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T he light of the morning sun began to pool graciously into the dens and Birdsong found herself groaning and rolling over in her nest, pulling her tail over her eyes to try and catch whatever sleep she could before it really woke her up. However, the tabby only managed another few moments before she hissed in annoyance and sat up in her nest, giving herself a few quick laps to her fur. Once she felt that the majority of her fur was clear of twigs and moss, she pulled herself to her paws and poked her head out of the den. By now, the sun was high in the sky, but the clouds covered the most of it, keeping the mid-afternoon pretty cool.  The young warrior felt a smile curl onto her lips. This was the perfect time for a morning swim! Birdsong felt a smile curl onto her face as she pretty much pranced out of the den. Her ears were perked high on her head and her tail waving like the tree branches behind her. Her pride leaped as she got to the river and found that there were already mentors and apprentices at work. For a few moments, she sat back and watched the training in progress, her amber eyes gleaming. There was something beautiful about the way kittens could grow up so fast and suddenly become efficient in the ways of the clans. Though, Birdsong never really thought about kits. She much preferred mentoring and keeping in her duties. Kits? No, that wasn't really in her book of things that she needed to get done; she would leave that for the other, more nurturing she cats. When it seemed that the majority of the training cats were finished for the time being, she dipped her head and meowed a few compliments to the apprentices before she made her way to the waters edge. The tabby lowered her head to the water and lapped for a few moments, her eyes closed in the satisfaction of the cool liquid sweeping through her body. When her thirst was satisfied, she slowly eased her body into the water, purring as she felt the ripples move against her fur. There honestly was no better place to the she cat than the water. She couldn't stand being out of it, always eager to get back in. The tabby swum a few laps, stretching her legs and feeling her muscles wake up. After that, she pulled herself out and shook out her fur, a sigh of contentment escaping her lips. Her amber gaze moved across the water once more before she turned to find a light patch of grass. The smile never left her face as she laid down on the grass, her tail neatly curled over her paws and she lifted her head to the sun, closing her eyes and soaking it in. It was going to be a wonderful day, she could already tell that much. 501 Fawn

credit to nat of adoxography.

[Fawn]

Brookfall

25 Moons Tom RainClan Warrior

Wrenpaw was spending the morning with his mother. That worked well in Brookfall's favor; he'd been... yearning to see someone, to make certain she was alright after the fire that had broken out in parts of the territory. When Brookfall returned to the river, he did so with the intention of washing Darkrose's scent from his pelt; seeing how crowded the waters were with mentors and apprentices and anyone looking to cool off, Brookfall suppressed a hiss.

He should have done this earlier, during the dawn patrol. It was a difficult balancing act - being a loyal warrior of the Clan, and still keeping ties with his former mentor. Darkrose had her claws sunk deep into his heart, he couldn't just turn his back on her. Finding the least-populated portion of the river, the silver warrior's densely-coated body slid into the river with practiced ease. Being long of limb and six-toed (a trait he kept to himself, especially when fishing), Brookfall was able to move through the water with the comfortable skill of an otter, though he kept his head above the churning waves. He wasn't much in the mood to get water in his ears.

Reaching the opposite bank, Brookfall treaded water nearby, debating whether to simply relax in the hot greenleaf weather, or try to catch a few fish while he was here. A tabby and white-furred shape in the grass caught his attention, Brookfall's sun-bright eyes sweeping over the soft snowy pelt of the she-cat. It took him only a heartbeat to place her.

It would be more suspicious if he kept himself to himself, so Brookfall reached out with his voice. "Good morning, Birdsong. Listening to your namesake?" The starlings and sparrows and all other feathered prey were certainly noisesome this time of day. Brookfall stayed where he was in the water. What kind of Clanmate would he be if he invaded her personal space?

Though this conversation was more of an alibi than something he actually wanted, Brookfall willed himself to devote his attention to his denmate. He hid his thoughts behind a charmer's smile and a gentleman's eloquence, watching her with an expression bereft of ill intent or selfishness.

We all eat lies when our hearts are hungry.

358 Words || @ellie || Notes: Sorry for the wait!