Staying Up

[nightstorm]

Eagleflight rasped his tongue over Cedarfur's ears gently, before speaking again. "I'll have to remember to work on that then," he told her. "However, I seem to embarass myself quite a lot. Good thing I'm so popular, you know? I don't have to worry about being shunned." His voice was teasing, and he continued to groom her pelt gently. Her fur was warm against his, and he sent a silent thank-you to StarClan for giving him the best day of his life.

"Still, I suppose that all of us must wing it at one point or another...that's how I get by sometimes." His green eyes danced with mirth. "For example, the other day, I couldn't decide where to settle for a nap, so I decided to just let StarClan guide me to the perfect spot. And I found it, right behind the elders' den..." He chuckled lightly.

[. s p o r e l e t t ♪]

Lightfeather smiled obscurely, the mirth on her face making it difficult to tell if she was being serious or not when she next spoke. "Yes, dawn," she said gleefully. "When most other warriors get up for patrols. It would be good for you to get up early for a change." Taking another bite of the snake, she continued in a wheedling tone. "Besides, when was the last time you saw a sunrise? They're quite beautiful, you know. Sometimes when I have to get up early after a particularly tiring day, it's worth it just to see the colours." Looking sideways at Deerfur, the gilded she-cat examined him with glowing golden eyes. "I'd like to see a sunrise with you, Deerfur," she said. "I think it would be fun. You could always go back to sleep afterward, you know."

((Bleh, short post. XP))

[:c a i:]

Deerfur tipped his head to one side in mock contemplation. "Dawn... Sunrise... Hmm." He grinned. "Now I think I saw one of those a few moons ago... When I was too hungry to stay asleep." He smiled at Lightfeather's attempt to convince him. When she put it like that, it did almost sound worth sacrificing the end of his sleep to watch the sun light up the land. "Well... If you promise to catch my prey for the day, then I'll come out with you." He joked. "But I warn you, me in the early morning is never particularly delightful." He stretched luxuriously, his light brown fur ruffling as he moved.

"I need my beauty sleep. How else do you think I stay this handsome?" His cheeky grin stretched even wider as he crunched a last piece of snake. "Now you're just making excuses to spend time with me. Which is completely understandable." His light, joking tone made it clear he wasn't serious. In truth, if Lightfeather really did try to drag him from his nest in the early morning, he probably would go rather willingly. He liked spending time with her, even if it was before what he considered acceptable waking hours.

[spike]

"Oh, you!" she mewed again. Cedarfur resisted the urge to smack him this time though. There was no point in doing such a thing. He wasn't worth another bat of her paw. He would always be 'Slugflight' in her mind. Not that she minded one bit. She liked him for that. A calm, carefree (or careless sometimes) cat.

"I have to say though," she purred while cuddling towards him. "Winging it will be something I'll have to do. If I must do that, at least I have you- the master of all laziness- to help me out through that!"

[Sparky]

Ambertail padded away from the nursery and into the Warrior's den, thoughts settling on her like bees on honey. She flicked them away impatiently and entered the den. She smiled at Deer fur and Eagleflight and the other warriors and collapsed into her nest. She ignored the gnawing sensation in her stomach, having been to preoccupied to eat since dawn. She stretched her tail out and then curled it in, yawning hugely.

[nightstorm]

"I'll always be here for you," Eagleflight promised, "even if it is to help you just wing it." He chuckled quietly, pressing his fur into his mate-to-be's, and resting his head gently across her back. He sighed happily. Warm, comfortable, and with the one you love most in the world...what better life could a cat wish for? Those stupid kittypets...letting stinking Twolegs pet them and feed them hard and unappetizing little rabbit droppings...bleagh.

He flicked his ears, and commented, "Kittypets aren't very bright, are they? They sit cowering in their Twoleg nests, unable to sense the pride there is in being a warrior, the friendship you can find, and being with those you love...unable to sleep under StarClan's gaze..." He couldn't imagine life as a kittypet. No, this was where he belonged, by Cedarfur's side, slowly becoming sleepy.

[spike]

"What a random subject," Cedarfur chuckled. "I wouldn't call them dumb, if that's what you're saying, Eagleflight. We were born and raised in this environment. We know the ways of our territory. They were raised- most of them even born- on Twoleg territory. They don't know any better. It's all about the raising of the kits, not the choices they make. I can understand the sense of security they gain from it. Sure, they miss out on such great times that we have."

She pressed herself closer to him to emphasize that point. "And yes, maybe our lives are better. But they just don't know any better."

[nightstorm]

Eagleflight snorted and just shook his head. "Nah, I think some of them could leave if they wanted to, they're just too afraid of the unknown. But hey! Take hold of oppurtunity when it comes, without looking back. Life will be so simple...And besides, we have all the security we need in our Clan, right here, not to mention the security a she-cat gains from her mate." It was true. Many kittypets didn't even keep their mates around. He would fight to his last breath to defend Cedarfur and his Clan, but did kittypets even know the meaning of loyalty beyond their understanding of Twolegs?

"Who you calling random?" he asked playfully. "It's an honest question, and an interesting topic, if you ask me." He purred, rubbing his cheek against hers.

[. s p o r e l e t t ♪]

Lightfeather smiled broadly, her eyes gleaming with humour and mischief. "It's a deal, then," she purred, not caring if he had been serious or not. "Expect to feel my paw nudging your ribs before dawn tomorrow. I know just the place to go where we have the best view." The pale warrior sat up, stretching, and blinked sleepily down at Deerfur. "Well you know what the other Clans say about us," she whispered conspiratorially. "All this mud is really good for the skin. She-cats probably think you must roll in it whenever they spot you at gatherings." She flicked him lightly with her tail, a teasing glint in her eye. "But don't get an inflated head. You wouldn't want it to pop." Lightfeather felt a warm, heavy feeling settling in her bones, a sure sign that she should be turning in for the night. But she didn't move from her spot beside Deerfur, despite her threat to rise extra early and take him to see the sunrise. It was nice just to stay awake a little while longer and spend time with him.

[spike]

Cedarfur rolled her eyes at his last comment. "Eagleflight," she sighed, "you should walk a day in their paws before assuming. To them, this is the wild. I met a kittypet once. I was being called a wild cat here and there. That's all that they see in us. We just see them as weak, useless kittypets. We all have opinions of each other, naturally. But if a kittypet comes up to you, a strong one at that, and starts to fight, don't say I didn't tell you so."

Cedarfur shifted her body until they no longer touched. Then she returned to curl up against him, her head tucked against his shoulder fur. She was almost like a kit curling up to its source of security and warmth. That is what Eagleflight was though. He did provide security to her mind. "It's so hard to believe a cat like you really wants to end up with a cat like me," she chuckled. "I don't see how I stand out to you from others in the Clan."

[nightstorm]

Eagleflight's whiskers twitched in amuesment. "Fine. I'll wait for that day, then let you know, okay?" Once again, his tongue rasped over her fur affectionately as Cedarfur readjusted her position. Hearing her question, he looked down at her, his eyes soft.

"Cedarfur," he said, "You are the most beautiful cat in the forest. How hard can it be to believe? One of these days, I'll take you to look in a rain puddle, then you will see. Besides, it's not only your beautiful features; you have an amazing personality too. We were meant for each other, you know? We go together like...um...ticks and cats?" He chuckled. "For lack of a better analogy, I'm using ticks and cats. That is what you are to me. Special. I shall stick to you like a tick to a cat, and never drop off." Eagleflight purred, enjoying the warmth of her fur pressed against his.

[spike]

"Oh, thanks for giving me something to look forward to, Tickflight," she joked. Cedarfur enjoyed the feeling of his affectionate movements. The licks to her fur, the warmth that radiated from him, the terrible descriptions to emotions, that was just Eagleflight.

"Eagleflight," she whispered when she let the jokes fall away. "You continue to compliment me and yet I still find it hard to see. You and I were merely friends as apprentices. I was always a moon behind you and that seemed to make enough separation." She paused as she remembered those days of hard-working for her Clan and her warrior name. She often would talk to Eagleflight but it wasn't much. "Then we became warriors," she mewed. "It seems like it was so long ago. This isn't some... dream, is it? A joke or anything like that?"

[nightstorm]

His eyes were unusually serious as he answered. "No, Cedarfur, I promise, this is real. When we were growing up, I admit, I wasn't interested in a relationship. But recently, perhaps four moons ago, I started seeing she-cats through different eyes, evaluating each one, which I suppose all toms eventually do. However, none of the she-cats, ShadowClan or any other Clan, stood out to me. But after about a week of this new perspective, I began to notice things about you, Cedarfur, about how pretty you looked in the moonlight, the way your eyes sparkled with mirth, and your bright, happy personality, so gentle, yet burning with life. I began to look for ways to talk with you, if only about what your opinion was about the news at the Gathering, or a simple hello. I also began wishing to make you laugh more and more, and I realized, 'Eagleflight, what is wrong with you? What if she doesn't like you? Does it even matter what she thinks about you?'

It was about that time that I also realized that it did matter to me what you saw me as. I was cautious not to give you an excuse to not like me. But I tried and tried to become closer friends with you, to perhaps someday open up an oppurtunity to ask you to be my mate. I would steal glances at you occasionally, trying not to look odd. Several times, I thought you had found out, or knew what I was doing, and I nearly panicked. But then, this past week, I felt closer to you than ever, and I knew that I had to ask you, whatever the cost. That was the whole purpose behind inviting you to go hunting. I wanted to test out your feelings, try to figure out whether this was a lost cause or not. You know what happened then." Eagleflight would always treasure that moment in the forest, when Cedarfur accepted his request to be mates. He had never really believed in himself, but he had had to try. Now, he was sitting by the cat of his dreams, and could not possibly be any happier.

[spike]

Cedarfur was highly impressed by the words he spoke. She never truly knew what was going through that tom's head. She always considered the idea that it was rumbling with ideas of napping or wandering around aimlessly to just walk. Yet at the same time, she thought about what he said. Yes, she had caught those eyes staring at her across the camp. She often would just deal with the burn of her ears and walk away. She never let it cross her mind that it was interest that had caught this tom.

"Well, that makes me lucky that we went out hunting," she whispered. She lifted her head to lick his neck, the highest point she could reach without trying to move too much. Cedarfur felt terribly comfortable here. "Eagleflight, you spoke wonderfully. Okay, maybe I'll agree to find a puddle one day and see what you see. But I don't think I will. It doesn't matter if I do or do not see it. All I want to see is you. That will make me happy enough."

[nightstorm]

Eagleflight purred softly. "Perhaps it was I who was the lucky one," he whispered in Cedarfur's ear. "For I don't know what inspired you to say yes to me. I'm not exactly the most attractive tom in the Clan..." Still, neither was he bad looking...he had just expected her to want another, more attractive mate. StarClan had been good to him indeed.

"I will always be happy with you by my side, you know," he told her. Her fur pressed to his was comforting, and made him feel as if he belonged, here in this den, and he never wanted to move.