[wren]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

The Chausie chuckled, shaking his head a little affectionately as they continued along. Shiverlight was paranoid - but he would get that out of her soon enough. They were safe down here. No one would find them, and no one would ask any questions - technically, this tunnel led out of RiverClan territory at some point, and that was when they would be perfectly safe. After all, no one could tell them they couldn’t be together outside of the Clans - they were outside of the rules there, in Charmpelt’s opinion. He was always pushing things to the max. He had yet to get in trouble, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he were to get caught someday… either with Shiverlight or doing something else, who knew? Jema had always teased him about it. He needed to stop thinking about her so much… she was gone, it was in the past.

Without closure it was hard for him to let go of something, and he was getting closure with Shiverlight now - whether he liked it or not. It wasn’t his favorite ending to their story, but at least it would be an ending that he could live with. He could live with knowing that Shiverlight at least loved him, and she would be taken care of and happy eventually… perhaps Dogblood would treat her with more respect later on. Charmpelt doubted it. Why would a tom like that treat a she cat with respect? It angered him to know that Shiverlight was in a relationship she didn’t want to be in, but at least… at least she was safe from anyone knowing that she was with him. Shiverlight’s words caught him off guard, and he glanced over at her with a sigh. ”I’m just lost in my own thoughts, I guess. It’s nothing too serious.” Another sigh, and then he struggled to concentrate on something else.

He didn’t want to talk about her “other life,” her public one… and soon, they reached the end of the cavern. ”Well, here we are, love… welcome to the most hidden place you’ll ever see.” The tom mewed, glancing around. It was just as he remembered it. It was better than he remembered it, to be honest… and it was nice to be here with someone he cared about again. The last time he’d brought someone he was in love with down here had been… wow, a long time ago. When he was a very young warrior. When she had just joined the Clan. Charmpelt remembered that day well, but it was different than now - their story had ended in a different way, one that he hadn’t liked any more. ”What do you think?”

As she awaited an answer she almost found herself looking lovingly at him. Her eyes so swelled with emotion and affection she had to blink a few times and shy away. There had been something there the first time they met, or at least there had been for her. But upon neglecting those feelings they came back in full swing to haunt her. Again she found herself starring at the chausie with such a deep longing that scared her. Things could’ve been different. the hole in her chest that had been temporarily filled by being near charmpelt suddenly evaporated leaving a long canal of loneliness in her. Things should’ve been different. Shiverlight felt a heat creep into the back of her eyes and her throat begin to become quite hoarse. If she kept on thinking about it she was going to cry again.

That’s when the handsome tom spoke again and she forced her attention into him. There was going to be no tears tonight, this was the only chance that she had to be happy for this one singular night. There was going to be nothing that compromised that. She gave a gentle wave of her tail and dropped down onto her haunches staring at him. Somehow I know this isnt ‘too serious’. she purses her lips thoughtfully and gave her hind end a little shake before settling more comfortably onto the stone. “Are you sure? It doesn’t look that way” she said plainly raising an eyebrow skeptically at him. She wasn’t aware of what this thing was- this emotion he suddenly felt every other time they met. He was truly thinking of someone else, or something else. It was too hard to tell all she knew was that it must be something bothering him.

That’s when he seemed to brush off the question and she stood back up to admire the whole thing. Forgetting about it for just that moment. I’ll ask about it later. she looked over her shoulder putting on a pout “don’t call me that!” she said ears flattening. Even though there was a low possibility of someone coming down here she still just didn’t know if she liked the sound of love. it was so abrupt and quite frankly she hated to admit she loved him. Maybe it was just the word that set her off. She dipped her paw in a puddle of water which was very shallow and flicked a few droplets at him. Her eyes softened and she did a little coy smile before turning back to look down one of the caverns let off tunnels. “That’s for calling me love” she called over her shoulder. Leaning deeper into the outlet tunnel. Wonder how he found these. “it’s beautiful..” she breathed out. Barely a whisper as a draft struck her.