something in the air...? [P]

[Luna16]

Daffodilpaw felt a heavy weight in the pit of her stomach. The night air was cold, leaf-fall was upon them and there were no trees to protect them. But Daffodilpaw loved this feeling. She liked it when the weather was warm in newleaf and prey was plentiful, but she truly loved leaf-fall. The brisk cool air, the bright shining stars above. The pale yellow apprentice knew very well that she was breaking rules by being out by herself at this late hour, but every now and then she just wanted to look at the stars. Papa and Bounce got their one-on-one time during green-leaf after all. True, that was not at all the same thing and she knew it, but it helped bring her some comfort to have that thought.

She sat near the border with RiverClan, staring joyously up at Silverpelt. The stars seemed especially bright that night, there wasn’t a single wisp of cloud in the sky. Surely that means that StarClan isn’t…too upset with me. She mused, wrapping her tail around her paws as she settled on one of the gnarled roots of a willow. Her ears twitched with delight at the sound of the breeze moving the willow branches, and she inhaled a deep breath of the cold, clean air. She loved this! During her border tour with Elkjump, which felt so long ago now, she had enjoyed visiting this area. Especially now, it didn’t smell as humid or peaty as before. Now it just smelled…clean and open. Fresh. Daffodilpaw let out a blissful sigh, this kind of peace and quiet and beauty was worth sneaking out for.

[ @Splitmoon - Nightshadow]

 

[Splitmoon]

Nightshadow left camp about an hour ago. He needed time to himself and away from his clanmates. He was the only cat out of camp as of right now. He was walking the boarder, it had been awhile since he been out of camp. His icy blue eyes look up at the stars. Did Starclan exist? he thought. He had a hard time believing ever since his parents died. It was just him and his sister, Darkrose. Suddenly he smelled something, he turned his gaze away from the stars and in the direction of the smell. He stood up and started to follow it with his nose. It was a she-cat for sure. He suddenly ducked as he saw the she-cat, a pretty yellow one. AND smelled of Thunderclan He stood up and out of the bushes to confront her. "What are you doing near Riverclan border?" he asked. The black and white tom padded forward and close to the she-cat, his icy blue eyes beamed into hers. She wasn't a warrior by the looks of it but still an apprentice. No harm can come from that, so Nightshadow wasn't really worried. He couldn't smell any other cats around her, just her. "Well?" he said, waiting for the she-cat to respond.

@Luna16 - Daffodilpaw

[Luna16]

Daffodilpaw flinched when she caught the scent of a RiverClan cat, her pelt prickling when she heard an aggressive yowl. Rats! Her nose never failed her, but this time it alerted her too late to hide. She was too distracted. But still, Daffodilpaw forced herself not to move. Even though every hair on her pelt wanted to bolt, she forced her paws to stay planted on the root she was sitting on. I’m on the WindClan side of the border, I’m not doing anything wrong! She tried to convince herself, though guilt gnawed at her belly. She knew she was breaking some kind rule being out by herself late at night, but that was none of RiverClan’s business.

Be strong, Daffodil! Whiskers trembling, she narrowed her eyes at the RiverClanner. “I could ask you the same thing.” She retorted, a little “hmph” of rebelliousness in her voice.

[ @Splitmoon - Nightshadow]

[Splitmoon]

Nightshadow stared her, she was definitely an apprentice...an apprentice with an attitude. "I'm a warrior, I can be out by myself unlikes the look of you.....you seem to be an apprentice." He said, his icy blue eyes looked at her. He sat down, and wrapped a tail around his paws. His left ear flickered back as if he heard something. She was a pretty thing, yellow cream fur with green eyes that reminded him of the trees and the green grass....and a certain flower he loved. The Gladiolus also known as the “Green Star". He looked at her with icy blue eyes, his gaze never leaving hers. "What are you doing out of camp by yourself?" he asked.

@Luna16 - Daffodilpaw

[Luna16]

Daffodilpaw let out an actual “hmph” in a breath, turning away from the tom and closing her eyes. “Hasn’t anycat taught you it’s rude to make insinuations about a she-cat’s age?” She mewed indignantly. Daffodilpaw was normally a very sociable and friendly she-cat, but this tom was from another clan. And this wasn’t a Gathering. No matter how cute he is. She opened one eye slightly, gazing down at him with the same disgruntled glint in her eyes. She owed this tom nothing.

“What I do with my time is no business of a warrior from another clan.” She retorted, sticking her tongue out at him like a kit. Yes, Daffodilpaw did not show her more ‘sunny’ side to cats from outside the clan in a situation like this (stars she loved her nickname of ‘sunny cat’), but that didn’t mean she was more mature. Not by stretch.

[ @Splitmoon - Nightshadow]

[Splitmoon]

Nightshadow just looked at her, then burst out laughing. Once he finished he looked at the she-cat. "You're quite a cat." he meowed, shaking his head. He never seen a cat with her kind of attitude, yeah he seen some of it in his clan with the kits and apprentices....sometimes warriors. But hers was quite different, something about her was different. Plus the way she stuck out her tongue was cute. He let out another laugh at that thought. "Aren't you worried you'll get in trouble and that someone might be looking for you?" he asked with a tilt of his head. She seemed brave enough.


Nightshadow looked away from her, as he thought he heard something but it turned out to be a bird. He turned his icy blue eyes back on the she-cat. "What is your name? I'm Nightshadow."

@Luna16 - Daffodilpaw

[Luna16]

Daffodilpaw was surprised when he started laughing at her. What is with this tom?! But then…she pictured what she must have looked like, and try as she might she couldn’t hold back breaking out into laughter herself. Chuckling, then clearing her throat, Daffodilpaw leapt down from the root on which she perched. “Not really.” She answered, her ear twitching. That wasn’t entirely true, she was worried she’d get caught. But she didn’t catch a scent of anycat following her, and she did this often enough…but she didn’t want this cat knowing that.

She didn’t flinch at the bird, she had already caught a whiff of its scent. But her eyes did instinctively flick to where the bird emerged, tempted to give chase though she restrained herself. Daffodilpaw turned back to the tom, who has now introduced himself as Nightshadow, and tilted her head to the side. Why did he want her name. She narrowed her eyes distrustfully at him. “Why? So you can report me?” She grumbled. But she knew that it would be rude not to give her name now. Besides, she had his too, so she could get him in trouble with her clan just as easily for being so near the border. “I’m Daffodilpaw.” She mewed, regretful that she was now divulging her status as an apprentice, but there was nothing for it.

[ @Splitmoon - Nightshadow]

[Splitmoon]

Nightshadow chuckled at her laugh. It sounded like a bell. "I'm not gonna report you." he smiled, looking away. "I would have done the same thing as you if I was an apprentice." He looked up at the stars. "Sometimes I need to get away from my clanmates and my sister...." he said trailing off.

Nightshadow sighed and looked away from the stars and down at the grass. He had a hard time believing in Starclan. His sister, believed....but him it was hard when you had your parents put that faith in you....but then Starclan had to take them away. Suddenly he forgot he was still on the border...talking to a Windclan cat. He sat up straight and looked up at her. "So what's the real reason you are out here?" He asked. "Getting away from your annoying clanmates?" he asked trying to joke. He sat down on the ground, his gaze shifted to the river.

@Luna16 - Daffodilpaw

[Luna16]

The pale yellow she-cat took little comfort in Nightshadow’s promise, but…maybe she could trust him. Just this once. She said nothing as his gaze shifted around, though she wouldn’t say she wasn’t curious as to why he looked so forlornly at the stars. Whenever she glanced at the sky, she saw nothing but light and hope. She blinked up at the stars now, their glittering lights filling her heart with warmth against the cold. “They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” She purred.

She looked back at Nightshadow when he asked his question, tilting her head slightly with a light laugh. “Nah, my clanmates are awesome!” She mewed lightheartedly. “I just…sometimes I just like to come out here at night when it's cold.” She explained, blinking back up at the stars among Silverpelt. “The stars are so clear…and the air is so clean.” She closed her eyes in delight at the chill, brisk breeze moving through her fur.

[ @Splitmoon - Nightshadow - side note: Daffodilpaw is WindClan lol.]

[Splitmoon]

Nightshadow jumped at her question. He turned his gaze up at the stars. "Yeah they are...." he said trailing off. She was right, they are beautiful but ever time he looked at them he saw stars not Starclan.

He then turned his gaze away from the stars and on her, he listens to her speak about the stars. "Then you must have a strong belief in Starclan." He meowed, with a tilt of his head. He saw his clanmates and how they spoke about Starclan, how they couldn't wait to meet the ones they lost. Him? He didn't know what to believe, he did when he was younger but now?

He loved the stars....

[ @Luna16 - Daffodilpaw haha sorry ]