[williams]

It had been a while since Brindlepaw's first gathering. He had been a new apprentice then, just a pile of fluff staring out at the world. His mentor thankfully, had allowed him to stay close. He hadn't spoken to anyone, just hid behind her, especially after he had tripped over his own tail into a Rainclan cat. Now though, he wasn't fully grown but he realized as he stepped into the crowd, that he had grown in some ways. Smaller apprentices ran by him, and the apprentice tilted his head in small shock. He was taller, still chubby but now he could recognize the training had added muscle. One day, he guessed, he would stand as tall as his parents. That thought made him stand taller with pride. They were beautiful cats to behold, and if Brindlepaw could be anything like them, he would be happy.

There was a small hint of confidence in his green gaze, scanning the crowds of mingling cats for his clanmates. They were the familiar, their scents shining like beacons out of the mess that flooded his senses. He closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling everything. In the crowd, something popped out, a small flame. Brindlepaw grinned, a shy excitd smile that made his heart flutter. Flamepaw was here!

220 || @calico || to make up for the gathering I missed rip

✿

[Deleted]

Flamepaw was desperate to hide from the scrutiny. Even now, so long after the events of his birth and early kit-hood, he was still the subject of clan-wide gossip. 

All he wanted was to listen to the assorted news from the five leaders. Instead, it seemed all the talk was about him. He felt like shouting to any cat in the immediate vicinity I'm really not that interesting! Find someone else to gossip about! Just let me be!

A sudden scent wafted to him on the breeze. Finally! a scent he wanted to find! A scent who was connected to a cat who wouldn't gossip about him, wouldn't judge him, wouldn't sneer at him for his parentage, would just like him for him and not for what he could provide or anything like that. 

Brindlepaw!

He began the arduous task of weaving his way around and through various throngs of cats, searching for that scent, tracking it. Thanks to Appleshade, his tracking skills were well-tuned. It didn't take him too long to get Brindlepaw in sight. He had absolutely no idea that Flamepaw was there.

With all the skills he had learned from Appleshade being put into practice, he crept up on Brindlepaw, being sure to keep his weight low, even, his tail just a shade off the ground. When in range, he leapt, pinning Brindlepaw to the ground and purring loudly as he nuzzled him.

240 / williams / Fluffy fluff fluff

[williams]

Brindlepaw scanned the crowd, the shapes of cats sort of blurry in his vision as they got further away, searching for the one cat he wanted to see. He's close, I think he's sensed me too. his senses told the tom, his heart starting to beat faster. What am I going to say to him when I see him? He thought, tail flicking nervously. He let his senses drop at that thought, suddenly worried. What if he doesn't like what I say and goes away? I don't think Foxstar wants me to hang out by her now!! As he tried to think of cool things to say, his paws suddenly left the soil, a loud purr filling his ears as his nose flooded with Flamepaw's scent. 

The tom yelped in a high-pitched squeak, curling his tail over Flamepaw as it's panicked fluff cooled down. "H-hi Flamepaw!" He said with a bright smile, twisting out of Flamepaw's grip so he could see the other apprentice's face. "Your leaping skills are really good, I bet I'd be freshkill if I was a mouse." Brindlepaw internally winced. It was a really lame compliment, but he was impressed so that had to count for something.


---
@calico 

[Deleted]

Brindlepaw's embarrassment wreathed around Flamepaw, but he had no reason to feel that way. Compliment or not, Flamepaw was just happy to be spending time with him. 

But reality took over.

They were at the gathering. There was a truce - which lasted as long as the moon was full - but displaying this much affection, in front of every cat in attendance, of all clans? Tantamount to a death sentence. Nobody would take him seriously. 

But did he honestly want to be taken seriously anymore? 

He had to be honest with himself. He loved Brindlepaw. He had never felt for any she-cat the way he felt for Brindlepaw. 

He just hoped that Brindlepaw felt the same way.

"Come round here with me - we're less likely to be disturbed" 

Flamepaw, having whispered into the delicate ear fur of Brindlepaw, started walking gently around the back of the place the leaders addressed the Clans from. Until the meeting started, at least, they should have some privacy afforded to them.

"There's... there's something i'd like to talk to you about. In private."

182 / williams / HES GONNA TELL HIM <3

[williams]

"Okay, lead on!" More than a little curious, Brindlepaw followed. He had seen something flicker in Flamepaw's eyes, an emotion he couldn't place. On their walk, the tom glanced around the cats around them. Their smells flickered in and out of his senses as gentle as a bird's wing moving it through the air. He could catalog each cat he found, and acknowledge how each clan smelled differently. When he turned that to Flamepaw himself, the apprentice couldn't help but smile shyly. 

Despite smelling like another clan, he was as familiar to Brindlepaw as his own parents. It was comforting, like listening to the rain hit the ground when he was safe in his nest. Can I be safe with him? Brindlepaw thought, not for the first time. Is that what it means to have a family? Someone to care for? Those questions tempted the apprentice every time they had scented Flamepaw, and it confused him. Maybe that's what Flamepaw wants to tell me, that he feels a connection? What do I do if he does?

Brindlepaw sat close to Flamepaw at their final destination, tail curled loosely around his paws with the extra floof just brushing across his companion's own paws. Brindlepaw tilted his head to let Flamepaw know he could speak freely, eyes scrunching in a happy smile at seeing the tom again. 

---
ahhh!!!! brindle is confused, but eager to hear what he says @calico

[Deleted]

Now that the time had finally come for Flamepaw to tell Brindlepaw exactly how he felt, he experienced a sudden burst of nerves. 

Would he feel the same way? Had he been mis-interpreting his feelings all along, and just hadn't found the right she-cat yet? Was he simply transferring his need to be loved onto Brindlepaw when he didn't deserve it? 

Flamepaw wished his mother was there for advice. Meadowleaf. His actual mother. The mother who died of a combination of greencough and kitting. 

There were so many things he wished he could say to her. 

Still, he'd get the chance, one day. StarClan was looking after his mother until it was his time to join her. 

He had finally plodded far enough away from the throng of cats so that he could a) be heard easily but not overheard and b) have some privacy.

Abruptly, he turned. His eyes were narrowed slightly as he tried to get his words in order.

"Have you ever felt... different? Like you look at a she-cat and don't feel anything? Most of the toms my age, in my Clan especially, are chasing after them by now. But... I don't feel like that. 

The only cat I'd ever want to chase after is you. 

I don't know if what I feel is right... But it's how I feel. 

I... I just wanted you to know. You're all I want. When I don't see you, I don't feel right."

Flamepaw fell silent, hoping against hope that he hadn't said too much and ruined everything.

262 / williams / <3