[Fawn]

46 Moons || Senior Warrior || Tom

there's a light that you give me when I'm in shadow

After taking Badgerpaw out at dawn to try her luck catching birds, Sprucefur had gone on one sunhigh patrol, then spent much of the evening taking naps when he could in preparation for night-hunting. Now that the weather was cooler, his pelt was getting thicker, and he desired to take advantage of the more manageable temperatures, even if that meant hunting while the stars were out.

The air had grown crisp, and there was a mustiness to the leaves and a richness to the pine, maple and oaky scents that filled TreeClan’s territory. The hoot of an owl caught the pale warrior’s attention, and he watched the undergrowth for signs of scurrying mice. With a rush of energy, Sprucefur cast off his uncertainties and threw himself upon a fleeting brown shape that tried to disappear into the undergrowth.

Seconds later, a mouse dangled from his jaws, which was then placed at the bottom of what was to be a prey cache, Sprucefur intended to do all he could before dawn. This would be better with Feathercloud here. It was a relief to not feel guilty whenever he thought of her; instead, his heart lightened, and he made a quick return to camp with a plan in mind. She might claw his nose off for disturbing her, especially if today had been fairly busy, but there was no serious harm in asking.

He wanted her to know he was making good on his word about never avoiding her ever again. Heart thrumming in his breast, Sprucefur entered the enormous fallen tree that was their home, thick tufts of rabbit fluff carried loosely in his jaws as he stepped carefully around sleeping Clanmates. The rabbit fluff came from a late-night meal the night guard had been enjoying. Locating Feathercloud, he tucked the rabbit fur into her nest. A little embarrassed by this unknown show of affection, he cleared his throat softly, speaking to Feathercloud while he gently nudged her awake. ”Feathercloud? Do you want to go hunting with me? Feathercloud.” Hoping she wouldn’t wake up startled, he kept his tone hushed.

there's a feeling you give me, an everglow

---
Word Count: 353 Words
Tags: BlooRey DVD
Notes:

[BlooRey DVD]

Ever since she'd confronted Sprucefur concerning his avoidance of her for half a year, the days seemed to pass by much more fluidly. Three moons seemed to just soar by, the silver she-cat feeling light as both her namesakes, simply ghosting through Clanlife. Earlier that evening, she'd been sitting with Appleshade debating the best feathers to line a nest with (she was determined to prove that starling feathers were way softer than thrush feathers). The debate had turned into quite the hilarious mock-argument, with the innocently oblivious Silentsong being pulled into the fray to take a side. Of course, that had led absolutely nowhere. She'd not seen a lot of Sprucefur that day, but he had been genuinely busy, and not on purpose as in the past. During her shenanigans with the other she-cats, Sprucefur had been napping on and off. She remembered thinking that he must have been saving up for something. Perhaps he was scheduled on the Dawn Patrol again? If so, that was strange.. Meadowleaf was generally much more organized than assigning a cat the Dawn Patrol twice in a row. It had been this train of thought that had rocked her to sleep that evening. Curled up in her nest, she'd drifted off rather peacefully. She'd planned to sleep the night away, and make an effort tomorrow to snag some of Sprucefur's time. She certainly hadn't expected a gentle paw to her side in the middle of the night. "No, that's alright you can have the mouse... Green's not even my favourite color anyway." Came a tired mumble from beneath her tail. An ear pivoted at the familiar voice cutting through her slumber. One blue eye blinked open, slowly followed by the other as a yawn separated her jaws. With a tired sound, the silver TreeClan warrioress lifted her head from her nest. "Sprucefur..?" She meowed quietly, evidently completely unaware of anything she'd said prior. The tom was forced to watch as her sleep-fogged brain sorted through his question to her, picking out bits that were important in providing a reply. "Oh, hunting..." She mumbled, her eyes attempting to coax her back to sleep by closing again. The other 97.3% of her body appeared to disagree, however, for she was soon standing on all fours, paws stepping over the edge of her nest even as she mewed sleepily. "Sure... But it's kind of late. Shouldn't you be asleep?" Without waiting for a reply, Feathercloud weaved her way out of the warrior's den more so out of luck and muscle memory than any kind of conscious thought. As the warmth of the warrior's den gave way to the cooler temperatures outside, the she-cat seemed to come to, blue eyes blinking away sleep to be replaced by confusion as she glanced over her shoulder to see the pale golden form of Sprucefur following. He seemed to be heading toward the camp entrance, leaving her to just assume she was headed there too. She could vaguely recall agreeing to go hunting with him.... Vaguely.

Fawn
Note: 40 moons old

[Fawn]

46 Moons || Senior Warrior || Tom

there's a light that you give me when I'm in shadow

Sprucefur was a serious cat. He took his warrior duties seriously, and a rough kithood and apprenticeship where rumors of his mother was all the Clan seemed to talk about those days had filled his ears and heart with self-doubt. There were Clanmates who thought he didn't know how to have fun, or he was simply too quiet, to introverted to inspire much in the way of creativity or relaxation.

But that wasn't the case with Feathercloud. Already he felt the burdens of the day's duties slough from him like wet snow from branch boughs, leaving his shoulders to straighten and his steps to lighten. "It's too early to hibernate, Mousecloud," he teased quietly in the moonlight, waiting until they were matched step-for-step before he began walking in earnest.

They could traipse through the forest for a little while, simply enjoy the companionship and the peacefulness that came with it. Littletimber's death still flitted across his mind every time he was asked to be the night guard, but Lionstar's orders were to stay clear of the end of the sparkling brook, where the demon lynx was known to stop to get a drink before going on his way.

Guiding Feathercloud towards the hidden thicket instead (which was closer to StarClan's Claws than Demon's hunting grounds), it was a ways away but Sprucefur did not mind. He smiled at her when he caught her eye, feeling a certain excitement in his chest that she would shake off her grogginess and enjoy the crisp night air with him.

Sprucefur didn't want to talk about training, not right away. Instead, he settled on one of the common links between them. "How's Appleshade doing? She won't tell me why she was so upset a few moons ago, just that it had something to do with Whiteclaw." Who avoids me as if he's expecting me to set him on fire or something. Not too heavily bothered by whatever drama his sister had started or been a part of, Sprucefur felt the dry bracken rustle and crunch under his paw-steps, and from there he tread more carefully.

"You don't have to tell me any details. She seems like she's back to her old self, I just wanted to be certain."

there's a feeling you give me, an everglow

---
Word Count: 378 Words
Tags: BlooRey DVD
Notes:

[BlooRey DVD]

When Sprucefur first spoke up, Feathercloud blinked at him in what could only be called confusion. They'd spent enough time together now, surely Sprucefur wouldn't accidentally mess up on her name like that. If he'd substituted 'mouse' into her name, he'd done it for a reason. And then there was the mention of hibernation... Oh StarClan... Did I talk in my sleep? Momentary horror flitted through her, pawsteps faltering for a moment before she bounded forward, narrowing her sharp blue eyes at him. "Whatever it was you heard, if you tell anybody ever, I will kill you." She meowed, her voice carrying a playful purr to it. Each breath of the cool night air seemed to rouse her from her sleep. Moving with her usual surety, she easily fell into step with Sprucefur. It was an exhilarating, almost dangerous dance; keeping close enough to Sprucefur that it was apparent she wanted to be here with him, but not close enough that their pelts would brush. Plagued by the questioning thought of whether he would find the feel of her fur against his strange, she kept just enough distance between the two of them. Despite her relief at knowing how Sprucefur really felt about her, it also seemed to add an unexpected level of complexity to their... Is it weird to call it a relationship? Friendship counts as a relationship, right? Not that I only want us to be friends... Wait, what was my point again? Oh! The new development between the two warriors left Feathercloud feeling almost uneasy. Not in a bad way, she just didn't feel as confident as she used to around him. Which was.. Strange for the silver feline. The last time she'd felt this way, it had been because her mentor had taken on a second apprentice while still training her. Her ears pricked forward suddenly, picking up the familiar sound of Sprucefur's voice. Hauling herself out of her contented daze, Feathercloud's blue gaze drifted to Sprucefur. With a bob of her head, she acknowledged the tom's words. "As her friend, it's not really my place to tell you why she was so upset... But I did talk to her about it a few moons ago. I think you're right though, she seems to be more herself now." Flashing him a bright smile, she took a bit of a risk and veered to butt her shoulder against his. "Kinda like how you're more yourself now." Stepping back to her previous spot, she let Sprucefur reorient himself before falling back into step with him again. With a laugh, she turned her muzzle to the sky, putting her faith in her paws and hoping she wouldn't trip herself up as she moved. "I think everything is starting to feel a little more.. Normal again." She meowed, almost thinking out loud by this point.

Fawn

[Fawn]

46 Moons || Senior Warrior || Tom

there's a light that you give me when I'm in shadow

Sprucefur purred softly, watching her while she watched the stars. "Yeah, seems like it." But there was no denying things had... improved between them. He hadn't realized how off balance he felt, as if half his fur were missing when she wasn't walking beside him like this. Unconsciously, the pale tom let his pelt brush softly against hers, speaking of pleasanter things.
"I think I'd feel more sorry for taking Sootmask's apprentice away from him, if I wasn't so happy over getting a second chance." Sprucefur smiled, and the relief was clear in his pale yellow-green gaze. "Badgerpaw's eager to learn, and even if she's a little behind, we've made great progress." That smile receded slightly as he caught sight of the long shadows of the branches overhead, picturing the trees naked and decorated with icicles. What if he lost Badgerpaw the same way Nightpaw lost Puddlepaw?

We'll be careful in leafbare, he vowed, desperate to protect his apprentice. Sprucefur shivered with discomfort, but played it off with another smile in case Feathercloud was looking too closely at him. We'll focus on battle training. That was in the hidden thicket, which would hopefully keep her away from any deadly icicles or cold-cracked branches. Leafbare was always a desperate time for TreeClan; he knew he couldn't avoid hunting entirely with the black-and-white she-cat, but Sprucefur could already feel his paws itching to carry him back to camp, poke his head into the apprentices' hollow to make sure she was alright.

Releasing a cool breath into the night air, Sprucefur gave himself a little shake.
"Do you think Bluejay will take an apprentice before the end of the season?" Might be handy to have an extra set of paws around the medicine cat's den during leafbare. Sedgekit and Fernkit were big enough to be apprentices now. Sprucefur wasn't one for gossip, and he didn't consider discussing Clan social infrastructure gossip, so he felt fine turning the conversation onto the gray-furred former apprentice of Littletimber.

there's a feeling you give me, an everglow

---
Word Count: 339 Words
Tags: BlooRey DVD
Notes:

[BlooRey DVD]

Despite the contact being soft, it felt as though lightning had shot down from the sky to electrify her pelt. Except... Electrify made it sound bad. But it was not bad. A strange rush of heat bloomed from the pit of her stomach, the silver feline all too aware of her blush. All at once, she felt as though she might stop dead in her tracks, and start dancing in one spot. The tidal wave of counterproductive desires left her striding forward at exactly the same pace she'd begun, thoroughly enjoying the brush of his fur against hers, and the ripples of pure joy it sent coursing through her. Oh StarClan, I'm like a... A crushing apprentice! She thought to herself horrified. So caught up was she in her realization, she nearly missed the tom's words as he spoke up. Hiding her momentary space-out beneath a cough, she turned her bright blue eyes on him, nodding and desperately hoping the nod made sense in the context of whatever he'd just said. As he transitioned into talking about his apprentice, Feathercloud offered him a soft smile, her feathery tail flicking him on the flank. "Hey, I never doubted you'd be a great mentor. If anyone deserved a second chance, it was you." She mewed in an almost uncharacteristically gentle way. His next question had her frowning slightly. Shivering at the thought of the scene they'd come across with Littletimber in Greenleaf, she subconsciously stepped closer to him, their pelts brushing more noticeably. "I.. I don't know. I mean, I think it's the right thing to do? What, with Leafbare approaching and all, surely it would be better to have another set of paws with some training to help out? But.. I don't know that... If I were her? I don't know if I could do it yet. I can't even imagine..." She trailed off softly, not wanting to even consider what she would feel if Lionstar had been so brutally torn to pieces like Littletimber had. If anyone in the Clan had felt any closeness to the strange medicine cat, more than the relation of being Clanmates? It had been their gray healer. She found her gaze turning to the sky again, her pace slowing thoughtfully. "... Hey, Sprucefur... Do you think he made it? To StarClan, I mean..." The subject of StarClan had always been something she believed simply because she'd been told to believe. She rarely spent time pondering it, or wondering what it might be like when her time finally came...

Fawn

[Fawn]

46 Moons || Senior Warrior || Tom

there's a light that you give me when I'm in shadow

Even thought Feathercloud had told him, plain as day that he was enough simply as he was, his chest still tightened, or maybe his heart swelled? when she told him he'd deserved a second chance. That he was a great mentor. Sprucefur nearly purred, grateful to know that his own negative opinions of himself were a reflection of his self-doubts, not of how she saw him. It would've crushed him to know that she saw so little worth paying attention to in Sprucefur, the senior warrior. That was clearly not the case, though, and he didn't get worked up over imaginary situations.

Sprucefur tilted his head as if to allow her words to flow in better, Feathercloud's emotions always so clear in her speech. He hadn't thought of it that way... Littletimber hadn't just been their medicine cat, he'd been Bluejay's mentor. StarClan, he dared not imagine what would happen if he lost Nightmaple, and how he would have reacted to a new mentor... Or if he had to suddenly mentor a cat all on his own. That was a discomfiting image, and he tried to brush away those dark imaginings like cobwebs clogging the entrance to the warriors' den.

"Maybe some of the apprentices can help her, in leafbare. She doesn't have to take on mentoring someone so soon..." Even a young warrior, someone with a clear head under stress could be of use to Bluejay when the inevitable strain of sickness and the icy weather beseiged TreeClan. Probably Nightpaw. The young tom was always around his aunt, and she probably enjoyed the company.

"... Hey, Sprucefur... Do you think he made it? To StarClan, I mean..."

"Yes." Sprucefur touched her shoulder with his tail in a gesture meant to convey reassurance. "StarClan would never turn their back on a medicine cat. And besides, the lynx's claws can't reach him once he's gone..." It might've sounded grim, but Sprucefur took comfort in the knowledge that though Littletimber's body had been savaged almost beyond recognition, his soul had been left unmarred, free to pass on to Silverpelt like all healers before him.

there's a feeling you give me, an everglow

---
Word Count: 359 Words
Tags: BlooRey DVD
Notes:

[BlooRey DVD]

The touch of his tail against her shoulder had her blue gaze falling from the stars above, resting on him instead. Smiling gently at his reassurance, the silver feline was only mildly surprised at how easy it was for her to believe him. He could have told her that the moon was entirely covered in rabbit fur, and she wouldn't have questioned it at all. Her tabby-striped tail waved behind her, amused by the thought. Pushing aside the amusement, she considered his words. "I bet he's proud of her." She meowed softly, her ice-blue gaze flicking up to the sky one final time. His murmured agreement heralded a comfortable silence between the two as they ventured toward the Hidden Thicket. ...It was comfortable for her, at least. She didn't feel a need to fill the lulls in conversation with him; it was as though his presence alone spoke to her. If three moons hadn't passed since the confrontation between  she and Sprucefur, she might have been inclined to blame the comfort on the remaining elation. But it had been three moons. And he still made her feel as though she were walking on the clouds, light as her namesake. What a strange thing.. She thought to herself absently. The Hidden Thicket finally pulled into view, and the silver she-cat's pawsteps slowed. She surveyed the area, partially to ensure their safety, but mostly to simply... Enjoy the view. Almost without realizing it, her flank dropped to the ground in a sit, feathery tail wrapping around her silver paws. "Wow..." She mewed in wonder. "The world can really be quite beautiful under cover of night." She remarked, spending another few heartbeats to simply... See. Slowly, she pushed to her paws, setting one in front of the other to move forward at a leisurely pace. The moonlight filtering down from the sky above hit her pelt, painting her silver coat white; even the darkest grays in her fur were transformed, glittering silver in the dancing light. With one paw raised, she hesitated mid-step, glancing over her shoulder toward his lingering form. "Sometimes I swear I'd forget my own tail if it weren't attached to me." She began, the appendage waving slowly in the night air. "...What did we come here for, again?" She purred jokingly, her eyes alight with a near-innocent joy. It had been moons since she'd felt so light, since everything had just felt... Right. Was that wrong of her, in light of everything TreeClan had faced in recent moons?

Fawn

[Fawn]

46 Moons || Senior Warrior || Tom

there's a light that you give me when I'm in shadow

"The world can really be quite beautiful under cover of night."

A purr of agreement rumbled in the pale warrior's throat, his breath caught as he watched her under the favorable gleam of the moon. She had been beautiful before, but Feathercloud positively glowed at night, the moonlight bright against her tabby and white pelt, catching him unawares for a few heartbeats.

The return of her voice to his ears and the waving of her tail broke the spell, Sprucefur blinking as he returned to reality.

Without thinking, Sprucefur caught the end of her fluffy tail in his mouth, his eyes sparking with humor as he gave it a tiny nip. "Hunting. But if you'd prefer we watch the stars or walk to the LightningClan border, I wouldn't complain." Though he'd made it clear that was an option, if Sprucefur knew Feathercloud as well as he believed he did, she wouldn't be able to resist that little nip. As if in preparation for playtime, the pale warrior took a few steps back, the energy he felt chasing off any of the chill that had formed when the sun went down.

Slowly, with a thin smile spreading across Sprucefur's muzzle, he dropped into a playful bow, the moonlight dancing on their pelts. "Something tells me your pouncing skills have gotten a little worn down," he challenged. Being here in the hidden thicket, the seclusion made him feel as if, perhaps just once, he could lower his guard. Behave around Feathercloud the way he'd always wished he could; that didn't mean he had been anything other than himself when they were spending time together before, it just meant that... There was always someone else present. Another warrior or apprentice or even Lionstar himself; Sprucefur was a reserved sort of tom. Under the cover of night and with only his best friend in the whole valley for company, he could shake off some of the shyness that stuck to him like leaves most of the time.

Besides, Feathercloud would never turn down a game.

there's a feeling you give me, an everglow

---
Word Count: 351 Words
Tags: BlooRey DVD
Notes:

[BlooRey DVD]

Although she would be the last to admit it, Feathercloud squealed when Sprucefur's jaws closed on the tip of her tail. Her reaction was not born of any pain she felt, for his action was light and very plainly a playful one. Sprucefur had simply managed to catch the pretty silver tabby off-guard, for she'd been preoccupied admiring the view around them. She'd been more than content doing just that... Until, of course, a certain pale golden tom made a daring move and threw her a taunting scrap she simply could not find in herself to ignore! Silver ears flashed up, icy blue eyes flaring with the playful fire Sprucefur had ignited. She narrowed her gaze at him, tail raised high above her like a banner as she made it obvious she was accepting his challenge. "My pouncing skills?" She countered, eyeing him with all the (playful) fury of an elder who's tail had just been stepped on. "Why you little..." She trailed off, her body sliding into the hunter's crouch she knew all too well. With her tail still raised high, she let it flick twice in a slow almost taunting rhythm, before it lowered to an appropriate level for hunting. Although she never broke eye contact, and never dropped the facade of lighthearted fury, the silver TreeClan warrioress couldn't help but reflect on how he made her feel. It was as though he knew exactly what to say, and knew exactly how she would react. Sure, he'd offered two alternatives, and as tempting as star gazing was? It wasn't a fast-paced game with one of her best friends on the planet. She could feel the excitement coursing through her veins, Feathercloud all too eager to have Sprucefur beg for her forgiveness. Her voice dropped into a dangerous purr. "I'll make you bite your tongue." And with that, she leapt.

Fawn

[Fawn]

46 Moons || Senior Warrior || Tom

there's a light that you give me when I'm in shadow

Sprucefur felt her paw whisk through his whiskers as he danced backward, a laugh escaping him in precisely that moment. He hadn't felt like this in... so many moons. When his littermates were still apprentices, still young enough to find the joy in the crunch of autumn leaves, a cool breeze through their fur, the moonlight throwing it's pale, bright glow upon the forest. That was the last time he had felt so free of burden.

"Slow slug," he teased, his body feeling light as a mossball as the breeze rippled through it, carrying the crisp scents of leaf-fall--as well as her scent, and he felt it lighten his heart so effortlessly. Sprucefur's 'winning streak' was short lived; he'd managed to dodge one pounce, and then another, but the hidden thicket gave him little space to maneuver. At last, he was backed up against the brambles, the leaves crunching distinctively against his pelt.

Sprucefur tried in vain to duck and roll away, but Feathercloud caught him, bowling the pale tom back into the brambles so hard they tumbled, kicking up dirt and leaves and grass as their world rolled past in a flash of moonlight and stars. Aware that there were thorn bushes as well as brambles closing off the training area, the tom, still dizzy, still enjoying the exhileration, sat up, looking over her with obvious concern. "Are you okay? Any thorns?" He nosed through her silky fur, checking her ears, then her neck, then her cheek in an unintentional nuzzle.

He realized what he had done a second too late, and the warrior flushed beneath his pale fur; their coats were thick enough to protect them from the thorns, he'd realized, but that didn't mean his first instinct wasn't to worry about her instead of him. With an awkward laugh, the tom brushed some leaves out of her pelt with a few sweeps of his tail. Tasting a bit of blood, he looked at her in surprise, and then chuckled. "I uh, I think I bit my tongue."

StarClan, I've got moss in my brain. He felt so full of energy, so alive, but at the same time, a whole flock of sparrows seemed to take off in his belly as soon as he looked at her. The rest of the world didn't matter. I love you, Feathercloud. The words tried to escape before he caught them, clearing his throat a bit to hide them behind a low, self-conscious purr; so much for hunting.

there's a feeling you give me, an everglow

---
Word Count: 424 Words
Tags: BlooRey DVD
Notes: <3333

[BlooRey DVD]

A playful hiss escaped her silver maw as her paw struck nothing but his whiskers. His taunt had her eyes lighting up, obviously taking them as a further challenge. Not about to give up so easily, the she-cat flicked her feathery tail, body readjusting rapidly so she might strike again. Even her second pounce missed, claws unsheathing to avoid slipping on the terrain underpaw. With a mmrow of laughter, Feathercloud's body shifted again, silver limbs pushing off in a third pounce, the warrioress not about to let him win. She could see the brambles just behind him, hear the sound they made as he pressed back into them. You're trapped now, pretty boy~ She purred to herself, paws reaching for the pale golden tom even as he tried in vain to escape. Her shadow flickered over him in the moonlight seconds before the pair collided, barreling backwards into the thicket with a loud rustle. She rolled with him, unable to hold back her laughter. When the dizzying tumble finally ceased, she pulled herself free from the brambles, shaking out her long fur. She was stopped in her tracks by Sprucefur, his nose pressing worriedly into her fur. Her pelt heated up slightly, blue gaze flicking to the ground almost shyly as her heart danced in her chest. StarClan... What you can make me feel... She mused silently, blue eyes watching him playfully. Flicking her ear as he tickled it with his breath, she purred softly and nosed his cheek in return. "I'm fine, fretting furball." She mewed affectionately. His next words pulled yet another giggle from her lips and she smiled, fangs flashing in the darkness. With a triumphant wave of her tabby-striped tail, Feathercloud prodded him gently with a forepaw. "Serves you right! I told you I'd make you bite your tongue!" Still mrrowing in her laughter, she peeked up at him with a twitch of her long whiskers. "And you, fuzz-brain? Are you okay?" She asked, blue gaze flicking over his pelt. He soon reassured her that he was alright, at which time Feathercloud pushed up onto all four paws. Stepping forward nonchalantly, she pretended to look off into the distance somewhere, her sharp blue eyes searching the night. Then, in a flurry of movement, she prodded him again with her paw, this time to the flank. "Tag!" She exclaimed. "You're it!" And with that, she took off across the Hidden Thicket, glancing over her shoulder briefly to see if he would give chase.

Fawn

Words used:
#8 - darkness
#11 - fangs
#21 - moonlight
#26 - shadow

[Fawn]

46 Moons || Senior Warrior || Tom

there's a light that you give me when I'm in shadow

Sprucefur bounded after her, following the silver she-cat that gleamed in the moonlight like his own personal guiding star. Mindful that they were supposed to be hunting but for once not caring that they played for a little instead, the pale warrior felt his whiskers brush her tail as he put on a burst of speed.

We're heading to StarClan's Claws. He realized, as they veered away from TreeClan's territory and towards the scent-markers that bordered the Clans' sacred meeting place. The scent markers were always weakest here, compared to the borders they shared with LightningClan and NightClan. It was as if every cat in the valley understood the importance of that location, and were united in acknowledging only peaceful intentions could exist during the Gathering.

Suddenly wanting to see the view from the boulders the Clan leaders sat upon (their scents would be washed away well before the next Gathering), breathlessly Sprucefur cut in front of Feathercloud, grinning through his efforts to catch his breath. "Let's go to StarClan's Claws. We'll have a good view there." Before she could say yes or no to the idea, Sprucefur made a show of wiping a damp paw across his whiskers as though to clean them—and then he tapped her on the cheek with a playful growl. "I'll race you! Last one there is a slow slug."

He couldn't even remember having this much fun with Appleshade and Lichenfrost, when they were apprentices. His apprenticeship had been a little stressful, as he was shadowed by rumors of his mother's traitorous behavior (seducing Badgerstripe, becoming a loner in the first place), and he always felt too responsible for his sisters to ever let his guard down fully.

Maybe that was part of his attraction to Feathercloud? She gave him back the apprenticeship he never had; to be carefree, for once. As the pale warrior ran to StarClan's Claws, knowing Feathercloud was right on his heels, Sprucefur could believe it. This was the lightest his heart had felt in moons.

there's a feeling you give me, an everglow

---
Word Count: 336 Words
Tags: BlooRey DVD
Notes:

[BlooRey DVD]

Silver paws skidded against the ground, the TreeClan warrioress throwing everything she could into stopping before she collided with the pale golden tom in front of her. The Leaf-fall air was just cool enough that her panting breath escaped her maw is gentle wisps of mist, dancing through the air before dissipating some tail-lengths above. Playful blue eyes peered at him, the pair seeming content to simply enjoy each other's company as they desperately fought for breath. The whole situation was hilarious, yet undeniably thrilling; Feathercloud wouldn't have traded this for all the stars littering Silverpelt's expanse. Before she could even begin to process Sprucefur's newly suggested destination, Feathercloud found herself being tapped on the cheek by the tom's golden paw. Her momentary confusion left Sprucefur with a fraction of a head start, but the words 'slow slug' seemed to fuel her. With a purring laugh, she called out breathlessly. "You're going down, Pretty Boy!" Bits of damp leaves and dirt were churned up, cascading carelessly through the air as she fought for traction to give chase. Silver ears flattened against her skull, feathery tail streaming out behind her as she tore off after Sprucefur. Before long, she was at his flank, matching him stride for stride as StarClan's Claws pulled into view. Side by side (at least in her opinion), the two TreeClan senior warriors burst through the undergrowth, half-running, half-falling down the incline. Quite nearly shrieking in her laughter, Feathercloud scrabbled for some kind of hold in a desperate attempt to stop. She bumped into Sprucefur with enough force to stagger sideways, but not enough to harm either of them. With an exaggerated "Oof!", the pretty silver tabby flopped onto her side, rolling with some of the remaining momentum until she finally came to a full stop. Four silver paws remained suspended in the air, Feathercloud's body twisted slightly to keep her upright as she lay on her back. Plumes of steam escaped from her mouth as she surveyed the sky above, admiring the innumerable number of stars decorating it. "It's just... Never ending." She thought aloud, eventually rolling back to her paws. With a quick shake to dislodge any debris trying to hitch a ride in her long fur, the silver she-cat trotted forward to headbutt the golden tom in the shoulder with a pleased grin. "We came all the way here, we just have to see the world like the leaders do." Finding the energy to dart forward by some miracle of StarClan, she quickly picked her way along the leaders' path. With a few short bounds, Feathercloud found herself on what felt like the top of the world. Breath catching in her throat, she let her gaze wander across the open space, feeling almost as though she would see over the tops of the trees if she just stretched upward slightly... Hearing Sprucefur clamber up after her, but finding herself unable to pull her eyes away, she mewed a rather silly sentence, though it sounded far more important tinged with the wonder flooding her in that moment. "I always wondered... How leaders of smaller stature made it up here."

Fawn

[Fawn]

46 Moons || Senior Warrior || Tom

there's a light that you give me when I'm in shadow

After that tumble into the gathering place, Sprucefur had watched with surprise as Feathercloud, ever the fast-moving, swift-burning spirit, took off for the leaders' ledge. he clambered to his paws and trotted after her, his flanks still heaving from their eager sprint and silly fall. Soon enough, he was standing beside her overlooking the whole gathering place. So this is what Lionstar sees...

The view had been entirely worth the journey here, though they could've traveled halfway across the valley to see a mud puddle and he'd still consider it time well spent. Letting their fur mingle as they stood together (after it had already happened once, he was keen to let it keep happening), Sprucefur purred a quiet laugh at her question. "Probably with help. That's what deputies are for." The tom's whiskers twitched in amusement, picturing the embarrassment that came with needing to be pulled up onto the leaders' ledge by the scruff like an apprentice.

These thoughts faded out of focus, however, as he simply watched the stars beside the she-cat he admired most. Questions burned in his mind, and hope had caught fire in his heart. Could you ever return my feelings? If I asked you right now to be my mate, would you say yes? Again, those old fears resurfaced, and perhaps to reassure himself that the future he wanted for them was still within reach, Sprucefur moved his paw closer to hers until they touched, brushing a golden tail down her back in a gentle sweep.

"What do you think it's like, to be a StarClan cat?" Sprucefur mused quietly, his voice taking on a hushed tone as though at last aware they were on sacred ground. "How much can they see?" Can they see what we're feeling? What we're thinking? There was an uncomfortable heartbeat for the golden tom, picturing groups of StarClan TreeClan cats whispering amongst themselves about his flaws and his feelings and every negative thought he'd ever had.

Surely they could see the good things in him too? I'll bet they know what happened to Nightpaw. Before the mood could change for the negative, Sprucefur adopted a jesting tone, flicking Feathercloud's ear with his tail. "Something tells me that if you were a StarClan cat, they wouldn't let you deliver any prophecies. I think you'd just blurt out the meaning without letting the Clan leader figure it out."

Sprucefur's mrrow of laughter filled StarClan's Claws for a moment, the pleasant sound fading into the night, though the happy feeling lingered long after

there's a feeling you give me, an everglow

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Word Count: 443 Words
Tags: BlooRey DVD
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