Making Amends by Making Beds [Private]

**BEAR.** · #1 February 12th, 2019, 04:35 AM

(Part One: Making Amends by Making Beds)

Lionstorm was being good! Or so he believed.

It was hard to tell without feedback, but he thought lining Fawnpaw's nest with feathers and rabbit fur was a nice thing to do. Feathers were easy to find as it was. The real challenge was rabbits, and he was lucky enough that an ill WindClan warrior gave him some pointers when they saw his pathetic attempts of chasing one down.

He even thought his progress looked good, though it was difficult to add in more feathers and fur when Fawnpaw was curled up in the nest. In hindsight, he probably should've waited until he was awake and out of it, but it was too late now. If he awoke the apprentice, he had a nice, juicy rabbit nearby as an offering.

@Dipper

**Fawn** · #2 February 12th, 2019, 04:44 AM

Asleep in his nest, Fawnpaw was enjoying a peaceful slumber for once, not filled with dreams too invigorating for sleep or kittish nightmares that occasionally haunted him. It was an additional feat to stay asleep when all he ever did was rest now that he'd been sentenced to the temporary camp, a place where there was nothing to do but sit around all day and maybe find someone who was coherent enough for conversation.

Unfortunately, it came to an end as he coughed himself awake, a fit overtaking his frail body that'd become even weaker in the wake of his argument with Lionstorm. Grooming and basic care for himself was nonexistent, he couldn't bring himself to bother when fever and illness kept him tired as it was -- he hoped it'd be his turn for treatment soon. But the conversation had sunk deeply within his psyche and disrupted his self-esteem, keeping his spirits lowered significantly as he dwelled on it. Still uncertain, still fretting... hoping he wasn't as bad as the warrior claimed.

Opening his eyes to the world around him, he first noticed the new bits of his nest and was confused as to where that'd come from. Mirepaw, Cedarpaw? Their scents weren't here, but he did smell--

Oh. Him.

"It's you," Fawnpaw meowed hoarsely, voice flat and wavering a tad as he surveyed Lionstorm. "What are you doing here? Did... did you do this?" he questioned as his eyes darted to the nest. Honestly, Fawnpaw didn't want to see him and felt the familiar surge of uneasiness from his presence, the hurtful words slinging him with a vengeance now that their source was in front of his muzzle.

@BILL.

**BEAR.** · #3 February 12th, 2019, 06:42 AM

Lionstorm sheepishly flashed a grin at Fawnpaw, not expecting him to be disturbed that soon. Well, that was fine. He could try to get him to relax with his gift: food. "Hey," he greeted him softly. "I brought you something!" He pushed the rabbit closer to the nest and took a few steps back, in part to give him room and to admire his handiwork on the bed.

Would he admit to altering his nest? Nah. "It was like that when I got here," he said with a shrug. "I don't know who did it." It was easy, wasn't it? If he didn't claim credit, Fawnpaw wouldn't accuse him of doing it solely to earn his forgiveness. Lionstorm did want him to forgive him-- but he also wanted to make things up. He disliked the rift he caused between them.
@Dipper

**Fawn** · #4 February 12th, 2019, 06:48 AM

"Uh... what? Why? I don't know why you'd bring me this," Fawnpaw questioned, guarded and trying to stay as cold as possible. Lionstorm had been so cruel to him the last time they'd been together, and he was far from over it with the words playing on his insecurities, making him feel terrible about himself. "I thought you had this whole speech about... me being the worst and how you're not visiting." And maybe he shouldn't have, because his presence was stirring those negative emotions again.

Narrowing his eyes, it was clear he didn't believe a word of it when Lionstorm claimed his nest had been like that since no other scents clung to the extra soft bedding: just his. It made him bristle thinking about this tactic, how he was hoping to inch back into his life with honeyed words and gifts rather than an actual apology; or better yet, possibly keeping his distance when being here tended to crash into disaster most times. Rather than calling him out on it, Fawnpaw mumbled as he shifted his weight, "I don't know if random gifts are the most effective method of, uh... trying to patch things up. It's still kind of hard to be around you after, y'know, that."

@BILL.

**BEAR.** · #5 February 12th, 2019, 07:24 AM

His ears twitched as he gazed at Fawnpaw. "I figured you'd enjoy something fresh, instead of the stale garbage the patrols occasionally bring here." Lionstorm glanced over his shoulder at the small, dwindling pile of prey near the entrance of the sick camp. "And that-- I'm not proud of it, I'll admit. I was out of line and... I'm sorry, if it means anything." It probably didn't. It felt meaningless coming from his mouth, not because he didn't mean it, but because he didn't think it'd make a difference. What was done was done. He couldn't fix it.

"I know it is," he said. "And that's why I wasn't going to bother you, I just figured this might be nice. I'll leave if you want me to." It was disappointing, the lack of response he received from Fawnpaw, and Lionstorm shuffled his paws. He brought him food, made his nest warmer, and apologized. What more could he want?

@Dipper

**Fawn** · #6 February 12th, 2019, 03:18 PM

"I don't have much of an appetite," Fawnpaw admitted with a faint shrug, barely able to muster more than that. It was the illness, it was Lionstorm's presence... all of it combined to create a sickening twist in the pit of his stomach that made him want to sob and vomit again. There wasn't room for shame over the possible childishness when he was too caught in feeling like he was a terrible cat, inconsiderate and overall awful.

When Lionstorm actually apologized, Fawnpaw's head snapped up to stare at him in shock. The utmost of surprise was scrawled across his features, stunned and silenced by an admission that he never thought he'd hear in his lifetime, much less now. "Are you--" he started, treading carefully, "You're apologizing?" Maybe Lionstorm thought it didn't mean anything, but it did. It meant a lot to him, reassured that there was an inkling of kindness residing within the warrior somewhere. "It does, I-- I just thought I wouldn't hear it from you."

The offer to leave was met with a shake of his head, a shifting in his nest. "You can stay for a while, I guess. I don't think I can forgive you yet, but... we could try, to..." he searched for the right manner of phrasing this, "to continue being friends, I mean." The caveat was, Lionstorm couldn't try to hurt him again, couldn't damage this relationship more than he already had since the consequences were permanent. Just not irresolvable, yet.

@BILL.

**BEAR.** · #7 February 14th, 2019, 05:37 AM

Lionstorm was prepared to walk away, to leave behind Fawnpaw and... everything between them. Which was odd by itself, the realization they probably had more interactions between each other than Lionstorm had with his adopted siblings. Huh.

But... Fawnpaw didn't seem to want him to go, so he remained rooted in place, unsure of what to do. It was evident he wasn't forgiven yet, and that was fine, Lionstorm could probably live with that. Okay," he managed quietly, wondering what more he could say. At least his apology was taken well.

Looking at Fawnpaw, his eyes narrowed at his dull pelt, and he took a few steps to close the distance between them, settling beside Fawnpaw. "I hope you don't mind," he murmured. "But your pelt is filthy." And without a moment of hesitation, he began to groom the apprentice, his tongue rasping over his fur.
@Dipper

**Fawn** · #8 February 14th, 2019, 06:35 AM

Fawnpaw stilled as he approached and claimed a spot beside him in his nest, and although he stiffened, he didn't protest. He was busy evaluating and analyzing, trying to decipher his intentions and the resulting explanation caused his expression to flatten, mock exasperation written over his face while he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I haven't really had time to bother," he mumbled huffily. "Being too busy trying not to die and all." But despite the sarcastic edge to his tone, the lack of opposition was conveyed through his body relaxing, his eyes closing, the tiniest of purrs squeaking from his chest before quieting.

Relieved that Lionstorm wasn't making demands of forgiveness to him like he had with the symbolic squirrel, Fawnpaw managed an exhausted smile that disappeared from his muzzle moments later, illness sapping his expendable energy. "It hurt," he admitted softly, pawing at his nest, "what you said about me. Do you believe all that? ...Am I that bad?" It was a painful memory that followed him like a ghost, the constant reminder hanging over him and fueling self-doubts.

@BILL.

**BEAR.** · #9 February 14th, 2019, 06:16 PM

Lionstorm continued to lap his pelt, smoothing out his fur and removing the grime until his reddish-brown coat was shining. Perfect. It looked much better than before, and Fawnpaw's scent benefited as well-- he could actually smell the pine forest again. It was nice. "I'm sure you could fit at least one grooming into the 'trying not to die'."

Now that Fawnpaw was cleaned up, Lionstorm felt more comfortable curling around the apprentice. "No," he murmured. "I was... being irrational, a cruel jerk. It felt like you were accusing me of being a bad friend because I wasn't able to visit you when I said I would." Lionstorm sighed, paw scuffing along the ground. "I guess you were right though, I'm not a good friend. You deserve better."

@Dipper

**Fawn** · #10 February 14th, 2019, 08:41 PM

Although fatigue factored into his lack of hygiene, most of it could be attributed to the cloud of guilt and melancholy that'd settled over him in light of Lionstorm's rant about him. It hadn't felt like grooming could fix what was inside of him.

Trying to rid himself of the thoughts, Fawnpaw focused on the movements of Lionstorm's tongue brushing over his fur, making it even softer and smoothing the matted areas. It was soothing and eased him into a state of half-awareness that was only lifted when the warrior spoke.

"...Oh." Fawnpaw was grateful, but still hesitant, debating, and his jaw worked as he tried to gather his thoughts. "I wasn't accusing you, and I don't think you're a bad friend or anything... I-- I missed you, y'know? And it's been so lonely here." His confession eventually tapered off as he grew too self-conscious to continue, as if concerned Lionstorm would tell him he needed to grow up or get over it. Summing their interactions, all he could do was shrug at the deserving better bit. He didn't know.

So instead, he moved on from that and tried to return the favor from earlier, leaning into Lionstorm's side since he was curled around him, making it easy to begin bathing the waves of golden fur. His licks were slower, less coordinated, a little staggered. It wouldn't last too long, not when the urge to sleep was consuming him.

@BILL.