The game of the hunt

[nightstorm]

Eagleflight let out a faint mrrow of surprise as Cedarfur tackled him, and he gave her a playful glare. "No fair! I wasn't read-" His words were cut off as she tackled him again, and he found himself nose to nose with her. "Um...s'okay," he stammered back, aware of an uncomfortable prickling through his pelt. He stood up, and shook himself off again. "I do too have you beaten at fighting, you just have better ambushes," he joked, trying to cover his embarassment. His ears felt like they were smoldering, and he was sure she could hear his racing heart.

Without warning, Eagleflight sprang again, pinning her down once more. "But I'll get better at this," he told her, amuesment in his pale green eyes. He stared down at her, then broke off the glance, backing up so Cedarfur could get up.

[spike]

Cedarfur was slower this time to stand. Her mind was pounding with thoughts while her heart was racing to the point that she worried about it. Mostly it was about the cause to such a thing. She managed to stand though she didn't pounce back. She just walked over and nudged his chin lightly. "Um, Eagleflight?" she inquired.

Words were hardly coming to her throat. She felt terrible about what she had done. Was he mad or something? He wasn't being as talkative either. "I didn't mean to do that earlier," she murmured. She began to purr lightly to show she was calm though inside she really wasn't. "Really, I am."[/color]

[nightstorm]

"Mouse brain," Eagleflight said gently, with a smile. "I know that. I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked anxiously. "I can be a little tougher than I mean to at times...like the time I nearly twisted off Thistlefur's leg..." His voice trailed off, and he looked down, aware that he was rambling. What in StarClan's name was wrong with him? He never got flustered.

Besides, Cedarfur was standing rather close to him. He was sure she could feel the embarassment rolling off of him in waves, and he resisted the urge to press his fur into hers. "I..erm..Hungry. You? Return to camp..." His voice was choppy, and he cleared his throat. "Sorry...I'mkindofhungry.Howaboutyou?Maybeweshouldreturntocamp..." Again, he had messed up his words, speaking too fast. She probably hadn't understood that...Stupid, stupid, stupid, he mentally berated himself. He was acting like a fool. Why was he all of a sudden tongue-tied? It's not like he had never talked to a she-cat...

[spike]

"You know," she chuckled lightly, "you're adorable when you are embarassed." Cedarfur flicked her tail over his nose once more before walking off. It was better to just hurry their way back to camp before they both fell into the uneasiness of the moment. With no clue what was happening to him- or to her, for that matter-, she simply picked up the snake and mouse in her jaws. She motioned to Eagleflight then the squirrel.

Cedarfur hastily took off so she could get ahead of Eagleflight. Worry pricked at her paws and gnawed at her stomach. She wasn't a nervous cat yet that accident hadn't made it easy to stay all calm and sweet.[/color]

[nightstorm]

It was a good thing she was ahead of him, because Eagleflight felt as if he were glowing with embarassment. The thought You're so stupid! blended with the thought of She thinks you're cute! and shaking his head to clear it of these thoughts, Eagleflight picked up the squirrel and hurried to catch up with Cedarfur, eventually padding by her side, seemingly relaxed and leisurely.

With a squirrel in his mouth, he couldn't really converse, thank StarClan. He'd probably say something even more embarassing....but hey! If he was cute when embarassed... Stop it! What was happening to him? Maybe he had eaten a bad mouse or something... He be careful to check his food more thoroughly next time.

Even with the muddled thoughts, Eagleflight kept subtly stealing glances at the she-cat beside him. He wondered what she was thinking, and if this was happening to her too, or if he was just being weirder than usual.

[spike]

Cedarfur was quiet- due to the prey, of course- but also was quiet in her mind. It was just dull to the words. Emotions roared in her ears though. She couldn't stop the confusion at what she had said to rise up. She couldn't stop the embarrassment for the moment. She couldn't stop the now rapidly beating heart that rested in her chest. Sure, she had been around toms before. Her Clan was full of them. Still, this was different. The awkward silence was still nice just because Eagleflight was there. Cedarfur slowed to see if he would before completely stopping.

Talk to him, Cedarfur. Better that rather than returning to the camp like this. What would you say then?[/u]

She placed the prey sluggishly on the ground before hesitating. "Eagleflight?" she mewed. The name rolling from her mouth felt wonderful like a fresh killed bit of prey or a warm Greenleaf sun. "I hope this doesn't make things... different between us. I didn't mean to, I swear. I don't want to go back to camp with this uneasiness on my mind."[/font][/color]

[nightstorm]

Eagleflight had slowed as well. He stared at the ground for a moment, then met Cedarfur's gaze. Placing the squirrel on the ground, he smiled. "No, it was my fault, Cedarfur. Sorry for being stupid. I don't know what came over me." He averted his gaze for a moment, then returned to her face. "Things aren't different. No sense in being uneasy. It's just me, Eagleflight the slug." He laughed, though it sounded strange to him. He still felt the flurry of emotions, but he forced them back. He flicked at her with his tail good-naturedly. "it was an accident, and we both know that, so don't worry about it." His voice was gentle and kind, perhaps gentler than his usual teasing tone, so he allowed a bit of a teasing tone to creep into his voice as he said, "Though, perhaps I was right earlier, and you are a slug..."

[spike]

Cedarfur snickered slightly and batted his nose lightly. It was still playful as he was. "Whatever makes you feel better, Slugflight," she joked. Pausing once more, Cedarfur leaned closer so her voice was close to his ear. "But... to clear things up? I kinda liked the accident." She wrenched back to hastily pick up the prey she had left behind before dashing off.[/color]

[nightstorm]

Eagleflight stared in astonishment as he heard her final comment about the accident, and for a moment, he allowed a grin to creep over his face. So it wasn't just him who had felt it then. Still feeling an odd feeling prickling through his pelt, he picked up his squirrel and dashed after Cedarfur. He was able to catch up with her not far from the camp, and he darted in front of her, forcing her to come to a stop. Setting his prey down, Eagleflight scuffed at the ground with one paw. "I..kinda liked the accident too," he murmured, somewhat shyly. He grinned up at her roguishly. "But it's okay if you just said that to make things better," he told her hastily, not meeting her gaze. Oh for StarClan's sake, Eagleflight, what kind of comment was that?

[spike]

"I don't lie, Eagleflight," Cedarfur chuckled. "I've never lied." Cedarfur allowed her eyes to wander over him in silent thought. I just haven't really told you the truth it seems, she inwardly sighed. Cedarfur set her eyes on him again. Her throat closed up while she found herself caught. But the mud wasn't to blame when her paws kept themselves rooted before him. "What's going on, Eagleflight?" she finally managed to whisper. "What is happening between you and me? I can't explain it but... I'm definitely confused."

[nightstorm]

Eagleflight hesitated for a moment. Finally, he spoke, meeting her gaze with his intense pale green eyes. "I-I'm not entirely sure," he said slowly. "But I do have one explanation for you..." Here, he paused for a long moment, then gathered the nerve to say what he had been thinking since the 'accident'.

"Cedarfur," he began again, "I think I'm falling in love with you." He shuffled his paws nervously, but he had to continue. "I don't know what you're feeling, but I know what I am. At least, I think I do..." His voice trailed away, and he met her gaze again, this time evenly, and summoning up his courage, he said, "And even if you don't feel the same way, I understand, but I wanted to let you know what I am feeling now."

[spike]

"You sound like I feel," she chuckled slightly in response. His nervous shifting and the slight tremble to his voice definitely showed he was nervous to talk about things like that. Despite that, she felt that feeling well up in her again. It was such a mixture that she found it hard to explain. At first, there is the usual excitement. Second was fears of the unexplainable. Lastly was shock to think that it was Eagleflight to say such a thing. But the shock was meant well. He was great in her eyes.

"How would you react," she slowly started once the nervousness faded enough, "if I answered your statement? If I said I felt the same?" Cedarfur's eyes sprakled. "And if you remember that I don't lie."

[nightstorm]

Eagleflight looked up from where he was shuffling his paws, astonishment in his eyes, replaced by a softer look, a deeper emotion. "I...I would probably be lost for words..." he told her softly. "Happier than I've been for a long time, and probably act stupid." He laughed, then slowly, cautiously, stood beside her, their pelts nearly touching. "I'd probably try hard to convince you that I would make a good mate, and then parade around camp like a blue jay..." He paused.

"I would make a good mate," he told her, a teasing tone in his voice. "I'll go out every day on patrol, protecting you, then come home and expect my freshkill to be waiting for me, just like all those other toms." He chuckled, then said, "Just kidding." His eyes became more serious though, and as his confidence began returning, Eagleflight gazed at the she-cat beside him. "Seriously though, Cedarfur, I would be thrilled, more than thrilled, if you chose me to be your mate."

[spike]

The she-cat seemed to take a moment to deeply think. But then she gave a small chuckle to fully press her being to his. "I guess I can accept that," she whispered. "But Eagleflight? I will say this much. You predicted right." Her nose pressed to his muzzle in a loving way. "You do act stupid when you're lost for words. Come on, Slugflight. If I'm going to be mated to you, I might as well get you that prey, hm?"

She tapped his ear and nose with her tail before darting into camp. ((So, return to the camp?))[/color]

[nightstorm]

Eagleflight took a moment to breath in the warm scent Cedarfur had left behind, then, picking up his prey, he followed her, his eyes softened happily.

ooc: Short post is short...but yes, we can return to camp now.