IF HAPPY EVER AFTER DID EXIST * [DUNE]

[Dawn]

SPLASHMIST
"I'm right here in front of you - Just ask and I'll hold your breath in my hands - And I'll save you when you crash, when you crash."

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Soft feet, running through wet pine trees dripping with rain water. Retreating into unfamiliar territory, peeking this way and that with fluid green eyes, narrowed against the drizzle that escaped the net of branches above. A blushing pink nose outlined in black wrinkled, unable to distinguish any one scent from another. This was Vertigoclan territory, not the comforting swampland of Tempestclan or even the now-familiar sweeping moors of Zephyrclan. Still, she was determined to find a place to rest and remain. It had to be far away from the others, secluded. Normally Splashmist wouldn't have gone for such isolation, but lately all she wanted was to be alone.

Full circle... full circle... The phrase whispered irritatingly between her ears, like an insect just out of reach from her snapping teeth. It had been set on repeat for the past moon, always present, a dark reminder of their last meeting. She hadn't expected so much to change. The flooding, the destruction of her home. The fighting, the betrayal, codes that bound breaking under stress. Splashmist was cracking under pressure, but she had become skilled at hiding it. Her thoughts were deadened as her steps took her nearer and nearer a cluster of pines where the scent of Zephyrclan warriors was especially strong. She wasn't sure what she had wanted to see, but she didn't see the warrior that was on her mind. A young tom, likely an apprentice, gave her a friendly look with golden eyes, but she didn't meet his. Feeling embarrassed and disappointed she began to walk away, barely seeing the path in front of her. Where would Duneshade be? Somewhere in the depths of the forest, cornered away from the others, as she so desperately needed to be?

The flooding had interrupted their intention to meet just a few days from now. Perhaps it was a sign for her to give up. Splashmist gave the woods a cursory glance, recalling the predator that had once roamed here, preying on Vertigoclan cats. Where now? She was looking for shelter from the onslaught, but a different kind, not a clump of bushes smelling of bitter winters, or a many-branched tree. She was seeking her personal shelter, the kind that she could take when she looked into Duneshade's comforting yellow eyes. If she had to soak her fur and paws treading the overgrown mountain terrain in search of the tom, then so be it. She would do what she had to do.
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[Dusk]

There was something funny - in a twisted, wrong, bemusing way - how quickly one came to miss something once it was wrenched away without the slightest warning. Was it not moons ago that he had tired of his clan? Hadn't he learned to despise the moors and the barrier they created between himself and someone that had become such an integral force in his life? It had been an eager action, mere moons back, to slip away from camp and away from the cats whom had been a part of his life since his birth; to desperately seek out a warrior that should have been forbidden to him. He'd told no one, although he was sure there were some suspicions. Havocstar had an eerie way of seeming to know everything that went on, although the leader, thankfully, had never approached Duneshade to ask where he was needed every week in the middle of the night. It had been dark and stressful and the young warrior had become more and more alienated from his clanmates. And now he found himself missing those times.

This place wasn't home. Home was where the warm scent of heather pervaded all things and there was always a brisk gust ruffling one's fur. Here the air was dank and still in comparison, the breezes strangled by the thick trees and heavy foliage, the smells bathing his palette were too earthy, like they needed more sun. There was something wrong with not being able to see everything for miles out. Then again, there was something wrong with the entire situation at hand. For all his melancholy, Duneshade had never suspected he would be forced out of Zephyrclan territory. Although he had convinced himself he hated his home, there had always been that inner knowledge that he could never wrestle himself away from the lands. There were too many memories, although perhaps not all fond, and a part of the warrior was tied to the rolling hills. 'You don't know you love something until it's gone.' A wry smile twisted on the cat's features. That statement was ringing hard and true right about now.

There had been instructions not to wander. They didn't know the territory and all the cats were on unsure ground as it were with this technical invasion. There was still a touch of rebellion, however, in Duneshade, and there were still moments where he simply couldn't bring himself to face his clanmates. So he slipped away and wandered, dark pelt mixing just fine with the shadows. He had padded near the portion of land where Tempestclan had settled, considered walking amongst that group, and decided against when he realized a stranger might nor be well received at such a time. It was about time he headed back anyways, his paws ached from being pricked constantly by the litter of pine needles, besides it wasn't as though he could hunt or patrol in this place. Once, on the way back, he sniffed curiously, hopefully as a familiar scent registered. It was hard to recognize, mangled as it was by the hopeless mish-mosh of clans smells, but what other Tempestclan cat would be so close to the Zephyrclan group? Sure enough, as he stretched on his long legs to peer across the bodies he spotted a silver-gray shape moving away, down a well-worn path. He danced neatly around the other felines waiting to be some distance away before crying out. "Splashmist!" He broke into a trot, rushing towards the tabby as she heard his call. "I wasn't sure I'd find you nearby."

[Dawn]

SPLASHMIST
"I'm right here in front of you - Just ask and I'll hold your breath in my hands - And I'll save you when you crash, when you crash."

[/color]

She heard a cry from behind her, and it stung with familiarity. It seemed she would have to do less searching than she'd thought originally. Unbidden, the name rose to her lips to ring clearly, "Duneshade!" Splashmist spun around, taking in the long-legged tom with a mixture of sorrow and delight in her eyes. With all of the clans joined as they were now, she wasn't sure whether it was dangerous for them to be seen together or not. She was thinking not, but she wanted to be careful anyway. Knowing he would be fast, she halted and waited for him to catch up. "I wasn't sure I'd find you nearby." Hearing his words, a rusty purr appeared in her throat, despite the tension of their last meeting.

"Yeah,"[/color] she mewed, meeting his eyes briefly and then moving them down. "I was looking for you. We should talk."[/color] Exhilaration from being with the one cat she knew she shouldn't be chased her rapid heart beat. The little female glanced over her shoulder, to check how close to the others they still were. With Duneshade by her side she stood and began walking again, her pace rather quick in needing to get away from the Zephyrclan cats, yet clumsy. She was accustomed to walking on soft, loamy soil, which would sink in or even break in places. With her light, careful tread, it seemed that on the hard Vertigoclan ground her paws either hit the earth too hard or barely skimmed it. It was strange, and she didn't like it- her paw pads had dried, and the pine needles that littered the ground pricked her.

Moments ago she'd had so much to say, but now that she sat facing him under overhanging pine branches, she was mute. Just what was she planning to say? Perhaps in all of her time alone over the past moon she should've given it more thought, formulated a plan of sorts. Now she was simply making it up as she went along. "What do you think is going to happen now?"[/color] Splashmist realized how ambiguous her statement had been, and clarified, "Now that the clans are all forced to stay together. Dreamfeather says we just need to wait for the floods to recede and then we can go back, but... I don't think so."[/color] Her eyes were bleak as she said as much, remembering how she had heard the limbs of the great tree crack, surrounded by water. She had nearly drowned, slipping and falling into the swollen river. "I saw our camp. Ravaged. Destroyed. The others are wrong- there's no going back. Wherever our fates lie now... the clans need to decide together. And I want to be by your side."[/color] A fat raindrop fell from the end of a branch just above her head, and landed between her shoulder blades, making the fur there heavy and cold. "I'm tired of hiding and fighting and always running away. I know that this could hurt both of our clans, but... it's worth it if we get to be together in the end."[/color]

After that she twisted her face over her shoulder to try and warm herself with rough licks. She hadn't thought she'd had it in her, but she had said just what she needed to, if not more. Now it was up to him to decide whether it was worth the risk or not. She couldn't, wouldn't, choose for him. If he wasn't willing to try as hard as she was, then there was no use in continuing with what they had.
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[Dusk]

There was a thick moment of doubt where Duneshade wondered if Splashmist would turn around and greet him or act like she hadn't heard him and just keep walking. It was a foolish notion, but there was a deep-seated fear in the tom that always made him worry about being rejected. In was all too strange, sometimes, to be able to know - think? believe? hope? - that there was a cat out there who saw beyond the spidery frame and timid nature. A strange idea that someone might care for him and he might care back. On occasion the tom would just sit and wonder if the events playing back in his head were just vivid fantasies conjured up by a desperate mind. Foolish. Stupid. But always there in the back of his head. So when he saw the she-cat's footsteps falter as she registered his cry, watched her spin to meet him and call out with his own name, the tom felt the beginnings of a smile tugging on his maw. In the time it took to close the remaining fox-lengths between them the smile had become a full-blown, lopsided grin.

He wanted to say something, anything, but just what he wasn't sure. Even so his jaws were parted to speak when Splashmist beat him to the punch. "I was looking for you. We should talk." The grin faltered and then fell to be replaced with a more somber expression as he gave a mute nod. Those words were never quite the best way to start any sort of meeting. "Of course, you're right," he said after a moment; he motioned for the other to lead the way to some place they could speak in a semblance of privacy. Was there a such thing as privacy with four clans residing on a steadily shrinking territory? It seemed like there was a cat at every turn unless one dared to delve deeper into the Vertigoclan woods against the silent agreement to avoid as much trespassing as possible. Part of him wanted to fill the silence as they walked, yet another was simply happy to enjoy this wordless moment. 'Or happy to push off whatever conversation might be about to happen?' He frowned inwardly at the nagging little voice. If he could will the wonders away he would, only it wasn't so easy. It was hard to say how long they'd walked, Duneshade was no expert at telling time with a thick canopy hampering his view of the sky, but he had begun to let his mind wander freely. When they did slow somewhat, the warrior gave a tiny grunt of surprise and bumped the she-cat as his paws failed to stop quickly enough.

"Well that's a whopper of a question." Was his initial response. He twisted his head to one side, nonplussed and fumbling for some response. He'd hardly thought about where he would be in the next week, let alone what would be happening to the clans in a few months. True, it was something he should have considered, even so he hadn't. "There isn't exactly a way to prep for mass flooding of multiple clans, and, well, I don't believe that we'll be able to just sit on our tails and hope Starclan sends a miracle. Who knows when these rains will leave?" He shook his head, ruffling out his thin fur against the persistent damp. His brow had furrowed thoughtfully, and he glared down at his paws as though they had all the answers. He looked up, yellow-green gaze wary as the tabby continued, moving on to the meat of the matter. On to them. "Splashmist, I-" he paused, fighting not to stammer as he often did when emotions got the better of him. "Damn the rules. I don't care what anyone else thinks. Nothing else matters if I can't have you, if I can't be with you everywhere."

With a small snort he stepped closer to the she-cat, lowering his head to meet the smaller's gaze. "But are you sure? I know that your family might not take too well to this. At least I've got no one to judge me but my clan." Perhaps not the best words, but now was the time to be frank and not dance around the subject as they had for so many moons.

[Dawn]

SPLASHMIST
"I'm right here in front of you - Just ask and I'll hold your breath in my hands - And I'll save you when you crash, when you crash."

[/color]

Duneshade bumped against her, and it made her smile, oddly. Awkward. They were both so young, and awkward still. Their bodies did not yet move in a rhythm guided by experience, did not fit together perfectly, did not correlate without ridges and valleys of differences. Perhaps that was what made it so special to her, because she had long ago realized that imperfections were worth ten times what appeared flawless on the surface. How she hated to stumble onto such things, to engage in dealings with those that plastered smiles on all of the time, whose words never faltered and whose paws never fell without strength. It was one thing to be stoic, but there was a time that came when one couldn't be a cold, tall stone, uncut by wind, untouched by elements, standing without expression. Splashmist despised ingenuity, because it meant that the bearer of emotions, such as herself, was always going to get hurt, and the other wouldn't feel anything at all.

"There isn't exactly a way to prep for mass flooding of multiple clans, and, well, I don't believe that we'll be able to just sit on our tails and hope Starclan sends a miracle. Who knows when these rains will leave?" Splashmist bit her lip, trembling a little, just a little, as what had happened began to bite through her defenses and swallow her up, little by little. "Damn the rules. I don't care what anyone else thinks. Nothing else matters if I can't have you, if I can't be with you everywhere." It was like her world had been on mute, waiting for those words to come and turn the volume back up, return sound and light. Everything had been a dizzy blur, now things came into focus, the deep hues of a forest drenched in rain, the tom in front of her, his voice resonating very deeply within the tangled mess of images playing through her head. Things haven't yet come full circle.

"But are you sure? I know that your family might not take too well to this. At least I've got no one to judge me but my clan." Splashmist was strong. She was a Tempestclan cat, the toughest of all the forest and moor dwelling cats, no doubt. She had seen herself through many things without ever truly breaking down. No, instead of sadness, her normal response was anger, and denial, and closing herself down. "It's all just... it's all too much, isn't it? Everything is... gone..." She choked on the words, staring wildly at Duneshade as though he might deny her claims. "And it's either you or my family and I can't have both and I won't leave you," the little gray tabby exclaimed fiercely, "I won't! So... so if Havocstar will take me, then I'll join Zephyrclan, whatever happens. To be with you. Because the moors are in you, and... I'm not like my clan mates." Her head fell in shame. "I'm weak, and little. I'm not like Dreamfeather, or even Jayblue. I don't belong there anymore, with them." She didn't know why she was talking so much, but she trusted Duneshade to be able to wade through her storm of words and emotions and get at the root of what she wanted to say. "I belong with you." Wherever that is, she added silently, pressing her forehead hard against the Zephyrclan warrior's shoulder. She sighed, breathing in his scent and finally acknowledging her intense sadness. There was no going back or doing it over now. "I'm so sorry," Splashmist added in a whisper.

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[Dusk]

It would have been nice for Duneshade if just once in his life he could be that, quiet, thoughtful cat that always gave out the best advice. Rather than that quiet, thoughtful cat who seemed to never have the right thing to say. It wasn't as though he tried to say the wrong things, only eloquence had never been the spidery tom's forte. He could say something, but more than half the time he decided that everyone would be better off if he just kept silent and stuck to mute nods. It was one of those major character flaws that the warrior sometimes hated about himself. At least he didn't stutter or stumble too often nowadays, as an apprentice that had been far more embarrassing. Still, watching a look of pain surface from beneath Splashmist's tough exterior, the sable feline found himself regretting the frankness with which he had noted the clans' dire situation. 'Just go straight out and say that her home's good as gone and laugh about it, why don't you? He hoped the tabby would understand. He was flawed, they were flawed. Everything was flawed.

After his mock-able excuse for a "speech", Duneshade could feel a sudden freedom, and lightness as though he'd been pressed under the force of an unseen burden, now lifted. He rolled his shoulders slightly, almost testing the lack of pressure like it had been something physical. It was almost a giddy thing, an emotion quite out of place in this, an unfamiliar territory and unhappy circumstance. The tom had just commited himself to a life-changing decision, but then, some part of him felt this turn of events had been set in stone from that first fateful night when he met a silver-gray apprentice along a moon-lit lakeshore. The moment shattered, though, and the grimness of things was brought about again as Splashmist spoke. "It's all just... it's all too much, isn't it? Everything is... gone..." He tried to smile and failed miserably. He wanted to sweep forward and nuzzle the other, just tell her that everything was alright. somehow things would work out. They just had to persevere and stand strong in the face of this challenge. Wasn't that what some of the older gruffs in the clans claimed? He knew what he wanted to say, but he couldn't voice the words. They were lies, and he was sick of lying.

"Not everything is gone," he murmured. "We have each other after all, don't we?" Duneshade gave a soft laugh. "I'm sorry, that was rather cliche wasn't it?" While the cat hated to fall back on lighthearted humor, no other alternative made itself obvious. He listened in silent awe as Splashmist continued on, suddenly taking a a new strength and ferocity in her volition. He'd done nothing to deserve such a partner, but there she was, speaking and showing a willingness to give up all her past life to be with him, to leave behind everything she knew. It should have been the reverse, he dropping all his possessions. Then again, it would seem they'd never been the pair to follow the status quo. "I... I don't know what to say after something like that," he gave a wry smile, a purr rising from his throat to soften the words. "Only that I love you Splashmist and you deserve so much better; don't you dare apologize for anything. That should be me. I was a stupid fool for ever trying to say we couldn't be." He paused. "Things are changing fast now, and not just for us. Everyone is living so closely, I can't say there won't be some changes in the clans anyways." Maybe this was just what they needed. he wasn't about to say such a thing, but the thought crept in the back of his head. would something like this have happened were it not for the clans being displaced?

[Dawn]

SPLASHMIST
"I'm right here in front of you - Just ask and I'll hold your breath in my hands - And I'll save you when you crash, when you crash."

[/color]

Splashmist sighed. "We have each other after all, don't we?" Of course she shouldn't have expected his words to soothe her, it was not something that could be smoothed over, the situation itself could not be soothed. It was too hard, and it was unfair of her to think that Duneshade, that anyone, could make it less so. The little silver-dusted femme ached for a role model, an adult cat when they seemed just kits, one with wisdom that knew all the right things to say. Instead she found she had only herself, had only him. They had each other, and that was all there was. She could not fall on Dreamfeather or Hailghost now, and perhaps never could again. She could not ask for the advice of Islandsplash; Islandsplash was not her mentor anymore. As much as it felt like it, she wasn't Splashpaw, and she couldn't go on acting like it any longer. All she could ask was for her family to understand; and if they would not, it wasn't her problem.

"Things are changing fast now, and not just for us. Everyone is living so closely, I can't say there won't be some changes in the clans anyways." The tabby nodded, and voiced their thoughts both, "If there is anything good that can come of this disaster, it's our coming together. The both of us have shown that we can be, and we are. There's no going back now, nothing to do but accept all that has happened-" Splashmist allowed herself a smile, whiskers twitching as she fell back on his faulty logic, "And remember that we do have each other. In this, and in all things. "[/color] She leaned forward and touched noses lightly with the tom that she would, in time, come to call a mate. In time, Splashmist decided wryly, her thoughts half on what she would say to those uninvolved, and half on Duneshade. Only time will heal wounds from my departure, and only time will find me a place in Zephyrclan. After all, time has brought us here. It is neither friend nor enemy- only a force that must be accepted.

Untroubled by the future, Splashmist pricked her ears and gave him a wondering look, green eyes glinting as she grinned. "So, if a Zephyrclan warrior and a Tempestclan warrior were ever to agree upon anything, that is... perhaps we might look for a temporary den? Together?" They were too alike, light in all actions, falling back on humor in the blackest of times. Still, she wouldn't let herself go back to the flood again, not now. Splashmist wasn't about to relive painfully fresh memories when the one she loved with all of herself was close enough to touch, to share in laughter with.


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[Dusk]

The lithe warrior felt the warm look creeping onto his face as Splashmist sighed but proceeded to nod and agree with her soft murmurs. The chaos, the swirling, conflicting emotions rushing through the she-cat must have been in a mad tumult; the variety of thoughts, objections, internal battles could be maddening. At least so he thought. And here she was coolly taking a breath, voice level and determined, moving easily through the motions of the conversation. Duneshade recalled the last time he'd felt such an imagined conflict. That had been back on that fateful night on the glacier. Back when he was still too young and immature - not that he still wasn't young and immature - and a freshmade warrior who was torn between loyalties to his clan and loyalties to the female warrior from another clan who saw past his flaws. Past his stammering and his nerves and his detestation of physical violence. He hadn't handled things so well, the outbursts flying from his mouth thoughtlessly. They might have been torn apart, only they instead managed to move past the problems. Such a time seemed a distant memory now.

"And remember that we do have each other. In this, and in all things. " A low chuckle bubbled up from his chest. They were like two pillars with crumbled bases, fragile on their own, unsteady; not assuredly able to stand alone against anything and everything that the world might send. Leaning on the other, though, they were immobile. A near-unshakable force maybe. He pressed back the nose-touch with a pleased purr. "Big day for big changes," he meowed, a wry note to his words. "And whatever happens, I promise I'll be there for you." He fumbled slightly around the words, unsure of just what he was attempting to convey. Stupidly chivalric, aren't you?' He scoffed quietly at himself. "So, if a Zephyrclan warrior and a Tempestclan warrior were ever to agree upon anything, that is... perhaps we might look for a temporary den? Together?"

The sable cat leaned back, mirroring the happy look on Splashmist's face. He rolled his gaze skywards, brow furrowing and face pulling a contemplative look as he considered the few patches of the heavens he could make out through the thick foliage. "Now that would be something of a feat wouldn't it?" He asked with a cock of his head, dipping his chin to look back at the silver-gray tabby. "Two cats which such different tastes finding a suitable place to nest together. We might try, though." The lightness in his tone was enough to convey the joking in his words. "Personally, I think the forest-cat will have better taste in picking out a place beneath trees. So why don't you lead the way?" As he spoke a pressed close, letting their pelts brush before - in spite of his words - he began padding off in a random direction, motioning with a wave of his tail for the other to come along.

[Dawn]

SPLASHMIST
"I'm right here in front of you - Just ask and I'll hold your breath in my hands - And I'll save you when you crash, when you crash."

[/color]

"And whatever happens, I promise I'll be there for you." She nearly wanted to breach the topic then. It was the perfect time, but it was too heavy a subject. What if it was just a hunch? She didn't want him to get excited or worried for nothing. But if she didn't find out somehow soon, this was going to be dangerous. Would you be there for more than just me? Splashmist's face begged the question as she tipped her head and looked at him, but it remained unvoiced.

She settled for a warm look, the sun coming out into a cloudy sky and radiating happiness over doubt. "Personally, I think the forest-cat will have better taste in picking out a place beneath trees. So why don't you lead the way?" Still, Duneshade danced off ahead of her, taking the lead. Splashmist glared after his dark pelt, and lunged after to catch up. "Hey, speedy, I thought I was leading the way?" The Tempestclan warrior growled at him and cuffed him over the ear lightly, unable to keep from grinning as she did so. Then she veered off into his side, unsteadying him and dashing into the undergrowth of the forest territory. "I say we go this way! And I'm the forest cat," she added in a lower voice, as she looked back at him playfully. "So I know what I'm doing. You'll just have to trust me on this one, moorlander." She laughed and continued on her way, scenting out patches of dry ferns and the bases of trees, looking for a hollow log or some other sort of easy shelter. Duneshade was probably used to sleeping out in the open anyway, so a tight clearing might work. Still, this was going to be tricky.






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[Dusk]

He'd thought that Splashmist would be a bit happier at his words, not that expected the she-cat would be gleeful and bright, no times had been far to bleak for that, but he couldn't help but feel his stomach tighten and coil upon itself somewhat as he caught the brooding darkness of an unvoiced question in the mixed green stare. His tail flicked and he met her glance as levelly as he could, wondering at what could elicit the look she was giving him. 'Go on, tell me what's on your mind.' He only wished he was brave enough to say such a thing, but he was still too much a a coward to speak. His throat was tight. Silently a portion of the young warrior's mind begged for her to just speak up, the other half of him secretly wishing she wouldn't. He wasn't entirely sure he might want to face the brevity of news that could force such a clear challenge on the silver tabby's face. He could feels his jaws working, building up to speak. Only he couldn't. He might try, he might make all sorts of attempts, but the male was unable to force any speech. Weak, that's what he was.

Before he could think too long on the glance things had suddenly relaxed, tension breaking into a look of endearment and closeness. Maybe even love? Just go with it, put the wondering away. There would be time to ponder, time to talk later. It would seem, after all, that they'd be spending much more time in each others' vicinity. A childish titter bubbled up from his chest as he heard the feline shifting in surprise when he took off, growing to a full force laugh as she caught up and moved to swipe teasingly at his ear. The tom ducked, though not fast enough to avoid the blow. "Hey!" He flicked the 'hurt' ear with a look of mock pain. "You've got to move fast to keep up with Zephyrclan cat, forest-dweller," came the playful retort, eyes narrowing coyly. "Isn't it often said we're so skittish we must have ants in our pelts. You really shouldn't be surprised at how fast I took off." He gave a soft grunt as the shorter of the pair buffeted his side "accidentally" as she took off in a semi-random direction, stumbling to keep his balance, paws fumbling across the unfamiliar ground.

The dark-furred warrior took pursuit through the thick foliage, grudgingly aware of the incessant tug of twigs and leaves on his fur. "Speaking of which, how in the world do you deal with all the clutter?" He asked with mock scorn, happy to follow after her and meeting her antics with a sly smirk. "I mean, how do you not give yourself away to all the prey. And your pelts... it's a wonder they're intact!" He let his mind wander as the she-cat, who in all honesty probably knew better than he could ever hope to about choosing a good nest, sniffed about curiously. "I love you, by the way," he said suddenly, padding up to brush his head warmly underneath the female's chin. "I don't know that I've ever had the chance to just say that in a casual fashion."

[Dawn]

SPLASHMIST
"I'm right here in front of you - Just ask and I'll hold your breath in my hands - And I'll save you when you crash, when you crash."

[/color]

"Isn't it often said we're so skittish we must have ants in our pelts. You really shouldn't be surprised at how fast I took off." Splashmist batted her eyes at him, smiling slowly. "Don't you have ants in your pelts? That's what my cousin Hailghost always told me," she jabbed him in the shoulder with a paw. "Oh, you'll never cease to surprise me, Dune! Never. Not if I live to be one hundred moons old, will I ever stop being surprised by you." She halted swiftly and turned to look at him, very seriously mewing, "Promise."

"Speaking of which, how in the world do you deal with all the clutter?" Splashmist snorted as she continued walking, gradually increasing her pace to match his long-legged stride. "How do you deal with all of the open space? This is the way cats are meant to live!" She knew she would miss the forest, wherever they went from here. She was tethered to Tempestclan and their ways, even if she didn't fit in quite as well as she ought. "We keep our pelts intact knowing anyone that intrudes will lose their's," the young warrior meowed sagely, as though she were talking to her apprentice. "And if a bumbling moorlander does manage to come through, without a hair on their pelt of course, well... We'll tear their pelt off anyway."

Just before them stood a cluster of close-growing pines, but all of their branches were far too high to provide good shelter. We'll keep looking. Their rough back and forth was broken by Duneshade padding up beside her and ducking his head beneath her's, sweeter than any gesture she'd ever before experienced. "I love you too," she replied. "It's nice to be able to. Say that, I mean. It's nice to be able to love you too, though."



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[Dusk]

"I disagree with your cousin's assessment," Duneshade mewed in quick reply, brow furrowing and face pulling into a serious look, though the light in his eyes betrayed any chance of the tom looking like he meant anything he said. "You're so pushy!" He gave a short bout of laughter as the shorter she-cat's paw connected with his shoulder and pranced away for a short moment, adding more space so that he wouldn't continue to be Splashmist's personal punching bag. He couldn't resist keeping space between them for too long though, they'd been denied their moments of closeness long enough already, and he found himself quickly sidling back to her side. The dark tom pulled up up sharply as Splashmist stopped and did an abrupt about-face, meeting him eye to eye. He gave a silent nod, accepting the she-cat's word, though not entirely sure what had brought them up.

"How do you deal with all of the open space? The tom gave a disbelieving snort, forcing himself to slow slightly as he noticed his mate - he could call her that now, right? - struggling slightly to keep up with him. He often forgot that his limp wasn't much of a hindrance anymore, he'd learned to live with it. "The open space a beautiful," he responded dreamily, eye drifting shut for a moment as he recalled his lovely moorland. "Wind in your fur, the air is brisk and clean, you can see for miles around." A wry glance was passed up to the sky, or what he could see of it, anyways. After a moment he added thoughtfully, "But I suppose you'd call that exposed." The warrior gave a casual shrug, dismissing the matter. What did it matter? They weren't going to be living in a place either of them were used to for some time. Might as well come to terms with that now. "You'd certainly make a good and ferocious mentor," he meowed, and pretended to give a shudder at the 'threat'.

The warrior attempted to follow the silver-gray tabby's lead, looking over a large root system here, squinting upwards at a close stand of pine trees there, but he had to admit he was far in over his head trying to pick out a den in all this mess. He'd grown up sleeping in a grassy dip in the ground, after all, it never occurred to him that a den might require an overhead shelter except for a medicine cat's den and the nursery; although these rains proved otherwise, Duneshade lacked the eye for a good nest. Cuddling up with Splashmist was a happy distraction. A warm flush of joy surged through the tom as she replied in kind. He could have stayed there and wiled away the remaining hours, only the sky seemed to have other ideas. He mistook the first raindrop for moisture dripping from the trees. But then along came a second, a third, too soon it was obvious that a fresh storm was rolling in. "Good Starclan," he muttered. "We'd better hurry and find that den."