[spade]

➳ Sunchaser

While his eyes gleamed with friendliness as he awaited the responses, the change in the atmosphere seemed to slap him like a tree branch. Sunchaser blinked, ears pulled back against his head as he witnessed Sunpoppy's expression change. "I-I didn't mean-" he started to say, only to be cut off as the angered tom turned around to leave. Guilt bubbled in his toes and all the way up to his face, causing him to feel hot and dizzy. What had happened? He had only meant it as a joke... Dismay flashed across his gaze, feeling at a loss of words as to what could possibly get Sunpoppy to turn around.

Already on the defense, Sunchaser jumped as he heard Hareflood's onslaught of accusations. The tom tried to make himself smaller, sinking into the thin snow layer and backing up until he felt the cold tree bark against his fur. "I was only trying to lighten the mood. Honestly, I'm sorry..." he murmured, too afraid to make his voice any louder. He wasn't even sure if his words were audible, but there wasn't much time to figure that out as he watched Hareflood bound away after his childhood friend, leaving Sunchaser to stare after the two with a blank expression.

What had gone wrong? As the tom allowed himself to finally fix his posture - still keeping an eye on where the two had exited incase they decided to come back - he let out a solemn sigh. Always messing everything up. Guilt turned into rage, and the tom lashed out a paw, swiping it across the bark of the tree. That conversation had been even shorter than his nonexistent one with Sageflurry. What good was a childhood friend if you couldn't have a few jokes now and then? Sunpoppy had to know he was only joking...

With his head hung in dismay, Sunchaser settled onto the ground, resting his chin on his paws as his ears sank. He didn't feel like walking anywhere now, let alone to follow Hareflood and Sunpoppy, or back to camp. Screw both options. He'd sit out here and freeze for the day - at least it was away from any prying eyes.