[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:ff3300]Strawberryfrost[/smear:3399ff]

~~~~~~~~~

Almost as though Applepaw was able to read her mind, the tom-turned-she-cat stood up, and moved closer. As Applepaw settled down next to her, close enough to snuggle against, Strawberryfrost felt a warmth that could melt even the coldest of hearts blaze through her. With a soft, content sigh, the injured warrior shifted to best accommodate this new-found position. Finally finding a pose that didn't bother her shoulder, but allowed her to curve herself around her sister, Strawberryfrost gazed down at Applepaw. For the briefest of moments, her love was clear, shining in her eyes. She couldn't help but remember Applepaw as a kit, which succeeded once more in warming her heart further.

Gently, she wrapped her tail around them, leaning forward slightly to lick Applepaw between the ears. There was silence as the mottled brown she-cat resorted to that single gesture for a few heart-beats, a soft rhythm taking her as she continued her licking. When she deemed that it was about time she spoke again, Strawberryfrost moved, so that she could lay her head gently, carefully, on Applepaw's shoulders. Her eyes were lidded slightly as she made certain to keep her weight off of the injured shoulder, content where she was, lying beside her sister.

"I love you too, Applepaw..."

[Deleted]

Applepaw lay still enjoying the company of her sister, and she couldn’t help but purr heartily as she felt the licks being planted between her ears in quick succession. She focused on that feeling, and the feeling of warmth deep inside her sprung from her sisters love, and soon she drifted off. She wasn’t asleep but for those moments time had no meaning, she would lay with her sister forever if she could. However forever came too quickly and she peaked open her eyes not long after Strawberryfrost had shared the equal sentiment of her love and spoke gently, “I have more poppy seeds laid out, I went to Smokefur to see if they would be alright for you to have.” She reached a paw over having to stretch quite a bit, and pulled them closer to them both. “She said it would be okay… if you want them that is.”

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:ff3300]Strawberryfrost[/smear:3399ff]

~~~~~~~~~

She'd been enjoying the relative comfort and silence that she'd been sharing with her sister. It was almost as though they had been suspended in a whole other dimension, where the troubles of Clan life didn't effect them in the slightest. She could have stayed there forever, not having to worry about constantly pushing herself to be the very best that she could possibly be. She could just... Relax and spend time with her dear sibling. In that moment, if the chance had been offered to her... The chance to abandon everything, everything except for herself and Applepaw... Strawberryfrost would have taken it.

Roused from her daydream by the sound of Applepaw's voice, Strawberryfrost lifted her head, gray-green eyes turning in the direction her sister was stretching. She watched in silence as her sibling pulled the poppy seeds closer to them. Wondering if she needed them, Strawberryfrost shifted slightly. It was right about there that her body seemed to conveniently remember that she was injured. The dull throb was in her shoulder, as though she had a second heart residing up there. Okay... That was a weird thought to consider. Back track a little. Her shoulder was bothering her, end of story.

"Maybe.... Maybe I'll just take one." When she finished speaking, the mottled brown she-cat leaned forward, doing her best to avoid hurting herself, lapping up a single of the poppy seeds that Applepaw had brought her. Turning a gentle smile in her sister's direction, Strawberryfrost decided she should probably explain herself. "It's not bothering me too much right now, and I'm afraid that if I take too many, I'll fall asleep again. Thanks though Applepaw. For bringing them for me. You really are the best sister I could have ever asked for. And don't you let yourself forget it."

[Deleted]

Applepaw simply nodded as Strawberryfrost spoke of just taking one, she didn’t mind if that was all her sister took. She trusted her well enough to dose herself and wasn’t pushy enough, not with Strawberry anyway, to really insist she took more. She pushed the poppy seed over as she listened to her sisters’ reason for only wanting a single seed; in the explanation came many heart warming sentiments and the true cherry on top was the addition of, “You really are the best sister I could have ever asked for. And don’t you let yourself forget it.” These kind words were enough to stop Applepaw in her tracks, “I… I won’t ever forget it. I’m honored to be your sister.” She said giving the other she-cat a gentle headbutt. "I mean, you are an amazing warrior and someday will be the best one this clan has ever seen."

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:ff3300]Strawberryfrost[/smear:3399ff]

~~~~~~~~~

The mottled brown she-cat laughed softly as she felt her sister give her a headbutt. Her off-green eyes were completely focused upon her sister, the feeling of warmth that had taken her early still busily burning in her chest, filling her with its heat. Since she had been assigned Hollowcry as her mentor, Strawberryfrsot had seemingly forgotten how enjoyable simply doing nothing, spending time with family could be. Perhaps her little mistake, her injury had been a good thing to befall her after all. It had reminded her that she had one of the best siblings any cat could ask for.

When Applepaw spoke, the new warrior gave a soft smile that was almost... Sad. She looked down to her paws, her ears tipping back slightly. Her tail remained curled tightly around them, but the air about her seemed to change slightly. "I hope you're right, Applepaw... Since I was a tiny kit, that is all I have ever wanted... To be the best that I could. But it seems to be so hard... No matter how hard I try, how far I push myself... I never seem to be able to do the things the best should be able to do... And I can't help but think... Maybe I'm not meant to be the best..."

[Deleted]

Applepaw was surprised at the modesty her sister was showing and she had always known such things were true. It seemed to be impossible to even truly judge who was the best warrior the clans knew, there was no sort of grading system and every clan would think their warrior the best regardless. “Maybe but you are already one of the best known, there is no doubt about that.” She explained in a gentle tone, “There is no way to truly judge the best so I assume right now you are already at the top so as you keep getting better and better… well.” She wasn’t quite sure how to finish that so she just opened her heart and kept talking, “I mean look at me… I’m still an apprentice even though we received our mentors at the same time. I may be an apprentice for a long time still… I might never be a warrior.” It was hard to admit out loud but it was truly a fear of hers and she really needed to confide in her sister.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:ff3300]Strawberryfrost[/smear:3399ff]

~~~~~~~~~

Mottled brown ears were turned in the direction of her sister, off-green eyes blinking carefully as she mulled over what Applepaw had said. Her ears remained laid back on her head, the NightClan warrioress not exactly a fan of hearing her sister speak so lowly of herself. And yet, for a moment she couldn't figure out exactly what she could say in response to that. Never in the time she'd been a warrior had she once thought that Applepaw was inferior to her. It didn't matter that they were the same age, and that Applepaw had yet to become a full warrior.

Strawberryfrost could see no fault in her sister. For all intents and purposes, the love she felt for Applepaw seemed to shield everything negative from Strawberryfrost's view. All she was able to pick out were all the things that made Applepaw special to her. Shifting slightly so that she could give her sister a headbutt without disturbing her damaged shoulder, Strawberryfrost spoke in a soft, caring voice, a sort of determination filling her green gaze. "You'll get your warrior name, just you see. You're something else, Applepaw, and it's what makes you so amazing. Don't you give up hope on me, okay? As long as we're together, anything can happen. And I know you'll be a warrior. I just know it."

[Deleted]

Applepaw was yet again taken aback by her sisters words, the kindness flowed from her maw without hesitation in a never ending stream. This is what Applepaw thought made it true, at least in Strawberryfrost’s mind, without a single stutter or hesitation at least she believed it. The smaller of the two decided at that moment that it was all that mattered, if Strawberry believed it then nobody else’s opinion mattered even in the slightest. “Thank you Strawberryfrost.” She said starting to purr again as she leaned into the headbutt happily accepting the contact with her sister. She laid with her sister not at all sure where the conversation was to go to next as she had no topics to transition into. “I guess I’m not late to my warrior ceremony, you are just amazing.” She found the words to be very comforting as she wanted to desperately believe she wasn’t late to her ceremony and she knew the other bit to be true.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:ff3300]Strawberryfrost[/smear:3399ff]

~~~~~~~~~

The mottled brown she-cat couldn't help the laugh that rumbled through her at her sister's words. With a smile that was both bright and soft, all in the same moment, Strawberryfrost began purring gently, her joy reflected in her gray-green eyes. "Well... I certainly won't argue with you there. I am pretty awesome, if I do say so myself." Her smile turned into a joking grin as she continued to laugh. When she was with Applepaw, she felt a lot more relaxed than she did around anyone else. It was almost as though she didn't have to pretend she was tough as nails when she was sat beside her sister.

It was almost relaxing. Almost a relief...

Now that her ears were settled in their proper, upright position, Strawberryfrost was able to veer away from any concerns she might have about her sister's attitude towards herself, and instead, a genuine curiosity bubbled within her. With a slight tip of her head, the NightClan warrior asked. "Applepaw... What have you been doing recently? Training wise I mean?" There must have been some sort of explanation as to why Applepaw had yet to become a warrior... Perhaps Hollowcry had simply been harder on her than Applepaw's mentor. It was true that Strawberryfrost was a little more rugged than her sister, and was able to take more intense training.

Still... She couldn't help but wonder if maybe it wasn't at all Applepaw's fault that she had not yet received her warrior name...

[Deleted]

“N-nothing…” Applepaw choked out simply in answer to her sister’s question, and it was fairly well true. She had done a little hunting and a bit of battle training but in all honesty the amount of work she was doing was not equal to what it needed to be for her to become a warrior. “Me and Blackwolf… we don’t get along… He didn’t even teach me much of anything for so long.” Her pelt started to stand on end as she got upset with her unaffectionate mentor, “He just tried to… punish me into being a proper tom.” She did consider being put in a tree just that even if Blackwolf thought it was necessary. “He’s mean and awful… and hasn’t taught me a whole lot even though I’ve learned everything I could when he would show me. He spent more time trying to make me act how he thought I should… so I wouldn’t embarrass Nightclan I suppose.”

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:ff3300]Strawberryfrost[/smear:3399ff]

~~~~~~~~~

Upon learning how Blackwolf had been treating Applepaw, the mottled brown she-cat found her lips curling back. Her claws dug into the soft moss that made up her nest, causing that same ache to start up in her shoulder once more. But she didn't care, not this time. She only thing she could think about was how badly she wanted to swat that good for nothing tom cat right on the nose and spit at his mismatched eyes. A low growl began deep in her chest, her teeth bared for the world to see. She wasn't about to hide her dislike, not this time.

Her eyes were ablaze when she turned her gaze to her sister. "Why I ought to..." She let her sentence fall away, forcing the air out of her lungs in one long stream of air. She closed her eyes, giving herself time to calm down a little bit, letting her lip drop back over her teeth, where it was supposed to be. Once she was satisfied that she was calm enough, she opened her eyes and focused herself upon Applepaw once more. Gazing evenly at her sister, Strawberryfrost spoke in a voice that was almost too calm.

"That isn't right. Do you want me to speak to him once Smokefur gives me the okay?"

[Deleted]

Applepaw started to get a bit worried when her sister tensed up, she didn’t want her to do something to cause herself pain. She noticed her sisters’ claws slide out of their sheaths and grimaced figuring it would be comfortable on her shoulder, “No you don’t oughta…” She implored in a soft tone snuggling up closer to her sister to try and calm her down. She closed her eyes and pressed her head into Strawberryfrost trying to give support anyway she could. “I don’t think there would be anything to gain…” She explained in answer to her sisters’ question. “I mean, I don’t think he would care one bit what you have to say about me… and as I don’t think he’ll be my mentor anymore what would that accomplish? He already took six months of my time so now I’m late to my ceremony…” She mewled softly, “Very late…”

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:ff3300]Strawberryfrost[/smear:3399ff]

~~~~~~~~~

Strawberryfrost frowned slightly, glancing down at Applepaw as her sister burrowed against her. She knew that Applepaw was trying to calm her down, knew that her sister didn't like it when she got worked up or angry, especially now that she was injured. And yet... She couldn't help it. Just the thought that Blackwolf had wasted so much of Applepaw's time made her furious. Even though Applepaw told her that it wouldn't accomplish anything... The NightClan warrioress still felt the overwhelming urge to give that tom a good piece of her mind. Teach him to mess with my sibling... She thought to herself.

Green eyes focused on her sister again as the mottled she-cat forced her body to relax. Leaning into a position that was less aggressive, Strawberryfrost muttered an apology to Applepaw. Focusing on what her sister had said, Strawberryfrost found her head tipping to the side slightly, wondering what she had meant when she had said that Blackwold wouldn't be her mentor much longer. Clearing her throat slightly, the injured warrioress asked her next question. "You think that Ravenstar is going to be changing your mentor..?" It was a simple question. There was no anger left in her voice. She was honestly just curious to know what was on her sister's mind...

[Deleted]

Applepaw was more than a bit pleased as he sister seemed to calm down a good bit; she wasn’t worried she was going to fly off into a tizzy. Her biggest fear was more than a tizzy however, it was the fear that she would fly off and try to chew Blackwolf’s eyebrows off with her injured shoulder. In all honesty if she wasn’t hurt and supposed to be resting she would probably endorse a Blackwolf beat down. It seemed that her sister’s gears had shifted onto a different, even though it was similar, topic. “Well yeah…” She said simply “There’s just… I don’t know there was a talk between him and Ravenstar and I’m not sure what he said. I just know she means to talk to me and I think I’ll have to make the decision.” She twirled her paw in the dirt, “I may have told him more than once that I wanted to be a queen and I think maybe that’s what he went to speak about.”