Gracklepaw stood there awkwardly, leaning down for the much smaller cat to lick his wound. It was unusual. No one had ever licked him before. ‘Cept for his ma. But he was a little kitten back then, and he couldn’t even remember what she looked like. Her face was just a blurry blob of color, a blob that he might’ve just dreamed up.
It was a weird feeling. Maybe he was the one making it weird. It was unexpected at first. He froze when he first felt the strange sensation, but it wasn’t a bad sensation. It almost felt… nice? Was it weird to think that? Especially because Magpiepaw was a girl! Did that mean something? He remembered some loner telling him all about mollies. But then again, that was the same guy who’d told him about starsticks. So maybe the old cat was wrong again.
He wasn’t sure. But what did know was that it flooded his heart with warmth to think that someone cared enough about him to try to clean his wound. Magpiepaw really was his new best friend. She was great.
As she finished up and began coming up with excuses he grew more relaxed. He did feel somewhat guilty about lying, but Magpiepaw was convincing, and it was easier than risking getting yelled at. “Well… I guess nobody needs to know. You’re right! We’ll just go in. Maybe no one will even notice!
. . .
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Marigoldwhisper