[BlooRey DVD]

Leaf-bare 4; Though the sun shines bright in the sky, the temperatures continue to drop, leaving the ground cold and damp as it freezes and thaws with the cycle of the day.

SOME LEGENDS ARE TOLD, SOME TURN TO DUST OR TO GOLD

ThoRnHeaRt

51 Moons || Tom || TreeClan

His mind had been a whirlwind all day. His paws had kept him busy, ducking out of sight as his amber eyes sought out specific members of the Clan. The way he skulked, some might think he was avoiding someone, dodging gazes and excusing himself from even the briefest of conversations. Something was weighing on his mind, and it was obvious the tabby Maine Coon was not about to give up until that brain of his had sorted through everything that it had so desperately juggled since early that morning. And perhaps... Far longer than that.

He could still see the slight tensing of Darkstone's muscles as Thornheart had padded up to him with the determination of a thousand-moon-starved lion. Whether it was the intensity with which the tabby tom stared down the other, or the nature of the question he'd asked, he wasn't sure. Regardless, Darkstone had eventually provided Thornheart with the information he had requested.

"When you look at Shrikesong... What do you feel, what do you think? What... What does she mean to you."

"I feel like she... means everything to me. I honor her by doing all I can to be a good mate and a good father to our kits. Without her, I don't feel whole. Or even half as good as she believes I am."

A stark white tom had regarded him with veiled curiosity, gray-tinged maw twinging into the beginnings of a smile. As if he knew something that Thornheart didn't.

"Appleshade? Why... She is the stars in the night sky. The gently falling snow on a quiet Leafbare morning. She is the brilliant flowers in an endless emerald field. To me, she is everything that makes the world beautiful."

Startled yellow-green eyes had blinked twice at him, ear tips flicking in what some may have recognized as embarrassment. Thornheart, however, had been far too interested in the answer to notice social cues. He'd fail to see one if it reached out and swatted him on the tip of his muzzle. Despite the embarrassed cough, Sprucefur did eventually relent with an answer.

"She's Feathercloud. She's the whole world to me. Everything I have that's mine to give - my time, my heart, my family, my life - it's all hers. Sorry if that's not a good answer. I don't really... I don't really talk about personal stuff with others."

Lastly, a confident grin upon a tabby muzzle. Staring back at eyes that mirrored his, Thornheart couldn't help but feel as if Zephyrfang spoke words Thornheart already knew deep in his heart.

"What do I think? I think I'm the luckiest tom in the valley. Couldn't tell ya how I feel, because then I'd have to figure out the right words. And I'm not gonna waste my time finding words when I could be spending time with Silentsong instead."

Everything to me. Without her, I don't feel whole. Everything that makes the world beautiful. The whole world to me. Everything I have, all hers. I could be spending time with her.

The voices, the thoughts, they ricocheted in his mind, half his, half the voice of the tom who spoke them. Every thrum of his heart felt reflected in those scattered pieces of sentences. And although the words he pieced together where spoken by a variety of toms, about a variety of she-cats...

To him, they rang true about one.

Perhaps that was why he found himself standing quietly near the edge of a familiar nest, the cold night air hanging still around him. A single ear tip flicked in something between nervousness and discomfort, yet... A part of him remained resolved. It told him he wanted to do this. That he couldn't not do this any longer.

And it was that thought that gave him the strength to reach out and touch his paw to a little fawn she-cat's shoulder.

"Heya, Lazy Leap." He rumbled warmly, careful to keep his voice low. "I know... It's late, but... Trust me for a bit, yeah? Follow me?" He asked, already stepping back slightly, thick furred tail beckoning to her. He hesitated only to ensure she didn't refuse, ducking out of the warrior's den to wait for the pale furred shape that made his heart run three paces faster than it should.

His tail served as a guide to the still-drowsy she-cat, leading her out of the quiet confines of the camp. The chill of night had settled over the valley, and as their pawsteps approached the Sparkling Brook, he could tell its waters were muffled by a sheath of ice. A part of him felt bad for dragging her out into the cold night air yet... The trees and night sky above their head just felt... Better. More correct. He'd make sure to make it up to her.

As he picked a spot and settled down, sweeping his fluffy tail around to invite her to sit next to him, he stole a glance at her gentle features from the corner of his eye. When he was certain she was comfortable, the tom shifted a little awkwardly and coughed to mask the clearing of his throat. "Sorry I dragged ya all the way 'ere in the cold, eh? Guess I just... Needed a bit of air. Bit 'a space. Not that I ever need space away from ya, Fawnleap." He joked, shifting to butt his shoulder against hers gently.

"I, uh... Want 'cha to know that, no matter whatcha pick, it won't change the fact that you're my best friend. And I couldn't imagine a world without 'cha, 'kay? But... I've been doin' some thinkin' and... The thinkin' has produced some thoughts that I think ya should 'ear. If ya will listen ta me, 'course." Another stolen glance, and a nervous twitch of his maw that produced some sort of grin.

"I... Want 'cha to know that... You're the kindest, gentlest, funniest she-cat I've ever met. 's like... I don't ever need a break from ya, 'cause you're just... Another part'a me, ya know? Not sure if that makes any sense to ya but... It does ta me. Doesn't happen ta a lot 'a others, ya know? I even need a break from Finchcloud sometimes!" He chuckled roughly, before shaking his head. "But... You're different 'en the rest of 'em. Guess ya always have been different, I just... Didn't realize it at first."

A large paw shifted to press at the earth before him as if that would keep him distracted. "I'm happy ta be your best friend. It's an honor ta call myself that, an honor I'll gladly take ta my grave. But... I also think it's only fair I tell ya what's been on my mind too. 'Cause... I want ya to know. I don't ever wanna lie ta you, even if it's only a lie 'cause I ain't telling ya everythin'."

Amber eyes closed as he breathed out, his breath collecting in a swirl of steam as it connected with the cold Leafbare night. "I know things 'ave been hard recently, and... I've never been good with pickin' good words. But I've been hearing lotsa words from others today, and... And I think ya deserve to know you're... The good in the world. Like fresh air in the mornin'. Or a drop 'a water on a scorchin' Greenleaf day. Seein' ya is like... Seein' the brightest light on the darkest day. I don't think I'd need anythin' else in my life, long as you're around. Don't even need the stars, 'cause ta me, you're the only star that matters. What I'm tryin' ta say is... I've treasured every moment I've had with ya, Fawnspring. And that'll never change; you'll always be the center'a my world."

Slowly, those amber orbs opened again, daring to glance toward her once more. Briefly, he met her gaze, though he dropped it a few words into the next sentence, if only to steel himself for the worst. Just in case.

"I'm happy ta just be you're best friend for the rest'a our days, if that's all ya want. But I... I think ya own my heart, Fawnspring. And I think you've owned it for... Longer than I realized. If I'm honest, I... I knew that you were special, 'cause you've always been. Just didn't quite click that I've probably been in love with ya for quite some time."

And then he held his breath, as if even the slightest movement from him would shatter the earth underpaw. He would be lying if he said he wasn't terrified that he'd just ruined everything they had built since they were kits. But at the same time... He knew that what he had said was the truth.

BUT YOU WILL REMEMBER ME FOR CENTURIES

~1480 words Fawn Winter confessions? <3

[Fawn]

[googlefont=Poppins]

Fawnspring,

Had anyone else prodded her from her warm nest and beckoned her into the chilly leafbare air, she would've been complaining about it to Thornheart later.

But it was the large fluffy tom himself that, with a dark swath of trees and stars behind him, asked her to trust him. How could Fawnspring say no to that?

The diminutive she-cat stepped carefully around her sleeping companions, trying not to look for familiar faces no longer there... Despite herself, Fawnspring glanced sideways as if she might find Aspenfire's distinctive black and white fur out of the corner of her eyes. Instead, she saw the tightly fitted shapes of Zephyrfang and Silentsong curled up in their shared nest. The sight of the family that had adopted her after Moonfeather's death soothed the grief in her heart.

The touch of cool air on Fawnspring's dusky brown nose was enough to startle her back to the present. She skittered closer to Thornheart, whispering in a voice still weak from sleep: "where are we going?"

He must not have heard her, and Fawnspring gave up on guessing her best friend's intentions. Before long, she was able to pick up the subtle path that led to the sparkling brook. The she-cat's bright eyes narrowed to adjust to the moonlight reflecting on the brook's icy surface. "I hope you're not asking me to swim," Fawnspring joked, sidling next to the broad brown tabby with a small shiver.

Suddenly, Thornheart was clearing his throat, uncharacteristically nervous. Something like worry tried to form on her tongue at that unexpected display - but he spoke before she got the chance to.

Thornheart's warm rumbling voice swept over her, chasing away the chill as their pelts brushed. '"I'm happy ta be your best friend. It's an honor ta call myself that, an honor I'll gladly take ta my grave. But... I also think it's only fair I tell ya what's been on my mind too. 'Cause... I want ya to know. I don't ever wanna lie ta you, even if it's only a lie 'cause I ain't telling ya everythin'."

It was like watching the sun rise for the first time. As if she’d been in the dark all this time - and in a way, hadn’t she? - the she-cat was left in quiet awe as Thornheart put into words everything between them. Everything. While her mind screamed a resounding yes, her heart fumbled over itself, always the more inelegant of the two things that ruled her being. ”O-Oh Thornheart…” She basked in the sunrise colors of his confession, finding herself stumbling forward as she’d unconsciously been leaning in, anxious to hear every word.

Is that possible? Is that okay? To have the one you love also be your best friend? As if they were breaking some sort of code, Fawnspring had nervously shied away from that very idea. Not wanting to entertain it. Not wanting to define it for what it was, just in case that wasn’t allowed. But the only thing restricting her from embracing the reality that had been here for some time… was fear. Thornheart had conquered his. Was conquering his, even as his eyes, so full of warmth and honesty and goodness, glimmered with that fear of rejection.

Fawnspring’s front paws lifted a mouselength from the ground as she leaned up to touch her nose to his. ”You are everything I’ve ever needed, Thornheart. I-I think I tried really hard not to see it, in case you just wanted to be best friends. But it was always... it was always there, wasn't it? Between us?” Oh stars, that would have split her soul in two. Admitting to those feelings of love and devotion only to have him be on a different wavelength. Fawnspring found herself shaking, despite the breathless smile and the bright eyes. ”I-It’s scary, isn’t it Thornheart? Needing someone as much as we need each other. But it’s the truth. The world isn’t right without you, home wouldn't feel like home if you weren't in it. I-I tried to think about the future, think about having a mate and all that but there wasn't... no one else was... They couldn't compare. Not to you. I think you’ve been keeping my heart safe all this time. It's why I never looked that hard. You've always been right beside me.”

Then, a little more quietly, as if those previous fright-gremlins were trying to rear their ugly heads, Fawnspring whispered. ”I love you, Thornheart. I thank the stars every night that our paths aligned.” The good fortune, the blessing of this being her new reality took her breath away. Feeling lightheaded, Fawnspring laughed softly to herself, leaning into him subconsciously. He was always her pillar. Her strength. But… what if I lose him, too? Fawnspring squashed that thought with a tight squeeze of her eyes, as if she could will it out of her head. Don’t do that. Just focus on what’s in front of you. Thornheart loves you, and that’s the strongest truth in the world.

BlooRey DVD 850 Words bad formatting is bad, sorry it's a WIP