking to anyone. "I'm leaving for awhile. My own personal mission."

Tidebreaker was taken aback by Hiddenstrike's words, matching his brother's frown. "What?" It was hard to believe that his litter-mate, someone he'd grown up with, was just going to leave without saying goodbye. "You didn't even talk to Stormblaze or Fadewhisker did you?" Anger flared in his chest.

"No, but it's better this way. I could come back." He could feel the other tom-cat's anger, not even surprised by the reaction. "Besides, there isn't much for me here. I'm not fit for the clan life."

The delicate looking tom-cat shook his head and scrunched his nose. "Fadewhisker is having kits. She was excited to have all of us be there for their birth."

"She isn' gonna miss me. Like I said, this is something I need to do." And with that, Hiddenstrike ended the conversation. He flicked his brother's shoulder with his tail and headed straight for Moonclan's border.

Tidebreaker's gaze focused on his brother's paw-prints, a mixture of anger and sadness bubbling at the surface. You better come back. He thought, looking back at ocelotstride. "I think we should head back. My sister's probably a wreck and in need of some comforting cuddles." He smiled although it didn't reach his eyes.

Ocelotstride braced herself for the snow, however quickly became rather relieved at the sight of Hiddenstrike. She spoke to the tom a few times on patrols, however their conversations never did seem to last. The bengal padded up to Tidebreaker's side, a thoughtful smile on her muzzle as she reached the two brothers. "Definitely, it's not like we could miss out on too much in camp anyway." Ocelotstride meowed with a flick of her tail, her blue-green gaze flickering with sudden wonder. 'He never seemed to care much before...' She thought before adding curiously. "Why are you out and about, Hiddenstrike?"

Hiddenstrike made his way through the underbrush, scenting the air for Milfoilcloud. He'd inform Proudpaw rather harshly to head back to camp and tell them that he wouldn't be returning. This had been a well-thought out decision and now that he was finally enacting it, the black furred tom-cat felt ten times better. The weight of it was off his shoulders and he wouldn't have to see his siblings reactions to his departure. He made his way to the lightning tree, his heart sinking at the sight of his youngest bother. It was too late for him to turn around because Tidebreaker already caught his scent. "Hey." Hiddenstrike managed.

Tidebreaker was about to throw some more snow at Ocelotstride, his right fore-paw already aimed high to swipe at the ground. His ocean blue eyes turned in the direction of the sound of a branch snapping, locking his gaze with Hiddenstrike.

"Hey brother!"The white and black tom-cat grinned at his older brother, too giddy to see the tension in Hiddenstrike's shoulders.

"You two seem to have resolved the awkwardness." He commented, approaching the two at a leisurely pace. "You do realize you've been gone all day right." Hiddenstrike motioned toward the darkending sky.

Tidebreak followed his gaze upward, jaw dropping slightly. "Time really does fly when you're having fun." The small tom-cat smiled, glancing toward Ocelotstride.

Milfoilcloud answered Sandbreeze with a resolute nod and got up to her paws, glancing up toward the lip of the little ravine to see if the patrol had caught up. "Um, Sandbreeze? There is a patrol I'm with, they'll be trailing us. They assured me they'd stay at a distance but... well, I just think you deserve to know they're there."

Ocelotstride raised her brows slightly when she observed the black and white tom's looming gaze, however when he spoke, she turned away to sniff at the air again. The lovely molly rolled her eyes with a small, teasing scoff, knowing that Tidebreaker couldn't possibly be as innocent as he sounded, this she knew. "Hm, you probably took a short cut, so I guess I could forgive you." Ocelotstride meowed smoothly, although turned back to at the sound of the tom's paws scratching at the snow-covered ground. Her face scrunched unhappily, however Ocelotstride's eyes held a playful glow. She glanced a couple of times at the ground, trying her best to find the pillowy snow, however it was no use. "Don't you dare..." The molly meowed as she slowly backed up out of his range.

Of course he wanted a family, but it wasn't something he thought about often. He knew his sister, fadewhisker, was expecting which wasn't really surprising, but Tidebreaker would have thought she'd be with Midnightstorm and not Yellowthorn. That tom-cat gives me a bad feeling. He shook the thought away in favor of picturing little obnoxious kits of his own terrorizing the nursery. That thought pulled a warm smile from him, gaze lingering on Ocelotstride. He knew he wasn't ready to be a father at the moment and he wasn't entirely sure he'd be a good one. His own father lived in Earthclan, the only parent figure in his life had been Ripplestream. Sadness flashed across his face for a second, before it was placed with his signature grin. The sound of her laugh made his ears hot. Starclan, she's perfect. "I can't survive the cold!" He yelped, swiping his paw across the ground to throw snow in the she-cat's direction. "You wouldn't let me freeze to death would you? I didn't trick you, I won fair and square." Tidebreaker pouted, acting as innocent as possible.

Ocelotstride stood and shook at her fur, glistening ice that clung to her intricate, spotted pelt began to drop onto the ground. Everything seemed normal, didn't it? Not a single thing seemed out of place. She wondered to herself what should be different now that they loved each other. Most cats who deemed themselves as mates seemed to have kits right away. However, Ocelotstride didn't grow up having a father, for he had left right after she were born. 'We're so young...Waiting would be the best choice.' She thought, not wanting to change anything such as having a family. The bengal laughed softly when Tidebreaker jumped, but she then agreed. "Yeah, I still have to catch you the mouse too! We did make a bet after all." Her blue-green eyes flickered away for a moment as she lifted her delicate head to sniff out the scents around them, however she did glance back with a smirk. "And don't trick me again or else you'll be freezing in your nest tonight."

Sandbreeze's eyes narrowed as she listened to her sister's explanation, her mind not comprehending the selfishness of another person interfering with her own plans. She knew she was destructive, and a retort rose to her throat regarding Milfoilcloud's relationship with Hiddenstrike. But Sandbreeze stopped it through sheer force of will, standing steadily and with a slight glare.

"Fine, Millie. To the border you walk me, I'll go to EarthClan," she purposefully left her thoughts hidden- she herself was unsure if she hated Millie or not.

The black and white tom-cat couldn't help but stare at Ocelotstride. Her smile made his stomach flip, even though she knew how he felt, he would never lose that butterflies in his stomach feeling. "I'm definitely not a clutz. No embarrassing things to see here folks." He stated. He finally noticed how cold he was, his muscles screaming in protest at the slightest movement. Tidebreaker nudged her shoulder as he stood, a yawn stretching his mouth open. "I am frozen," He jumped around a bit to try and wake his body up. "Wanna try and catch something before we head back?" The young warrior wasn't sure what they were now. They may have admitted their feelings to each other, but does that make them mates?

(Repost for Stormblaze)Ocelotstride formed a small, however prominent, smile filled her face with warmth when their pelts pressed together affectionately. She still couldn't believe how crazy Tidebreaker drove her mind. The molly laughed, breaking off from such a romantic moment, and gave the black and white tom's ear a teasing lick. "You could never make a fool out of yourself, Tidebreaker, that's clearly impossible," She rolled her glistening eyes and meowed with sarcasm, playing around just enough.

"They don't have any reason to refuse you. They don't know what happened and by the time they do, you'll have shown your worth," Milfoilcloud answered. "I..." She hesitated as Sandbreeze asked her to leave. "I'm sorry, Sandbreeze, but this is my home. I love you, but you aren't the only cat in my life. I can't leave it all."

The idea hadn't revealed itself to Sandbreeze, the she-cat having been too busy screaming accusations and half-truths to hear her sister's level-headed words of comfort. She picked herself up off the ground and to a sitting position, looking down on her sister from her slightly greater height.

"I . . . suppose that wouldn't be a completely terrible idea," she mused, "Would they accept me, though? We just allied with them- we, ack. I mean- you. MoonClan. MoonClan has allied with them." It would take her a while- Sandbreeze always prided herself in her ability to change her opinions and stories to reflect the social situation around her, but the truth was very different. In the paws of a shifting environment, if she lost the foundation of stability, she was helpless. That rock, she would soon discover, was Milfoilcloud and Shellstorm.

She lowered her head, still in shame. "Will you come with me?" She said it in hopes her sister would forget everything- the insults, the bullying, and the moons of stealing any tom who dared so much as look at her little sister instead of her.

"It can't be as terrible of a life as they all make it out to be, they're just... well... you know how MoonClanners can be, sometimes. They're so caught up in their traditions and their history, sometimes they just can't fathom that their way of life isn't the only one." Milfoilcloud sighed. "You might be happy as a kittypet. If you don't think you will be, well, you could try your paw in EarthClan. They aren't as strict as MoonClan, I hear."

Sandbreeze looked at each of her four dirtied paws and then down at her chest before looking up to Milfoilcloud, "No, I suppose not," she said quietly. "But I'll never be able to go back there again. And I can't go back to the city life, either. Where should I go, Millie? I'm better off just wandering into twolegplace and becoming a kittypet than trying my luck as a clan cat . . ." she looked over her shoulder, dejected.

Ocelotstride formed a small, however prominent, smile filled her face with warmth when their pelts pressed together affectionately. She still couldn't believe how crazy Tidebreaker drove her mind. The molly laughed, breaking off from such a romantic moment, and gave the black and white tom's ear a teasing lick. "You could never make a fool out of yourself, Tidebreaker, that's clearly impossible," She rolled her glistening eyes and meowed with sarcasm, playing around just enough.

Proudpaw scowled, not liking that he'd been told off, but he followed Hiddenstrike.

"And what are we doing?" he asked.

Milfoilcloud gave Hiddenstrike a grateful nod and trotted ahead out him and Proudpaw at a quick pace. She slowed as she neared the gully and called out, pacing around at its edge until she spotted Sandbreeze's huddled form. She gasped and carefully picked her way down the icy stone ledge to her side, "Are you hurt?"

Sandbreeze pelted through the territory, muck sticking to the bottom of her silky belly, icy forming on her whiskers as leftovers from the leaf-bare freeze. Fear was in her gaze- her clan had just kicked her out. She didn't even know where she was running to.

And then, a gully opened up at her paws and the she-cat tumbled into it head-first, coming to a slow stop at its conclusion. She found herself groaning, looking up through the silver-maple leaves, at the white-blue sky, pondering her very existence.

How dare they, she thought. But in the very breath, how dare she? Milfoilcloud- Sandbreeze grieved for leaving her sister behind. And their brother, Shellstorm, but he was another matter entirely. The three had come so far together- from kits in the city to proud warriors of MoonClan. And now? She was nothing. No purpose. No chance-

Sandbreeze began to sob like a kit in the bottom of the pit.

Hiddenstrike had followed after his patrol members, grumbling slightly at the fact that Proudpaw had run off by himself. The large warriors had planned to take Proudpaw somewhere to train for a bit and let Milfoilcloud speak to her sister alone. He picked up there scent almost immediately and tracked it back to them. "Proudpaw, next time you wait for a warrior to company you out into the territory." He scolded the tom-cat, turning his gaze on Milfoilcloud. He felt bad for her, but there really wasn't anything he could say to make the situation better. "We'll leave you alone, I know you'll need some time to grieve, but I'm here if you need to talk."

----

Tidebreaker was taken aback by her words, completely surprised she felt the same. He had expected to be, well, rejected. It was his first time ever truly likely someone as more than a friend and he thought something would have gone wrong. Honestly, he didn't know where to go from here.

He could feel the heat flush his cheeks at her touch, a soft smile spreading across his face once the surprise wore off. He shifted closer and touched her pelt with his own. "That was nerve-wracking, I'm glad I didn't just make a fool of myself." He joked, ocean blue eyes meeting her blue-green gaze.

"Wait, Proudpaw, you're too young to be going off on your own. Stay with me and we'll look together," Milfoilcloud meowed and raised her muzzle to try and catch Sandbreeze's scent. She walked in a wide circle before catching it, much more easily recognizing the scent of her sister than Proudpaw was able to. "Here, she went this way. Just stay close to me."

Proudpaw had ran out of camp after Sandbreeze, but he slowed slightly when he heard Milfoilcloud. She said they didn't have to come, the leader had said otherwise. He huffed. Simple solution to that. He turned to face her.

"I don't know where Sandbreeze is. You find her, you can talk to her alone, but I am going to keep looking."

He headed off, hoping to follow a scent, but he'd never paid attention to Sandbreeze's specific scent, so it was sort of futile.

Milfloilcloud ran after Sandbreeze into the territory, “Please, slow down. I know you’re upset, but we don’t need to rush. We can take this nice and slow while we work out a plan. This isn’t as terrible as you think it is, really, you may even be happier without MoonClan. You’ve always said that they’re too uptight.”

Blizzardheart had slipped out of camp, his intention to go hunting. He had caught a couple mice before he realized how close to the EclipseClan border he'd gotten, but he just shrugged his shoulders and kept going. He wasn't going to cross the border, but he could smell more prey-scent around these trees, so he didn't think it would be smart to try and hunt somewhere else while he was on the roll of prey-finding he'd started.

Ocelotstride knew that this was coming, it absolutely had to have happened with everything the two had been through, but she didn't expect their feelings to progress so quickly. Everything suddenly hit her like a tidal wave running through her head and it did become rather overwhelming. The lovely bengal knew that her face began to show a bit of concern, however Ocelotstride tried to brush it off, giving Tidebreaker a withered smile. "Odd? No...Not even close... Everything I've said is-well-exactly how I...how I feel about you." The molly stated with a vulnerable voice and placed her tail over his tail, the simple touch almost immediately felt like electricity running through her veins. Ocelotstride's face caught on fire again and she found her gaze getting lost in his eyes. Those dangerous, blue eyes.

Tidebreaker smiled while he listened, barely noticing that his toes were numb because of the cold. They'd been sitting around for so long that he hadn't even stopped to think about what time it was. The sky was darker, tints of picks, purples, and oranges decorating it.

"Would it be odd for me to say I get those feelings when I'm around you?" He inquired, turning his blue gaze back on his clan-mate. He was afraid of her reaction, but he wouldn't know unless he tried.

Ocelotstride looked up at the sky when the hawk screeched again. She wished to hold onto Tidebreaker's alluring blue eyes for a moment longer, however the pretty bengal found it hard to meet his gaze again. His question concerned her in the slightest, but she remained still. "Love is...Well...confusing, but wild-," Ocelotstride stifled a small laugh as she tried her best to answer. "It's like a fire that never burns out...That moment where you can feel your heartbeat raise is only the beginning...When you look into someone's eyes and see sparks fly...It's loyalty and trust through the good and bad times too..."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the young tom-cat waiting for Ocelotstride to react to his makeshift love confession. He didn’t know how to tell her outright how he felt, he was afraid of rejection and his heart wouldn’t be able to take the heartbreak.

Tidebreaker found himself staring up at the sky once again, his blue eyes drawn to the patterns drawn on the sky by the clouds. He’d been a momma’s boy growing up- choosing not to meeting with his father unlike Stormblaze and Hiddenstrike. Ripplestream would often take him stargazing or cloud watching when he was feeling particularly stressed or depressed. Stormblaze often joined them, but the hyperactive tom was barely able to sit still.

He shifted, curling his long black tail around his white paws as he listened to the she-cat’s words. He blinked a few times in surprise, not expecting her to respond in such a way. Nevertheless he smiled, stepping closing to nudge her cheek with his nose before he sat back down gain.

“Ocelotstride.” He wanted to tell her every little thing he loved about her. Love? Tidebreaker looked at his clan-mates sitting beside him. He watched her bite her lip, a thing she does often when she’s nervous. Her awkwardness about what he said just confirms the fact that he was in love with her. That thought made him anxious. He didn’t want to ruin what they had. Their chemistry was off the charts amazing, but if he confessed- would she turn tail and run? “What are your thoughts on the concept of love?” The sound of the hawk screeching drew his gaze away from the bengal feline beside him. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was afraid to see her reaction.

Ocelotstride had forgotten their conversation the very second Tidebreaker commented. Her cheeks turned a tender shade of scarlet when he began to explain to her such glorious words full of emotion and even more important, the edge of love. Her heart skipped beats as she found her vulnerable self staring up at the tom after he finished. The lovely bengal was at a loss for words, for not a single cat had spoken that way to her before, not how Tidebreaker could do so easily. Ocelotstride shook her head at the end of his sentence slowly, as though she were still mesmerized by the sound of her voice. "If I'm the moon, then you are my stars. You keep me company when I'm alone and shine at my side during the most darkest days. You motivate me to be stronger than I could ever believe myself to be. You're all that I see and all that I'd ever want to see." Ocelotstride held a small smile on her muzzle, however she bit the bottom of her lip nervously, only wishing that Tidebreaker really felt that way and that she wouldn't have made too much of a fool of herself. 'You are so much more than I deserve.' The bengal decided silently to herself, realizing how close they were as with every breath, the molly breathed in his intoxicating scent.

Tidebreaker listened to his den-mates story, his smile growing. He found it cute that she started to ramble whenever he commented on her beauty. She was, in fact, the prettiest she-cat he'd ever seen. It wasn't just her looks that drew him to Ocelotstride. She was funny in her own right, the little comments she mad to him about her mentor or cedarpaw were gold. He didn't out-rightly laugh in front of her, partly because he hated his own laugh, but if he did the entire clan would look at him like he was crazy. He loved the way she'd scrunch her nose up when he called her beautiful, it was down right adorable. Tidebreaker would never admit this to her, but he got lost in the blue-green of her eyes. It was so hard not to stare at her. The warm feeling in his chest was just too good to ignore. "You're adorable when you ramble." He chuckled, shaking the snow from his pelt. He liked to antagonize her with little sweet comments. The black and white tom didn't want to make her uncomfortable, and for a moment he was scared he'd push her away because he was, in fact, a hopeless romantic. "And i'd have to disagree. You're not the sun, because if you were I'd have to squint my eyes in order to witness your beauty," He stared, shifting his ocean blue eyes to the sky once more, "You're like the moon because you're beautiful to look at, you're shy, but you also have this feisty side to you. The sun only has one side; Blazingly bright. But you, the moon, have so many different sides. You're a mystery, and I'm glad I've gotten the chance to know you. I don't know where I'd be without you." He paused to think and then finally turned his gaze back on his clan-mate. "I'm sorry if my words make you uncomfortable, but it's hard for me not to tell you the truth."

Ocelotstride stiffened when Tidebreaker spoke, her voice uncertain what to say. She certainly wasn't a romantic, it hit her that she couldn't quite say how dangerously handsome the tom at her side was. Everything for his glowing, azure eyes and charming smile that could trap a molly at first sight, to his soft charcoal and white pelt with specks of glistening snow that intertwined within his short hairs. "Oh, I honestly heard that from Eclipseclanners at one of the gatherings, they were talking about a cat named Kingfish who'd been treated like he was the most important cat in all of the clans...Even more than a normal leader." The brown bengal shifted her paws uncomfortably, it was all she could do to stop talking. 'Starclan, I barely understand what I'm talking about! How can he do this to me?' She wondered to herself as her blue-green eyes flickered to the sky for a moment as a quiet meow approached her voice. "I don't think that I could ever be as beautiful as the moon..."

A shadow was cast across his face as Ocelotstride came to stand over him, what little warmth he'd felt from the sun quickly disappeared. He shivered, his thin pelt doing nothing to shield him from the cold. "I have a few tricks hidden in my fur." Tidebreaker grinned, internally applauding himself for his little pun.

He gazed up at the Bengal, mesmerized by the designs on her pelt. She was so beautiful, every time he looked at her he forgot out to breath. "You could rival the moon for it's beauty." Once he realized he'd voice his thoughts, Tidebreaker stood abruptly. His ocean blue eyes glanced at the she-cat, a small smile on his face. You're so awkward. He could practically feel Fadewhisker's disappointment from here.

The hawk seemed to continue it's circle above them, either waiting for the right time to attack or scavenging a scene where something had died. Tidebreaker was too focused on Ocelotstride's reaction to really care about the bird's whereabouts. Even so, they should at least be slightly cautious. "Your highness?" He questioned, raising a brow at her word choice.

Ocelotstride jumped at the sudden screech, her blue-green gaze just managing to see the creature fly past her as Tidebreaker fell into her, knocking what little breath that she had left as she landed on her side. The she-cat studied him for a moment, watching how his ocean eyes flashed up at the sky. "Wait...How did you even-...?" The russet brown bengal tipped her head in somewhat of confusion with a staggered meow. Flustered by the sound of her own voice, Ocelotstride pressed a paw onto his shoulder, the touch making her ever so slightly more flushed. Although she tried to her best to contradict it with a sarcastic meow. "Of course, your Highness, how could I not bestow a gracious mouse to you?" Her voice was smooth as silk, drifting in the wind.

The delicate looking tom-cat didn't have to wait long before Ocelotstride dashed into the small clearing. She seemed so happy to have 'won' their little race. He held his breath, waiting a moment for his den-mate to turn around before he crept up behind her. Tidebreaker rose on his hind-legs, fore-paws outstretched.

He didn't get very far in his attack, however, because the loud screech of a hawk caused him to stumble. He fell into her, knocking them both to the ground.

His breath left him in a strangled gasp, heat flushing his cheeks in frustration and embarrassment. His ocean blue eyes gazed up at the cloudy sky, "I was here first by the way." He stated once he was able to catch his breath. "I would like a mouse if you can find one."

Ocelotstride bounded through the forest, not dare looking back to see what had happened to Tidebreaker. The bengal's blue-green gaze widened when she saw the Lightening Tree in sight. 'Yes! I'm gonna win!!!' Excitement washed over her in waves as she slowed down, touching the base of the tree for a moment. "I hope he catches me something good..." She thought aloud, her breath wrapping around her lovely face. Ocelotstride sat down for a moment, her ears flicking back and forth as her eyes looked around the snow flooded place then back to where she had ran out from. 'He couldn't be that far behind me, could he?' The russet brown she-cat's smile slowly turned to a worried frown, so she stood again to try and smell him. The frigid air ran inti her nose, but at last, that was all.

Tidebreaker made sure to disappear as soon as he slipped out of camp. He'd trained some with Hiddenstrike, and he may not be as good at hiding, but he did pick up some techniques from his hard-headed brother. As soon as he made it to the lightning tree, he hide in one of the bushes praying that the cold would mess with Ocelotstrides sense of smell. He wanted to terrify the she-cat out of her fur.

A purr started up in the back of Midnightstorm's throat as she did, leaning into her touch slightly. "Of course I will. But there's nothing to forgive, you've done nothing wrong." He responded, pressing closer to her and letting his thick, fluffy tail wrap around her.