[Hellion]

StoneClan || Warrior || Tom

Valinstride didn't know how to explain it but he felt overly giddy and excited to attend the gathering. At first he blamed it the Newleaf that seemed to bring the valley back to life, but the real truth was the she-cat walking beside him. His mate. It was fun to say, he'd never admit that he practiced saying it. Hawkfall had teased him when he witnessed Valiantstride muttering to himself. The golden tom just never thought it would ever happen and he wanted to introduce her to anyone he met as his mate. Was that overly possessive or more prideful? He wasn't sure.

Entering the clearing, Valianstride to decided to stay near the other StoneClan cats and offered a place for his mate to sit next to him. If she wanted to wander and greet other cats he was okay with that too, she didn't need to be attached to his hip. He was more concerned that her anxiety would make her uncomfortable. He didn't want that but it was important to him that he'd be ready to comfort her if it did.

Turning his attention to look at the other cats that had gathered, Valinstride's golden eyes focused onto the back of an ashen colored she-cat. For a second Valianstride thought he knew that pelt but shrugged it off. However, it took two second for the she-cat to turn and call his name. "Valianstride!" She meowed, heading over to him with a small smile. Valianstride realized in that moment who she was and felt his heart skip a beat and not in a good way. "Hello Cedarbranch,"He returned in greeting, flicking his tail nervously. Never in a million moons did he expect to run into her of all cats. Slightly unsettled, Valinstride looked to see if Skunkspots had noticed his situation. Perhaps Cedarbranch would go away without anything needing to be brought up or worse she'd stick around and make it worse.

You're my end and my beginning, even when I lose I'm winning.
'Cause I give you all of me, and you give me all of you, oh oh

## - Fawn - we can both play cedarbranch.

[Fawn]

All she wanted to do tonight was curl up in their nest and sleep. Yes, their nest. The one she shared with Valiantstride, her... her mate.

It was gonna take her a while to get used to saying that. A little jolt of delight and terror would race beneath her pelt each time. Skunkspots counted Valiantstride's markings to keep herself calm, watching the way his pelt shown glossy in the bright moonlight as they entered the Gathering together. Ugh, what do I say to everyone? It wasn't anyone's business that she had a mate now... Besides, who would care?

And yet, a tiny part of the black-and-white warrioress wanted to tell someone. Besides Fallenleaf and Ospreywing and Maplepaw, that is. Her apprentice was spending the evening with her sister, which suited Skunkspots even better than she'd hoped; now she wouldn't feel guilty for wanting to stay glued to Valiantstride's side as if they'd both rolled in pine sap.

Eying one of the tall spires of StarClan's Claws, Skunkspots quickly found the best, most discreet place for two cats to hang out who wanted to be utterly left alone. They could just sit close, listen to the ongoings, and appreciate the moonlight. Skunkspots's gaze swung around, finding Valiantstride. Scooting forward to make sure he could hear her, Skunkspots had just started to murmur privately when a clear, female voice called his name from the crowd.

Skunkspots' head shot up like a startled hare's, and she watched, empty of thought, as a pretty gray NightClan warrior bounced over to greet Valiantstride. By brushing her coat against his, as if they were dear old friends.

Something inside of Skunkspots began to shrink, crawling back into its hiding place deep in her heart. Why does this NightClan cat greet him like that?

Maybe you're not the only she-cat he gathers moss for, whispered the insidious little voice inside her head. Skunkspots' eyes stung, and she tried to swallow those fears like a tough piece of prey. "Hi," she mewed a little flatly to the NightClan cat.

"Hi!" She said back, and then spoke to Valiantstride. "It's been so long! Who's your friend?"

Friend. Skunkspots's tail twitched. Guess I'm the 'friend' now.

Greaaat.

Word Count: 368 Words Tags: Hellion Notes:

31 Moons. Warrior. StoneClan

[Hellion]

StoneClan || Warrior || Tom

This was the end of him. Valianstride wanted nothing more then to crawl under a rock. It was one thing to run into an old friend from a rival Clan. It wasn't bad just not really something to proudly proclaim. Cedarbranch didn't seem to be bothered by it, Valiantstride on the other paw wanted to avoid it.

Feeling more and more on edge, the golden tom looked toward Skunkspots. The look on his mate's face made his stomach clench. It wasn't a pleasant feeling. His ears flicked at the sound of Cedarbranch's greeting toward Skunkspots. It wasn't right that she called Skunkspots a friend, she was so much more. In an effort to display their relationship, Valiantstride wrapped his tail around the pretty black and white she-cat.

"Actually, Skunkspots is my mate and we've been good," Valiantstride told Cedarbranch with forced smile. "How have you been?" Valinstride questioned, feeling a sense of forced politeness. It wasn't that he hated Cedarbranch but it was painfully awkward for him. "Congrats on being mates and I've been good." She answered with a pretty and pleasant smile." You sure are lucky," Cedarbranch added with a wink to Skunkspots. Clearly misreading the situation.

You're my end and my beginning, even when I lose I'm winning.
'Cause I give you all of me, and you give me all of you, oh oh

## - Fawn - Notes

[Fawn]

"You sure are lucky," said the unfairly pretty she-cat.

"Am I?" Skunkspots muttered darkly, her pelt prickling. What normally would've been a calming gesture was actually rubbing her fur the wrong way; she wanted to get out of this stupid gathering. Get away from this stupid she-cat with the unfairly pretty name. She gets to be Cedarbranch and I'm Skunkspots? Named after an animal that stinks and eats bugs?

Great.

Well, this whole naive little bubble of happiness had been nice while it lasted.

Feeling like she was piling up more sharp stones underneath her already bashed heart, wobbling on the edge, Skunkspots didn't look at Valiantstride instead asking Cedarbranch. "So how do you know him?"

Cedarbranch looked at Valiantstride, her smile faltering slightly. There was uncertainty there, a sense that she was asking for his permission to be truthful - and Skunkspots felt her skin burn at the sight of it.

"We, er, met when we were younger," Cedarbranch finished weakly.

Skunkspots' heart clenched. Shaking of Valiantstride's tail, her gaze went out of focus, her voice dropping to a low, cynical tone flatter than the sandy plateau. "I'm going to check on Maplepaw." You two just stay and catch up.

Whatever the story behind Cedarbranch and Valiantstride was, Skunkspots didn't want to hear it.

She wanted to run home to Fallenleaf, bury her face in her mentor's fur, and pretend she wasn't the biggest fool in the entire valley. She knew he'd been too good to be true. Too handsome. Too kind. Too hopelessly romantic.

And I fell for it. I'm so stupid. I fell for it. Skunkspots' throat tightened with the urge to cry.

Word Count: 275 Words Tags: Hellion Notes:

31 Moons. Warrior. StoneClan

[Hellion]

StoneClan || Warrior || Tom

Valiantstride wanted nothing more then to have Tigerstar steal him away to the dark forest. Cedarbranch likely said the worst possible thing to Skunkspots. Hearing his mate's reply to the other she-cat had him wishing he could scoop her up and take her away. Cuddle close beside her in their nest and forget they ever went to the gathering.

He didn't expect for Skunkspots to continue taking to Cedarbranch so when she asked how the two met, he opened his mouth to reply but Cedarbranch replied first. He was grateful that Cedarbranch did look to him before replying, he offered a nod. The truth was the best course of action but he didn't realize that Cedarbranch would reply with such little conviction.

Before he could add to what the grey she-cat said, Skunkspots declared she was leaving to tend to Maplepaw. His heart tightened at the sight of his mate walking away. He wanted to run after her and offer her all sorts of sweet words to comfort her but he wasn't stupid. Skunkspots wouldn't believe him no matter how true his words were.

Turning to refocus his attention on Cedarbranch, his eyes narrowed slightly. "What we had means nothing to me now. It wouldn't have worked and I found my true mate with Skunkspots. We can't be friends anymore either," He added for good measure before turning and following after Skunkspots.

He tried to come up with what he wanted to say but nothing sounded good. Instead he found Skunkspots sitting beside Maplepaw. His ears tucked back slightly in defeat as he moved to sit half at tail length from her. Valiantstride gave her a look that spoke volumes if only she saw it too.

He opened his mouth to speak but by then Stormstar was calling for the gathering to begin. It would have to wait.

You're my end and my beginning, even when I lose I'm winning.
'Cause I give you all of me, and you give me all of you, oh oh

## - Fawn - finish? new thread with him trying to fix stuff.